College and Career Planning (Grades 6-12)

College Readiness Starts in Middle School

In Houston ISD, preparing for college begins as early as 6th grade. Middle school is the perfect time for students and families to start building a strong foundation for future success.

What You Need to Know:

• Build Strong Academic Habits
  Focus on doing your best in class and taking challenging courses like Pre-AP or Algebra I. These classes help prepare you for high school and college-level work.

• Explore Careers and Interests
  Use tools like SchooLinks to discover your strengths, explore career paths, and start thinking about what kind of future you want.

• Get Involved
  Join clubs, sports, or volunteer activities. These experiences help you grow as a leader and look great on future college applications.

• Plan with Your Family
  Talk about your goals, attend school events, and explore college and financial aid resources together. Planning early makes the journey smoother.

• Stay on Track
  Houston ISD is committed to helping every student graduate ready for college or a career—with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to succeed.

College Planning for Grades 9–11

High school is a critical time to prepare for college—and Houston ISD offers tools and support to help students and families stay on track every step of the way.

What You Need to Know:

• Stay on Top of Academics
  Your GPA, course choices, and test scores matter. Take advanced classes, ask for help when needed, and keep your grades strong.

• Explore Colleges and Careers
  Use SchooLinks to research colleges, build your college list, track deadlines, and explore career pathways that match your interests and goals.

• Practice for the SAT
  All students have access to Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy, a free, personalized tool that helps you improve your scores with practice questions, full-length tests, and study tips based on your PSAT results.

• Get Involved and Build Your Resume
  Colleges look for well-rounded students. Join clubs, volunteer, take on leadership roles, and document your experiences in SchooLinks.

• Talk About the Future
  Families can support students by discussing college options, attending school events, and learning about financial aid and scholarships early.

Financial aid helps students and their families pay for college or career school and can come from federal, state, school, and private sources. This financial assistance covers educational expenses including tuition and fee, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation.

There are 4 types for financial aid: grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. 

• Grants are a form of financial aid that does not have to be repaid (unless, for example, a student withdraws from school).
• Scholarships are gifts and do not need to be repaid! There are thousands of scholarships, offered by schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, communities, religious groups, and professional and social organizations. 
• Loans are a form of financial aid that students borrow and must pay back with interest. There are 2 types of loans: Subsidized loans and Unsubsidized loans.
  • Subsidized Loans: These are based on financial need. The federal government pays the interest while your student is in school, during the grace period after graduation, or if the loan is in deferment.
  • Unsubsidized Loans: These are not based on financial need. Interest begins to build as soon as the loan is given and continues until it’s fully paid off—the student is responsible for all interest.
• Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. 
   

There are 3 types of financial aid applications: FAFSA, TASFA, CSS Profile. 

FAFSA - The FREE Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application students must complete to apply for federal and state aid. Federal student aid includes the Federal Pell Grant, federal student loans, and the Federal Work-Study program. FAFSA opens: October 1st

TASFA - The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is used for college information to help determine eligibility for state financial aid programs that are administered by institutions of higher education in the state of Texas. Students that are classified as a Texas Resident who cannot apply for federal financial aid using the FAFSA are encouraged to complete the TASFA. TASFA opens: October 1st

CSS Profile - An online application for non federal student financial aid. Used by nearly 400 colleges, universities, professional schools, and scholarship programs to award more than $9 billion in grants. Click here to see the list of institutions that require the CSS Profile. CSS Profile opens: October 1st

According the Texas House Bill 3, all students graduating from a Texas public high school must do one of the following in order to graduate:

• Complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
• Complete and submit a Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA);
• Submit a signed opt-out form. 

Visit your school's College Center for more information and to talk to your school’s Counselor or Advisor. 

To complete a financial aid application, you will need the following Parent and Student information. 

• Social Security Number (if applicable)
• 2024 income tax returns and W-2s
• Date of Birth
• Email Address
• Month &  year parent(s) married/separated/divorced/widowed (if applicable)