College, Career & Military Readiness

Joining the military enables you to do several options at once. You can serve your country, earn a salary, and get training that will help you whether or not you make the service your lifetime career. 

Here are some options that the military can offer: 

ROTC Programs

Colleges and universities often offer ROTC programs and ROTC scholarships. Requirements for these programs and post-graduation responsibilities vary; contact the ROTC programs at the college campus of the Armed Service branches for more information. 

National Guard or Reserve Programs 

The National Guard works with college students who seek scholarship money. Students in this program will participate in monthly and summer Guard activities and agree to post-graduation responsibilities. 

Enlistment 

The military offers unique opportunities available nowhere else. After your service is completed, you will be eligible for money for college. Explore all branches of the military to decide which service, skills, and enlistment options will be best for you (Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Marines).

The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is available to students in grades 11-12. It measures a student's aptitudes and abilities and relates them to specific occupations in civilian and military life. This test allows students to explore career choices and post-secondary options.  The ASVAB scores four critical areas -- Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension and Mathematics Knowledge -- which can also count towards your Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT) score. For students interested in joining the military, the AFQT score determines whether you're qualified to enlist in the U.S. military. Learn more about the ASVAB here. 

Careers in the Military 

UHS will offer ASVAB testing on Thursday, October 24, 2024. Email renee.jacinto@wacoisd.org to sign up. 

Texas Reality Check  - This free website offers students the ability to see how much their ideal standard of living costs. 

Texas Workforce Commission - Extensive resources for Texas-based job initiatives, careers and education. 

Career One Stop - This is another free website that provides assessment and real world information. 

College Board - Big Future College Board’s free college planning tool, designed to support students with college and career options.

https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/news-and-multimedia/correspondence/taa-letters/house-bill-3-hb-3-implementation-financial-aid-application

If you would like help with applying for financial aid, please attend one of the following financial aid sessions listed below. Sessions will take place in Mrs. Jacinto's room (P1030 - Counselor Hallway).

4:30-6:30pm

• Dates for Fall 2024 are pending.

Go here to find a list of colleges offering free tuition based on family income: Texas Tuition Guarantee. 

Students wishing to pursue athletics in college register should register with an eligibility center during their junior year.  

• Fee waivers are available for students on free and reduced lunch that have taken their SAT or ACT using a fee waiver.

• Students must check the status of open tasks on their eligibility account.

• Students will need to have test scores sent directly from the College Board or ACT.

NCAA Eligibility Requirements The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Eligibility Center determines the eligibility of students participating in college athletics at NCAA Division I or II institutions. 

NAIA Eligibility Information The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is a smaller association than the NCAA, with just over 60,000 students. It includes two divisions (Division I and II) and Division I in the NAIA is comparable to Division II in the NCAA.

Junior College Eligibility Information National Junior College Athletic Association's (NJCAA) mission is to promote and foster two-year college athletics.  

NCAA/NAIA/JUCO Recruitment Informational Webinar 

The purpose of the standardized assessments is to measure a student's readiness for college, and provide colleges with a common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. College admissions staff may review scores alongside your high school GPA, the classes you took in high school, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays. How important scores are in the college application process varies from school to school. 

Overall, the higher you score on the SAT and/or ACT, the more options for attending and paying for college will be available to you. 

ACT The ACT has five categories: English, math, reading, science and an optional writing section. Each section is scored separately and combined together for a composite score. The highest score a student can receive is 36. Free ACT Practice 

SAT The SAT measures measures three skill categories: critical reading, math and writing. Each section is worth 800 points, with a total of 1600 points.  Free SAT Practice.

TSIA The Texas Skills Initiative Assessment is designed to measure college readiness skills in the areas of reading, writing and math for colleges in Texas. If you are a student that is planning to enroll in college level coursework, you may need to take the TSI exam (TSIA Exemptions).  Free TSIA2 (Accuplacer) practice

I have submitted my college applications - now what?

Colleges will generally send you login information for their student portal.   This allows you to check the status of your application and whether you need to submit further info. Please be aware that sometimes there is a lag from the time you send your information to the time they receive it into their system (even if you send something electronically).  Get in the habit of checking your email for information from the colleges you applied to.

I got in - now what?

Here is a list of the next steps to consider after receiving the acceptance letter: What's Next? Steps for Enrolling in College?

*Specific requirements may vary by school so it is important to verify with each school what is required and what is not.