What is College Bound Michigan?
College Bound Michigan (CBMI) is a suite of initiatives designed to build and support college-going cultures in high schools and their surrounding communities. MCAN’s work helps school counselors, college advisers, and other educators create systems and practices that connect all students with the opportunity for formal education beyond high school, including postsecondary certificates and academic degrees. CBMI brings together all of the statewide initiatives — Michigan College Month, College Cash Campaign, and College Decision Day — into one campaign to help bring Michigan closer to Sixty by 30.
Are you ready to be a game changer?
As we enter the 10th year of the CBMI campaign, we are declaring a game-changing year! After two years that upended the very notion of “normal,” we want our partners to enter the 2021-22 school year with a perspective characterized by innovation and optimism. Our shared work requires constant creativity and strategic execution, as our planning must be both proactive and reactive to what students are experiencing. Our hope is that site coordinators will feel empowered by this season of change and create game-changing opportunities for their students.
We are shifting our investment and support to you: the teams who lead the development and implementation of a college-going culture in your community. In doing so, we have decided to implement the following changes:
- We will be shifting funds formerly reserved for student incentives to offer schools flexible grant opportunities to implement game-changing programming that inspires and excites your students as they prepare for the transition to postsecondary education.
- We will be elevating learning communities for site coordinators to engage in forum-style planning discussions, giving you space to brainstorm game-changing strategies for common roadblocks.
- We will be providing each school counseling department with a physical Game Changer Kickoff Pack to properly celebrate your game-changing year and you, the game changer!
Why should my school sign up?
As a CBMI Host Site, you will have access to:
- Exclusive grant opportunities
- Cash incentives for schools and students
- Promotional materials
- Student-facing, grab-and-go resources
- Counselor/adviser-facing toolkits and implementation guides
- Professional development opportunities
- Access to a peer learning community and dependable support
Register soon to ensure your Game Changer Kickoff Pack and other resources will be available for use early in the school year. Do you have questions? Contact Jamie Jacobs, MCAN’s deputy director and director of High School Innovation.
Registration Help Resources
Video Guide
PDF Guide
College Bound Michigan Components
Michigan College Month (October)
Michigan College Month is part of the American College Application Campaign initiative, with the goal of providing every graduating high school senior the opportunity to apply to college and for financial aid. Special focus is placed on assisting students who would be the first in their families to attend college and on students who may not have otherwise seriously considered applying to college.
College Cash Campaign (Nov. 1-March 1)
College Cash Campaign encourages schools to create a community-wide rally around FAFSA completion and scholarship applications to help students find cash for college.
College Decision Day (around May 1)
College Decision Day is part of the national College Signing Day initiative, and it is focused on recognizing high school seniors for their postsecondary educational plans and encouraging younger students and families to prepare for postsecondary education. College Decision Day is held annually on or around May 1 and is designed to coincide with the date that most seniors must inform a college of their plans to enroll.
60,195
# of students served
431
# of host sites
70,831
# of college apps submitted