Counselor's Desk

November 2024

FROM THE COUNSELOR – Mrs. Nelson

Now that Quarter One has ended, it is important to make sure students are preparing for next year. Here are some important dates and deadlines to be aware of and a quick look at several items to take note of and put on your calendar.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Federal Student Aid is changing the FAFSA for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Things to Know about the FAFSA:
The FAFSA form will not open until December 1, 2024.
Both students and parents must create an FSA ID before completing the form. This is needed to electronically sign the FAFSA and counts as a legal signature tied to your SSN.
We will be hosting a FAFSA event at the high school with financial aid reps. from the University of Idaho. More information will come out about this event once the details are finalized.

**The University of Idaho will be hosting a Virtual Financial Aid Night on Wednesday, November 6 and Wednesday, November 20 at 6:00pm. The main focus of this event is to introduce the FAFSA and learn the step-by-step process of creating your FSA ID. For more information and to register for this event, follow this link: https://futurevandals.uidaho.edu/portal/financial-aid-nights

College Visits
Admissions Representatives from Lewis-Clark State College, University of Idaho, Washington State University, Boise State University, Idaho State University, and Eastern Washington University have been coming throughout the months of September and October to visit with students. If your student is hoping to attend a different school then one mentioned above, November would be a good time to reach out to those interested schools and schedule a visit.
Envision at University of Idaho – Saturday November 2, 2024
At Envision, students will have the chance to explore campus, learn about student life and discover signature research and learning programs at U of I. Envision is University of Idaho's preview day for high school juniors and seniors as well as prospective transfer students. Family and friends are also invited to join! For more information and to sign up, follow this link: https://www.uidaho.edu/events/envision
Discovery Day at Lewis-Clark State College – Friday, November 8 & 16, 2024
Join LCSC to see what the Warrior Way is all about! Meet fellow future Warriors, talk with professors, explore campus, learn more about programs students are interested in, and discover everything LC State has to offer! For more information and to sign up, follow this link: https://www.lcsc.edu/visit/events/discovery-day
- College Application Deadlines
  Please be aware that college application deadlines vary. For example, Lewis-Clark State College has a financial aid priority deadline of March 1, 2025. Check each college website to find the deadlines for your college of choice.
- Single Application to Idaho Public Colleges:
  Apply Idaho opened on October 1st, 2024. It allows Idaho students to submit a free application to 10 in-state public colleges and universities. Students can utilize 8^th 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 applications and/or post-secondary plans. Here is the link to use Apply Idaho: https://apply.nextsteps.idaho.gov/Account/Login
  
  If your student knows for sure what college they plan to attend, they can go to that college website and apply instead of using Apply Idaho.
- Scholarships
- Scholarship Application Time
  Students 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 scholarship applications and post-secondary plans. Please check with your student to see if they are using this time wisely to prepare for the coming year.
- Palouse Pathways Scholarship Workshop – November 10, 2024
  On Sunday, November 10, from 2:00pm – 4:00pm at the 1912 Center in Moscow, ID, Palouse Pathways will be hosting a Scholarship Workshop. Come learn about information on completing scholarship searches tied to students’ strengths and interests, exploring connections that could lead to scholarships and preparing strong scholarship applications. Bring a laptop and be ready to learn. https://www.palousepathways.org/events/workshop24
- SAT for Seniors
- PSAT for Juniors
  Juniors took the PSAT in October. They should get their results online within 4-6 weeks after the test administration. I will be sharing those with the students as soon as we receive them and will mail a copy home. This is a practice assessment for the SAT in April.
- SAT School Day for Juniors
  The in-school SAT will be given on March 18 to all juniors. This is a Troy High School graduation requirement and all Juniors must take this college entrance exam. Students can start preparing now by going to https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practiceand setting up a study program. The PSAT results can be linked to Khan Academy to individualize the study program for the SAT. Juniors have the opportunity to study for the SAT during 8^th period (89 minutes twice/week).
- College and Career Choices

For students who are unsure of what they want to do in the future, whether that is making the decision to continue their education, take a gap year, or join the workforce, they should come visit with me. There are resources at https://nextsteps.idaho.govthat can help them in searching for careers.

In addition to meeting with students, I am also available to meet with parents. Please feel free to contact me at any time if you would like to discuss your student’s needs, have concerns, need information, or need further resources.

Ashley Nelson
Troy School District Counselor

Troy Junior / Senior High School is dedicated to the empowerment of students to become responsible and productive members of society through education for a lifetime.

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