The guidance department offers student assistance in many areas.


EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION
The Guidance Department has material on colleges, technical schools, apprenticeship programs, scholarship information and other areas related to education after high school.


CAREER INFORMATION
The Guidance Department has information on different careers and places where you can be trained for careers. There are addresses where you can write for more information.


PERSONAL PROBLEMS
The Guidance Department has files and books if you want information on social issues or personal problems such as drug abuse, alcoholism, pregnancy, etc.


Financial Planning: Certainly financial planning is important. Financial aid is available for students to attend college. Financial aid usually includes loans as well as grants and scholarships. Most financial aid is applied for during the senior year of high school.


Academic Planning: It is important to prepare academically. The Recommended or Distinguished Plans are the plans that will best prepare you for college courses. There are certain grants and scholarships that are only available to students who graduate on one of these plans.


College Planning: You should use your high school years to investigate a number of different colleges. There are videos, CD-ROMs and books in the Guidance Department that you may look at and take home. Many colleges have “High School Preview Days” when they invite high school students and their parents to tour their college. Begin early looking at all of the options available to you.

Résumé' Planning: Scholarships are given to students who excel in some area. Consider your strengths and build on those. Most scholarship applications are going to ask you for your community service activities and school activities. Don’t wait until your senior year to start participating in these. By then, it will be too late.


Test Scores: Many scholarships are given to those students who have high ACT or SAT scores. You may take the ACT or SAT at any time during high school and retake it as often as you wish to pay for it. Start early preparing for these tests. Registration forms are available.


TOP 10%
Rank in class can be very important in your college admissions process. The Texas public college or university of your choice must automatically admit you if:

• Your grade point average places you in the top 10% of your high school graduation class at the time of your application
• You apply no later than two years after you graduate from a Texas high school
• You submit a completed application before the expiration of any filing deadline established by the college. Colleges and universities may also require an essay, letters of recommendation, admissions and placement tests like the SAT I and/or SAT II, fees, and an official high school transcript.

NCAA GUIDELINES
Many college athletic programs are regulated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The NCAA has three membership divisions—Division I, Division II, and Division III. If you are planning to enroll in college as a freshman and you wish to participate in Division I or II athletics, you must be certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse.

If you want to participate in Division I or II sports in college, you should start the certification process after your junior year grades are posted on your transcript. Check with your guidance department to be sure you are taking a core curriculum that meets NCAA requirements; also, register to take the ACT or SAT as a junior. Submit your Student Release Form to the Clearinghouse early in your senior year.

For more information see Coach Miller for a copy of Making Sure you are Eligible to Participate in College Sports published by the NCAA.
NCAA

TEXAS COLLEGE ADDRESSES
The easiest way to get college addresses is on the Internet.
College for Texans

This site lists all colleges, their addresses, their phone numbers and their Internet addresses


THE COMMON APPLICATION

Currently in Texas there is one application for admission that may be used for all state four-year colleges and universities. It is called the Common Application. In addition to general information, students are expected to report extra curricular, personal and volunteer activities.

All 35 public four-year universities will accept this application. That means that students can complete one application, copy it and submit it to as many of the institutions as they wish.

Students can also apply for admission via an electronic common admission application.

The address on the Internet for the common application for Texas Public Universities is
Texas Common Application
The paper copies of the application forms are available.

If you would like to apply to a private school, check out this address for the common application to many private universities.

Common Application for Private Universites


GENERAL COLLEGE INFORMATION
You may borrow a CD-ROM from the Guidance Department “Finding Answers for College” or visit the following links for more college information.


GO College

Adventures in Education

Campus Tours

Texas Mentor--Independent Colleges

College Search



VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL

For a listing of private vocational schools in Texas:
Career Colleges and Schools of Texas
Texas Workforce Commission
MILITARY
• Army
• Navy
• Marines
• Air Force
• Coast Guard

Profile magazine published by the Department of Defense High School New Service gives detailed information over ALL military branches.

To see the entire magazine, as well as back issues, go to:
Profile Magazine
FINANCIAL AID
The basis for all financial aid is the Free Application for Student Aid.
Before beginning the FAFSA you must have a PIN to be able to sign your FAFSA electronically. Your parents should also apply for a PIN.

Application for a PIN

To complete the FAFSA you need to go to:
FAFSA Application

To view the online version of the booklet Funding your Education:
Funding Your Education
Government Student Aid Information

For scholarship searches you may want to access these sites. Remember that your address may be used for other kinds of mailings.
FASTWEB
FINAID
WIRED SCHOLAR
ABSOLUTELY SCHOLARSHIPS
SCHOLARSHIPS


TESTING INFORMATION
The College Board code for Gustine ISD is 443-040. This is the school code used on all ACT and SAT registration forms.

ACT and PLAN
SAT and PSAT
Bureau of Labor and Statistics

Occupational Outlook Handbook