College Knowledge for Our Graduating Seniors

College Knowledge comprises two sessions of informal discussion for Destination: College graduating seniors and is part of our College Readiness program. The sessions takes place in the Cooney College Center each May. The goals of College Knowledge are to give real-world information about starting college; provide support and reassurance in a safe, nurturing environment; tackle impending challenges and changes that students may encounter; and provide relatable tools and skills for seniors to draw on.

This year the first session of College Knowledge was presented by Ms. Laura, our Director of College Success.

This session was focused on the concerns that the seniors may be having about going to college. For some this is about being away from home for the first time, for others it’s about making new friends, or getting used to being in a new and different environment, and for others it’s about doing well in their classes.

To break the ice, students were each given a balloon and a note card. On the notecard they anonymously write any fear or concern they have about going to college. They then placed the note into the ballon and inflated the balloon. Then the fun began as the balloons were tossed around College Center and finally randomly distributed amongst the students. Each student took it in turn to pop a balloon and read out loud the note inside. And then the students gave each other advice! The group was very insightful and articulate. Each student-athlete encouraged the other to stay true to who they are and to go for their goals no matter what.

The second session of College Knowledge was all about perspective. This session was led by Ms. Laura and featured four Destination: College alums who have recently completed their freshman year at college. They shared their perspectives and experiences from their first year. Our graduating seniors listened intently. The alums talked about topics such as the importance of scheduling, writing tasks down, using google calendar and planning study groups ahead of time. They also talked about meeting new people and making friends, and how they had to step out of their comfort zone at times to do this.

The alums gave important advice such as “Don’t skip class” and “Communicating with professors is important.” They showed the seniors how to prioritize: Get work done before going out! And they reassured the seniors: College is hard and fun, but doable.

The final College Knowledge message to this year’s seniors was “Don’t forget DC is here for you!”.
Over the coming weeks our Cooney Scholarship winners will be assigned a mentor who will guide and support them through their college years. DC provides regular online meetings and seminars for our graduates to attend while away at college. Destination: College’s College Success program begins with our graduating seniors and carries through with our DC Alumni. Our retention rates speak for themselves. https://destinationcollegeny.org/our-impact/ We are very excited to continue to work with the Class of 2025 as they begin their new chapters. Stay tuned!