College & Career
The College and Career Center is a place where students can get valuable information and resources on college planning, scholarships, financial aid, job opportunities, career exploration, volunteer opportunities, and so much more! The College and Career Counselor can help students research career possibilities, colleges, universities, trade and technical schools, register for college entrance exams, scholarships, and financial aid.
Students are encouraged to connect with the College and Career Counselor, either by submitting an appointment request on their Chromebook or by completing a request slip in the counseling office.
Mission:Empower every student to realize their full potential and create a bridge between secondary school and post-secondary success by providing personalized guidance, resources, and opportunities. Goal:Guide students to confidently plan and pursue their goals.
Belief Statements:
- We believe every student has unique strengths, interests, and potential.
- We believe students thrive when they are active participants in planning their future.
- We believe that success looks different for every student.
Planning Resources
Boise State’s 30 to Start Advising Pathway is designed to provide high school students taking concurrent enrollment courses the opportunity to achieve a significant college milestone prior to high school graduation–completing their first year of college.
Benefits::
- Work closely with a Concurrent Enrollment advisor to explore different majors and career paths
- Receive an individualized degree plan outlining which concurrent enrollment courses to take each year that are specific to your goals.
Who Can Participate:
- Freshman, sophomore, or junior high school students (juniors must have completed a minimum of 9 college-level credits)
- Open to students attending high schools in Nampa and West Ada school districts and at Caldwell, Middleton, and Vallivue High Schools
- Have a goal to complete a minimum of 30 college credits while still in high school
- Have and be able to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Plan to attend Boise State University upon high school graduation
College of Western Idaho’s OtterBound program is a great opportunity for motivated high school students who want to complete an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree by high school graduation! With built-in support and a clear path, OtterBound helps you stay on track, reach your goals, and confidently take your next steps after graduation.
Benefits:
- Register early for first pick of classes
- Earn your college degree in high school
- Get personalized support and a clear roadmap
Who Can Participate:
- Students who have completed at least one CWI course
- Chosen a major/degree program
- Have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or higher
Career & Exploration
Explore, learn, and plan out your career’s next steps. Find your calling, and maybe a new job, with the tips and tools here.
Idaho Department of Labor Job Scope
Job Scape is an easy-to-use tool designed to help job seekers and students make informed career and educational decisions. On Job Scape, students can find wage and occupational demand information and discover available career opportunities. Students and job seekers can also explore available education and training programs throughout the state.
Idaho Workers Opportunity Network
Idaho Workers Opportunity Network can help with high wage, hands-on careers in the skilled trades through apprenticeship programs. They are the bridge between the labor industry and the apprentice, paving a way for high paying careers in the skilled trade.
Start the career you’ve dreamed about, or find one you never imagined. Discover your interests with the O*Net Interest Profiler and find more exploration options at My Next Move.
CollegeGradExplore careers and start here to do your in-depth career research. CollegeGrad’s career profiles include job descriptions, salary statistics, education and training information, and more.
College Entrance Exams (PSAT/SAT/ACT)
The PSAT/NMSQT stands for the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which students take as a sophomore or junior.
Sophomore students who take the PSAT will experience what it is like to take the SAT, with similar question types and format. The Sophomore PSAT is state sponsored and is administered during the school day in October.
Junior students are offered the opportunity to take the PSAT/NMSQT in October during the school day. The PSAT serves as excellent preparation for the SAT, and offers juniors an opportunity to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program and other scholarships. By taking the PSAT, you can strengthen your test-taking skills and explore future college and career opportunities.
Junior students will opt-in to take the PSAT via a Google Form that will be distributed in their Google Classroom the first of September. They may also opt to use Advanced Opportunity funds to pay for the exam, or may choose to pay out-of-pocket through the school bookkeeper. The exam will be administered during the school day in October.
During Junior year, students will be offered the opportunity to take the SAT in April. The Junior SAT is state sponsored and is administered during the school day in April. The SAT is a graduation requirement.
Students must take the SAT after taking the PSAT if they want to be considered for the National Merit Scholarship.
If you’re a high school student preparing for college, you want to know if you should plan to take or retake the SAT, or ACT, and will your choice help or hurt your chances of getting into college or scholarships?
It is suggested that students research the SAT or ACT entrance exam requirements for the colleges or universities of interest. Carefully consider your personal circumstances and whether you should take or retake the exams. Ensure you know the test policy and deadlines of each school.
Students interested in taking the ACT or retaking the SAT, can sign up for the exam through the following links:
SAT https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat
ACT https://www.act.org/
College Research Information
Did you know that Idaho has 12 colleges and universities? These Higher Education programs provide two-year degrees, four-year degrees, career technical programs, workforce training, and much more! Check out this video to learn more about these schools.
Next Steps Idaho- College Planning
Whether you’ve got your sights set on a four-year college, community college, career technical program, or workforce training, Next Steps Idaho is there to help- every step of the way. No matter where you are along the path to graduation, they will make sure your next steps are smooth.
College Board provides a college research tool called BigFuture. Students can create a list of colleges that match their interests.
Financial Aid/FAFSA
Seniors planning to attend 2-year college, 4-year college, or Career Technical Training programs are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The FAFSA is required for students and families who want to be considered for financial aid (ie. loans, work study, grants, etc) for college or career technical training programs after school.
The FAFSA is available to complete starting October 1st of senior year.
Click here to create an FSA Account.
Click here to complete the FAFSA Form.
Click here to view a step--by-step guide for completing FAFSA.
Apply Idaho is a free, common application platform for up to 10 Idaho colleges and universities. The application usually opens the first week of October. Students receive assistance with the Apply Idaho application during College Application Week. The goal is that every senior will apply to at least one college during the event. We realize not every student is college bound, but want to make sure they have options when the time comes to make those post-secondary decisions. Having options is smart!
Scholarship IdahoScholarship Idaho is the common application for state-managed scholarships and grant programs. Idaho Opportunity and Idaho Launch applications usually open the first week of October. Check Scholarship Idaho or Idaho State Board of Education for further details.