Getting Ready for College

If high school graduation is upon the horizon, you'll be making critical decisions that can affect your future. Choosing the right college, financial aid programs, and educational resources are just a few questions you'll need answers to. That's where TexasBank can help! Below are tools and resources to help you in getting ready for college.

Timeline for High School Seniors

High school students thinking of attending a major university or local junior college need to take proper steps to help increase your chances in attending your desired college, with your desired financial aid plan.

In a high school student's junior year, you should already be targeting a list of schools you desire to attend.

Early in your senior year, multiple steps or timelines should be completed, which are listed below.

Suggested timeline for high school seniors to follow:
  1. Starting as early as your junior year, meet with your high school counselor to discuss your college education plans.
  2. Register for the appropriate aptitude tests, as early as your junior year of high school: (SAT or ACT). Have the testing center send the scores to your desired colleges.
  3. Submit your College Admission Applications to your desired colleges, in the Fall of your senior year.
  4. Compare your acceptance letters from different colleges.
  5. Accept your desired school's final offer; request your high school to send final transcripts to that college.
  6. Once you are admitted into the desired college, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (FAFSA). This is required annually and will need your parents filed IRS Tax returns!
  7. Once the FAFSA form is completed, an award letter will be sent to you illustrating the different types of financial aid you qualify for including Federal Student Loans, Scholarships, Grants, and Work Study programs. The award letter will need to be certified with your college's financial aid department.
  8. The next step is to complete the appropriate Student Loan applications using Lender code: 821016, selecting TexasBank as your lender. The student loan applications can be completed via on-line thru TexasBank's student loan web-site.
  9. Once you're admitted and financial aid is completed, contact the college to participate in orientation programs for incoming freshman and make the necessary arrangements for any medical exams or health insurance coverage if you have not previously done so.
  10. Mapping your future is a great tool with wonderful suggestions and information on getting ready for college.

  11. Scholarship Resources

Click here for our esignature process.
Click here for our plus pre-approval process.
Click here for our grad plus pre-approval process.
When applying for your student loan, remember to use Lender code: 821016, selecting TexasBank as your lender.