September 2026
A NOTE FROM THE COUNSELOR – Mrs. Nelson
Welcome back to another school year! My name is Ashley Nelson and I am the Troy School District K-12
Counselor. We are already off to a great start! We expect this year to be full of new and exciting
experiences. There is a lot going on and a lot to keep track of. Here is some information on many of the
upcoming exams, deadlines, and events.
Important Information for Seniors:
Strategies for Success:
Seniors can utilize 8th hour (the last 89 minutes of school on Tuesdays and Thursdays) and zero hour (the
first 20 minutes of the day, Monday-Friday) to work on college and career plans. Seniors can use this
time to help get organized, research job opportunities, complete college applications, complete
scholarship applications, and prepare for the transition to their next step in life. I have also been in
contact with various post-secondary schools and business to come and visit during these times. Mrs.
Burch is our College and Career Mentor again this year. If seniors need guidance with post-secondary
plans, Mrs. Burch and I are available to help.
Priority Deadlines:
Many colleges and universities designate a priority deadline (i.e. Lewis-Clark State College is March 1).
This is the first deadline to apply for college and receive priority on the school scholarships and financial
aid. It is important for students to check on the deadlines for the schools they are interested in so they
don’t’ miss important dates. Students who are still deciding which college to attend should apply to each
college on their list.
Apply Idaho
Applying to college in Idaho can be as easy as filling out ONE common application. Apply Idaho is a free,
online app students can use to apply to as may as 10 in-state colleges in as little as 10 minutes. Students
provide basic personal and educational information and may be asked to respond to college-specific
application questions, depending on where they choose to apply. The application is open from October
1 through June 30 and can be located here: https://nextsteps.idaho.gov/apply-idaho
FAFSA:
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a free form you complete to determine your
eligibility for financial aid. The 2027-2028 FAFSA will open on October 1st, 2026! All students should
complete the application each year even if they do not feel that they will not qualify for need based
financial aid. Many scholarships and scholarship appeals require a FAFSA to be completed in order to be
considered. Both the student and the parent will need to create an account on studentaid.gov before
they will be able to complete the FAFSA form. If your students are not sure which parent(s) would need
to be on the FAFSA, there is a tool on studentaid.gov to help them determine their parent contributor.
We will host a FAFSA night at the school and will have representatives from the University of Idaho
Financial Aid office present to help with filling out the application and with any questions. More
information on this event will come out at a later date.
SAT:
If senior students wish to retake the SAT they need to do so as soon as possible and register on their
own. If students wish to retake the SAT, they will have to pay for the test on their own unless they
qualify for a fee waiver. The SAT at the school is not available for seniors, so students will need to look
for an offsite location. October is the recommended last time seniors should take college entrance
exams so there is time for the scores to reach the colleges before their priority deadlines. Registration
and other information about the SAT can be found at: SAT Registration
ASVAB:
The ASVAB will be given in school on Tuesday, September 30. Juniors and Seniors may sign up for this
exam. The ASVAB is the only comprehensive and completely free career planning resource that
empowers students nationwide to align their strengths and interests with a post-secondary plan that
works. If students are interested in joining the military, this test is required and a score of 31 is needed
to enlist.
2026-2027 U.S. Senate Youth Program – Application Deadline October 9, 2026
The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), is a national nonpartisan initiative to provide an
annual opportunity for talented high school students with demonstrated leadership abilities to deepen
their understanding of America’s political processes and strengthen their resolve to pursue careers in
public service. Two high school juniors or seniors from each of the fifty states will be selected to attend
Washington Week March 6-13, 2027, in Washington, D.C. All confirmed student delegates will partake in
a comprehensive, interactive leadership program in the stated timeframe, and each will receive the
$10,000 college scholarship in the name of the United States Senate. For more information on this program and to find the application, use this link: U.S. Senate Youth Program
World-Changers in Engineering Day – University of Idaho October 10, 2026
Free workshop for 5th through 12th grade students designed to help you learn how engineers work
together to help people, solve problems, and change the world. For more information and registration,
follow this link: https://www.uidaho.edu/engineering/news-events/world-changers
PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES that make engineering, computer science and design concepts
fun and easy to understand.
EARN A $500 SCHOLARSHIP toward a U of I undergraduate degree in engineering if you are a high
school junior or senior.
GAIN CAREER INFO and insight into the many engineering degree paths at U of I.
ENGAGE WITH CURRENT STUDENTS, FACULTY AND INDUSTRY LEADERS through group discussions,
activities and more.
TOUR LABS AND LEARNING SPACES and learn about student life at U of I.
- Not interested in college? Looking for resources for next steps for a career? Here
are some ideas/resources to look at:
O*NET Interest Profiler (https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip): This is a free website that
helps you explore jobs. You can look up what different careers do, what skills and education
they need, how much they usually pay, and whether those jobs are growing. You can take an
interest survey and it will suggest careers that might be a good fit for your personality,
strengths, and interests. - CareerOneStop Career Explorer (https://www.careeronestop.org/ExploreCareers/explore-careers.aspx?frd=true) This is a free tool from the U.S. Department of Labor. It will answer
questions about your skills, interests, and experience, and it matches you with careers that
might fit you. This will also connect you with local training programs, apprenticeships, and job
openings. - Idaho Works (idahoworks.gov/): Explore jobs, resumes, or training programs in our area
- NextSteps Idaho (https://nextsteps.idaho.gov/browse-careers/intro)
If you or your student ever has any questions, feel free to give me a call or schedule a meeting to come
visit me.
Have a great year!
Ashley Nelson
