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title: "April Edition: April Focus: Navigating Financial Aid with Confidence "
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April Edition: April Focus: Navigating Financial Aid with Confidence

| View in browser April Focus: Navigating Financial Aid with Confidence  Hello educator,   April showers bring May flowers, educators! We’re officially in the month of April which means seniors are receiving their financial aid award packages and preparing for their postsecondary journey. In this edition of the Texas OnCourse Network Newsletter, we will take a deep dive into financial aid resources provided by the Texas OnCourse Academy and My Texas Future along with a brand-new edition of the ADVi Corner where we asked ADVi Operations Coordinator Nathan Schwausch to share a bit about his professional journey and provide a sneak peek of upcoming content that ADVi will be sending to students this month! Here are our top three resources for April:   Financial Aid Dependency Guide The Texas OnCourse Financial Aid Dependency Guide helps students determine their dependency status for financial aid applications. It provides clear explanations of dependency criteria, key definitions, and guidance, ensuring students can accurately complete the FAFSA or TASFA. My Texas Future's Apply for Scholarships   My Texas Future has a list of free, credible scholarship resources to help your seniors look into receiving additional funding for their postsecondary journey. Free websites include RaiseMe and Going Merry while showcasing merit-based scholarships and providing ten steps for a strong scholarship application. Financial Aid Flow  The Financial Aid Flow informational handout provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to the financial aid process at postsecondary institutions, aiming to alleviate confusion and reduce stress for students. View this introductory video for an overview of the "Dollars and Sense: Supporting Student Financial Wellness" Module in the Texas OnCourse Academy. The video highlights key resources and outlines what to expect when completing the module to help you better assist students with financial aid planning.    ADVi Corner Welcome back to ADVi Corner! In this brand-new edition of ADVi Corner, we asked ADVi Operations Coordinator Nathan Schwausch to share a bit about his professional journey and give a sneak peek of the upcoming content and resources ADVi will be sending to students this month.    Meet Nathan Since launching ADVi in January, over 51,000 high school seniors and adult learners have opted into ADVi messaging through ApplyTexas. So far, our students have been staying busy! Students texted ADVi more than 55,000 times in January and February, with over 20,400 students texting ADVi at least once. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions students had for ADVi last month:     What is the difference between the FAFSA and the TASFA?  What are the next steps after I submit my FAFSA/TASFA?  How do I find scholarships to apply for?  Did you know? ADVi students get access to an exclusive scholarship match tool called the Scholarship Bot. The tool is powered by Mainstay and receives support from the National Alliance of Scholarship Providers (NASP), offering 40,000 scholarship opportunities. Students can text #scholarshipbot to receive a unique link, complete a short questionnaire, and get a personalized scholarship list.   National Association for College Admission Counseling National College Fairs The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) is hosting two national college fairs in Texas! The Austin event will be held on April 8 and the Houston event will be held on April 10, both fairs provide valuable resources for students navigating the college admission process. For more information view the full schedule of NACAC's Spring 2025 College Fairs below. NACAC Spring College Fairs Advancing CCMR in Texas High Schools Survey    Dr. Matt Giani and The Texas Behavioral Science and Policy Institute at UT Austin are inviting you and your colleagues to participate in a survey about college, career, and military readiness programs (CCMR) at your school. The survey should take 15-20 minutes to complete and participants who finish the survey will be randomly selected to win a gift card. For more information, click the button below to meet Dr. Matt Giani and participate in the survey.   Advancing CCMR in Texas High Schools Survey My Texas Future Launch Kits The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and Texas OnCourse are offering Texas educators the opportunity to receive a My Texas Future Launch Kit when they use the My Texas Future Site with middle or high school students. The launch kit includes:   My Texas Future charging coaster for educators  My Texas Future pen/highlighters My Texas Future student stickers Grab your MTF Launch Kit today by filling out our submission form — we’re excited to hear how you’ll inspire your students with My Texas Future!  Building a College and Career Readiness Culture The Texas OnCourse team is excited to announce the May Professional Learning Series session! Preparing students for life beyond high school involves a holistic approach. This session will provide techniques on collaborating with colleagues, families, and communities across your campus and district. We encourage you to share your fun, engaging activities and how you celebrate student success.  Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 10 a.m. (CDT) Register My Texas Future Session Four: Comprehensive Career Exploration for All Learners We’re thrilled to announce the final My Texas Future Learning Institute session of the school year! My Texas Future allows learners to begin making decisions about their career preferences using the Career Quiz and the Career Explorer as early as 7th grade. The My Texas Future student profile saves their information year after year and provides over 500 different careers that are in demand within our state. Learners can update their progress and continue their journey while preparing their ApplyTexas college application along the way! Be among the first to preview the new single sign-on feature coming soon to both ApplyTexas and My Texas Future!  Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 10 a.m. (CDT) Register Stay Connected with Texas OnCourse! Subscribe to the Texas OnCourse Network Newsletter for the latest college and career planning resources, expert insights, and important updates delivered straight to your inbox. Join our community of educators and counselors empowering students for success! Subscribe Texas OnCourse, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, 1801 Congress Ave. Suite 12.200, Austin, Texas 78701 Unsubscribe Manage preferences |
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