STUDENTS AND FAMILIES
College Planning
Understand the best college options and how to get there.
Taste college in high school.
There are many ways to earn college credits in high school – dual credit, dual enrollment, AP, IB. Make sure you understand the difference and how those credits will transfer toward your final degree program.
Ace college admission tests.
You’ve worked for years to have the grades and extracurriculars for your top-choice school. Make sure your scores are as awesome as you are with preparation materials.
Compare schools.
Tools like College Scorecard and Compare College TX help you compare colleges based on things like cost and graduation rate. They'll help you find affordable options and make sure you invest wisely.
Already time to apply?
If you've already done your research and are ready to start your applications, head to our Applying to College page. It will provide you more specific tools and next steps.
Featured Tools for College Planning
COLLEGE PLANNING
BigFuture
Learn what colleges offer your major, where you can get in, how much schools cost, and more with this College Board resource.
COLLEGE PLANNING | FINANCES
College Scorecard
Compare colleges and universities based on information such as average cost, graduation rate, and salary after graduation.
APPLYING TO COLLEGE
The Common Application
The Common Application is a central application to public and private universities across the country. Understand and apply.
COLLEGE PLANNING | FINANCES
College for All Texans
Find out your options on how to pay for college education costs. Understand tuition and fees, financial aid, and scholarships and loans.
Important Dates and Deadlines
AUG
GRADE 10
Sign up for a PSAT prep class
OCT
GRADE 11
Take the PSAT to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship
FEB-MAR
GRADE 11
Take the SAT or ACT
MAY
GRADE 10
Take the TSIA for dual credit courses
All Resources for College Planning
Early High School
Roadtrip Texas: The Importance of Extracurriculars in High School
PLANNING FOR COLLEGE
Getting involved in clubs and activities in high school can help set you up for success in college. In this video, students share how their after-school activities helped them learn about passions and time management.
MiddleGalaxy
JOBS AND CAREERS
Lead a space voyage in this web and mobile game exploring the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for a variety of careers.
Adventures in Education
FINANCES
Access financial aid information, money management tools, and scholarship opportunities as students prepare to pay for college.
College for All Texans
COLLEGE PLANNING | FINANCES
Find out your options on how to pay for college education costs. Understand tuition and fees, financial aid, and scholarships and loans.
Texas GEAR UP
COLLEGE PLANNING
High school students plan for college and career with resources provided by Texas GEAR UP. Interactive games and tools set them on the path to future success.
BigFuture
COLLEGE PLANNING
Learn what colleges offer your major, where you can get in, how much schools cost, and more with this College Board resource.
Texas Career Check
JOBS AND CAREERS
Learn about hundreds of careers with this career search for high school students. Explore salaries, popularity, and more.
Your Bright Future
COLLEGE PLANNING | JOBS AND CAREERS
Use the resources on this site to help students explore careers. Your Bright Future is the Texas Workforce Commission hub for informing high school students about labor market Information.
Roadtrip Nation
JOBS AND CAREERS
Students travel across the nation to talk to their heroes and job crushes and understand college and career decisions along the way.
Khan Academy SAT Prep
COLLEGE PLANNING
Prepare students for the SAT with lessons and practice tests from this official partner of the College Board.
Tomorrow Ready Texas
FAMILY RESOURCES
Tomorrow Ready Texas is a free college and career planning resource for parents and guardians of students in 8th grade through 12th grade.
Late High School
Roadtrip Texas: The Importance of Extracurriculars in High School
PLANNING FOR COLLEGE
Getting involved in clubs and activities in high school can help set you up for success in college. In this video, students share how their after-school activities helped them learn about passions and time management.
Roadtrip Texas: How Students Can Build a Support Network in College
PLANNING FOR COLLEGE
Going to college can be scary because it means finding a whole new group of friends and study buddies. College students from all different backgrounds talk about how they found their footing in this video.
Roadtrip Texas: Summer Before College
COLLEGE PLANNING
The summer after high school can be overwhelming if you're college-bound. Financial aid, registration, planning -- your to-do list can get pretty lengthy. Students like you describe how they conquered it in this video.
Roadtrip Texas: Study Habits for the College-Bound
PLANNING FOR COLLEGE
Heading to college means more self-direction, so study habits are important. College students from different backgrounds and schools share their experience shaping a study schedule that works in this video.
Roadtrip Texas: Leaving Home for College
COLLEGE PLANNING
High school students, explore the reality of moving away to college through the eyes of these students who have already made the decision. Interviews with college students from varied backgrounds can give you a better idea of the pros and cons of leaving home, and what's right for you.
THECB Student Loans
FINANCIAL AID
Since 1965, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) has provided low-interest student loans in Texas to Texas residents who are eligible to pay in-state tuition.
Adventures in Education
FINANCES
Access financial aid information, money management tools, and scholarship opportunities as students prepare to pay for college.
Federal Student Aid
FINANCES
Understand exactly how FAFSA funds are distributed and benefit students with this tool from the US Department of Education.
College for All Texans
COLLEGE PLANNING | FINANCES
Find out your options on how to pay for college education costs. Understand tuition and fees, financial aid, and scholarships and loans.
College Scorecard
COLLEGE PLANNING | FINANCES
Compare colleges and universities based on information such as average cost, graduation rate, and salary after graduation.
Texas GEAR UP
COLLEGE PLANNING
High school students plan for college and career with resources provided by Texas GEAR UP. Interactive games and tools set them on the path to future success.
BigFuture
COLLEGE PLANNING
Learn what colleges offer your major, where you can get in, how much schools cost, and more with this College Board resource.
Texas Career Check
JOBS AND CAREERS
Learn about hundreds of careers with this career search for high school students. Explore salaries, popularity, and more.
Your Bright Future
COLLEGE PLANNING | JOBS AND CAREERS
Use the resources on this site to help students explore careers. Your Bright Future is the Texas Workforce Commission hub for informing high school students about labor market Information.
Roadtrip Nation
JOBS AND CAREERS
Students travel across the nation to talk to their heroes and job crushes and understand college and career decisions along the way.
Khan Academy SAT Prep
COLLEGE PLANNING
Prepare students for the SAT with lessons and practice tests from this official partner of the College Board.
My Next Move
COLLEGE PLANNING | JOBS AND CAREERS
In this resource from the US Department of Labor, explore the skills, education, and even the personality traits necessary for various careers.
Common App Ready
APPLYING TO COLLEGE
The Common Application provides this resource full of college essay writing tips, guidance on college recommendations, understanding application fees, fee waivers, and more.
Tomorrow Ready Texas
FAMILY RESOURCES
Tomorrow Ready Texas is a free college and career planning resource for parents and guardians of students in 8th grade through 12th grade.
Texas College Bridge
COLLEGE PLANNING
Free and fully online, Texas College Bridge is a personalized, adaptive learning platform that helps prepare high school seniors for college.
Future Focused TX
COLLEGE PLANNING
Future Focused TX is a campaign to keep our Texas students on course to college despite COVID-19.
College and Career Support from Texas College Bridge
COLLEGE PLANNING
College and Career Support offers step-by-step guidance for juniors and seniors preparing for college. And don’t miss a supplemental advising guide from Texas OnCourse.
Financial aid graduation requirement
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Find comprehensive information and resources for students, their families, counselors and advisors, and community partners to meet the financial aid graduation requirement.
