FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Admissions

  • Apply as early as you can! Most applications open by August 1, so you’d be applying a year before you would begin. Many schools have early admission deadlines in November, meaning you’ll hear back from the schools you’re applying to earlier and can plan accordingly.

    In whatever way you apply, know that completing college admissions applications and gathering all the necessary documents can take a lot of time and effort, so begin the process at least one to two months prior to the college or university’s application deadline.

  • How many schools you apply to will depend on time and financial budgets. As you prepare, prioritize the ones you’re interested in. Visiting these schools can help you make those decisions as well. Consider college type, size, location, distance from home, cost, financial aid, available majors and extracurricular activities in your search.

  • Vocational and technical schools offer students the skills required to perform a specific job. These schools focus on practical training, usually in a single field.

  • You’ll need biographical and demographic information (age, birthdate, race/ethnicity), educational background, extracurricular and volunteer activities, employment information, transcripts, test scores and more.

  • Some colleges may offer fee waivers for low-income families; check with the admissions office or your counselor for more information. Students who receive fee waivers for the SAT/ACT are also eligible for admissions application fee waivers.

  • Some schools require an admissions interview. Much like a job interview, you should look professional, answer confidently, try to avoid filler words, smile and make eye contact, and have a firm handshake. Be sure to have your own questions to ask to show an informed interest in the college.

Testing

  • While some colleges and universities maintain a test-optional admissions process (a result of distancing during COVID-19), most four-year colleges still consider applicants’ scores on college admissions tests when deciding whom to accept. You should know that test scores are just one part of your college application, so be sure to devote appropriate attention to all elements.

  • The importance of test scores in the admission process varies from college to college and depends on an institution’s admissions approach and policies. Each college has its own policy. Some colleges may place a high level of importance on test scores — within the context of the other parts of your application. Other colleges may not require a test or use your scores for admission purposes at all. If you have questions about how a particular college uses test scores, check its admissions website or contact the admissions office.

  • The SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is a multiple-choice test administered by the College Board. The purpose of the SAT is to measure a high school student’s readiness for college and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants.

  • The current fee is $68. Fee waivers are available for those who qualify; check with your high school counselor.

  • The ACT (American College Testing) is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. It is a multiple-choice test administered by ACT, Inc.

  • Depending on whether you choose to the write the optional essay or not, the registration fee for the ACT is either $65 (without writing) or $90 (with writing). Check to see if you qualify for a fee waiver with your counselor or by going to ACT's website.

  • Although the SAT and ACT seem very similar, there are many differences between them. Generally speaking, students with strong verbal skills may do better on the ACT, while those who excel in math may have more success with the SAT. Other differences include scoring, timing and format.

  • Usually during your junior or senior year in high school. Juniors often take the test during the spring and retest the next fall.

    • Your admission ticket

    • Photo ID

    • Calculator

    • Watch

    • Possible fee waivers, if you qualify

    Remember to always arrive at least 15 minutes early to the testing location.

  • The Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2), previously known as the TSI, is a series of placement tests for students enrolling in public colleges and universities in Texas. The purpose of the TSIA2 test is to help your college or university determine if you are ready for college-level course work in the areas of reading, writing and mathematics. Based on how you perform on the TSIA2, you may either be enrolled in a college-level course and/or be placed in the appropriate developmental course to improve your skills and prepare you for success in college-level courses. You cannot “pass” or “fail” the placement test, but it is important that you do your very best on these tests so that you will have an accurate measure of your academic skills. You can be exempt from taking the TSIA2 for a variety of reasons.

Financial Aid

  • FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the process through which you can apply for any federal financial aid, including grants, loans and work-study funds.

  • Anyone who plans to attend higher education institutions and meets the requirements (U.S. citizen, legal permanent resident or nationals) should complete the FAFSA even if they think they won’t qualify for financial aid. There is unclaimed aid every year, and by completing the FAFSA, you can qualify for low interest loans. In addition, many scholarships require you to complete the FAFSA.

  • You will need your Social Security number or Alien Registration number, federal income tax return, other income documents and W-2 records. You’ll also need to create an FSA ID.

  • The Federal Student Aid ID is a username and password used to complete many federal aid tasks, including filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

  • Both students and contributors going through the financial aid process must create an FSA ID. Most students will need at least one parent to complete the FAFSA.

  • We recommend creating your FSA ID before the FAFSA is available.

  • Go to studentaid.gov and click “Create Account” in the top right corner. Be prepared to provide certain demographic information, such as your full name as it appears on your Social Security card, date of birth, Social Security number, email address and/or mobile phone number. Tip: You will need access to your email and/or mobile phone in order to complete the verification step. Be sure to use your personal phone number and email address to avoid losing access to your account in the future.

  • Two-step verification, which is a form of multi-factor authentication, helps protect your account. Each time you log in, you’ll be asked to provide a one-time code that is delivered to you via email, text message or an authenticator app.

  • Yes. If your personal information changes or you would like to update the email address linked to your account, you can make changes by going to studentaid.gov, logging into your account, and clicking “Update Your Contact Information.”

  • You can retrieve your username or password by having a secure code sent to your verified email address or mobile phone number, or by correctly answering your challenge questions. If you use the challenge question option to reset your password, you will have to wait 30 minutes before you can use your FSA ID.

  • The Student Aid Index (SAI) is a formula-based index number that helps your school determine how much financial support you need (www.studentaid.gov). It is calculated based on the information included in the FAFSA.

  • The FA-DDX replaces the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS-DRT) and will be used beginning with the 2024-25 award year to import federal tax information into an applicant's FAFSA form. (fsapartners.ed.gov)

  • See your counselor or GO Center mentor. You can also contact the FSA Information Center at 1-800-433-3243. (1-800-4 FED AID)

  • You can make corrections once allowed by FSA after your FAFSA is processed. To make corrections to the FAFSA, log into your account and click on Make FAFSA Corrections. Enter your FSA ID, make any updates and then hit submit. Make sure you’re paying attention to emails in case you get a notice about something needing to be corrected.

  • Yes, you will need to submit the FAFSA ever year of college to remain eligible for federal student aid. After filling it out the first time, you can submit a renewal FAFSA in subsequent years. The website will automatically fill in most of your information from the previous year.

  • The Texas Application for State Financial Aid is used to collect information to help determine eligibility for state financial aid programs that are administered by institutions of higher education in the state of Texas.

    Students who cannot apply for federal financial aid using the FAFSA that are classified as a Texas resident are encouraged to complete the TASFA. It asks similar questions to the FAFSA.

  • No.

  • The priority deadline is the date you must file your FAFSA/TASFA to receive priority consideration in the financial aid awarding process. In other words, you put yourself at the front of the line for financial aid. If you miss a FAFSA/TASFA priority deadline, you can and mostly certainly should still apply for financial aid. Because the Texas Grant is limited, it is essential for you to meet the priority deadline to maximize your chance to receive this generous grant. For the 2025-2026 year, the state has delayed the financial aid priority deadline to February 15.

  • You must sign it electronically using your FSA ID. If authorization isn’t provided within the FAFSA, the student will not be eligible to receive financial aid.

  • The FAFSA Submission Summary is a document a student receives after the FAFSA has been processed that lists all of the answers provided on the FAFSA. Students should review these answers carefully to make sure they are correct.

Scholarships

  • Check with local organizations, your parent's or your employers, and other groups you are a part of. Look at your school or district scholarship lists. Check out scholarship pages like scholarships.com or raise.me.

  • Make sure the scholarship you apply for is real; you should never pay any money for scholarship applications. Before you apply, be sure you meet all the requirements. Proofread your application; spell check doesn’t catch everything.

  • Keep a list of applications, deadlines, status, etc. Always check your emails and make a folder to keep related emails.

  • Include letters of recommendation, be personal and passionate in your essay, and proofread. Start early doing things that may add to your application – participating in school organizations, volunteering, pursuing achievements, etc.

    • Research the organization giving out the scholarship and its goal. Doing so will help with tailoring answers to make your application stand out.

    • Search for scholarships big and small. Everyone will apply for the big scholarships, but people often don’t apply for the small ones.

    • Read the application at least twice. Most people will not follow directions, so make sure you’re doing exactly what they are asking.

  • Applications often ask about your goals, how the scholarship will impact you, what sets you apart from other applicants, and who your role model is and why.

  • Ask someone who knows you well. Give the person plenty of time and a deadline that is before the application deadline. Some recommendations must be submitted directly to the scholarship organization, so make sure the person understands the process. It is helpful if you send a resume or “brag sheet” to help the recommender add more content to their recommendation.

  • It can. It is best to check with the college/university you plan to attend.

Financial Literacy

  • When you’re starting out in work or career, save as much as possible. Your income may fluctuate monthly, so it’s hard to set a specific amount. As your income becomes more consistent, start saving a specific amount each month. Standard financial advice says you should aim for three to six months’ worth of essential expenses.

  • Find a system that works for you. If you have something that helps you track your expenses, you’re more likely to use it and stick to your budget. There are tons of free budgeting tools out there.

  • Be realistic. Don’t set your budget with money habits you hope to have. Be honest with yourself and prioritize needs and commitments first.

  • Save it or buy items you need. Don’t just spend money because you have it.

  • When you are spending more money than you bring in each month, you are living beyond your means.

  • Sign up for a free iGrad account at inspiredoutreach.igrad.com. Complete your Financial Wellness Checkup, which will help iGrad make personalized recommendations for content, tools and courses so you can get started.

Career Exploration

  • Think about what interests you and what you enjoy doing. Research careers and majors that you are interested in to make a more informed decision. There are also career aptitude tests and personality profiles that can help.

  • Your school counselor or GO Center mentor can help. You can also talk to people who know you best to get their advice. There are also career aptitude tests, personality profiles and many online resources as well at YourGOCenter.com.

  • You should think about what you like to do and create a list of things you want and don’t want in a career. Find something that best suits you and that can financially support your future goals.

  • You can get experience by doing internships or practicums with a company or organization in that field or by volunteering.

  • Networking is an important tool that can be useful for meeting new people and creating new relationships, which can help you not only advance career-wise but also allow you to make new friends and perhaps business partners.

  • Make sure your username and bio are professional. Be mindful of what you’re posting; employers often look at candidates’ profiles on social media before making a hiring decision.

  • Include all the basics like work and education history, but make sure you’re adjusting each resume for the specific job you’re applying for. Use the keywords from the job description to ensure you’re not left out by any automated screening processes.

  • Research the company and become familiar with the mission, vision, goals, etc. Have your resume up to date and bring a copy. Wear nice clothes and look professional. Be prepared to sell yourself, your contributions and achievements. Prepare some questions to ask at the end of the interview.

  • Be sure to shake hands with your interviewer. Send thank you cards or emails.

  • Attending a career fair can help you find out what type of jobs are available. Most companies have different departments like marketing, customer service, accounting, etc.