All Things Senior

If you need to send transcripts showing your dual credit/college course work to your prospective college, you'll have to request those transcripts directly from LIT & SFA. Follow the links below to find more information about making those requests:

https://www.sfasu.edu/registrar/transcripts

https://www.lit.edu/student-success/transcripts

Our local Chamber of Commerce hosts a luncheon in May for graduating seniors who have met the college readiness standards assigned by the Texas Success Initiative (23 composite on ACT with 19+ on Math/19+ on English; 480 on SAT EBRW; 530 on SAT Math; TSIA2 passing scores). If you are interested in being included in this luncheon event, make sure you have met your college readiness standards! Once the date for the luncheon is determined, we will announce a deadline for being on the list. TSIA2 is offered at least once each month, so let Mrs. Barbay know when you might want to test in order to achieve Texas Scholar status!

If the college applications you've completed already didn't require letters of recommendation, then you might not have made the attempt yet to gather these; however, for many of your scholarship applications this year, you must submit letters of recommendation. It is time NOW to start seeking out who can best provide a positive write-up all about you!

In general, it is best to have two or three letters of recommendation, and these letters should be from sources such as teachers, counselors, coaches, supervisors/bosses, or members of organizations you are involved with outside of school. A good idea for you to get ready for asking for these letters is to prepare a resume of your activities to share with your recommender. I can also share a set of short answer questions that you could fill out to give to your recommender to help them 'know' you better as they write about you. It is extremely important that you are respectful about how you ask for these letters & especially WHEN you ask for them - if you need a letter of recommendation in just a few days - you might be out of luck! A good letter can't/won't be written with little to no notice! Make plans & begin to ask your hopeful recommenders now. Ask them to please sign your letter & if they don't email it to you as an attached PDF, then drop by the JHS GO Center with the paper copy & we'll make a PDF of it for you - this will make it easier to submit if the scholarship you're applying for is online.

Here's a link with some helpful tips for letters of recommendation:

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/your-high-school-record/how-to-get-a-great-letter-of-recommendation

If applying for college & completing your FAFSA seemed exhausting, hold your horses! It's going to be a bumpy ride!!! There are so many tasks ahead of you, but don't be discouraged - read the two articles I'm linking below for a heads up of what else you need to prepare for --- and don't forget, we've created the JHS GO Center for the express purpose of helping you with all of these tasks, so come see Mrs. Barbay if you have questions at any point in this long but rewarding process. Pause for a moment & visualize yourself on your college campus next year - it will all be worth it!

https://www.collegedata.com/resources/prepare-and-apply/youve-decided-on-a-college.-whats-next

https://www.mycollegeoptions.org/Core/SiteContent/Students/Advice/College-Resource-Center/Getting-in---Applying-to-College/College-Admissions-Guides/College-Planning-Checklist/I-ve-Been-Accepted-Now-What.aspx

43 Class of '22 students had an awesome day at SFA! Great job meeting deadlines, Seniors!

See the flyer below for more information ---- our RSSI grant partners will be pulling data from us at the beginning of December - all JHS seniors who have completed a college application AND FAFSA will be entered into a prize drawing for some great prizes! Don't delay!

Follow this link to see a list of all Texas colleges & universities -- click on the school name to find out requirements & deadlines for applications, financial aid, etc. You will find a link to the college's website as well.

https://comptroller.texas.gov/programs/education/msp/schools/

Senior year is an exciting time --- if you're feeling confident about what to do next! If you are unsure of what you want to do with your life, you might be having some feelings of anxiety & stress. Check out some of these sites & explore careers & interest inventories that could help guide you. Remember that the early bird gets the worm, so the fall semester of your senior year is a perfect time for making decisions & choices for what you will be doing & where you will be next year. Once you've done some quality exploring, come by & see us if you have questions.

https://roadtripnation.com/who-were-for/learners

https://texascareercheck.com/Home/ExploreCareers

https://texasrealitycheck.com/

https://www.mynextmove.org/

https://texasgenuine.org/

As of now, we have hosted two FAFSA assistance days in October, and we are planning on hosting another opportunity to receive expert help on the FAFSA on January 11th. If you need help completing your FAFSA between now & January, the FAFSA hotline phone number is: 1-800-433-3243.You may also call the JHS GO Center - 409-382-1328 - our office cannot offer expert help, but we are happy to assist to the best of our abilities.

https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/2022-23-fafsa-worksheet.pdf

https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

It is so important that you learn the importance of deadlines. This is a lesson learned best NOW!!!! So, start paying attention to the deadlines we post and understand that if you don't stick to them, you are likely to miss out on opportunities of all sorts. The world can be tough for those of us who procrastinate, so find a way to trick yourself if you need to --- if a deadline is Oct. 31, tell yourself it's Oct. 30! That way hopefully you will complete & submit whatever task you're working on a day early & not jeopardize your chances by waiting until the last minute.

Red, White, & Blue - Military Enlistment

Green - Dual Credit Performance Acknowledgement

Navy Blue - Industry Based Certification

Silver - Bilingualism Performance Acknowledgement

Gold - College Readiness Performance Acknowledgement (Advanced Placement, PSAT, SAT, ACT)

Find out more about Performance Acknowledgements at:

https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/6_graduation_requirements_a2_2.pdf

JHS graduates are only allowed to wear cords and sashes at our graduation ceremony if they have been provided those by the school .

Come by the JHS Guidance Office to fill out the form for Mrs. Carter to send your transcript electronically or by mail. (It's always best to send transcripts to colleges after you've completed the application process - not before you're official!)