College and Career Information 

Link to 2024-2025 VRHS School Profile.  Some colleges require this be submitted along with your application materials. 

VRHS Frequently Asked Questions Document 

Free Application Days Fee Waiver Codes and Instructions

A free resource to compare different colleges. Use it to see which colleges offer which majors, how much it costs to attend, student enrollment and much more! CollegeScorecard Website 

This is a stipend created by Colorado Legislature, that provides a stipend that pays a portal of total in state tuition for eligible students who attend Colorado public institutions or participating institutions. You must be considered a Colorado Resident in order to receive this. After being accepted to a participating institution you can authorize the institution to apply this stipend toward your tuition cost. Depending on how many credits you enroll for, it can decrease your overall cost of tuition by hundreds of dollars.  Link to website for more info

Public vs. Private 

All colleges and universities no matter where they are located and what programs they offer, will be classified as either public or private. The primary difference is in the cost of attendance. Public institutions receive state funding and will therefore have lower tuition rates for residents of that state than for students coming from out of state. Private institutions which can include independent or religious institutions will have the same cost for all students and those tuition rates will often be higher than public. Private colleges can offer competitive financial aid packages and scholarships due to large donations and endowments so the actual cost to attend may be comparable to a public university. 

Two year and technical colleges

Two year colleges are often called junior and community colleges and area technical colleges offer programs requiring one to two years of study. These programs can lead to an associates degree or certificate, can directly prepare students for careers in a certain field and can offer a course sequence for students to transfer to a 4 year college or university. The state of Colorado has identified certain courses as transferable among all public institutions in the state so students can plan a curriculum at a two year college that is guaranteed to transfer to a four year institution within Colorado. Two year colleges are usually less expensive than Universities, have less stringent admission requirements and offer more flexible class time. 

United States Military Academies

US Military Academies have the special purpose of educating career officers for service in the various branches of the armed forces. Students at the military academy do not pay for their education, the Federal Government will pay all tuition costs with the agreement that the student will serve in the armed forces for a certain amount of time after graduation. *If you are considering this option, you will need to start applying for these programs in the spring of your Junior year as the applications are extensive and begin very early.