If you have specific questions and up to date information about an institution (including admissions, financial aid, housing, and etc), please contact that institution's Houston area representatives which can be found in a google search.
Below there are some contacts listed, but please know, contacts do change from time to time, therefore, an internet search will provide the most up to date contact information.
Additionally, Mrs. Shock, our Post-Secondary Counselor, is a great resource.
Graduation and College Information From the SHS Main Website (as of 1/31/2018 this page is under construction and will be updated appropriately as soon as possible
Admission Information Per University/College
It is always best to contact each institution that you are interested in directly to find out if there have been any changes to their admissions process. Additionally, if you need assistance, please go to the College Office in room 224.
Texas Top 10% Rules: Admissions Process
Local College Contacts:
Please note that contact information changes quickly at institutions, therefore some of the information may not be complete. Refer directly to the institutions website.
Texas A&M University - College Station www.tamu.edu
Courtney Chapman - Regional Admissions
1225 North Loop West Suite 200
Houston, Tx 77008
713.454.1990
The University of Texas at Austin www.bealonghorn.utexas.edu
Jane Vo - Regional Admissions Counselor
8 Greenway Plaza, Suite 824
Houston, TX 77046
713.871.2385, Fax 713.871.2380
Texas Tech University www.ttu.edu or www.gototexastech.com (admissions website)
8588Katy Freewat Suite 350
Houton, Tx 77024
713.467.5100
University of Oklahoma - Norman www.ou.edu or www.go2ou.edu
Melanee Hamilton- Prospective Student Services
713.869.1637
Louisiana State University (LSU) www.lsu.edu
Pedro Cobos, Regional Admissions Counselor
225.578.1175
Southern Methodist University (SMU) www.smu.edu
Joseph Lopez Regional Director of Admission
713.320.2273
The University of Texas-Dallas www.utdallas.edu
Guy Graugnard Houton Area Enrollment Specialist
281.980.5476
University of Alabama www.ua.edu
Elizabeth Thomson, Regional Recruiter
281.389.8308
Texas State University-San Marcos www.txstate.edu
Kelly Tallerine-Undergrate Admission Counselor
832.510.9294
Texas Christian University (TCU) www.tcu.edu
Kristy Dewaal-Houston Regional Director
817.257.7490
Balyor University www.balyor.edu
Hunter Haston- Admission Counselor
254.710.3435
University of Georgia www.uga.edu
Campus Counselor - Melinda DeMaria
mdemaria@uga.edu
University of Houston - Main Campus
Max Rodriguez - Admissions Counselor
713.743.4870
College Applications:
Common Application for Texas Public Universities:
www.applytexas.org
Common Application for over 350 private colleges/universities:
www.commonapp.org
College Information:
Information regarding Division I & II eligibility, how to register with NCAA, Click 'eligbility center':
www.ncaa.org
Direct Links to all American universities:
www.clas.ufl.edu/au/
College and University information, foreign universities, graduate programs and etc:
www.colleges.com
Free site with direct link to college websites, college search, college major:
www.collegetoolkit.com
National Association for College Admissions Counseling - college admission news:
www.nanacnet.org
Texas Independent Colleges and Universities:
www.window.state.tx.us/scholars/schools
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board - Covers all aspects of getting ready for college and free online test prep:
www.collegeforalltexans.com
Virtual college campus tours:
www.youvisit.com
When it comes to going to college, the options are open wide for you. The link below is a space where several colleges/universities have information about the process of applying, financial aid, and many more important facts.
Prep Talk - click here
Planning for Your Future: Helpful Web Sites
TEST REGISTRATION AND INFORMATION:
www.collegeboard.com Register for the SAT I and SAT II.
Do college and financial aid searches.
www.act.org Online registration for ACT.
www.Shmoop.com Check with your counselor on creating a free Shmoop account to help you prepare for ACT and SAT INTEREST INVENTORIES AND CAREER INFORMATION
www.careerkey.org Click on “CONTINUE,” then “YOU” on the second page, and “Take the Career Key” to help select a potential career interest. There is a fee of about $8.
www.cdr.state.tx.us Students can search for careers, salaries, and expenses.
www.bls.gov/oco Nationally-recognized resource offers information on job responsibilities, earnings, and job prospects.
COLLEGE SEARCHES AND APPLICATIONS:
www.commonapp.org Common application for over 200 private colleges and universities with complete instructions for applying online.
www.applytexas.org The Common Application for Freshman Admission to Texas Public Colleges. Most colleges prefer this application and for it to be completed and submitted online.
www.collegeview.com Allows you to create a list of schools that meet your preferences for size, geography, areas of study, and student body. Link to the home pages of many universities and email the colleges’ admissions offices for more information.
www.collegenet.com Search for colleges using your defined criteria.
www.nces.ed.gov/ipeds Search for a school by name, location, program, degree offerings, or a combination of criteria.
www.collegeforalltexans.com Here is everything a Texan needs to know about preparing for, applying for, and paying for college or technical school.
www.college.gov Search for information on preparing for, applying for, and paying for college or technical school.
www.naviance.com Helps students be better prepared for attending college and preparing for a career.
FINANCIAL AID:
www.fastweb.org Build a personal profile to search a massive database of scholarships and get applications for those matching your qualifications.
www.fafsa.ed.gov The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Title IV codes. This is the one application for need-based aid, such as grants and loans. DO NOT SUBMIT THIS APPLICATION UNTIL JANUARY of your senior year!
www.fsaid.ed.gov At this site you can create your FAFSA ID number.
www.studentaid.ed.gov Federal student financial aid information from the U.S. Department of Education. Includes texts of Funding Your Education, and Student Guide, which is a comprehensive description of the federal student aid programs.
SELECTIVE SERVICE:
www.sss.gov All males 18-25 must register for the selective service. Register online at this site. Utilize Family Access, a password-protected site that provides both parents and students access to course grades, homework, attendance, and other data.
Visit www.springbranchisd.com, click on “For Parents,” and locate Naviance (Family Connections).
Texas College Costs
GenTX College Planning: Guide
Residency Information
College Compare: Side By Side
Survival Tips for College
Prep Talk - College Admissions Process Video: click here
NOTE: The rumor that all colleges want the Common App and recommendation letters completed by August 1st.....THAT IS NOT TRUE. Colleges start after they [the college/university] start classes and enroll their students currently on campus. Meaning, they DO NOT START PROCESSING PROSPECTIVE/NEW APPLICATIONS UNTIL AFTER SEPTEMBER 1st. If a college specifically states a due date then that due date applies. Remember if you need to know something, come straight to the source, your counselor and/or the Post-Secondary Counselor for SHS.
College Grading 101
How will college professors grade your work? It is worth reading all the way through....
Another Way to Look at Colleges - Which One Is Right and How Stressed Should I Be?
No one has graduated with the Foundation plan (formerly known as HB5). The first class to do so will be the class of 2018. When those students graduate, we will have a better idea of who/how/why students get into different colleges/universities. Counselors do know that Endorsements will have value when looking at the rigor of coursework completed while at SHS. For more information look under the Graduation Requirement Tab.
Focus on good grades, have as many endorsements as you can successfully earn (all students will have one and most kids will have 2 or 3; see our webpage for more info), have a talent (sport, instrument, anything....), and volunteering and/or having a job is good too. If you want to know specifically what each school wants....call the admissions office at that particular college/university.
All A's are not for all kids...that doesn't mean a student won't get into college. There are so many places to go and ways to get somewhere in life. If your goal is all A's then keep working toward that goal. If your goal is to have a good GPA, but maybe not all A's are who you are...then keep working!!!
The best advice is get the best grades as possible, while having something like a sport, fine art, or other talent that you do well. Scores on the ACT/SAT are important BUT the scores are contingent upon what school you want to attend. Many successful people attend many different colleges/universities. If the goal is to go to college, be successful while in college, and get a degree...the world is open. Yes there is competition, but it is only contingent upon where you go. If you have goals to attend a specific college or university....GO FOR IT.
Everyone at some point during their sophomore year will research 3-5 colleges (even if you know where you want to go). The best place to start is through Naviance and Road Trip Nation from the College Board. If you want to look at more places that's fine, and on the student. The thing to remember is.....how could 10 colleges fit your kid or you; why research so many? For some students, applying to 10 is what they want to do; that is fine and supported, but at the end of the day, what school fits you?
Bottom line, the get best grades you can, do as well as you can on ACT/SAT, volunteer, have a talent of some type, and find a place that fits you.
Sometimes it is better to be a big fish in a little pond than a small fish in a big pond. If you want to be in that big pond...GO FOR IT!!! But if you want something more or different....GO FOR IT TOO!!!!
Be an individual....go where you want to go. Go where you fit and not everyone else. There are options EVERYWHERE!!!!