I hope you are holding on! This second semester is going to fly by! Please make sure you are staying on top of your school work, taking advantage of opportunities to build your resume, and using the new year as a restart!

We are still in the midst of application season- please make sure you get your applications completed and submitted while on break! Shout out to the Class of 2025 as they have over $7.2 MILLION in accumulated scholarships submitted! WAY TO GO CLASS OF 2025!

This is a live newsletter, so feel free to come back here as often as you need to see updated information!

Please check out the rest of the newsletter for information

Students must complete one of the following for graduation and UPLOAD PROOF INTO SCHOOLINKS (Click the blue link for instructions)

160 of you still need to upload the proof of this to graduate!

• FAFSA - The 2025-2026 FAFSA (required for the class of 2025) is NOW OPEN @ FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid
• TASFA - the TASFA form will open soon! When it opens, you can find it on the TASFA website HERE.
• Opt-Out – If you do not wish to complete the FAFSA or TASFA, you can complete the OPT-OUT FORM and upload your completed form into SchooLinks.

SENIORS, HAVE YOU APPLIED YET??

1. Create an account with ApplyTexas and/or CommonApp. Make sure you link your CommonApp with your SchooLinks account.

2. Apply to a 2 or 4 year college! Use www.applytexas.org OR www.commonapp.org

3. Request transcripts through SchooLinks. Transcripts will only be processed and sent to your schools when they are requested in SchooLinks. If you need some guidance on how to do this, watch this video.

4. Request Letters of Recommendation in SchooLinks. Instructions can be found in the attached graphic.

5. Apply for scholarships! Scholarships will be posted in this newsletter so check back often! Please pay attention to your schools' priority scholarship deadlines.

• As you begin receiving scholarships and offer letters from your schools, please report this information in SchooLinks, even if you do not intend on accepting the scholarship/offer. This information will be tracked throughout the year. It's a good practice to report the scholarships as they come in so you do not forget about any that you have received.
• Please make sure you input this information. Watch this video for instructions on how to do so.
• Other great platforms to help you search for scholarships are GoingMerry, RaiseMe, Bold.org, Fastweb, and Scholly. You should never pay for a scholarship... If asked to pay, it might be a scam.

6. Finalize your college plans. Narrow your list, choose a college, find a roommate, secure living arrangements, register for and attend orientation, and register for TSI testing if needed.

7. Report your acceptances in SchooLinks by changing your application status from "Completed" to "Accepted" in SchooLinks.

8. Explore career options!

9. ASK ME QUESTIONS! 😄

SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS: As you get scholarships (even if you won't be using them) please upload them in SchooLinks. (Step-by-Step instructions found below). Each offer will be found in the graduation program so please be sure you turn in all offers even if you will not be accepting it.

TRANSCRIPTS:

OFFICIAL transcripts must be requested in order to make all of your college applications complete. To request an official transcript you can go to SchooLinks - see instructions below.

UNOFFICIAL transcripts can be used for some scholarships or for yourself. If this is what you're needing - you can find it under portfolio in skyward.

The TSI Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) is the result of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) mandated by the Texas State Legislature. The assessment is designed to guide Texas public institutions of higher education in helping them determine whether students are ready for entry-level college coursework in the areas of English Language Arts Reading (ELAR) and Math. Students are exempt from this assessment if they meet college readiness benchmarks on the SAT or ACT.

TSI Benchmark:

SAT- Reading and Writing: 480 or higher; Math: 530 or higher

ACT- Combined ELA and Reading Score: 40 or higher; Math: 530 or higher

Students (and their parents) who currently need to take the TSI based on current SAT/ACT data have been sent an email about registering for the TSIA.

To take the TSIA, students need to complete the Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA) at this link: https://tsia2.accuplacer.org/

Once they have received their certificate of completion, students can register for the TSIA by completing This Form. (Students have to be logged into their FBISD email accounts to complete the form)

Tarleton State University:

Class of 2025, 2026, and 2027

Automatic Admission to top 50%

No SAT or ACT score needed for admission

No application fee

Top 10% will receive guaranteed scholarship; level/amount determined by the university

https://www.tarleton.edu/becomeatexan/guaranteedscholarship/

Houston Christian University

Automatic Admission for FBSID students with unweighted GPA of 3.0 and above and completion of Algebra 2 or equivalent

Will qualify for a scholarship based on GPA

Seniors,

This past week (12/9-12/13), I was in all social studies classes to present information about the FAFSA. During this time, we created our FSA IDs and went through the FAFSA application. If you were absent, off campus at the Reese Center, or do not have a social studies class, then I have attached the presentation below. Please review the information and let me know if you need any assistance.

If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, you are eligible to receive a fee waiver for the ACT and SAT. Please email Andrea Adams at andrea.adams@fortbendisd.gov, and she will provide you with the necessary code.

Please note that each test taker is eligible to receive a maximum of two fee waivers for each test.

Watch the Video HERE

My office hours for student meetings is during lunch periods and I am available to meet with parents via TEAMS in the mornings. Links to schedule a meeting can be found in this newsletter. Students, feel free to stop by the CCMR Center, located next to the library, to say hello or ask your quick questions!

Email: veronica.harris@fortbendisd.gov