Spring Forward Week: a whole-school commitment to college readiness

“Spring Forward Week” is a new and energising initiative I created to help students in grades 9 through 11 think strategically about their journey to university in the springtime. 

Think of it as taking place in the “spring” and students are all thinking “future forward” and all stakeholders in the school rally together to show collective support for one week to generate excitement for the upcoming university application process. Rather than waiting until senior year to tackle the complexities of college applications, this week offers an intentional space for early engagement, self-discovery and planning.

Throughout Spring Forward Week, students participate in tailored sessions that introduce key aspects of the university application process, such as case studies, mock applications, seeing what the Common App and Ucas portals look like, exploring potential majors and building balanced college lists, writing impactful personal statements and seeking strong letters of recommendation.

Workshops and panels may include guidance on standardised testing timelines, extracurricular involvement, summer planning and understanding what different colleges look for in applicants.

What makes our Spring Forward Week unique is its all-in approach: the entire school community comes together to support students. Teachers infuse college awareness into their lessons, advisors help students reflect on their goals and growth, and alumni may return to share their own application journeys. 

We even have administration get in on the action in leading some of the sessions. Really, the counsellor takes on more of a facilitator role and allows the team to come together, as each person in the building truly is an integral part of the college counselling process. 

The week fosters a culture where college readiness is seen not just as a task for seniors but as a developmental process that starts early and benefits from shared support. The best aspect was the final day activity, our Reverse Teacher University Fair, where teachers sat at tables and students approached them to learn about their own experiences and get ideas they otherwise might never think about for potential destinations. 

By the end of Spring Forward Week, students walk away more informed, empowered, and equipped to take meaningful next steps on their paths to higher education. It’s a springboard to the future, thoughtfully designed to help students move forward with purpose and confidence.

At this year’s Times Higher Education and BMI Global Forum, I presented on this to counsellors to encourage them to begin their own Spring Forward Week initiatives at their schools. On the new CAP Community Resource, there is now a Spring Forward Community section where counsellors can add ideas for activities for future cycles. Let’s all Spring Forward Together next year!

Here is a look at some of the activities we held this year:

Monday: Case Study, led by teachers in administration, showing students sample university applications. Students have to decide to “Admit, Waitlist or Deny” the applications. 
Tuesday: Students undergo various community engagement activities followed by an advisory lesson on how to structure those activities in their Common App activities section. 
Wednesday: Students watch the PBS Documentary Dream School to follow along with others who have gone through the university application process.
Thursday: Alumni and seniors lead a session on tips and tricks for what they would do differently, giving advice to younger students. 
Friday: Reverse Teacher University Fair – teachers become the universities and wear swag representing their alma maters, sitting at a table for the last hour of the day, telling students about their own university experiences and past careers.