Jefferson City High School has college-related workshops every year to help seniors and families dig through the necessary paperwork, but for the first time this year the school is participating in the statewide program Apply Missouri.
More than 90 Missouri high schools are participating this year to help students prepare for higher education, submit applications and apply for financial aid, according to a news release from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
To participate, high schools have to offer three events - a workshop to help seniors and parents apply for financial aid, a workshop to help seniors apply for college and a celebration of where students are going to college, Counseling Director Carrie Welch said.
Students can start applying for financial aid as of last Saturday, and families can now use their 2015 tax returns as opposed to their 2016 tax returns. In previous years the financial aid application didn't open until the first of January.
Moving the deadline back will allow students to get estimates on how much they'll receive in financial aid and grants so they can make more informed decisions on where or if they want to go to college, Welch said.
JCHS has a host of events and workshops each year to better prepare students for their next step after high school, but they're not just catering to college-bound graduates, Welch said. They're doing more to target students who want to move straight into the workforce.
"Every year we work a little harder to get kids to understand their options," she said.
"Not everyone is college-bound, and there are great careers out there that don't require college. We want our kids to have a plan when they leave and be as helpful as we can to help them get there."
Today is their last of five tours to two-year and four-year colleges, and in January and February they'll visit some manufacturing facilities for students who want to look at Missouri careers available after high school.
According to a report of the spring 2016 graduates, 53 percent attended a four-year university, 17 percent went on to two-year colleges, 6 percent went into the military, 5 percent joined the workforce and 7 percent stated "non-college."
Welch said those figures are fairly consistent from year to year.
College-related events and workshops
- Planning for College: On Oct. 18, officials from the University of Missouri are hosting a workshop on what families should look for when deciding which college fits them best. They'll also discuss what freshman students can expect and answer questions about transferring Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment credits.
- College and Technical School Night: On Oct. 18, more than 50 colleges and more than 20 businesses will be present for the fair.
- Application and Essay Workshop: Nov. 7 during parent-teacher conferences the computer lab will be open for them to fill out college applications and get tips for essay writing for applications and scholarships.
- FAFSA Frenzy: On Nov. 17 seniors and their guardians can get help filling out the financial aid application from college officials.