College Swag: How to Get it and What to Do With it
Recently I have received a lot of emails regarding college promotional materials. Some school counselors want to know what to do with the materials they have. Others want to know how to get colleges to send them some swag!
Awhile back I shared that I was requesting pennants from colleges and universities. I also had the idea to ask one of the high school counselors in my district for help.
Here is what my pennant display started out like this...
As I received more pennants it kept growing...
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Last night a School Counselor Blog Facebook Fan from Georgia shared that her son's high school has college banners displayed on the ceiling of their cafeteria. It is an awe-inducing site...
If you work at this high school we all want to know how you got all of these banners!!! :)
In the most recent School Counselor Spotlight, Jeremy Goldman, a high school counselor in Maryland, shared how he displays college stickers in his office. This is a great conversation starter for students and helps them become familiar with colleges they may have never heard of!
Jeremy purchases college stickers everywhere he goes! Students have also brought him back stickers when they go on college visits.
Here is what my pennant display started out like this...
I created the "All Students College and Career Ready" banner pictured using VistaPrint.
You can order the same one pre-designed in the School Counselor Blog Store.
and growing...
(I apologize for this somewhat blurry one... I had to crop some kids out of it!) ;)
It was amazing how fast the space began to get covered.
How I Got Swag and How You Can Too!
My dad always says, "You don't get what you don't ask for." I take this message to heart. So to get the pennants I displayed, I called and emailed college admissions offices. I also found a high school counselor who was willing to share his unwanted pennants with me.
When I called or emailed college admissions offices I explained that I wanted to display the pennants to promote college and career readiness to students. I worked in a K-8 building and I explained to them that I wanted to expose elementary school students to college and careers as early as possible. The colleges I contacted were happy to help and I received materials within a few days or weeks.
Some colleges went above and beyond and sent me way more than just pennants. I received all kinds of things including t-shirts, bracelets, backpacks, pens, pins, keychains, and stickers. I used the additional items I received as prizes for various things including during my College and Career Themed Red Ribbon week!
I recommend starting out with local colleges and universities and work your way out. I also recommend contacting high school counselors in your district or your area to see if they have working relationships with admissions representatives who could help you out. You can also attend local college and career fairs and request information (and freebies!) at their booths. I forgot to mention I got a few of my banners at my state school counseling association conference!
This may go without saying, but I am still going to say it anyway, it is NEVER too early to start exposing students to college information. So, if you are an elementary or middle school counselor reading this these ideas would totally benefit your students! :)
How do you get college swag? What do you do with it once you have it? I'd love to hear your ideas and see pictures if you have them!
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Danielle is a K-12 Certified School Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and blogger at School Counselor Blog, a place where school counselors share innovative ideas, creative lesson plans, and quality resources. Connect with Danielle via email, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, and become a fan of the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page.
