It's your senior year.
Are you ready for your next big step ?
College and Career Support from Texas College Bridge, powered by College Forward, will guide you through the college application process and help you enroll in the college or degree program of your choice! We know that this journey can seem overwhelming, but we are here to help.
Here are some quick tips on navigating your college resources.
Take your time to review the resources in each unit.
Unit One and Unit Two explore the value of earning a college degree, how you can show colleges that you are ready for college-level work, and why that’s important.
These are great resources to revisit if you need a reminder of why you are embarking on your college journey.
Look out for the Next Steps.
At the end of each resource, we will give you a preview of what’s coming in the next one.
Keep your Guided Activities handy.
In Unit Three, you will complete activities to explore your personality type and interests. These activities will help you find your unique career and education path. We will refer back to these as we start exploring colleges, so make sure to save your work.
College Forward’s recommendations for Educators.
The following units and their resources may be completed by students non sequentially based on their needs.
However, Educators should work with students to complete each unit in order where possible.
Each unit is self-guided so that students are able to review and complete the activities in each resource on their own. Educators should make themselves available to support students as needed while students complete each unit.
Unit One
Value of a Postsecondary Degree
Why Going to College Is Worth It
Earning a postsecondary degree is an investment in your future. Many students throughout the country are wondering if pursuing a postsecondary degree or going to college is still worth it. Explore these findings to learn more about the value of a postsecondary degree.
Unit Two
Demonstrating College Readiness
The Importance of Demonstrating College Readiness
College readiness refers to how ready you are to succeed in any first-year college course without needing to take developmental courses. This resource will help you understand why you should demonstrate college readiness and how you can do it.
Unit Three
Career Exploration
Personality Type Guided Activity
In this Personality Type Guided Activity, we will use a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to gain insight into your interests and possible career paths that you would find fulfilling.
Texas Reality Check Guided Activity
We’ve all spent time daydreaming about our dream life, and that dream life might look different for many of us. In this resource, we’ll take a look at what it will cost and the salary you’ll need to have your dream lifestyle with the Texas Reality Check.
Career Exploration Guided Activity
Are you interested in going to college, but unsure about your major? Do you know what career you would like to pursue, but don’t know what degree or certification you’ll need to receive first? Or maybe you know earning a degree is a valuable investment, but aren’t quite sure how a degree correlates to career opportunities? Our career exploration activity is a great place to start.
Helpful Resources for Career Exploration
There are many things to consider when exploring possible career options, such as which career will fit your interests, personality, strengths, salary expectations, and more. Whether you are just now exploring your options, have a career field in mind, or you already know which career you would like to pursue, these career exploration resources will help guide you forward in learning how to identify and attain your dream career.
Unit Four
Choosing Your School
Types of Colleges
There are many more types of colleges than just the public four-year universities that are often portrayed in movies and TV shows. This resource will help you explore the different colleges and degree programs available to you.
Beginning the College Research Process
There are many important factors to consider when choosing a college or university. In order to explore all of the college options available to you, use some of these key areas to guide your college search.
College Search Tools: Using the College Matrix
There are several great tools available online to help inform your college search. Explore these college search tools and learn how to use the College Forward six school College Matrix.
Unit Five
Introduction to Paying for College and Financial Aid
Introduction to Financial Aid and Paying for College
The right time to apply for financial aid is right now! This resource will walk you through the four main types of financial aid—scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study—and how to apply for each of them.
FAFSA 101
Let’s dive deeper into an essential piece of the financial aid equation—the FAFSA. FAFSA 101 covers the who, what, when, where, and why of applying for federal aid.
TASFA 101
Students who do not qualify for Federal Aid, but are residents of Texas may be eligible for state aid through the TASFA, Texas Application for State Financial Aid.
Reading and Comparing Financial Aid Award Letters
Overview It’s important to keep in mind that you must submit a FAFSA or TASFA to be eligible for Federal and/or state financial aid. The priority deadline for applying for
Unit Six
Your College Application
College Application Checklist
When applying to schools, it’s important to stay organized and keep track of your application to each school. Review these common application steps and materials in order to prepare your complete college application, and then download your college application checklist.
College Application Fee Waivers
There are several different types of fee waivers that come up throughout the college application process. This resource will help you understand the differences and the requirements for each type of fee waiver.
The College Application Essay
Throughout your time at school, you’ve probably written quite a few essays. Let’s look at a few tips and strategies to really help your college essay shine and highlight everything you can contribute to your future college community!
Intro to Entrance Exams
The SAT and ACT can be intimidating, but with study and preparation, they can also be a great opportunity to highlight your academic strengths. This resource will give you an introduction to college entrance exams, basic study tips, and how to register and to request accommodations.
Nail Your Resume in 6 Steps
A resume is a one to two-page summary highlighting your education, work experiences, and other qualifications that make you ready for the college you are applying to or the job you would like to have. Follow these steps to create your resume.
Unit Seven
Enrolling in College
Housing in College
Where you will live during your time in college is one of the many exciting decisions you will have to make as you transition into the next phase of your
Comparing College and High School
Your journey through school has prepared you for college in many ways: you have found ways to manage your time, formed relationships, and taken classes to help create a solid
New Student Orientation
New Student Orientation is more than a cursory introduction to a college or university. These are one to two-day sessions to give first-year students and transfer students an overview of
Campus Resource Glossary
Students often forget that in addition to paying tuition costs, they are also paying for other services and resources that can be underutilized. Check out this general College Resource Glossary and see if your college offers similar resources!
What to Expect Your First Semester
Are you curious about what you can expect during that first semester in college? No matter where, when, or how you start your postsecondary journey, that first semester is new for everyone. Here are pro-tips, warnings, and some fun facts about what college life looks like in your first semester!
Unit Eight
Transitioning to College
Stress Management
We have all experienced stress at one point or another. Stress can come in many forms, from an unexpected expense to an exam that you’re not sure you’re ready to
Professionalism in College
During your time in college, you will gain an in-depth knowledge of the skills and information needed for your future professional career; You will also develop the persona, habits, and
6 Tips for Taking Control of Your Time in College
We’ve put together a few tips that will help you take charge in managing your time while in college.
Succeeding in Online Classes
College Forward has compiled several tips and best practices to be successful when taking college courses online. Stay Healthy It is essential to take care of yourself and stay healthy.
