Episode Notes: College App Journey

Here are some potential episode notes that build on the existing college calendar:

Episode 1: "Senior Year Kicks Off!" (Focus on September)

• Start the episode with a relatable, energetic opening about the excitement and anxieties of senior year. Perhaps begin with a student's voice-over expressing their hopes and fears as they enter this pivotal year.
• Introduce the main characters: This could be a group of diverse seniors with different academic profiles and college aspirations. Think about including students aiming for different types of schools (CUNY vs. out-of-state, competitive vs. less selective).
• First Day Jitters: Show the seniors on their first day back, highlighting the personality test activity on September 7th. Use this to establish their personalities and maybe foreshadow potential conflicts or collaborations based on their results.
• The College List Challenge: Introduce the concept of building a college list on Sept 11th. This allows you to showcase different students' approaches - some might be organized, others overwhelmed. Emphasize the use of the "College Tracker" tool mentioned on Sept. 11th and show how it helps or hinders their process.
• Early Focus on CUNY: The September calendar emphasizes CUNY applications. Highlight the importance of CUNY for many NYC students and showcase the process of creating a CUNY college list, due September 15th.
• CUNY Application Deep Dive: Dedicate a segment to the CUNY application introduction on Sept 18th. This provides an opportunity for informational content, explaining key aspects of the application, deadlines, and requirements.
• End with a cliffhanger: Perhaps one student is struggling to narrow down their college list, or another is facing a difficult decision about whether to apply early to a dream school. Leave the audience wanting more!

Episode 2: "The CUNY Hustle and College Awareness Week" (Focus: End of Sept/October)

• CUNY Application Progress: Show students continuing to work on their CUNY applications with "One on One Check Ins" throughout the end of September. Highlight the challenges they face: technical issues, writing personal statements, gathering transcripts.
• Transition to College Awareness Week: Build excitement for College Awareness Week, starting on October 9th, by showing students anticipating the events and teachers prepping their college gear.
• College Fair Frenzy: Capture the energy and chaos of a college fair on October 9th. This allows you to introduce representatives from various colleges, potentially planting seeds for future episodes.
• Visual Storytelling: Show students engaging in the "Wear Your College Colors" activity on October 16th and the "Letter from College" activity on October 17th. Use these visual cues to illustrate their hopes and dreams for the future.
• The Essay Beast Emerges: Transition to a more serious tone as students begin working on college essays on October 16th. This could be a source of stress and tension. Show different students' writing styles and struggles: writer's block, procrastination, seeking help from teachers or peers.
• Conclude with the looming first draft deadline of October 24th! Will they all make it?