Apply Kansas

The first step in going to college is to apply!  For many students, applying to college can be a daunting task, but it can be particularly overwhelming for students who may be the first in their family to pursue postsecondary educational dreams or have yet to consider their plans after high school. 

Apply Kansas, is our annual statewide campaign in which high schools conduct events to help seniors apply to college with their peers and with help, guidance, and a cheering squad from school staff, local community supporters, and postsecondary volunteers.  In partnership with the American College Application Campaign, Apply Kansas is a state-wide initiative to increase the number of students applying, enrolling, and succeeding in college or other postsecondary goals.

We encourage your high school to register.  We’ll help you with resources, tips, and tools to help you host a successful event!

Step 1: Register your school or community organization as a host site for a 2025 Apply Kansas event! (registration closed for 2025)
Step 2: Attend a training or view the virtual training. See below.
Step 3: Plan your event
Step 4: Host your event and collect student data
Step 5: Submit your Apply Kansas Site Completion data - Due December 1st
Next, check out the All Star High School page. 

Additional Apply Kansas details are located below. 

2025 Apply Kansas schools

Resources and reports

Apply Free Days Information and Resources
2025 Apply Free Days Application Instructions
Site Coordinator Information & Resources
Promotion Materials (logos and banners)
Apply Kansas Site Completion Survey Questions
2025 Kansas Admission Guide (links to applications for admission, financial aid departments, and scholarship dates)
Apply Kansas Steering Committee Members
Apply Kansas Site Coordinator Training Slides

Annual Reports:
2024 Apply Kansas Annual Report Graphic
2024 Apply Kansas Annual Report Slides
Map of 2024 Apply Kansas schools

Plan your Apply Kansas event

1. Reserve computer labs, library, or classrooms/facilities for your event.

2. Post Banners to remind students that event will occur.

3. Recruit Volunteers - Could be teachers or college admission staff.

4. Prepare Students for the Event.

#1: Encourage your seniors to identify 2-3 colleges or postsecondary programs they would like to apply to.  You could require students to complete some or all of these options.

• Attend a College Fair (either virtual or in-person)
• Use a college search tool: Xello, Big Future, Naviance, KS degreestats, Encourage, etc.
• Complete College Fit Worksheet
• Visit a college campus

#2: Once they’ve identified some colleges, have seniors complete the College Application Checklist, to prepare personal information they may need to complete their college application on the day of the event

5. Apply Kansas Event Day!

• Complete College Applications
• Request Transcripts
• Submit fee waivers (when applicable)
• Students complete a sign out survey (Examples: Online, Paper #1, Paper #2)
  
  

  • Reporting your Apply Kansas Event data is the only requirement of participating in this program. At a minimum you’ll need to submit the following information to us at the conclusion of your event:

    • Number of seniors who submitted an application
    • Total Number of college applications submitted
    • Number of KS Public Colleges receiving applications
      
      
• Social Media Blitz!  Post pictures with an Apply Kansas banner listing the colleges they applied when finished
  
  

6. Submit your Apply Kansas site data to Apply Kansas by December 1st.

• This submission qualifies you to receive All Star High School recognition. 

7. Follow up with FAFSA completion instructions/events & Financial Aid resources

• Kansas school districts are able to see your individual high school students FAFSA  through the FAFSA Completion Project.  Each district submits a request for access, and the designated district contact is responsible for distributing the data to individual schools. The process is outlined on the FAFSA Resources page. 

8. Incentivize seniors completing all 4 tasks.  Certificate?  Prizes?  Apply Kansas Swag?

2025 apply kansas Training Schedule 

In-person training locations will include opportunities to share ideas and a campus tour with updates from the institution. A virtual training will be available after in person trainings have concluded. 

WHY APPLY Day: Friday, September 19, 2025

Check out this video made by students in Shawnee Heights High School.  The students in the Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) program asked their teachers to fill out the selfie page on why students should apply to college and collected all their responses in this video .    

Create your own "Why Apply" selfie page (pdf) and post your picture on any social media outlet tagging: #applyks #whyapply

 Why Apply resources

FAQ

When is the campaign?

The Apply Kansas campaign is an application completion event held annually between September - November. Your high school can pick a day (or multiple days) during the fall months to conduct an event. Some schools charge application fees, while others do not. Check out the Apply Free Days page for more information. Many schools plan their event around the Kansas Apply Free Days or around the month of October which is the state's "College Application Month". 

How do I register my school? 

Click here to complete a short registration form.

Are community organizations allowed to hold an event?

Absolutely!  All events are welcome to support seniors with their post-secondary plans. Get in touch with the State Coordinator to register. 

Should I register if my school is small or if we host a similar event?

YES!  Register your school for Apply Kansas even if you are currently conducting a program or your school is small.  Tracking state-wide participation helps evaluate the impact Kansas schools have on their students. Team up with a participating neighboring school or district. See below list of Apply Kansas participating high schools for 2024. 

What’s involved in conducting an event?

Your school’s site coordinator will select the date, reserve a computer lab, secure volunteers, and report campaign results.  Apply Kansas and KBOR provide free resources to help with the planning process (see links above).  You know what your students need most, so as long as you can get us your summary data, we’ll support you with resources and anything else you need to have a successful event

Is there training to help us get started?

YES!  We are scheduling in-person training and virtual training sessions. Dates and locations will be listed on this page. The virtual session will also have registration and be open for you to interact with other participants virtually. We will also record the virtual session for anyone who is unable to fit any of the trainings into their schedule.  All sessions will contain the same information, so you just need to pick one date. Training sessions will give you the opportunity to see all the resources available to you, meet other Apply Kansas coordinators, and understand the best way to gather your summary data at the end of your event.

Apply Kansas Training: Starting in 2022, most Apply Kansas Trainings are combined with a counselor college event! Site Coordinators will spend the first half of the training learning about the Apply Kansas program, picking up their swag items, and interacting with other site coordinators. Then, following the training, site coordinators will review information about the host institutions and be able to attend a walking tour of the campus. Each year, we will select different institutions across the state to host our Apply Kanas training events. All training sessions are in person unless specifically noted below. 

Can virtual students and schools participate?

Absolutely! We want to support all students and schools. Team up with a public library or community organization to offer an in person event or hold a virtual event! 

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Questions?

Contact Mistie Knox (785) 430-4279 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Follow Apply Kansas on social media!