Counselor's Desk
Counselor, Troy Junior Senior High School
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.
PRIDE HONOR TRADITION
October 2024
A NOTE FROM THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR – Mrs. Nelson
As the year progresses, there are some important dates and deadlines to be aware of. This is the time of year that college applications become available, so students need to be applying. Here is a quick look at several items to take note of and put on your calendar.
Important Information for Seniors:
- Direct Admissions to Idaho Public Colleges:
The Direct Admissions initiative proactively admits all Idaho public high school seniors to a minimum of 6 in-state colleges and universities each year. They wanted every high school senior to know they were college material and to remove all the stress from the admissions process.
As a result, Board Policy IIIQ – Direct Admissions was established. According to the policy, a Board-approved benchmark determines a student’s admission eligibility. (See ID SBOE policy 3Q.)
Each fall, ALL in-state high school seniors are notified of their proactive acceptance and encouraged to research the academic and technical programs offered at Idaho community colleges and universities.
Interested students MUST complete an admission application to the institution(s) of their choice by June 30. Applications are free when students use Apply Idaho.
- Single Application to Idaho Public Colleges:
Apply Idaho opens on October 1st, 2024. It allows Idaho students to submit a free application to 10 in-state public colleges and universities. Students can utilize 8th hour (the last 89 minutes of school on Tuesdays and Thursdays) and zero hour (the first 20 minutes every morning) to work on college applications.
If your student knows for sure what college they plan to attend or they are planning to attend outside of Idaho, they can go to that college website and apply instead of using Apply Idaho.
- FAFSA
The FAFSA will open by December 1, 2024. We will be hosting a FAFSA Night Event at the High School, where Financial Aid representatives from the University of Idaho come out and assist in filling out the application and answer any questions. This will probably be hosted in December or January this year and I will send out communication when a date is finalized.
- College Application Deadlines
Please be aware that college application deadlines vary. For example, University of Idaho applications with priority consideration for scholarships are due December 1st, 2024 and Lewis-Clark State College priority deadline is March 1st, 2025. Check each website to find the deadlines for your college of choice.
- Scholarships
Current scholarship lists are now available and are posted in Mrs. Nelson’s office and Mrs. Burch’s classroom. Please encourage your student to check monthly for an updated list. Scholarship information can also be found online at the school website https://ths.troysd287.org/counselordesk in the Academics section under “Counselor’s Desk.” The scholarship list is also attached to this email.
- 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 their Enrichment time. Please check with your student to see if they are using this time wisely to prepare for the coming year.
- Senior Reviews
I will be meeting with each of the seniors individually throughout the year. This is a brief meeting to discuss their future plans, where they are in the process, and what resources and next steps need to be taken to move forward. However, they are more than welcome to stop by my office whenever they have questions outside of those meetings.
- 2024-2025 U.S. Senate Youth Program – Application Deadline October 11, 2024
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 1-8, 2025, 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 application, use this link: https://form.jotform.com/242006414734145 For more information on this program, use this link: https://www.sde.idaho.gov/academic/social-studies/
Important Information for Juniors:
- PSAT/NMSQT:
The PSAT/NMSQT is a digital, standardized test administered by College Board that tests skills in reading, writing, and math. This test will be given to Juniors on October 15 and Sophomores on October 17 at Troy Jr. / Sr. High School. This is good practice for the SAT as well as the qualifying test for Juniors for the National Merit Scholarship. If Juniors receive a high enough score, they can land a National Merit Scholarship, which can provide a significant amount of money for college. The score results from this exam can be used by Khan Academy to provide individualized practice for the SAT. For practice information, please use this link: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice
- Junior Reviews:
I will also be meeting with each of the juniors individually. This is a brief meeting to discuss their future plans, where they are in the process, and what next steps need to be taken to move forward.
- Scholarships
Current scholarship lists are now available. Please encourage your student to check monthly for an updated list. Scholarship information can also be found online at the school website https://ths.troysd287.org/counselordesk in the Academics section under “Counselor’s Desk.” The scholarship list is also attached to this email. Some scholarships are open to high school juniors. Others can be marked by the student to apply next year.
- 2024-2025 U.S. Senate Youth Program – Application Deadline October 11, 2024
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 1-8, 2025, 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 application, use this link: https://form.jotform.com/242006414734145 For more information on this program, use this link: https://www.sde.idaho.gov/academic/social-studies/
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Sincerely, Ashley Nelson Troy School District Counselor |