1. Ramp-Up to ReadinessTM
Choose Rigor
Gain Access
+ Maintain Motivation
+ Practice Persistence
= READINESS
Introduction

2. Ramp-Up Readiness Rubric
Am I on track to meet my goals?
Distribute the readiness rubric for seventh grade to each student
Explain that students will regularly work on portions of the readiness rubric (just like they did in 6th grade) which will help them answer the question, “What do I need to do to reach that goal?” and “Am I on track to meet my goals?”

3. Objectives Learn about the following: Ramp-Up to ReadinessTM
What it means to be college ready
What it takes to be college ready
How you can start preparing now!

4. Review What is Ramp-Up to Readiness™?
A program to help all students develop the knowledge, skills, and habits for success in postsecondary education (college).
The program was developed by Minnesota Middle and High School staff along with the University of Minnesota.
Explain that postsecondary education and college are terms used to describe all types of education available after high school including community and technical college and 4 year college
Microsoft, 2011

5. Review: Pillars of Readiness
Plan
Foundation: Belief that all students need to be prepared for postsecondary education
Goal:
All students meet Ramp-Up Standards
Pillars of Readiness
What are the 5 pillars of readiness?
We’ll go through each readiness area and what it means

6. Review: Pillars of Readiness
Plan
Foundation: Belief that all students need to be prepared for postsecondary education
Goal:
All students meet Ramp-Up Standards
Academic
Admissions
Career
Financial
Personal/Social
Pillars of Readiness
We’ll review each readiness area and what it means

7. Academic Readiness
Means graduating from high school ready to do first-year, credit-bearing college work.
Some skills include:
Strong reading, writing, and math skills
Analyzing and solving complex problems
Critically evaluating claims
Asking and investigating important questions
Checking your work to make sure it’s correct
Microsoft, 2011

8. Admissions Readiness
Means meeting all of the requirements for admission into the college (2- yr or yr) that you want to attend
Skills:
Identifying the type of college that best fits your personality, career and personal goals, and strengths
Figuring out the requirements at the colleges you want to attend and coming up with a plan to meet them
Applying to at least 3 colleges that are good matches for you
Microsoft, 2011

9. Career Readiness Means understanding:
The relationship between education and income and opportunity
Which types of jobs will:
Need skilled workers in the future
Will pay enough to support a family and your desired lifestyle
Be a good match for your interests and abilities.
Microsoft, 2011

10. Financial Readiness
Means you are able to cover the cost of your 1st semester at college through savings, loans, work-study and financial aid
To be financially ready, you need to:
Know how to budget
Know how families like yours pay for college
Make a plan to pay for college
Apply for financial aid
Microsoft, 2011

11. Personal/Social Readiness
Means you are ready for the personal and social challenges of college.
Important skills include:
Setting educational goals
Monitoring progress toward achieving your goals
Putting your best effort into your schoolwork
Asking for help when you need it
Creating relationships with peers and adults that support academic success
Microsoft, 2011

12. Personal/Social Readiness
How Can You Prepare Now?
Academic Readiness
Admissions Readiness
Career Readiness
Financial Readiness
Personal/Social Readiness
Understand
Readiness Rubrics
Act
Believe
Ramp-Up to ReadinessTM will lead you through 4 levels to help you prepare:
Understand – You’ll start by learning the important knowledge, skills, and habits needed
Believe – Next, Ramp-Up will help you believe you can be ready in each area
Plan – You’ll develop a plan to make sure you are ready in each area
Act – You’ll put the plans in action and achieve academic, admissions, career, financial, and personal and social readiness by the time you graduate from high school!
Postsecondary Plan
Plan

13. This Year… Set SMART Goals Learn about Personal Strengths
Explore Career Clusters and Colleges
Discuss overcoming obstacles
Learn more about academic skills needed for college readiness
Work on financial planning for college
Complete the PREP and look at how your personal readiness has changed
We’ll talk about the following topics this year

14. Ramp-Up Postsecondary Plan
What do I want to do with my life after high school?
Distribute the postsecondary plan to each student or have students take out their plan from their portfolio if they still have it from last year
Explain that students will update their postsecondary plans throughout the year to help them answer the question, “What do I want to do with my life after high school?”

15. Why Start Now? The earlier the better!
Keep your options open and avoid missing out on opportunities.
The more you do now to prepare, the more options you’ll have when it comes time to choose the college you want to go to.
Make sure you can get into the college you want to get into and are able to succeed there!

16. Why Start Now?
What you do now makes a difference in how prepared you will be for college.
The following all impact your college readiness:
Courses you take
Grades you earn
Test scores
Knowledge, skills, and habits you develop now
Your Support Network
Savings and opportunities for financial aid
Microsoft, 2011

17. Review
In Ramp-Up to Readiness, we’ll work together to make sure you are:
Academically Ready
Admissions Ready
Career Ready
Financially Ready
Personally and Socially Ready for college!
Preparing for college now will also ensure you develop the skills, knowledge, and habits you need to succeed in middle and high school.

18. Assignment
Take the Postsecondary Plan and Readiness Rubric forms home and share them with your family!
Explain what you learned about Ramp-Up to Readiness and what you will be doing this year to become college and career ready.
Ask for their help in preparing for college!

19. References
Microsoft Office Images. (2011). Retrieved from