Beyond High School

Christel Shahan

Munday CISD School Counselor

What are your plans for after high school?

Work Force

Military

Trade School

2 Year College

4 Year College

Apprenticeship

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What if I want to go directly to WORK after high school?

College is not for everyone. Pick a career that interests you and is right for you but will also pay the bills!

• What are your interests? What are you passionate about?
• What are your strengths & weaknesses?
• Where do you want to live?
• Research careers you are interested in & look into companies you are interested in working for. Reach out to them about openings and/or internships. https://www.mynextmove.org/
• Have you created a resume? https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/job_search_writing/resumes_and_vitas/index.html; https://www.resumehelp.com/
• Do you know how to apply for a job?
• Are you prepared for an interview?
• Clean up your social media and email addresses
• Volunteer within your community

Looking for an apprenticeship? https://www.apprenticeship.gov/finder/listings?id=r20220229

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What should you prepare before applying to a job that would describe your experiences & previous jobs?

What if I want to enlist in the MILITARY after high school?

If you are interested in enlisting in a branch of the military, each one has their own requirements.

• College for All Texans has some great information about the military - https://tinyurl.com/49wvv9ph
• Check out requirements for each branch - https://www.usa.gov/military-requirements
• Research each branch of the military & determine which one is best for you - https://www.usa.gov/us-military
• Talk to your family about your decision
• Talk to a recruiter from the branch(es) you decide on
• Take the ASVAB OR schedule with recruiter to retake the ASVAB - https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces/asvab
• Make sure you are physically fit

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Name a branch of the military.

What if I want to attend a TRADE SCHOOL after high school?

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Attending college does NOT have to mean 4+ years of school. You may be able to earn a certification in 9 months - 2 years.

• Explore schools that offer programs you are interested in
• Determine if the cost of the program will be worth the cost
• Most certification programs have easier application requirements - contact the school(s) you are interested in to see their requirements
• Most, if not all, certification programs do NOT require ACT, SAT, nor TSIA 2 testing
• If you are getting your associate degree along with your certification, you may have testing requirements that have to be met
• Most trade schools offer financial aid through FAFSA

Examples: Dental hygienist, welder, cosmetologist, paint & body, electrician, plumber, HVAC technician, phlebotomist, airplane mechanic, diesel mechanic, auto mechanic, LVN, truck driver, pharmacy technician, massage therapist, etc.

True or False:

Most trade schools offer financial aid help through FAFSA.

What if I want to attend a 2 or 4 YEAR COLLEGE after high school?

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Some careers only require you to earn an associate degree (2+ years). Others may require a bachelor’s (4+ years), master’s (6+ years), or doctorate degree (8+ years).

• College for All Texans has great resources for many careers & colleges https://tinyurl.com/2p8935wc
• Know your interests & strengths - https://texascareercheck.com/ExploreCareer/InterestProfiler; http://www.educationplanner.org/students/career-planning/find-careers/careers.shtml
• Research & determine what career/degree you want to pursue - https://www.mynextmove.org/
• Research colleges/universities - weigh the costs, degrees offered, housing, food plans, activities for students, etc. to determine which is the best fit for you
• Community colleges can save you money. You can still earn a four year degree from that university you love for about half the cost for your first 2+ years of school.
• Since COVID, many colleges have changed their requirements for admission. You may or may not have to take an ACT or SAT to be accepted. Check with your college to find out their requirements. It is a good idea to take ACT and/or SAT for scholarship purposes.
• If you do not take or score high enough on an ACT or SAT or have a TSIA waiver, you will be required to take the TSIA 2 exams to enroll at most 2 or 4 year colleges in TEXAS.
• You will want to complete your FAFSA to qualify for financial aid at your college or university

List one thing you should consider before choosing a college.

Applying to College

You may apply to colleges directly from their websites. If you plan to apply to multiple colleges, it would be to your benefit to use APPLY TEXAS and/or the COMMON APP. Some colleges have an application fee. Others do not. You may qualify for a fee waiver. Talk to your counselor to see if you are eligible.

• APPLY TEXAS - https://www.applytexas.org/
• Can be used for applying to colleges in TEXAS
• Enter information ONLY once
• Saves information - can apply to other colleges at a later time
• Video: https://youtu.be/Nu_zl7fm74c
• THE COMMON APP - https://www.commonapp.org/
• Can be used for applying to colleges in the United States
• Not all schools are available through the Common App (check here for your schools - https://www.commonapp.org/explore/)
• Saves information - can apply to other colleges at a later time

Name one of the platforms you may use to apply to multiple colleges at the same time.

Financial Aid

There are multiple forms of financial aid available to students - grants, loans, scholarships, work study, etc. You will have to apply & do research to find different aids available.

• FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid - https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
• Available through the federal government for US citizens
• Not a US citizen? Check with your college in Texas for TASFA requirements. You can apply online (https://www.highered.texas.gov/our-work/empowering-our-students/tasfa/) or on paper.
• Offers grants (free money unless you drop out or reduce course load), work study programs (money in the form of a paycheck), & student/parent loans (must be paid back plus interest)
• FAFSA 2025-26
• The FAFSA will not be available to all students on October 1st as usual. Some students and some schools will have access Oct 1st. Most should be able to complete FAFSA by December 1, 2024. Contact your college’s Financial Aid Office for more information. FAFSA should be available again on Oct 1st in 2025.
• Student and all contributors (parents, guardians, etc.) must have their own FSA ID - https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/sign-in/landing. Make sure everyone has FSA ID before Dec 2024.
• FAFSA application is shorter (less questions) than previous years
• No longer need tax documents
• Complete FAFSA as early as possible
• Make sure all parties sign and make sure you hit SUBMIT to ensure FAFSA goes through

Financial Aid (con’t)

There are multiple forms of financial aid available to students - grants, loans, scholarships, work study, etc. You will have to apply & do research to find different aids available.

• Scholarships = FREE MONEY
• Wide array of scholarships available (needs based, non-needs based, community service, academic, sports, etc.)
• Look for scholarships offered at your college & APPLY
• If you work on a $500 scholarship for 2 hours and earn it, you just made $250/hr. You are not making that kind of money around here! APPLY! APPLY! APPLY!
• Use scholarship search engines but do NOT pay to apply for scholarships.
• Munday CISD School Counselor Scholarship List - https://www.mundaycisd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=4382451&type=d&pREC_ID=2588731
• Tuition-free programs
• Many colleges offer tuition-free programs for low-income families (incomes vary by institution). Check with your college to see if they offer tuition-free programs. https://www.mundaycisd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=4382451&type=d&pREC_ID=2588732

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Financial Aid (con’t)

The Hazlewood Act is a State of Texas benefit that provides qualified Veterans, spouses, & dependent children with an education benefit up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education in Texas. This does NOT include living expenses, books, & supply fees.

• Contact your college/university for more details
• Find out more at https://www.tvc.texas.gov/education/hazlewood/#iUeocFZO

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True or False:

You only have to apply to FAFSA your 1st year at college.

TSAI 2

The Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) is a series of placement exams for students enrolling in public colleges & universities in TEXAS. Helps Texas schools determine whether you’re ready for college-level courses in the areas of reading, writing, & math. No penalty for guessing - answer ALL.

• Not all students will have to take the TSIA 2 - check with your college about their exemptions
• ELAR test
• 30 multiple choice reading & writing questions
• Not timed
• Essay test
• 300-600 word essay over random topic
• Not timed
• Make sure to have an intro, three body paragraphs, & a conclusion; stay on topic; write as close to 600 words as possible
• Math test
• 20 multiple choice questions - quantitative reasoning, algebraic reasoning, geometric & spatial reasoning, & probabilistic & statistical reasoning
• No calculators allowed
• Some questions may have a pop up calculator on screen
• Not timed
• If you do not score high enough on ELAR and/or Math, you will be given a diagnostic test. This is a second chance to pass.
• Cost
• Depends on where you test - $5-$25 per test

• TSIA 2.0 Info Brochure: https://tinyurl.com/mvt59958
• TSIA Practice: https://practice.accuplacer.org/login

ACT

ACT is a college entrance exam designed to measure what you know & how well you apply that knowledge. No penalty for guessing - answer ALL. May or may not be required for admission. Could help you get more scholarships. When registering to test, you may send scores to four colleges for FREE. You must have a photo ID or ACT ID sheet, calculator, and pencils when you go to test.

• Four sections (plus an optional fifth section - writing)
• English, Math, Reading, & Scientific Reasoning
• Score range
• 1-36
• Times for each section
• English 45 minutes
• Math 60 minutes
• Reading 35 minutes
• Science Reasoning 35 minutes
• OPTIONAL: Writing 40 minutes
• Cost
• No writing $69
• Writing $94
• Late registration +$38
• Check with your school counselor to see if you qualify for an ACT waiver to take the exam for free up to two times total (Junior &/or Senior years only)

• Website: https://www.act.org/content/act/en-texas.html
• ACT Test Prep Guide: https://tinyurl.com/5y2se2ep
• ACT Test Practice: https://cloud.e.act.org/free-practice-act-test

SAT

SAT is a college entrance exam designed to measure what you know & how well you apply that knowledge. No penalty for guessing - answer ALL. May or may not be required for admission. Could help you get more scholarships. When registering to test, you may send scores to four colleges for FREE. You must have a photo ID or SAT ID sheet, calculator, and pencils when you go to test.

• Three sections
• Reading, Writing & Language, & Math
• Score range
• 400-1600
• Times for each section
• Reading 65 minutes
• Writing & Language 35 minutes
• Math 80 minutes
• Cost
• SAT $60
• Late registration +$30
• Check with your school counselor to see if you qualify for an SAT waiver to take the exam for free up to two times total (Junior &/or Senior years only)

• Website: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat
• SAT Practice Tests & Prep: https://tinyurl.com/3csar2hu

Name one college entrance test you might need to take.