LHS Junior Page

• Request a Transcript
• Junior College Guidance Presentation
• Junior College Planning Checklist (printable)
• Just for Juniors 2021 Presentation
• SAT/ACT Dates
  
• Assured Admissions Info
• Xello - Career and College Search tool
• Big Future - College Search and Planning tool
• FAFSA - Financial Aid
  
• College Admissions Decoded Podcast
• School Spotlight
• Summer University Programs & Internships

Fall (September, October, November)

• Review your credits to make sure you’re on track to graduate. Keep up the hard work on your grades!

• Continue researching colleges.

• Attend presentations by colleges, technical schools, and military reps to explore post-secondary options.

• Register to take ACT/SAT. Test dates and registration deadlines can be found in the counseling office and online. Juniors are recommended to take in February or April, so that you still have June for a re-take if needed. You can register online at www.actstudent.org and https://www.collegeboard.org.

• Take the PSAT in October. This is great practice for the SAT/ACT. Remember this is the year that you can qualify for National Merit recognition and scholarships based on your score.

• Colleges want well-rounded students. Continue building your resume; look for more leadership positions and volunteer opportunities.

Winter (December, January, February)

• Continue to attend college, technical school, and military presentations.

• Register for your AP tests.

• Explore financial realities, degree programs, etc. Xello is a great tool for this!

• Register for ACT/SAT.

• PSAT test scores distributed (Jan.).

• Consider rigorous courses for your senior year and register (Feb.).

• Make sure you are set for graduation---credits, required courses—stay on track!

Spring (March, April, May)

• Narrow down college choices.

• Make an effort to visit colleges and/or technical schools in which you are interested.

• Start to gather documents for financial aid.

• Meet with our College and Career counselor if you have questions about Collin or other community colleges.

• Check to make sure credits are in order.

• April and June are last chance for ACT/SAT before senior year begins!

Summer

• Register with the NCAA clearinghouse if you plan on playing sports at a Division I or II college. You must do this to be eligible for athletic opportunities. Go to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net for more information.

• Work and/or volunteer based on your interests. Internships and camps are great too!

• Get your FSA ID. Before you can fill out your FAFSA, you need to get a username and password (also known as an FSA ID).

• Continue working on your resume and begin brainstorming college essay responses.

• Counselors will meet with all seniors early in the fall to discuss the college application process (requesting transcripts, letters of rec, etc.).

Meet with your counselor if you have specific questions!

Students can attend virtual sessions, as well as reach out directly to reps.

• Virtual Visits - https://bit.ly/LibertyVirtualVisits
• Recruiting Reps Contact info - https://bit.ly/LibertyRecruitReps

Frisco ISD offers career exploration assessments and a GREAT college search engine through an online program called Xello. If you are struggling to decide what you may want to major in for college or even which colleges to apply to, Xello can be a great tool to help in your decision-making process. Students can login to this program through the student portal using their FISD gmail account information.

Big Future is also an excellent college planning tool for both parents and students. It includes tips on how to get started in the process with an action plan, how to find the best college fit, and even how to pay for college. Big Future is a great resource to junior students and families as part of the college research process.

It is recommended that Juniors focus on their college entrance exams during this year. Juniors will take the PSAT in October of this year. When deciding between the SAT and ACT, it is recommended that students try both at first and then focus their studies on the test in which they perform better. The student should be taking their first SAT or ACT no later than the Spring of their Junior year so it allows time retaking to improve scores if necessary. Students will sign up for these exams via the testing organization's website: CollegeBoard or ACT

GPA will be up to date on the Home Access Center (HAC) in mid-September. Please take a moment to review your GPA as this is what you will be reporting to colleges for admittance this year. You may want to refer to the Rank and GPA Policy to see how FISD reports class rank. Students can view their quartiles by visiting the Student Portal and selecting the "GPA for Rank" tile. Students in the top ten percent of their class will be able to view their rank on HAC. All other students should review the GPA for Rank tile to determine their quartile

If you would like the up-to-date information sent to Colleges, you will need to request official transcripts through Parchment.

All colleges will request that students complete the FAFSA in order to receive any sort of scholarship, grant, loan, or other student aid. The application opens on October 1st. Parents, be sure to login and start the application as soon as it opens: FAFSA

For more information take a look at this presentation here.

Many universities will have their own scholarship application for students to complete. Be sure to check your university's website. Also, you can use the following online scholarship searches to apply to national scholarships: Fastweb.com, scholarships.com, or this resource list.

Frisco ISD also provides a scholarship search database to all students which include LOCAL scholarship opportunities. It is highly recommended that students apply for local scholarships as the pool of applicants for these are typically smaller than national scholarships.

The Frisco Education Foundation offers scholarship opportunities to all FISD seniors.

LHS has a wonderful College & Career Advisor on our campus. Her name is Shawna Chamberlin and she is happy to visit with students about anything College-related, including Collin College information. Students and parents can schedule an appointment with her via email at ChamberlinS@friscisd.org.

Collin College is a great opportunity for students wishing to stay local, save money, and get their basics done. Collin has excellent transfer partnerships with 4-year Universities. Click here to find out more details!

AP Credit Policy Search https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/getting-credit-placement/search-policies

Texas Common Course Numbering System—"TCCNS provides a shared, uniform set of course designations for students and their advisors to sue in determining course equivalency and degree applicability of transfer credit on a statewide basis.” https://www.tccns.org/

If a student is interested in a military academy appointment or ROTC scholarship, it is important that you meet with a recruiter in the fall of your junior year. This process can be quite time consuming.

Each entity offers unique career training opportunities and financial aid for college including: Academy appointments, ROTC scholarships, tuition assistance, and the GI Bill. Representatives can be reached directly during lunch visits, by visiting their national websites, or picking up a business card in the counseling office. The process begins with a visit with a local recruiter and by taking the ASVAB – an aptitude test required for military service but also provides valuable career planning information to students even if they decide not to join.

Here are some resources on how to hone in your academic skills for the remainder of high school and on into college. It's never too late to become a stronger student.

Time Management Tips

Notetaking Strategies

Test Taking Strategies

Stress Management