Junior year CHECKLIST

This year marks a turning point, college, career, and military readiness planning activities kick into high gear.

STEP 1: JUNIOR CONFERENCE

⬜ Attend your junior conference during the spring semester - You will have a junior conference with your counselor, make sure you ask any questions you may have, remember WE are #HEREFORYOU. Some topics that will be discussed:

⬜ Did you take an OnRamps course - At the end of your journey with OnRamps make sure to request a copy of your official transcript - these take time to arrive so it is good to have several on hand, the charge is $20.00. Ask your OnRamps teacher, counselor, or college readiness specialist for assistance, if needed.

STEP 2: TAKE THE NECESSARY EXAMS TO BE COLLEGE, CAREER, OR MILITARY READY!

⬜ Texas Success Initiative TSIA 2.0 - This exam is needed as a PLACEMENT exam in college, it proves to the college that you are ready to take certain college courses. Although you may have taken dual enrollment courses at STC this exam may still be needed by your institution.

⬜ ACT - TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2023!!!!! - make sure you are creating a study plan with your guardians, English, math, and science teacher. Use the following - study tools:

⬜ SAT - You can register online or through the college & career center. SAT fee waivers are available to eligible students, check with your academic counselor. To prepare for the SAT:

⬜ ASVAB - The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) if you decided to enlist in the armed services make sure you register for the ASVAB in the fall of your junior year - Stop by the college & career center to sign up.

⬜ COLLEGE PREP - You may want to select to take the college prep ELECTIVE course, which will help you be EXEMPT from the TSIA 2.0 for ONE YEAR and allow you to enroll in college level math and English courses.

(NOTE: Although you will be exempt for your first year of college, there may be other courses or MAJORS that WILL NOT accept the exemption)

STEP 3: START PREPARING NECESSARY DOCUMENTS FOR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

FAFSA is developed by the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), within the US Department of Education. The FSA website has tons of relevant information for you, from what types of aid are available to how to qualify for aid – even how to manage student loans after graduation. Click on the image to go to FSA website.

⬜ Gather documents needed for your financial aid - There are different types of financial aid for college; scholarships, FAFSA, TASFA, and loans. What do I need to complete the FAFSA?

EVERY WEHS GRADUATE MUST FILL OUT A FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION:

There are 2 types - FAFSA and TASFA:

The FAFSA® form allows students to request federal grants, work-study, and loans, all in one application.

TASFA: Students that are classified as a Texas Resident who cannot apply for federal financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are encouraged to complete the TASFA.

⬜ Stay Organized - You should have a folder in your drive named College and Career Ready, in that folder you should have a document titled Wildcat profile that you created freshman year, every spring take time to update it.

If you applied to Dual Enrollment courses with South Texas College and you received an A# and username, you will need this information for the remainder of your high school career. Use the document - CCR information, make a copy, and save it in your College and Career Ready folder.

⬜ Resume - Use the Wildcat profile to begin working on your RESUME (Sample of Resume ) or finalizing it to use it this coming fall during your senior year - this is a summary of who you are as a student, it will help when requesting references from your counselor or teachers for scholarships or jobs.

⬜ Research Tuition Exemptions - Exemptions are a type of financial assistance allowing some Texas residents to attend a public college or university in Texas without paying tuition or, in some cases, tuition and fees. Click here to learn about the different types of tuition exemptions.

⬜ Explore Tuition Guarantee Programs - Several colleges and universities cover tuition and fees for first-time incoming freshmen who meet certain requirements; check the list of colleges and their requirements here.

⬜ Begin Scholarship Search - Start looking at the variety of scholarships available for you - WE recommend you set up an account with FastWeb or Going Merry. WEHS has a page of scholarships, make sure to check it out weekly for updates and new opportunities.

⬜ Are you career ready? By 2030, 60 percent or more of all new jobs will require some level of higher education. If your goal is to enter the workforce, make sure you are on track to graduate high school with a certificate or associate's degree. Look at this booklet to see if you are career-ready, stop by the college and career center for more information.

⬜ College Application Type and Admission Requirements - There are different types of college application types, make sure you know the difference, as well as what are the requirements for the colleges or universities you are interested in.

⬜ Get ready to apply to college - While in many states you have to fill out a separate application for every college you apply to, many Texas universities and colleges accept a single application, ApplyTexas. Familiarize yourself with the application process and with the essay topics that may be required by your college:

⬜ Get ready to apply to college - The CommonApp is used to apply to any of more than 800 member colleges and universities in the 49 states other than Texas and the District of Columbia.

⬜ Interested in playing sports in college - These websites can guide you to the steps that you need to take to be eligible to compete in college, as well as gaining exposure to college recruits.

PLAYNAIA: helps future student-athletes discover and connect with NAIA schools, coaches, and athletic scholarships. PlayNAIA is also the official clearinghouse for NAIA eligibility. Every student-athlete must register with the NAIA Eligibility Center to play sports at an NAIA college or university.

NCAA: You need to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center to compete at an NCAA Division I or II school. Create a Certification Account and we'll guide you through the process.

STEP 4: CHECK OUT ADDITIONAL College & Career Planning Websites

⬜ Detailed college planning guide from College Board: Big Future - College Planning Guide- 11th grade