District 211 has embraced the future of college and career planning with MAIA Learning, an online platform that streamlines the college application process. With its array of features, MAIA Learning promises to improve the way students navigate their post high school graduation journeys, as it helps them shape their futures.
MAIA Learning is District 211’s new online program that allows students to request transcripts, ask for teacher recommendations, and match with colleges and careers, all in one place. This new system allows students to send requests to any teacher in the district and allows the teacher to send the letters to every college with one click. The system has integration with the Common Application as well so that students need not work on multiple platforms, apps, or websites.
In the words of senior Allison Capota, “There are a lot of features within MAIA such as college searching, academic planning, career quizzes, and more. I find it convenient that we now have so many different features on one platform.”
MAIA includes a brag sheet for students to fill out as well. These brag sheets provides teachers with all of a student’s activities and awards in one page, making it easier for teachers to write relevant, specific recommendations. There will be advantages that the system that goes beyond mere logistics and organization.
Mr. Kostalek, the counselor in charge of the transition, praises the statistical uses of MAIA. “MAIA is going to provide scattergrams that allow us to see data from previous graduation classes in order to give us a better idea of their chances of admission.” He hopes this will help future saxons make better predictions about college admissions by comparing their profile to former SHS students.
One of MAIA’s most notable features is how students can use MAIA Learning to sign up for in-school college visits. Using MAIA, students can see when colleges will be accessible; students can register for a slot to visit them.
MAIA Learning boasts of an expansive collection of scholarships and financial aid, too. Users can look up how much money the scholarship is for and when it’s due. They can also use MAIA to apply for the scholarships and get notified when the results are out.
There are some drawbacks to MAIA Learning though, as well as some learning curves that must be surmounted. The most prominent of these issues is MAIA’s novelty. Students and staff alike are finding it difficult to navigate this new tool and all it has to offer.
“MAIA was just introduced as I started the college application process and it was confusing at times to adjust to a new platform as I went through an application process I was not familiar with,” said Capota.
The website also incorporates resources for those not going to college, such as career matching, personality surveys, and job lists. MAIA can also give in depth data regarding salaries, skills, and demographics for almost any job. It can even show the top companies for both hiring and salaries.
Mr. Kostalek hopes that “through its offering of assessments, our students can identify areas of strength and skills that may lead them to career options that fit their interests. MAIA also does a great job of providing updated data to give students relevant information while completing their career search.”
Once students and staff get fully acquainted with the new system, MAIA Learning will be an essential part of the college application process for years to come. It will allow students to complete college and career planning faster and more efficiently than ever before. As Capota stated “MAIA Learning definitely has potential for being a helpful tool to students.”