Free postsecondary planning events!

Let VSAC be your guide.

High school students and parents/guardians, whether you’re college-bound, training-bound, or not sure, these events are for you.

On Saturday, March 18, 2023, families are invited to join us in-person at the UVM Davis Center or online via Zoom to take part in live workshops, discover free resources, and connect with local experts to help you prepare for education or training after high school.

March 18th event schedule:

  • 8:30–9:30 am: Registration & Resource Fair (in-person only)
  • 9:30–9:45 am: Welcome (in-person & online)
  • 9:55–10:40 am: Breakout Workshops #1 (in-person & online)
  • 10:50–11:35 am: Breakout Workshops #2 (in-person & online)
  • 11:45 am–12:30 pm: Breakout Workshops #3 (in-person & online)

Registration information will be available on this page in late January 2023.

We'll also be offering four events for high schools around the state:

  • Tuesday, February 7, 9:00 am–2:00 pm at Bennington College
  • Thursday, February 23, 8:45 am–1:45 pm at Vermont State University Lyndon Campus
  • Thursday, March 16, 9:00 am–2:00 pm at Saint Michael's College
  • Wednesday, April 5, 9:00 am–2:00 pm at Vermont State University Castleton Campus (in partnership with the College Fair)

High schools will register to bring students to these events during the school day. Please connect with your school to find out if they will be participating. 

If you’re a school interested in bringing students to one of these four events, reach out to Anna at telensky@vsac.org. for more details.

Below you can find recordings and resources from our 2022 event. More details on this year's events will be available in early January.

Find additional recordings from past events on our YouTube channel.

Below you can find recordings and additional resources for each of the live workshops that were offered at the March 5, 2022 virtual event. Click on each workshop name to find the recording and resources for that session.

Welcome with VSAC & Governor Phil Scott

Click on each green bar below for event details and additional resources. 

Session 1  | 10:15– 11:15am

College Options for Students with Developmental Disabilities and Autism

Learn about a number of inclusive college programs in Vermont designed for students with developmental disabilities and autism.

Audience: Best for 10th–12th grade students and their parents/guardians
Presenter: Bryan Dague, Ed.D., Director of Think College at the University of Vermont

Resources:

Financial Aid & Managing College Costs  

Find out how families cover college costs. We'll explain:

  • the types of financial aid available (grants, scholarships, loans)
  • the basics of financial aid applications
  • ways to compare college costs before you apply

Audience: Best for 10th & 11th grade students and their parents/guardians
Presenter: Carrie Harlow, VSAC Outreach Counselor

Resources:

Money After High School

As you head off to college or into the workforce, you'll be taking on greater responsibility in managing your own money. Learn how to start off right for a financially successful future. This workshop will cover budgeting, credit, paying for college, and creating a spending plan that you can stick to.

Audience: Best for 11th & 12th grade students and their parents/guardians
Presenter: Opportunities Credit Union

Resources:

Navigating the Admissions Process 

Overwhelmed by the college admissions process? Hear directly from college admissions counselors about the steps involved in applying, what they look for in students, and how they can support you through the process.

Audience: Best for 10th & 11th grade students and their parents/guardians
Presenters: Office of Admissions, University of Vermont & Castleton University

Resources:

Non-Degree Pathways to a Great Career: Short-Term Training & Apprenticeships 

Short-term training can be a great way to increase skills or jump-start your career. With a wide variety of options available both in-person and online throughout Vermont, it can be challenging to find the right fit. This workshop will help you understand the range of options available.

Audience: Best for 10th–12th grade students and their parents/guardians
Presenters: Suzie Wagner, VSAC Educational Opportunity Center Counselor & Holly Hammond, VSAC Outreach Counselor

Career Exploration Resources:

Vermont Career Training & Industry Recognized Credential Programs:

Resources to find and pay for career training:

Strategies for the SAT & ACT 

Want to make yourself a stronger candidate for college admissions and merit-based financial aid by earning a high score? Get “best practice” strategies and free test-prep resources from a professional test prep tutor.

Audience: Best for 10th & 11th grade students
Presenter: Matthew Shagam, Tutor

Resources:

The College Search: Finding the Right Fit  

Know you want to go to college but unsure how to choose a school? Learn what to consider and which tools to use as you create a college list that matches your needs.

Audience: Best for 9th–11th grade students alone or with their parents/guardians (less appropriate for parents/guardians alone)
Presenters: Sara Vargo & Michelle Legere, VSAC Outreach Counselors

Resources:

Session 2  | 11:30am–12:30pm

Exploring Career and Education Pathways with MyFutureVT

Learn about MyFutureVT, the free one-stop online resource you can use to explore Vermont’s most promising careers and the education and training programs to get into these jobs.

Audience: Best for 9th–12th grade students and their parents/guardians
Presenter: Amanda Chase, Advance Vermont

Resources:

I Wish I Knew That! Programs to Pursue Before You Graduate

Participants will learn about the Flexible Pathways opportunities available to students and how participating in one or more of these programs in high school can help you get a jumpstart on your future.

Audience: Best for 9th–11th grade students and their parents/guardians
Presenter: Student Pathways Division, Vermont Agency of Education

Resources:

Navigating the College Search for Students who Learn Differently

This workshop will give students and families the tools to determine fit as you look at various colleges, and help you prepare for the transition. Ferne Bork, Assistant Director of Admissions and Training Coordinator for Landmark College and the mother of a Landmark alumnus who has ADHD, will provide information about what to consider, the questions to ask, the legal landscape, and the wide range of accommodations, supports, and programs that exist in postsecondary education today. She'll tell you a little about the specific expertise of Landmark College, which specializes in educating neurodiverse high school and college students, and will allow plenty of time for your questions.

Audience: Best for 9th–12th grade students and their parents/guardians 
Presenter: Ferne Bork, Landmark College Assistant Director of Admissions and Training Coordinator

Resources:

Scholarships: Free Money!

Learn how to find and apply for local, state, and national scholarships.

Audience: Best for 11th grade students and their parents/guardians
Presenter: Matt “Beagle” Bourgault, VSAC Talent Search Director

Resources:

Supporting Your Teen’s Career Search

How can you help your child figure out what they want to do, without telling them what to do? This workshop will cover what your high schooler needs from you in their career search, and how to help them explore and identify their career interests.

Audience: Best for the parents/guardians of 9th–12th grade students
Presenter: Kathi Terami, Executive Director, Careers CLiC

Resources:

Writing the Admissions Essay 

Find out what colleges look for in the admissions essay and discover how to craft an essay that sets you apart.

Audience: Best for 10th & 11th grade students and their parents/guardians
Presenter: Office of Admissions, University of Vermont

Resources:

Click on the titles below for the videos and guided questions on this topic. You can also save a copy of the overview sheet with descriptions and links for each topic.

Learn how to navigate videos & guided questions

My Life, My Path: There’s no right way to approach your life. Likewise, there’s no right or wrong way to approach your education and career after high school. Start to explore your options and reflect on the pathway that might be right for you.

Short-Term Training & Apprenticeships: Short-term training can be a great way to increase skills or jump-start your career, and apprenticeships enable you to earn while you learn. Discover the wide variety of training options available both in-person and online throughout Vermont.

Intro to Résumé Writing: Find out what employers look for in a résumé and walk away with a checklist for creating a job application that will improve your odds of getting an interview.

Interviewing Success Strategies: Find out how to prepare for a job interview and show off your best self to potential employers. While structured around applying for a job, these tips can also be applied to a college admissions interview.

The College Search—Finding the Right Fit: Learn what to consider and then reflect on what you want from your postsecondary experience so that you can narrow the search to institutions that meet your values and preferences. While structured around the college search, these questions can also be helpful in thinking about what you might want in a future employer or non-degree training program.

Strategies for the SAT & ACT: Want to make yourself a stronger candidate for college admissions and merit-based financial aid by earning a high score on the SAT or ACT? Get “best practice” strategies and free test-prep resources from a professional test prep tutor.

Navigating the Admissions Process: Overwhelmed by the college admissions process? Hear directly from college admissions counselors about the steps involved in applying, what they look for in students, and ways they can support you through the process. 

Writing the Admissions Essay: Find out what colleges look for in the admissions essay and discover how to craft an essay that sets you apart.

Financial Aid & Managing College Costs: Nervous about how you’ll afford to pay for college or career training? Learn about how others make it work, the types of financial aid available, how to apply for them, and what you should be doing now to set yourself up for success.

Scholarships—Free Money: Learn how to find and apply for local, state, and national scholarships.

The Postsecondary Experience—Student Voices: Find out what current college and non-degree training students think you should know about education after high school.

Going to College—How to Stick with It and Graduate: Going to college and dropping out before receiving your degree can be expensive and disheartening. Find out the most common reasons why college students leave school, and what steps you can start taking now to help you make it to graduation. 

Gap Year 101: Learn about the benefits, challenges, and opportunities surrounding the gap year option.

Identifying Your Career Interests: Discover how your interests relate to clusters of nearly 900 occupations.

Showcasing Essential Skills: Learn which skills are critical to success after high school, how to highlight the skills you already have, and how to build new ones.

Navigating Your Own Career Path: Connect your interests and skills with promising careers in Vermont and explore a broad range of career and education pathways.

Questions?

Call 877-961-4369 or e-mail us at collegepathways@vsac.org.

College & Career Pathways is funded by VSAC; Vermont State GEAR UP, a federally funded program; and the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation.