By the fall of the senior year in high school, the shopping for a college should stop and the applying should begin. Many selective colleges and universities have fall deadlines. Others may have deadlines late in the spring, or may even continue taking applications through the summer. ALWAYS check the actual website of the college you want to apply to for the most accurate admission deadline and requirements!  

Below are some helpful resources: 

• Generation Texas is a community-based movement that provides Texas students, families, and their communities with the encouragement, knowledge resources, and support that they need to get on and stay on the path to college and career education beyond high school. Specifically, Generation TX seeks to increase awareness of and support for the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards; to clarify the processes of applying for college admission and financial aid; and to develop a commitment among stakeholders to create a college-going culture in Texas. The initial two years of Generation TX is funded by $3 million from a federal College Access Challenge Grant.
• Resources for Undocumented Students
• College for All Texans: College for All Texans includes resources on preparing for, applying for and funding higher education, including information for adult and military students.
• If applying to public supported colleges in Texas (also known as state schools), one application can work for all. Go to: applytexas.org 
• When applying to private colleges throughout the United States, many accept the common application. Go to: https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Default.aspx
• Texas OnCourse - As a state-funded initiative to improve college and career readiness, our mission is to equip all Texas students for an educational and professional future that unlocks their potential. Texas OnCourse empowers you to make decisions that will help you, your child, or your student succeed after high school. Thousands of students, educators, and schools across Texas use Texas OnCourse resources.

*Most colleges publish their application for admission directly on their website. ALWAYS go directly to the source when trying to find information about a college.

According to the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), career readiness involves three major skill areas: core academic skills and the ability to apply those skills to concrete situations in order to function in the workplace and in routine daily activities; em­ployability skills (such as critical thinking and responsibility) that are essential in any career area; and technical, job-specific skills related to a specific career pathway. These skills have been emphasized across numerous pieces of research and allow students to enter true career pathways that offer family-sustaining wages and opportunities for advancement. Source: www.acteonline.org

Helpful Websites for Career Investigations:

• How About a Reality Check? This website is designed to help students understand how much money they will need to earn in the future; how much certain occupations pay; what training and education are required for various jobs, and much more. Start here for your own Reality Check.
• Career Development Planning and Resource Binder: Click on this LiveBinder created by AchieveTexas to see a wealth of career-related resources for counselors to use with students and parents in developing the students' personal graduation plan, as well as other college and work-related resources in helping students meet their future career goals beyond high school.
• Texas OnCourse - As a state-funded initiative to improve college and career readiness, our mission is to equip all Texas students for an educational and professional future that unlocks their potential. Texas OnCourse empowers you to make decisions that will help you, your child, or your student succeed after high school. Thousands of students, educators, and schools across Texas use Texas OnCourse resources.