• College, Career, and Military Readiness INFORMATION

    Students and parents/guardians, we are with you during this time when you may be left with more questions than answers. Many of you may have been hoping to talk with us about important steps to take before graduating, so we want to provide you as much information as possible. Over the next few weeks, you will be receiving invites to virtual conferences with College, Career, and Military Readiness Specialists about subjects such as Funding College and Applying for College. Until then, we are providing some important resources here for your use.

    Are You A Sophomore Who Needed to Take the TSI Again for Dual Credit Next Year? While we are unable to provide TSI assessments while we are outside of our buildings, there is an online proctoring option available for students. If you would like to take the TSI exam online through ACC, please contact Holly Delacroix-DeRouen at ACC to register at hdelacro@austincc.edu. If taking an online assessment through ACC is not an option for you, please know we will be developing plans for assessing students in need this summer when we are able to return to GISD facilities. 

    Are You A Senior Who Needed to Take the TSIA For College This Summer or This Fall? Colleges and universities are actively working to make adjustments and become more flexible in their admission and registration processes as a result of this extraordinary situation. You may choose to register for an online TSI exam through ACC by contacting Holly Delacroix-DeRouen at hdelacro@austincc.edu, but we strongly recommend you contact your admissions counselor at the college or university you plan to attend. Your college admissions counselor is your best resource for the most up-to-date allowances at their institution. Some universities may relax or postpone their TSI assessment requirements as a result of COVID-19 complications, and others are offering their own online TSI assessment for students planning to attend in the summer or the fall. Contact your admissions counselor for information that will apply directly to you and your most appropriate next steps.

    Are You Still Searching For The Right Career Fit? Don't delay another moment. Click HERE to start exploring your interests to find a career match that is right for you.

    Are You Wondering How to Find An Internship Opportunity? Click HERE to let the Texas Internship Challenge help you find a match.

    Are You A Student With Disabilities In Search of Summer Work? Click HERE to learn more about Workforce Solutions' Summer Earn and Learn Program.

    Were You Scheduled to Take an SAT? You can find updates to SAT test administrations HERE. Take full advantage of the extra time by practicing a little bit each day using the SAT Questions of the Day HERE.

    Were You Scheduled to Take an ACT? You can find information for rescheduling ACT test administrations HERE. Take full advantage of the extra time by practicing a little bit each day using the FREE ACT Academy online HERE.

    Grant, Loan, Work Study: What is the Difference? Click HERE to access an informative video that will clarify for you that loans are the only federal aid you are required to pay back. Additional information, including specific aid for military families, is available HERE. 

    How Do I Apply For A Federal Grant or Loan? Begin by setting up a Federal Student Aid account (FSA ID). To begin, click HERE. You will be unable to start a FAFSA application without it.

    What is Required in the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)? You will want to begin by collecting all of the information necessary to complete the application. To access a worksheet that outlines all of this for you, click HERE. Be sure to have this information handy when you are ready to begin your application.

    How Do I Submit My FAFSA Application? You can visit the FAFSA site HERE to begin your application. If you do not complete it in one sitting, you can save your progress and return to complete it later. When you are finished, you will submit it on this same site. Be sure to include on your application the colleges you are interested in attending.

    What If I Need Help With My FAFSA Application? If you should find that you have questions while you are completing your application, click HERE to visit the FAFSA Help site. If your questions are not answered on the site, feel free to reach out to your campus CCMR Specialist.

    What If I Am Not Eligible to Apply for FAFSA? Students who are non-US citizens but are Texas Residents cannot apply for federal aid, but they can apply for the Texas Application For State Financial Aid (TASFA).

    How Do I Apply For the TASFA? The TASFA must be printed, completed, and mailed directly to the financial aid office of the college or university you plan to attend. Click HERE to access the application in English, and click HERE to access it in Spanish. Students should NOT complete both the FAFSA and the TASFA. Only students who do not qualify for federal aid should complete the TASFA. 

    What Else Can I Do to Fund My College Education? Scholarships are funds provided by organizations that do not require students to pay them back. There are multiple search engines you use to find scholarships available to students everywhere, and there are also local scholarships that are reserved for students in our local area only. There are thousands of dollars of local scholarship money waiting for GISD students this year. Click HERE to visit our scholarship page, and use the time you have to apply for as many as you can. Whether you are awarded $500.00 or $5000.00, every dollar is free money just waiting for you! A mountain of money is waiting to be claimed, so invest a little bit of time for a significant return.

    Are There Scholarships Available For Trade Schools or Tech Schools? Absolutely! Click HERE to visit our scholarship page, and you will find specific scholarships available.

    Should you have any additional questions, or should you or your student need guidance, please contact the College, Career, and Military Readiness lead for your campus listed below. Hang in there, Class of 2020! You are almost to the finish line! Use this time to be as prepared as you can possibly be when you get there.

     
Graduates in caps and gowns in black and white

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