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
September 2025 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: Enrichment Time: 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. You must fill out and complete the form each year to receive financial aid. Colleges rely on the information provided to determine the support available to help cover the tuition. The application will open on or before October 1, 2025 for the 2026-2027 school year. 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. 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 https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat?navId=gh-sat ASVAB: The ASVAB will be given in school on Tuesday, September 23. 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. 2025-2026 U.S. Senate Youth Program – Application Deadline October 10, 2025 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 7-14, 2026, 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: https://ussenateyouth.org/ World-Changers in Engineering Day – University of Idaho September 27, 2025 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.
Important Information for Juniors: Enrichment Time: Juniors can utilize 8th hour (the last 89 minutes of school on Tuesdays and Thursdays) to prepare for the SAT and PSAT. The following link has a few good resources to use to practice for the PSAT or SAT: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice PSAT/NMSQT: The PSAT 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 22 and Sophomores on October 21 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. Please see the link above (under Enrichment Time) for practice information for the PSAT. ASVAB: The ASVAB will be given in school on Tuesday, September 23. 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.
SAT: The SAT is a digital, standardized college entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admission decisions and course placement in English and Math. Junior students will be taking the SAT in school on March 18, 2026. This school day SAT is free for students who have never taken the SAT and is a graduation requirement for Troy High School. Students may find additional resources for practicing for the SAT onhttps://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice
PRIDE HONOR TRADITION
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