San Antonio Independent School District

Welcome to the College and Career Hub!

The College & Career Hub

Located in room 1111 in the Main Building in front of the cafeteria

Any student at Lanier High School is welcome to stop by the College & Career Hub to get a head start on their college and career options leading up to high school graduation. We guide students in answering the following question: what do you want to do after high school? We advise our students with intention based on their answers while also completing the steps required of our students for high school graduation.

Services

Our College & Career Hub Staff guides students through every aspect of the college process in addition to a student's specific post-secondary plan such as military enlistment, a certification program, a job apprenticeship, and college enrollment. Below are key steps that we help students complete throughout their high school journey.

Career Exploration

Students can complete two career assessments on Schoolinks!

Log in to Schoolinks
Click on the Activities Tab
Select Assessments
- Find Your Path - Get suggested careers and college majors based on your personality
- Would You Rather - Get suggested careers based on your favorite activities.

Set up your Post-Secondary Goal on Schoolinks:

Click on the Activities Tab
Select My Goals
Click Choose Future Path and select your post-secondary goal

Resume

Click Here to access resume templates for colleges, scholarships, and jobs!

SAT and ACT College Entrance Exams

There are minor differences of the SAT and ACT. See the chart below to determine which exam will be best for you. IMPORTANT TESTING TRICKS:

There are NO PENALTIES for incorrect answers!

When in doubt, BUBBLE IT OUT!

Build Your College List on Schoolinks!

Students should have a complete list of 10 college on schoolinks by the end of their junior year. Use the School Search tool to explore colleges and majors, and favorite the colleges that appeal to you. Create your Final List on Schoolinks Colleges tab. Your rank, high school GPA and the results of your ACT and SAT score should guide your college list as shown below:

Remember: EVERYONE is COLLEGEBOUND!

College Essays

It's best to have a finalized college list since not all colleges require essays! But those who do have specific essay prompts assigned! Pay close attention!

College essays are not meant to measure "how smart" you sound. They are meant to help colleges get to know YOU! Tell your story through the essay prompts. If you college application lists an essay as optional, a good rule of thumb is: if it's optional, it's required! This will strengthen your college application and possibly consider you for scholarship opportunities! Your college essay can be reused for future scholarship applications!

Click here to read samples of College Essays

See below for Apply Texas and Common App College Essay Prompts

Essay A: Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Essay B: Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself.

Essay C: You’ve got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there?

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned/challenged a belief/idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
4. Reflect on something someone has done for you that made you happy/thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected/motivated you? (NEW)
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What/who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
7. Share an essay on a topic of your choice. One you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt or one of your own design.

Letters of Recommendation

Providing your college application with letters of recommendations can strengthen your chances of getting admitted into your college! We recommend obtaining 3 letters of recommendations that you can use for college applications and scholarships!

You can formally request a letter of recommendation with the document below. Complete the form with as much detail as possible and deliver the completed for to your recommender of choice. It is also a good idea to attach your resume along with your request.

Letter of Recommendation Request.docx

Got everything you need? You are ready to APPLY!

Attention Students & Parents! It is now required by law that high school seniors must submit a financial aid application in order to graduate from high school!

There are 2 financial aid applications available. The FAFSA, which is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and the TASFA, which is the Texas Application for State Financial Aid. Only one is required to be submitted depending on the student's citizenship status.

A Financial Aid Application helps determine if a student qualifies for federal or state financial aid. The Financial Aid Applications are sent to a student's desired colleges, and those colleges will use the application to determine additional financial aid awards for the student.

TSI Test

Every student interested in enrolling in college is required to pass the TSI in order to take college-level Math and English courses.

Meningitis Vaccine

Every student who plans to attend college is required to take the meningitis vaccine before being allowed on campus.

Schedule Your Orientation

Once you have decided on a college to attend, schedule your New Student Orientation early to obtain your college schedule and other important information before officially becoming a college student!

You are officially part of a powerful alumni network: The Pride of the West side! Join the SAISD Alumni Association by clicking on the image below to remain involved in the SAISD community!