See Upcoming Events

Option 2: Virtual Personal Essay Boot Camp

Calling all high school juniors – Class of 2027!

ACT’s American College Application Campaign is excited to partner with College Essay Guy this spring and summer to offer a free workshop to help students get started on their college personal statement.

During this workshop, you’ll:

  • Learn what makes a strong personal statement.
  • Discover ways to find meaningful essay topics and stories.
  • Start brainstorming ideas you can turn into a full draft later.

We’re excited for you to participate and get a strong start on your essay – whether for your college applications, scholarship applications, or job applications!

 

REGISTER NOW: ACT Webinar | Free Personal Statement Boot Camp for Students with College Essay Guy

Two options – same great content! You only need to attend one.

Option 1

Date: Thursday, May 28

Time: 11:00 a.m. CT

Duration: 90 minutes

 

Option 2

Date: Tuesday, June 16

Time: 11:00 a.m. CT

Duration: 90 minutes

 

About College Essay Guy:

Founder Ethan Sawyer wrote the bestselling guide College Essay Essentials.

His resources are widely used by counselors and students nationwide.

His website includes hundreds of free college application guides and tools.

He also hosts a popular college admissions podcast!

Virtual Personal Essay Boot Camp for Students

Virtual

Calling all high school juniors – Class of 2027!

ACT’s American College Application Campaign is excited to partner with College Essay Guy this spring and summer to offer a free workshop to help students get started on their college personal statement.

During this workshop, you’ll:

  • Learn what makes a strong personal statement.
  • Discover ways to find meaningful essay topics and stories.
  • Start brainstorming ideas you can turn into a full draft later.

We’re excited for you to participate and get a strong start on your essay – whether for your college applications, scholarship applications, or job applications!

 

REGISTER NOW: ACT Webinar | Free Personal Statement Boot Camp for Students with College Essay Guy

Two options – same great content! You only need to attend one.

Option 1

Date: Thursday, May 28

Time: 11:00 a.m. CT

Duration: 90 minutes

 

Option 2

Date: Tuesday, June 16

Time: 11:00 a.m. CT

Duration: 90 minutes

 

About College Essay Guy:

Founder Ethan Sawyer wrote the bestselling guide College Essay Essentials.

His resources are widely used by counselors and students nationwide.

His website includes hundreds of free college application guides and tools.

He also hosts a popular college admissions podcast!

What is Inclusive Postsecondary Education for Students with Intellectual Disability?

https://site.act.org/think-college-inclusive-postsecondary

Join ACT and the experts from Think College for an inspiring session to discover how to unlock postsecondary opportunities for students with disabilities.

Over the past two decades, advocacy efforts and improvements to the Higher Education Act have expanded access to more than 300 inclusive college programs nationwide. This webinar explores what inclusive higher education looks like in practice and the critical role counselors play in helping students identify the right program, access financial aid and other funding sources, and prepare for college success beginning in K–12. Think College staff will demonstrate the Think College program database and share evidence of the meaningful outcomes achieved by students with intellectual disability who pursue a college education.

Together, we’ll explore practical strategies, share success stories, and highlight resources that empower educators to create inclusive pathways to college and beyond.

What to Expect 

The session blends informative content with practical strategies and interactive elements, including:

  • Live polls
  • Q&A segments


Join us on Wednesday, February 18, at noon ET to:   

  • Support student exploration: Help students with disabilities explore postsecondary options, identify programs that fit their needs, and access financial aid and funding resources.
  • Build hands-on experience: Use the Think College program database to locate and evaluate inclusive higher education opportunities.
  • Advocate with confidence: Leverage success stories and outcome data to champion inclusive college pathways and support student success starting in K–12.

Register Now

Webinar: College Match Day for Juniors

https://site.act.org/acac-webinar-college-match-day

High school juniors are often overlooked in the college access process — but their junior year is a pivotal time to explore options and make informed decisions.

Join ACT’s American College Application Campaign (ACAC) to learn about College Match Day, a new initiative that helps high school juniors understand college match and fit, build balanced college lists, and prepare for senior-year applications.

By holding activities during the school day, College Match Day ensures that all students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, such as low-income families, students of color, or first-generation college students, can participate in meaningful college exploration.

Hear from counselors from Augusta Senior High School (Kentucky), Godwin High School (Michigan), and El Toro High School (California) as they share their experiences implementing College Match Day and the impact it’s had on their students.

Join us on Tuesday, January 27, at noon ET for a webinar where you’ll learn how to:

  • Understand and communicate the importance of match and fit in college planning.
  • Introduce and implement College Match Day in your high school using the provided implementation guide.
  • Strengthen your school’s college-going culture and expand access through early, equitable planning.

Register Now

#WhyApply Day 2025

To celebrate the nearly 480,000 students who will participate in these application events, #WhyApply Day kicks off the application season and provides encouragement for the students. Though state campaigns and local events will run from September through December, the goal of #WhyApply Day is to kick off the season and to utilize social media to encourage students as they begin the application process.

Why Host a College Application Event: Insights from ACAC 2024 School of Excellence Awardees

#WhyApply Day 2024

Social Media

To celebrate the nearly 467,000 students who will participate in these application events, #WhyApply Day kicks off the application season and provides encouragement for the students. Though state campaigns and local events will run from September through December, the goal of #WhyApply Day is to kick off the season and to utilize social media to encourage students as they begin the application process.

Learn more: https://equityinlearning.act.org/acac/resources/why-apply/

Why Host a College Application Event: Insights from ACAC 2023 School of Excellence Awardees

Join us on Friday, Aug. 23, for an insightful webinar where you’ll discover:

  • The importance of hosting a college application event.
  • Innovative methods to engage and reach students.
  • Effective ways to remove barriers that prevent students from applying to a postsecondary institution.

Register Now

How to Use the Participatory Research Model to advance education equity, advocacy, and success.

As part of ACT’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning invites leaders, researchers, and practitioners to share knowledge and insights regarding the intersection of education, workforce, and equity through the ACT’s Equity Speakers Series. This year, we are pleased to invite Rhonda Broussard, founder and CEO of Beloved Community and author of “One Good Question: How Countries Prepare Youth To Lead,” along with Samarah Bentley, a student at Louisiana State University, to share insights on the power and promise of participatory research design.

Register Now

Building School-Based College Preparation Supports for Students: Hosting a College Application Event

Learn from the national American College Application Campaign (ACAC) team and a school counselor at an ACAC School of Excellence: what a college application event is, resources available to support you in hosting a college application event at your school, and how you can help remove barriers that prevent students from applying to college.

Recording available as of Nov. 1, 2023. Watch now.

See Upcoming Events

Speaking Engagements

ACT’s Center for Impact and Learning team members regularly speak at regional and national conferences.

Click Book a Speaking Engagement if you’re interested in inviting ACT’s Center for Impact and Learning to participate in your meeting or event.