Lago Vista Independent School District

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Lago Vista ISD

Academics & Student Services

College & Career Readiness

Lago Vista ISD is committed to providing students with the necessary learning experiences and programs of preparation that will equip them with the essential outcomes needed for success in both college and career. Our mission is to aid every student in Lago Vista ISD in preparing for and achieving his or her post-secondary goals and aspirations.

College Planning Night Presentation - December 2016
Road to College: Planning Timeline
Road to College: Student & Parent Resources

Lago Vista ISD and 8th-11th Grade PSAT Testing

Each year, Lago Vista ISD conducts District-wide PSAT testing involving 8^th-11^thgrade students in mid-October. This testing is provided free of charge to all students. Participation in testing on this day establishes a baseline measurement of college and career readiness and gives students an opportunity to preview the SAT, PSAT, and connect to AP courses.

8th grade students take the PSAT 8/9 test. This is the initial opportunity for students to experience an assessment which is practice and preparation to take the PSAT and SAT. The results of this exam allow students and families to consider strengths and opportunities for further study.
9th grade students take the PSAT 8/9 test. Participation in this exam allows students to compare their performance for the previous year and then to compare their performance against other 9th grade students across the nation who also took the same exam.
10th grade students take the PSAT. This test is a version of the SAT exam. It allows students to experience the rigor and timed segments of content that will be featured on the SAT.
11th grade students take the PSAT. Results of this test determine National Merit Scholars nationwide. Students who achieve National Merit status are awarded scholarship packages to be applied at the college or university of their choice.

FREE Online Study Plan from College Board and Khan Academy
Both students and parents can create a free online account that will give a personalized study plan and tailored practice. Once a student receives PSAT scores, they can be imported for even more individualized practice and tips. To create your free Khan Academy account, please click here.

College Entrance Exams & Tools

LVISD is committed to providing students with multiple opportunities to participate in college preparation & entrance examinations, such as the PSAT and ACT-Aspire. Students can use this information to evaluate their current strengths and also to create an action plan for improvement.

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) - The SAT is a globally recognized college admission test that lets students show colleges what they know and how well they can apply that knowledge. It tests knowledge of reading, writing and math. Most students take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school, and almost all colleges and universities use the SAT to make admission decisions.

PSAT - The PSAT/NMSQT assesses reading, math, and writing skills; provides excellent practice for the SAT; and connects students to scholarships and personalized online tools. This is offered to all students in grade 11.

PSAT 8/9 - The PSAT 8/9 establishes a baseline measurement of your college and career readiness as you enter high school. It also gives you a chance to preview the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT, and PSAT 10 and connect to AP courses. This is offered to all students in grades 8 and 9.

National Merit Scholarship Program - PSAT/NMSQT scores are used as an initial screen of entrants to the National Merit Scholarship Program, which recognizes outstanding academic achievement by U.S. high school students.

American College Testing (ACT) Test - The ACT assesses students’ academic readiness for college. Test scores reflect what students have learned throughout high school and provide colleges and universities with excellent information for recruiting, advising, placement, and retention. Most students take the ACT during their junior or senior year of high school, and almost all colleges and universities use the ACT to make admission decisions.

ACT Aspire - ACT Aspire is the first computer-based longitudinal assessment system connecting student progress from the elementary grades through high school in the context of college and career readiness. It is the replacement exam for ACT Plan, which was discontinued in June 2014.

ACT Profile - ACT Profile is a first-of-its-kind college and career planning community, built on 30+ years of ACT research. Mobile, social, and free to the public, ACT Profile delivers powerful, personalized insights to inform individuals as they navigate through life’s key decision points.

ASVAB - The ASVAB is a multiple-aptitude battery that measures developed abilities and helps predict future academic and occupational success in the military. It is administered annually to more than one million military applicants, high school, and post-secondary students.

Dual Credit Tools

Dual credit gives high school students an opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. In dual credit courses, students enroll in college courses and use the credit earned in those classes as credit toward high school graduation while also earning regular college credit. The resources below are there to help students and parents learn more about dual credit and navigate the differences between high school and college. Click here to learn more about Lago Vista ISD's College Credit Programs.

Austin Community College - What is Expected of Dual Credit Students - Dual Credit students are required to follow all ACC policies and procedures with regard to conduct, academic standards, and attendance. Visit ACC’s page to learn more.

Austin Community College - Dual Credit FAQ for Parents - Parents can be a high school student’s most important resource in developing the skills and attitudes necessary to be successful in dual credit courses. As students venture into the world of earning college credit for the first time, this guide is there to help answer your questions about what to expect and how to help.

Texas Common Core Numbering System (TCCNS) - The Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) is a voluntary, co-operative effort among 136 Texas community colleges and universities to facilitate transfer of freshman and sophomore level general academic coursework. Before deciding to take a dual credit course, it is highly recommended that students look up a dual credit course prior to enrollment and compare it with the colleges/universities they wish to attend to see if/how the course transfers.

Texas Virtual Schools Network - The Texas Education Agency (TEA) provides online courses to eligible students through the Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN). The TxVSN course catalog works in partnership with Texas public schools to provide their students opportunities to enroll in high school, Advanced Placement, and dual-credit courses offered by TEA-approved catalog course providers. Note: TxVSN courses are not offered through LVISD and, thus, the District is not responsible for course pacing, grading, and/or format. These courses require students to be organized, autonomous learners and students interested in pursuing enrollment in a TxVSN should discuss this option with the campus counselor. Students are responsible for the cost of courses and materials, unless the course is a part of the student's graduation plan for which the District does not offer a suitable alternative. For more information, students are encouraged to speak with the campus counselor.

College Exploration & Admissions Resources

The sites below are great resources for learning about a college, determining which school is right for you, and taking the next steps.

College for All Texans - What tests do I need to take to go to college? How will I pay for tuition? How do I apply for financial aid? Get answers to these and other questions about preparing for the college application process at College for All Texans.

Compare College TX - This site is an interactive, mobile-friendly web tool designed to help users learn more about Texas public universities and community colleges. Compare colleges side-by-side on key measures such as tuition & fees, completion rates, and average salaries after college.

Apply Texas - You've taken your entrance exams and have explored your options. Now you are ready to start your college journey! ApplyTexas is the one-stop shop for applying to a public university or community college in Texas.

BigFuture - The College Board, the nonprofit association of colleges and universities that oversees the SAT and Advanced Placement program, has introduced a new college planning website. The new website, BigFuture, includes a college search tool revamped from the organization’s previous planning site, as well as a scholarship search tool and a customizable action plan for students about to embark on journeys through the college admissions process.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - Get help paying for college by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. These programs provide grants, loans, and work-study funds to students attending college or career school.

State of Texas Uniform Admission Policy - If you attend a public high school in Texas you must submit a transcript that indicates that you will graduate under the state’s Recommended or Distinguished/Advanced high school programs as defined in the state’s Uniform Admissions Policy or a transcript that shows you will graduate under the state’s Foundation high school program. Students graduating under the Foundation program must show proof of the distinguished level of achievement to be eligible for top 10 percent automatic admission. For more information, please click here.

Eligibility for Automatic College Admission - Under the Automatic Admission Policy (Texas Education Code §51.803), Texas students may be eligible for automatic admission to a state college or university as an undergraduate student if they meet certain criteria. To qualify for automatic admission from a public high school, a student must earn a grade point average in the top 10 percent* of his/her high school graduating class. To learn more about eligibility for Automatic College Admission in Texas, please click here.

UT-Austin Automatic Admissions - Texas law offers eligible freshman applicants automatic admission to public colleges and universities. The initial legislation, passed into law in 1997, offered automatic admission to eligible students in the top 10 percent of their high school class. In 2009, the law was modified for The University of Texas at Austin. Under the new law, the university must automatically admit enough students to fill 75 percent of available Texas resident spaces. Each fall, the university notifies Texas school officials of the class rank that current high school juniors need to attain by the end of their junior year in order to be automatically admitted. More information may be found here.

University Co-Enrollment Programs

Didn’t get into your first choice university? Not sure if you are ready to jump straight into the four-year university experience? Co-enrollment programs allow students to enroll in both a two-year college and a four-year university at the same time, earning college credit towards a degree program while working towards full-time enrollment at the partnering university. Students become full-time students of the four-year university after meeting program criteria.

ACC/UT-Austin PACE Program - The Path to Admission through Co-Enrollment (PACE) program is offered to selected students who applied for admission to UT-Austin. Participants take the majority of their classes at ACC, plus one course per semester at UT Austin. Students are Longhorns from day one. When they have completed the program requirements and maintained the required grade point average, they are then able to continue their undergraduate studies at UT Austin without having to apply for admission. To participate in PACE, students must be Texas residents who are eligible for automatic admission under the state's top 10% law but who do not qualify for automatic admission to UT Austin (top 7%) and who applied to UT Austin for freshman admission to the next summer or fall semester.

ACC/Texas State Pathway Program - This is a unique co-enrollment partnership between Texas State University and Austin Community College (ACC). By participating in the Pathway program, students can take three to four credit hours at Texas State each semester and the remaining courses at ACC. As a Pathway student, you will live on campus at Texas State and have easy bus service access to ACC Hays.

Blinn/Texas A&M TEAM Program - The A&M-Blinn Team (Transfer Enrollment at A&M) Program is a collaborative, co-enrollment partnership between Texas A&M and Blinn Junior College. TEAM students are enrolled in one academic course at Texas A&M each semester, and the remainder of their courses at the Bryan Campus of Blinn Junior College. Participating students may earn full admission by several methods.

Baylor Bound Program - Through the Baylor Bound program, students begin their college education at a participating two-year institution, follow a prescribed course sequence, and ultimately earn a degree from Baylor University. Baylor Bound makes it possible to complete your Baylor degree in four years as a transfer student.

Colleges/Universities Offering Free Tuition Programs

You've been planning and preparing for your college experience for ages. You know which school you'd like to attend, what you want to study, and which housing option is right for you. One question remains: How will you pay for it? You may be eligible for free tuition programs offered by various institutions. The following colleges and universities offer free tuition programs for qualifying students. To be eligible for free tuition at these schools, students must apply by the deadline, be admitted, and turn in all financial aid forms, including the FAFSA, and meet all institutional requirements. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Always check with the admission’s office to get the most up to date information on deadlines, admission requirements, and tuition guarantee programs.

Angelo State University's Blue and Gold Guarantee - Must be a bona fide Texas Resident, be entering college as a first-time freshman, and have a combined family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $40,000 or less.

Harvard University Scholarships - Must be an honor student with a family earning less than $65,000 year.

Lamar University - Lamar Promise - Ensures that sufficient grant and/or scholarship assistance will be provided for undergraduate Texas residents having household Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) levels of $25,000 or less.

Midwestern State University - Mustang Guarantee - Eligible students must be Texas residents, Pell Grant eligible, and the family’s combined annual Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) must be $50,000 or less.

Rice University Tuition Grant - For students whose family total income is below $80,000. The student's financial need will be met through a combination of grants, work study, merit aid (if qualified) and institutional funds.

Sam Houston State University - Bearkat Promise - Eligible students must be Texas residents with a maximum family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $25,000.

Stephen F Austin State University - Purple Promise - Must be a Texas Resident, be entering college as a first-time freshman, and have a combined family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $30,000 or less.

Tarleton State University - Texan Tuition Guarantee - Must be a Texas resident with an Adjusted Gross Income of less than $30,000.

Texas A&M University - Aggie Assurance Program - For Texas residents who have adjusted gross income of $60,000 or less.

Texas State University - Bobcat Promise - Must be a Texas resident, be entering college as a first-time freshman, and have an adjusted gross family income of $25,000 or less.

Texas Tech University - Red Raider Guarantee - For Texas residents whose adjusted gross family income that does not exceed $40,000.

University of Houston - Cougar Promise - Must be a Texas resident, earned a recommended or distinguished high school diploma, and have an adjusted gross income of $45,000 or less.

University of North Texas - Emerald Eagle Scholars - For Texas residents whose adjusted gross family income does not exceed $40,000.

University of Texas at Austin - Texas Advance Program - Scholarship initiative aimed at supporting the success of hardworking, economically disadvantaged Texas high school students. Most awards are $20,000, or $5,000 a year for four years.

University of Texas at Dallas - Tuition Promise Program - Students must be eligible to receive federal Pell grants and the annual family income of their families may not exceed $25,000.

University of Texas at San Antonio - UTSAccess Program - For Texas residents whose family income is less than $30,000 per year.

Additional Information

Resources
Naviance (Compliments of Leander ISD)
Texas College Career Readiness Support Center
TEA Graduation Toolkit
PSAT Test Calendar
TxVSN Orientation to Online Learning

Questions?
Contact Dr. Suzy Lofton-Bullis at suzy_lofton@lagovista.txed.net.