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College, Career, & Military Readiness

Overview

College and Career Readiness provides support for high school students to be prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary opportunities- whether college or career- without the need for remediation. In order to be college or career ready, students must graduate from high school with knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to succeed. Please use the tabs to navigate and find out more about SAT, ACT, TSIA, Financial Aid, and College/Career Resources.

 

  • SAT- College entrance exam and study prep information

  • ACT- College entrance exam and study prep information

  • TSIA (Texas Success Initiative Assessment) -Texas exams to determine college readiness

  • Financial Aid- grants, aid, scholarships and more to help pay for college

  • College Resources- resources on what to prepare and do for college

  • Career Resources- resources on various career options and pathways.

SAT

SAT

College entrance exam and study prep information. SAT is an assessment managed by the College Board that has been used as a college admissions test since the mid-1920s. The SAT measures literacy and writing skills and assesses how well a student analyzes and solves problems. Colleges may use SAT scores for admissions and merit-based scholarships.

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SAT Resources and Links

ACT

ACT

College entrance exam and study prep information. The ACT is a standardized achievement test designed to demonstrate how prepared a student is for college by measuring the student’s knowledge and skills in the subjects they have taken in high school.

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What is the ACT?

  • Subject content includes English, math, reading, science reasoning, and optional essay

  • Duration: 2 hours and 55 minutes (3 hours 40 minutes with essay)

  • Scored on a scale of 1-36 and score is valid for college admission for five years

  • Provides accommodations for students with disabilities and English language supports

  • Preparation includes the ASPIRE for grades 3-10 and the Pre-ACT in grade 10 to measure growth

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ACT Resources and Links

TSIA

TSIA

Texas exams to determine college readiness. The TSI Assessment (TSIA) is part of the Texas Success Initiative enacted by the Texas State Legislature and designed to determine a student’s readiness for college-level coursework in the general areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. If you are an incoming college student in Texas, you are required to take the TSI Assessment - unless you are already exempt (read below) - to determine your readiness for college-level work. Based on how you perform, you may either be enrolled in a college-level course and/or be placed in the appropriate developmental course or intervention to improve your skills and prepare you for success in college-level courses.

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What are passing scores?

Students scoring at or above the cut scores are considered “college ready” and eligible to enroll in any entry level college course (For Example: English Composition, History, Government, or College Algebra). Some college level courses require passing scores in more than one area.

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Passing cut scores for TSIA as set by the state:

  • Mathematics: a minimum score of 350

  • Reading: a minimum score of 351

  • Writing: a score of 5 on the essay section or a score of 4 on the essay and a minimum score of 340 on the multiple-choice section

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Exemptions for the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA)

A student shall be exempt from taking the TSIA if the student has:

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  • Scored a 23 or higher on the ACT composite and a minimum of 19 on both the English and math tests;

  • SAT administered prior to March 2016: Earned a combined (verbal critical reading + math) SAT score of 1070, with a minimum score of 500 on both sections;

  • SAT administered March 2016 and later: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) minimum score of 480, Mathematics minimum score of 530 (no combined score needed);

  • TAKS scale score of at least 2200 on the math section and/or 2200 on the English Language Arts section with a writing subsection score of at least 3;

  • Veterans, active duty personnel, and a student who is serving as and, for at least 3 years preceding enrollment, has served as a member of a reserve component of the U.S. armed services;

  • Transfer from another institution having satisfactorily completed college-level coursework; or

  • Enroll in a certificate program of one year or less (Level One certificates) at a public institution.

 

If you think you may be exempt, please contact an advisor at your college. For a complete list of TSI exemptions, visit www.thecb.state.tx.us/TSI.

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TSIA Resources and Links

FINANCIAL AID

FINANCIAL AID

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)- is the form you need to fill out to get any financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college. Each year, over 13 million students who file the FAFSA get more than $120 billion in grants, work-study, and low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Education. Lots of states and colleges also use the FAFSA to determine which students get financial aid—and how much they’ll get. The FAFSA asks for information about you and your family’s finances, including tax returns, so you’ll need your parents’ help to complete it.

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Who should fill out the FAFSA?

Anyone planning on going to college in the next academic school year.

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Why should I fill out the FAFSA?

  • Each year, millions—sometimes billions—of dollars in federal aid is left on the table by students who didn’t file a FAFSA. It’s simple: If you don’t file, you won’t qualify for most financial aid.

  • Your family doesn’t have to have a low income to qualify for assistance. Even if your family makes $200,000 a year, you could be eligible for aid.

  • You automatically qualify for a low-interest federal loan when you submit a FAFSA. These loans are less expensive to pay back than many private student loans.

  • Many work-study programs require the FAFSA.

  • Some merit-based scholarships require the FAFSA to help them determine scholarship amounts.

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Financial Aid Resources and Links

CAREER RESOURCES

CAREER RESOURCES

Resources to help parents and students find possible career paths and opportunities to pursue:

COLLEGE RESOURCES

ACADEMIC SUCCESS PROGRAM (ASP DALLAS)

ACADEMIC SUCCESS PROGAM

We believe education has the power to transform.

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And not just individuals. With each student that takes an AP class, scores well on the SAT, or gets into a top-tier university, the bar is raised for everyone. By lifting expectations for the students we serve, the Academic Success Program promotes a college-going culture in communities.  

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The Academic Success Program (ASP Dallas) is a Texas non-profit college access program that aims to build a college-going culture in DFW high schools. We work with all key players -- including students, parents, teachers, counselors, administrators, and college admissions officers to gain higher education access for our students, with a focus on those who are first-generation, low-income, and/or underrepresented minorities.

 

We work individually with students to identify the best fit as they continue on their path to higher education -- be that an Ivy League school, a public state university, or a local community college. This holistic approach delivers results.

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Sara Urquidez

Executive Director of ASP

www.aspdallas.org

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Sara Morgan

ASP College Counselor

Garland HS

972-414-3414

smorgan@aspdallas.org

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Cailyn Byrd

ASP College Counselor

Arlington-Grand Prairie HS

682-808-5960

cbyrd@aspdallas.org

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Alexandra Clayton

ASP College Counselor

Keller-Saginaw HS

682-250-3701

arobinson@aspdallas.org

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Lee Canales

ASP College Counselor

Katy-Westpark HS

832-222-9470

lcanales@aspdallas.org

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Larisa Kliman

ASP College Counselor

Aggieland HS

Lancaster-DeSoto HS

lkliman@aspdallas.org

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