College Admissions Planning Forms/Resources
College Admissions Planning Forms/Resources
Additional information may also be found under each subject specific tab.
COLLEGE TIPS:
Personal Readiness
One important component of being College Ready is personal readiness--your ability to carry out your mission to successfully complete a college education. In addition to a strong commitment, think about these questions as you prepare for higher education.
How are your time management skills?
Do you have a support network?
Do you know where to go? Who to ask? When you need help?
It is your individual responsibility to develop skills and good work habits during high school that will pay off long into the future. Use these resources to ensure your success after graduating from high school.
First Steps to Personal Readiness
Getting Ready for College Early
Time Management
Efficient use of time and importance of meeting personal and college admission deadlines.
Time Management Tips For High School Students
Academic Competitions
Opportunities for students to extend the knowledge and skills they have acquired through their curriculum subject matter.
Parental Expectations and Support
College Planning Advice for Parents
20 Ways to Stay Involved in Your Child's Education
Talking with Parents and Family
Student Organizations & Clubs
Importance of non-academic activities in the college admissions process.
College Searches & Visits
Commitment
Helpful Links
Guide to Finding the Best College for You
Glossary of Financial Aid Terms
Find Colleges, Advice and More
College Planning: Informed and Organized
College Visits: A Planning Checklist
MS/HS College Planning Checklist
Financial Readiness
While finances should never get in the way of a college education, High School is aware that money matters. The two main financial considerations for higher education are tuition fees and living costs, and these can vary vastly from college to college. Careful research and preparation can help you find financial aid from many sources: the government, grants, scholarships, and the universities themselves. While considering a college, ask yourself:
Can my parents afford to pay for any or all of my college experience?
What grants, loans, and scholarships am I eligible for?
How do I apply for a student loan?
Should I consider a private or public college?
Most students need financial help to some degree, whether from parents or outside sources. HS has resources to help you best handle the financial burden of university life.
First Steps to Financial Readiness
Student Aid Chart for Undergraduates
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Tuition Tools
Student loan comparison tool to help students and their families make informed borrowing decisions.
Financial Terms
Glossary of Terms (US Dept. of Education)
Financial Glossary (U of North Texas)
Tuition Calculators
Interactive Savings Plan Calculators
Student Loans
Low interest loans offered by the federal government.
Applying for Federal Student Aid
Financial Aid Publications (US Dept. of Education)
College Board Student Loan Calculator
Selecting a Financial Aid Package
Military Scholarships
Higher education funds available to ROTC students and current military dependents
Financial Aid for Military Careers
Military Financial Aid Options & Explanations
Texas Military and Veterans College Opportunities
Scholarships
Funds awarded by colleges, universities, government, or outside sources on the basis of academic merit or financial need. Scholarships are generally used to waive tuition or fees.
National Merit Scholarship Programs PSAT/NMSQT
NAACP Scholarship Information Packet
US Government Resources
Official government websites designed for students and families
Income Based Repayment Plan for Federal Loans
Education Savings Plans
Savings plans operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families save for college. Participants may receive tax benefits if basic plan requirements are met.
Texas Tomorrow's College Investment Plan
Grants
Monetary aid for higher education that does not have to be repaid
Helpful Links
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
Colleges with Scholarships for Students with Disabilities
National Merit Scholarship Program
Texas Colleges and Career School, Scholarships
PSAT/NMSQT Scholarship Qualifying Test
Guide to College Savings and 529 Plans
Affordable Colleges - Rankings
Admissions Readiness
While you are working on your GPA, taking entrance exams, and searching for the right college, colleges are looking for the most qualified applicants by sifting through information from thousands of students. Keep a personal checklist handy so you don’t miss any personal or college application deadlines. Some of the items on your list should include:
*admissions deadlines for the colleges you are interested in
*college entrance exams registration dates
*campus visits plans
*advice from your high school counselor
The process of getting into college spans several months. The resources provided here will help you map out the college admissions process.
First Steps to Admissions Readiness
The College Admissions Process
State of Texas Uniform Admission Policy
If you attend a public high school in Texas you must submit a transcript that indicates that you will graduate under the state’s Foundation high school programs as defined in the state’s Uniform Admissions Policy. Students graduating under the Foundation program must show proof of the distinguished level of achievement to be eligible for top 10 percent automatic admission. For more information, please click here.
Eligibility for Automatic College Admission
Under the Automatic Admission Policy (Texas Education Code §51.803), Texas students may be eligible for automatic admission to a state college or university as an undergraduate student if they meet certain criteria. To qualify for automatic admission from a public high school, a student must earn a grade point average in the top 10 percent* of his/her high school graduating class. To learn more about eligibility for Automatic College Admission in Texas, please click here.
UT-Austin Automatic Admissions
Texas law offers eligible freshman applicants automatic admission to public colleges and universities. The initial legislation, passed into law in 1997, offered automatic admission to eligible students in the top 10 percent of their high school class. In 2009, the law was modified for The University of Texas at Austin. Under the new law, the university must automatically admit enough students to fill 75 percent of available Texas resident spaces. Each fall, the university notifies Texas school officials of the class rank that current high school juniors need to attain by the end of their junior year in order to be automatically admitted. The University of Texas has determined that it will automatically admit all eligible 2019 summer/fall freshman applicants who rank within the top 6% of their high school graduating classes, with remaining spaces to be filled through holistic review. More information may be found here.
Admission Factors
College Application Requirements
Admissions Terms
Admission Terms You Should Know
Counselors
Utilize your high school counselor to help plan your college experience.
20 Questions to Ask Your Counselor
College Admissions Testing Calendars
SAT Tests, PSAT/NMSQT, AP, & CLEP Testing Schedule
Early Decision
Some colleges and universities have an Early Decision admission policy. Students are limited to one Early Decision application and are committed to that school once they have received their letter of acceptance, usually no later than January of their senior year.
College Application Timelines
College Application Calendar (College Board)
College Application Timetable (U of North Texas)
College Essays
College Applications
College Search Sites
Search colleges by type, location, and cost, with direct links to college websites
College Fairs
College fairs are sponsored by participating colleges and universities. They are free and open to the public and allow students and parents to meet with representatives from a variety of post-secondary institutions. HS juniors and seniors attend the college fair hosted by TAMU-C in the fall of each year.
College Interviews
12 College Interview Questions
Choosing a College
Find the Right Colleges for You
Community College
6 Benefits of Community Colleges
Activities Resume
Helpful Links
National Collegiate Athletic Association
How to Share Your Activities on Your College Applications
Considering a Community College
Additional Resources
COLLEGE AND CAREER PLANNING
Assist.org- using the explore majors feature can help you find which schools have the major you’re interested in.
Collegeanswer.com- useful website full of college planning tools including information on how to pay for college.
Collegeboard.org- get information on tests, find colleges, and learn about financial aid and get financial aid help. Must create a free account.
Petersons.com- Everything you need to know about the college you want to get into. College prep tools, personal statement tips, information on career schools, and paying for college. Optional free account to save searches, but you can look through all the information without an account.
Collegeview.com- a general view of colleges, plus a direct e-mail option for requesting information. A separate parent section provides helpful articles on helping your student through the application process.
Zinch.com- a collegiate matchmaking site that brings together high school students and colleges in a new and interactive way. Also matches you with scholarships. You must sign up and create a free account to access the information on the site.
Cappex.com- an interactive college match website. College search tools, paying for college information including scholarship searches and a section for parents as well. Must sign up for a free account and create a profile to access the information on the site.
Collegeresults.org- find four, five and six-year rates of any college and also get graduation statistics by gender and ethnicity.
Ucan-network.org- Explore hundreds of private colleges and universities. You can browse by institution name, state or affiliation/mission.
Collegeportraits.org- source of basic, comparable information about public colleges and institutions presented in a user-friendly format.
Campustours.com- videotours, photorealistic interactive campus maps, mobile walking tours and custom data-driven multimedia applications for higher education, nonprofit, and government agencies.
Collegeportraits.org- source of basic, comparable information about public colleges and institutions presented in a user-friendly format.
US NEWS-COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS PLANNING GUIDE
Texas College Forward - College & Career Planning
COLLEGE FAIRS AND VIRTUAL COLLEGE TOURS
CollegeWeekLive.com - Online college fair
Campustours.com- video tours, photo-realistic interactive campus maps, mobile walking tours and custom data-driven multimedia applications for higher education, nonprofit and government agencies.
http://www.ecampustours.com/campus-tours.aspx
Guides to the entire college admissions process
These sites contain information about many different college admissions topics.
Finding the right school
College search engines – Searches can be narrowed by various indicators including geography, majors, test scores, etc. Registering at some sites allows for better matching and more information (registration is free).
Going straight to a 4-year university after high school isn't the right choice for every student. Attending community college prior to a 4-year university has many benefits. For more information on the benefits of attending community college, read this article published in the U.S. News & World Report.
For a list of community colleges in Texas, visit the Texas Association of Community Colleges.
Texas Common Core Numbering System
**Please remember to visit the College websites frequently for updates and/or changes to deadlines.
Oklahoma State University
Application priority deadline: Rolling
What is the deadline for applying to the university and for scholarship opportunities?
OSU considers applications until the beginning of the semester for which the student is applying. However, Feb. 1 is the priority scholarship deadline. You must complete your application by this date to be guaranteed full scholarship consideration.
https://admissions.okstate.edu/apply/important-dates-deadlines
Texas A&M
Application priority deadline: Dec 1
http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/apply
Texas Tech
Application priority deadline: February 1
http://www.admissions.ttu.edu/index.php/admission-financial_aid/first-time-freshmen/
University of North Texas
Application priority deadline: March 1
Priority deadline for scholarship consideration is February 1
http://apply.unt.edu/admissions
University of Texas at Austin
Application priority deadline: Nov 1
https://admissions.utexas.edu/apply/freshman-admission#fndtn-t16-application-open-dates
University of Texas at Dallas
Application priority deadline: Jan 15
http://www.utdallas.edu/enroll/freshman/application-process/
Baylor University
Application priority deadline: November 1
http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=872012
University of Arkansas
Application priority deadline: November 1
"If we get your application by November 1, you will have priority for housing, orientation and scholarships. Applications received after these deadlines will be considered on a space-available basis."
http://admissions.uark.edu/80.php
Tarlton State University
Application priority deadline: May 1
http://www.tarleton.edu/admissions/undergrads/application-deadlines.html
Stephen F. Austin State University
Application priority deadline: Rolling
http://www.sfasu.edu/admissions-and-aid/admissions-process/freshmen
Texas State University
Application priority deadline: March 1
http://www.admissions.txstate.edu/future/application-dates.html
STEM Field Scholarships and Internship Opportunities