Planning for Life After High School
Brought to you by GHS Counseling and GCISD GO Center
GHS School Profile
Our class of 2022 graduates pursued the following pathways after graduation last May:
4-year universities - 71%
2-year colleges - 14%
Military Service, Trade Schools, Work, Gap year - 14%
Click here for more details.
What is your student's plan after high school? Which pathway will help them achieve their desired career?
4-Year University/ 2-Year College
Trade School
Apprenticeship
To help you explore these pathways...
- Course Planning
- Graduation Requirements
- Career Assessments
- College Search and Comparisons
- Applying to College
- College Essay Writing
- Test Prep
- Paying for College
- And more!
Students- To access your PLP, click on the "Assignments" tab in your Class of 202# Canvas class. Make a copy of the PLP so you can record your information in the document.
Parents- Ask your child to show you their PLP and explore the resources with them.
College Planning Timelines from College Board (BigFuture)
Below are recommended timelines to help your student prepare for college admissions.
GHS Counseling Curriculum
- Freshmen - Getting involved to start building an activities resume. (Counselors visited English classes on September 20th & 21st).
- Sophomores - Students will complete the Texas Career Check and Interest Inventory to explore careers that align with their interests. (Counselors will visit English classes in mid-November).
- Juniors - Review post-secondary pathways and steps to prepare to submit college applications senior year. (Counselors will visit English classes in early December).
- Seniors - Preparing for life after high school (completing college and financial aid applications and requesting transcripts and letters of recommendation) (Counselors visited English classes on September 6th & 7th).
To view counseling core curriculum presentations, click here.
College Admissions Tests - SAT and ACT
Registration & Deadlines:
GHS offers the SAT during the school day for juniors in March and for seniors (who did not have the opportunity to test as a junior) in October.
Should I take the SAT or ACT?
Click here for a comparison from The Princeton Review.
What does "test-optional" mean in the college admissions process?
Check out this blog from College Board for more information.
How do I request a fee waiver for the SAT and/or ACT? Juniors and Seniors who qualify for free or reduced lunch may request an SAT fee waiver (maximum 2) and/or ACT fee waiver (maximum 4) from the GHS counseling office. *Students who use a fee waiver for the SAT will have 4 college application fee waivers uploaded to their College Board Account to use when filling out college applications.
Filling out college applications: If SAT or ACT scores are required (or optional) when students are filling out college applications, they will need to send their official score report directly from the College Board (SAT) or ACT to the institution they are applying to.
How do I request accommodations for the SAT or ACT? If you have a 504 plan or IEP in place with testing accommodations, reach out to your school counselor. They can assist in starting the accommodations request process with College Board or ACT.
College Visits
Did you miss the annual GCISD College & Career Night event on September 27th? Check out these other great opportunities!
Sunday, October 9 from 1-6 p.m. (ET) - NACAC Virtual College Fair
Students can sign up for free! You can also find a list of participating colleges and universities here. The virtual fair is a great opportunity to connect with colleges and pursue your college dreams. Have a quick video chat with a rep, drop in on a virtual presentation, send a question through chat - make a connection YOUR way!
The NACAC fairs will also feature MatchMaking! At the time of registration, your students will select the attributes that are most important to them in a college. They will then receive an email that best matches them to the specific colleges and universities based on the criteria they provided. Your students will then reference this email on the day of the fair to connect with their best matches! Students should register early to take advantage of this great feature!
Check out a video on how it all works!
Wednesday, October 12 - Universal Technical Institute National Open House
Universal Technical Institute in Dallas is hosting a national Open House event on October 12th. Students will be able to tour our hands-on labs, participate in live demos and get the inside scoop on our UTI's programs, campuses, connections, career paths, and more. Students interested in attending can invite friends and family to this event to share the excitement of learning about the skilled trades. Click here for more information.
On-Demand College Tour Videos - The College Tour
Check out this extensive library of colleges across the nation. Tour campuses and compare colleges without having to leave home!
Financial Aid - Paying for College
SENIORS: The FAFSA application opened on October 1st! ALL seniors are encouraged to complete the FAFSA or TASFA as soon as possible in order to increase their chances of obtaining financial aid to help pay for college. The Texas priority deadline for the FAFSA for most universities is January 15. *Be sure to check with each school you are applying to in order to confirm their FAFSA priority deadline.
Some colleges and scholarships may require applicants to complete the FAFSA in order to be eligible. Check with any institution you are applying to for more information.
Click HERE for the GO Center's comprehensive newsletter that breaks down financial aid.
- Overview of financial aid
- FAFSA/TASFA
- CSS Profile
- School specific scholarships
- Local scholarships
GRADUATION REQUIREMENT - FAFSA/TASFA/Opt Out Form
Completing the FAFSA (or TASFA) or an Opt Out form is now a requirement for graduation. See below for details:
Beginning with the Class of 2022 and beyond, all Seniors must complete one of the following steps in order to comply with Texas Education Code (TEC), ยง28.0256 in order to graduate:
Complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); or
Complete and submit a Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA); or
Submit a signed opt-out form.
As approved by the GCISD Board of Trustees, the District will accept the following as proof of completion:
Acknowledgment of receipt from an Institution of Higher Ed (IHE);
Copy of Signature page;
Screenshot of TASFA submission acknowledgment page (from those institutions that offer an electronic form);
Screenshot of FAFSA submission acknowledgment page; -OR-
Copy of a financial aid award letter
*Please do not send financial records to the school as proof.
After you have submitted your FAFSA/TASFA paperwork, please send one method of proof or your opt-out form to your high school counseling office no later than May 1, 2023.
The Texas OnCourse financial aid toolkit and StudentAid.gov provide additional information about applying for financial aid.
If you do not wish for your student to complete a FAFSA or TASFA, an opt-out form may be completed by a parent or guardian, a student age 18 years or older or a school counselor who authorizes the student to decline to complete and submit the application for good cause.
If you wish to opt-out, please use one of the forms below and return to your school counselor:
Letters of Recommendation (for college applications)
Letters of recommendation are intended to support a student by highlighting information that is not already included in the student's college application or college essay. Letters of recommendation may be required by many universities and scholarship organizations. We politely ask that students only request a letter of recommendation if it is required as part of their college application or for scholarship purposes as letters will not be read by colleges if they are not required (or listed as optional in the application requirements).
Seniors should notify their counselor that they are in need of a letter of recommendation at least two weeks prior to the deadline. Please fill out the Brag Sheet and return it to your counselor along with your activities resume and any college essays you wish to provide. Counselors can write a stronger letter of recommendation for students who provide more personal information.
Seniors are encouraged to submit their college application(s) as soon as they are finished. Counselor recommendations will follow in a timely manner.
Parchment (Transcript Ordering Service)
In an effort to streamline the process for requesting official transcripts, Grapevine HS has partnered with Parchment to send high school transcripts electronically, securely, and confidentially to colleges, universities, and potential employers.
Current students are able to request transcripts for free until August 1st of the year in which they graduate from high school. The cost for Grapevine-Colleyville ISD alumni is $5 per copy.
If they have not already done so, students can create their Parchment account through this link.
Important: Students should create their own account using their personal email address (as their student email address will become inactive following graduation from high school).
NCAA/NAIA - Are you Interested in Playing Sports at the Collegiate level?
GO Center Services and Appointments
Through the Go Center, students will have access to individual assistance or self-guided tools that include: career and aptitude tests, test information (ACT, SAT, ASVAB, and etc.), FAFSA assistance, financial aid resources, and college admission literature/applications.
How does it work?
Students can come to the Go Center on their own to explore college and careers with our computer and print resources, or they can make an appointment with the Go Center for individual services by clicking here.
Questions?
School Counselors
Marnie Pape (A-D); marnie.pape@gcisd.netAbbey King (E-Le); abbey.king@gcisd.net
Moises Flores (Li-Ri); moises.flores@gcisd.net
Katherine Partridge (Ro-Z); katherine.partridge@gcisd.net
Mary Parsley, Lead Counselor; mary.parsley@gcisd.net
Jennifer Lemke, Student Advocate; jennifer.lemke@gcisd.net
CTE and GO Center Coordinator
Candace McGowan; candace.mcgowan@gcisd.net
Website: https://ghs.gcisd.net/resources/counseling
Phone: 817-251-5232