College Planning Resources

• Updated AHS School Profile including Covid statement and response

• LINKS for upcoming virtual events like college fairs, gap year fairs, AHS parents presentations, and paying for college webinars!

• Free College through Capital Idea. Offering full scholarships to AISD seniors. Program pays full tuition, required textbooks, other incurred fees, uniforms, tools, childcare and aftercare for students who qualify .Students who are admitted in our program attend and graduate from ACC. https://vimeo.com/476342869

• Application Fee Waivers - See the FAQ document under 12th grade resources.

• Opportunity to travel and engage in the world before college. Scholarships are available if selected. https://vertoeducation.org/semesters/change-the-world-honors/

• Interested in a gap year before college? Check out USA Gap Fairs to learn more https://tinyurl.com/39vccspk

Financial Aid & Scholarships

• FAFSA Overview: https://tinyurl.com/y2cmzkp5 https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xQlNFML29bfqvpT0EfcgaegTxg7OxquIJrggEYQ5YVM/edit?usp=sharing

1. Financial Aid Application (FAFSA) It is important to try and get it completed during the month of October. The Texas priority deadline for the most aid is Jan. 15th. This application is sent to all the schools you plan to apply to, and they reward you with need based aid in the form of loans, grants, & work study, and some scholarships too.

2. Texas Residents who are not US Citizens can utilize the TASFA to qualify for state based financial aid. Only for non-citizens, and only for Texas Colleges.

3. All colleges utilize the FAFSA, but some colleges will also require an additional form called the CSS-Profile. It is a form primarily required by private colleges. Here is the link with the colleges that ALSO require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA.

4. AFTER FAFSA: If you have already completed the FAFSA, then here is what to expect next.

5. You can contact us in the college center with questions. Also, there is free tax help and FAFSA assistance at Austin Foundation Communities.

6. SCHOLARSHIPS: Now that you filed your FAFSA, check out the scholarship list in Naviance, in the college tab, under scholarship list. Local scholarship are updated in Naviance regularly. The local scholarship list is located in Naviance, in college tab, under 'scholarship list'. Make sure to look early and often at these. The link for AISD scholarships is https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JkcRAD32eFBSv6qY5M-Q8zBw8SE4mO3dQEf41ACMri4/edit?usp=sharing Remember each school you apply to may also have scholarships they award to you too, and sometimes their scholarship deadline is earlier than their application deadline, so do your research and don't procrastinate. The AISD Scholarship Scoop https://www.smore.com/8a3vs-scholarship-newsletter?ref=email is another helpful resource.

7. Colleges offer a lot of scholarships too, for various reasons, Some offer scholarships based on your grades, talent, or need based scholarships. Make sure to research the colleges you are applying to before hand to understand if your application automatically considers your for scholarships, or if there are additional applications you will need to fill out. Sometimes a college's scholarship deadline to apply is before their regular application deadline, so start planning early in your senior year.

New News

• College Board Virtual College Fair: https://pages.collegeboard.org/big-future-days?excmpid=mtg680-st-1-gen

• https://tinyurl.com/y2376ltk The College Board Opportunity Scholarships program is now available for all juniors. Students are provided a digital college planning guide and chances to earn $500 for each action they complete. When students complete all six steps, they earn a chance at a $40,000 scholarship. Students whose families earn less than $60,000 per year have double the chances to earn scholarships.

• Interested in a gap year before college? Check out USA Gap Fairs to learn more https://tinyurl.com/39vccspk

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1. HERE Searchable list of Test Optional Colleges & policies (this is updated weekly)

2. NEW NCAA prospective college athletes are not required to take an SAT or ACT for eligibility this year.

3. HERE Austin High School College & Career Center Video Webinar on Applying to College

4. Fly in College visits for underrepresented students

5. Austin High has started scheduling virtual visits for our students. Sign up in Naviance in the college tab. Most visits are between Sept - Nov. each year.

6. Junior Checklist https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/college-career/docs/Junior-Checklist-for-College-Readiness-Aug2020.pdf

AISD 10th grade checklist 2020-2021

AISD 9th grade checklist 2020-2021

PDF - International admissions