You Can Go To College

What is college? How do I get there?

Jennette CronkExecutive Director – WLBPA.org

Cannella ElementaryGreat American Teach-In 2013

What is college?• A college or university is a school, after

high school, that awards a degree.• A “degree” is a certificate, or diploma,

awarded for completing a specific course of study.

• Your principal might have a diploma on display.

• You will find one in your doctor’s office too. Where else?

When is college?1. Preschool and VPK

2. Elementary School Grades K-5

3. Middle School Grades 6-8

4. High School Grades 9-12

5. College

6. Graduate School

Who can go to college?Any person can go to college if they meet all the criteria or “rules” for getting in!

Where are colleges?Everywhere! There are colleges in every state and in almost every country.

The University of South Florida (USF), The University of Tampa (UT), Florida College, and Hillsborough Community College (HCC) are right here in our city.

How do I get there?1.Love to learn.

2.Get good grades in school.

3.Participate in school functions and activities.

4.Volunteer for school projects and in your community.

5.Study for the SAT or other college tests in high school.

6.Earn a scholarship to help pay for college.

Where will I live at college?At some colleges and universities, you can live on-campus in a dorm or residence hall. If you do, you will probably have a roommate.

Some students live in off-campus apartments very close to the college.

Some colleges and universities are close enough so you can live at home and drive to school.

Can you imagine what it would be like to live at school?

What can I study in college?There are many degrees you can earn in college. You can pick the area of study that interests and excites you most. Here are a few examples:

ArtScienceEnglish/LiteratureWritingMathMusicEngineeringComputersBusinessFinance/Economy

Public AdministrationSocial WorkPoliticsPsychologyTheatreDanceLawMedicineEducationHistory

How will I feel in college?• You will feel proud (and your family will be proud too)!

• When you complete your program, your family can watch your graduation ceremony.

What will I wear?

• When you graduate, you wear a cap and gown?

• Your cap will have a tassel on it. The color of your tassel, in college, shows which program you studied.

• For example, the tassel for education majors is blue.

College VocabularyCollege or University: a school after high schoolDegree: an award for completing a specific program/majorMajor: the specific degree program you chooseDiploma: a certificateDorm or Residence Hall: a place you can live on-campusCampus: a school’s groundsRoommate: someone who shares your room with youScholarship: an award of money you earn that pays for collegeGraduation: A ceremony or celebration at the end of your school programCap and Gown: Outfit you wear when you graduate

Mahalia Mouse Goes to CollegeMahalia Mouse Goes to Collegeby: John LithgowISBN: 978-1416927150

Mahalia Mouse and her family live underneath Dunster House, an old Harvard dormitory. Foraging for food for her younger brothers and sisters, Mahalia gets trapped in a backpack and then finds herself inside a classroom far from home. Mahalia, intrigued by the lecture, starts attending classes and soon becomes a full-time student -- all the while wondering about the fate of her family. But when graduation day finally arrives, Mahalia has a wonderful surprise waiting for her.