Caroline Charles

Senior Project Proposal

2018-2019
 A. SUMMARY
For my project I have selected to research about the accessibility of college, specifically

the accessibility of college tuition. I have selected this topic because as I go through the college

admissions process this year, I am finding that I am limited to a large amount of colleges because

of the high costs of admission, even though my family’s income is substantial.

In order to guide my research paper and project, my driving questions for my senior

project will be as follows:

● How many people are impacted by expensive college tuition costs?

● How many people take advantage of, or are able to take advantage of,

scholarships, loans, etc. (federal or otherwise)?

● What factors go into the price of college? What expenses do the colleges have?

● What are potential solutions for reducing college prices?

● What laws have been enacted relating to college tuition and its accessibility?

● Have laws changed over time in response to the rising college tuitions in our

countries?

● How do college tuition costs in the United States compare to other countries?

How do they compare from state to state?

● What case law has arisen in the 21st century in relation to this topic?

● What did college tuition start out as as colleges were founded, what has caused

those tuition costs to rise?

For my project, I plan on hosting a silent auction with many different items at a local

entertainment venue (restaurant, beach area, etc.). With the proceeds from the auction I will

create care packages to give to rising college freshmen that include various items students need

for college that most people do not consider when initially paying. These will be items such as
grocery store/fast food gift cards, dormitory items, toiletries, spirit wear, and other various

things. They will also most likely have a few spirit or general gifts that will help make the

transition to college life easier. I will partner with an organization (either a college or high

school) to give the packages to students going into college. For the auction items I will ask local

businesses and friends to contribute by donating or creating an item and hope to have a variety of

interesting things in order to raise enough money for the packages. I will seek advice from my

project advisor, Mr. Karl Knoche, through the process of planning and completing my event. My

project will take place hopefully at a restaurant or other entertainment venue, and I hope to hold

this event in February. With the auction in February I will have plenty of time to create and

deliver the packages to the students in need of them. The success of my project will be evaluated

on the attendance of my auction and the amount of care packages I am able to create. I hope to

create a unique product that will be useful to the students that get them. For this project I will

need a poster advertising the event beforehand, a venue, tables to hold the items, things to

auction (with pens and auction sheets), a speaker system to make announcements, a flier to hand

out when people arrive, and volunteers. I would like to have some information about my findings

on college tuition costs and tips about tuition aid or scholarships to hand out at the event that

could help people make educated decisions about getting the most out of college and

scholarships. I could also have some type of call to action at my project if in my research I find

some type of solution to this problem that could be potentially addressed at my event.
B. NEW SKILLS/ENHANCED SKILLS/GROWTH GOALS

New Skills

● Orchestrating a Silent Auction

● Managing an Event Alone

● Creating Pamphlets/handouts

Enhanced Skills

● Business Marketing

● Networking

● Creating Packages

Growth Goals

● Time Management

● Communication Skills

● Presentation skills

C. MARKETING PLAN/FACILITIES/AUDIENCE

My target audience for my project will be first colonial students and teachers as well as

those interested from my community. The scholarship information at the event will be directed at

high school juniors and seniors and the baskets I make will be directed at high school seniors as

they become college freshmen. However, the silent auction to raise money for this will be aimed

at a more general audience. The students will benefit from the scholarship information and

financial aid tips they receive at my event. They will hopefully use that information to seek more

money for college. The students who receive my baskets will benefit from their contents because
they will not have to worry about spending money on those items by themselves. The content of

my project will ensure I have the correct demographic (those already out of college will not be

interested in scholarship tips and people not interested in a silent auction will not attend) and I

will only advertise my project to the people it applies to. I will promote my project through word

of mouth and posters. I will also advertise on social media. My venue will hopefully be at a

restaurant or other entertaining place in order to ensure people have other things to do at the

event besides a silent auction. This will allow people to want to stay longer and make the event

more impactful.

D. PROJECT STEPS

Preliminary Create a timeline, talk to businesses and friends about silent auction 4 Hours
Preparation items, decide on a venue, discuss how to orchestrate the silent
Steps auction with my advisor

Midway Gather materials for event (tables, speaker, volunteers, etc.), create 6 Hours
Preparation financial aid handout, manage other entertainment at venue,
Steps advertise, create event agenda

Later Collect auction items, create prices and bidding sheets, create 3 Hours
Preparation speech/introduction for event, create instruction sheet, decide how
Steps baskets will be given out/coordinate with school or organization to
deliver them

Day of Event Set up materials and auction items, assign volunteer jobs, collect 2 Hours
Steps and manage money for items

Follow Up Purchase items for baskets, create baskets, deliver baskets to 10 Hours
Steps organization/students, write thank you notes, analyze and reflect on
event

Total Hours 25 Hours

E. PROJECT DOCUMENTATION

● Receipts of all purchases

● List of all contributors to auction

● List of auction items

● Photos of event

● Photos of baskets

● Screenshots of social media advertisements

● Copies of flyers

● Email correspondents

● Advisor correspondents

● Interview questions

● Phone call notes

● Copy of financial aid information sheets

● Copy of bidding sheet

● Event agenda

● Pictures of basket delivery

F. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

My project will be beneficial because not only will it advise students of financial aid tips

to help them get more money out of college, it will supply students with some items they need

for college, so they do not have to incur that financial burden. This project will be a challenge

because I need to delve into this topic that I know very little about and use my paper to create

accurate solutions to financial aid problems for students. I need to use credible sources and
useful information to decide on possible tips for how to combat expensive tuition. This project

will be a challenge for me because I have never set up an event alone or run an auction alone.

The nature of my project will allow me to advance my communication and networking skills and

hopefully help me to create fruitful business connections that will help me in my future

endeavors in the business world.

G. PROJECT-PAPER CONNECTION

My paper will focus on the accessibility of college tuition and will be guided by my

driving questions to find potential ways to minimize the cost of college. Through my research I

will view case law on this topic and look at how law has changed to allow this increase in cost. I

will use that information to create pamphlets at my project that will describe these findings and

offer advice on how to combat the high costs. My project will also serve to assuage a few of the

costs of college as the baskets will give students some of the small items usually not considered

when applying to college. These things will assure they have the best chances of making the

most out of college and their available aid.

H. ACADEMIC HONESTY

I understand that any academic dishonesty by me on any part of the project will result in

failure of the Senior Project and forfeiture of the Legal Studies Seal on my High School

diploma.