The Texas OnCourse Educator Blog

High school students have so much on their plate. If they’re pursuing some form of higher education, their last years of high school are likely to be filled with exams, applications, essays and one big question: How am I going to pay for this?

Searching and applying for scholarships can take a lot of time for educators and students alike. And we get why – students are often both excited and overwhelmed by going to college and taking on the cost that comes with it. As an educator, it’s your job to help students navigate their remaining time in high school, finalize their postsecondary plans, and help minimize student debt. This blog will walk you through the basics of scholarships so you can be prepared to support your students through this exciting time.

Like students, scholarships come in all shapes and sizes, and there are more scholarships now than ever before! We'll go over all the things that educators need to know about scholarships, including links to additional articles, webinars, videos, and other resources. And don’t forget to refer to the ultimate source for all postsecondary planning information for professionals: the Texas OnCourse Academy.

The scholarship application process can often be just as cumbersome as the application process. During this webinar from January 2019, Texas OnCourse staff highlight helpful advising resources from the scholarship learning module in the Texas OnCourse Academy. These resources, together with information about scholarships at Texas A&M University and through the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, will be helpful no matter when you view this webinar.

Many Texas colleges consider the scholarship application offered by ApplyTexas. Though it isn’t required, the scholarship application can and should be completed at the same time as the admission application, saving students time. Filling both out at once also minimizes the risk of forgetting. For more info on everything related to scholarships, check out our Scholarship Basics blog. 

Do you have the most up-to-date information on the Preliminary SAT? Each fall, thousands of high school students will take the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Learn the ins and outs of the PSAT/NMSQT from Martha Morris, director of K–12 outreach and resources of the College Board.

The start of the academic year is a hectic time for school counselors. You’re enrolling new students, making schedule changes, and triple-checking graduation requirements against senior records. With these critical tasks taking precedence, the late September deadline for QuestBridge can slip past each year.

The fall is PSAT season, which means students have questions about the National Merit Scholarship. Often, students don’t fully understand why the PSAT is important, except as a practice for the SAT. We've created simple graphs that can help you guide your students.

Maximize your financial aid dollars: What to seek out and what to avoid

Among young people who did not finish college, nearly seven in 10 have no idea what FAFSA is, according to a 2011 survey. This not only undercuts their ability to pay for, and complete, college. It also makes them vulnerable to scamming and other malicious acts.