College is an extremely valuable investment – both financially and personally. Therefore CFBISD prepares our students to step onto a college campus and enter a world filled with fresh faces, diverse backgrounds and various worldviews. Here at CFBISD, we believe that college is about defying expectations, breaking the mold, and finding yourself. Preparing for college is a multifold undertaking.
SAT / ACT
ACT vs SAT are more similar now but key distinctions between the tests still remain. Therefore, ACT prep and SAT prep are two different undertakings. Since colleges do not really have a preference for one test over the other, high school students should plan to check out both tests before starting extensive ACT prep, or SAT prep. Choosing the test that aligns best with a particular student’s skills is most beneficial.
Go Centers
CFBISD GO Centers are physical spaces in our high schools equipped with computers and overseen by school staff or college student mentors from higher education institutes. Students visit the GO Centers and research career opportunities, college options, and financial aid.
GO Centers help to promote higher education to high school students and are a great way to provide hands-on support completing admissions and financial aid applications, searching for scholarships, and selecting a college or career.
Services GO Centers Provide:
- College Admission Awareness
- College Application Assistance
- Financial Aid Application Assistance
- Financial Aid Advising
- Career Exploration
- Scholarship Assistance
- College Advising
- College Campus Visits and Tours
- Academic Advising
Apply Texas
ApplyTexas was created to offer a centralized means for both Texas and non-Texas students to apply to the many outstanding post-secondary institutions available in Texas.
On ApplyTexas you can accomplish a multitude of tasks including:
- Apply for admission to any Texas public university, as well as to participating community and private colleges.
- Apply for undergraduate, international and graduate admission.
- Copy a submitted application to another institution.
- Submit your application essays online.
- Apply for scholarships from participating universities.
FAFSA / TASFA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a form that can be prepared annually by current and prospective college students in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid.
The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is used to collect 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 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are encouraged to complete the TASFA.
Scholarships
Finding scholarships is a considerable undertaking, but one that generally rewards the best prepared and hardest working students. The key to getting scholarships is applying early and often. Often times, students will give up or pursue only a few or several scholarships. We encourage CFBISD students to be the students that never give up and persistently search for, apply to and eventually be awarded scholarships.
Local Scholarships
​Local scholarships are a great way to help pay for school. Scholarship providers like to see people from their community succeed and so they often offer local scholarships available only to residents of a particular geographic region. Since the number of students who qualify is limited based on location, the chances of winning local scholarships are often greater than the odds of winning national scholarships. This can make local scholarships an attractive and easy option for funding your education.
http://www.collegescholarships.com/local/texas-scholarships
National Scholarships
Scholarships offered at the national level have a tendency to be competitive and often even prestigious, occasionally offering special incentives such as study abroad opportunities. Though it may require more effort and work, they are highly impressive for resumes and future references. Often, students applying for and winning such scholarships find that the more they win, the more they keep winning, perhaps in part due to the fact they have a bit more experience and confidence and possibly also due to what now might be considered an impressive scholarship resume.
https://studentscholarships.org/#sthash.ky0MONSb.dpbs
Steps to College Checklist
CFBISD knows the road to college is paved differently for each student. We strive to meet the individual needs of each college ready student by providing in depth college preparation. From parent informational, college application workshops, FAFSA lunch booths to Go Centers, we are here to support our students’ journey.
Department of Education College Checklist
Also, use the College Access Guide to Success Handbook for a detailed guide for college preparation.
Texas Exemption Programs
Exemptions are programs that allow Texas public colleges and universities to lower tuition for eligible students. Texas has these programs for some students who were or are:
- In foster care
- Adopted
- Valedictorians
- Blind
- Deaf
- Early high school graduates
- Children of disabled or deceased peace officers
- Children of POWS or MIAs
- Children of deceased veterans
- Children of parents receiving TANF benefits
- Children of deceased public servants
For additional information, contact your school counselor.
Choices 360
CFBISD has provided access to an amazing program to all students called, Choices360. Choices360 is a comprehensive career planning program that can help you make decisions about your educational and career goals. Students can use Choices360 in English and/or Spanish to learn about your interests, skills and values by taking assessments.
Students can access Choices360 from their campus page or by visiting https://www.choices360.com/Home/Sign_In/Logon.aspx