1. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Using the Counselor Suite Advise Texas Presentation August 5, 2016

2. 2 Today’s Agenda Apply Texas Basics Student applications Help desks Calendar and changes for 2017-18 applications Counselor Suite Counselor access Admission Application and FAFSA Status Data Reports Applicants or applications per high school or district Applications and applicants for a given semester 2

3. 3 Apply Texas Components 1.Apply Texas Advisory Committee, or ATAC 2.Portal for completing applications 3.HS counselor portal for assessing student progress 4.Reports based on a)when the applications were completed b)terms for which applications were made 3

4. 4 Applicant Portal: www.applytexas.org 3 Institution data Create profile 4

5. 5 Steps to Complete an Application 5

6. 6 Getting Help 6 Have Questions? Contact the helpdesks: For Applicants: Technicalapplytexas@austin.utexas.eduapplytexas@austin.utexas.edu Passwordapplytexas_pw@austin.utexas.eduapplytexas_pw@austin.utexas.edu For HS Counselors applytexashsc@austin.utexas.edu applytexashsc@austin.utexas.edu

7. 7 Apply Texas Cycle Calendar August 1, 2016 – 2017-18 application cycle opens Mid-Aug., 2016 – Counselor Suite shows 2017-18 application data October 1, 2016 – USDOE opens 2017-18 FAFSA Mid-November, 2016 – Counselor Suite shows 2017- 18 FAFSA data 7

8. 8 Changes for 2017-18 (1) Up to 5 high schools can be listed by applicant Extracurricular activities and employment data might not be requested if the college does not use it in its admissions decisions Unfinished apps will be deleted after 120 days of no action; warning sent to students 2 weeks prior Ethnicity and Race questions will be moved lower on the page, with added descriptions 8

9. 9 Changes for 2017-18 (2) Multidisciplinary Studies AD Programs Identified in community college majors lists “Do you intend to take basic courses at a community college and then transfer to a university to complete a bachelor’s degree? If so, please NOTE: A Multidisciplinary Studies Associate Degree (MSAD) Program is an associate of arts or associate of science degree made up of the college’s core curriculum and additional courses. The courses beyond the core curriculum are to be chosen by the student with advice from an academic advisor with the goal of selecting courses that will transfer to the student’s chosen field of study or major when the student transfers to the university of his/her choice.” 9

10. 10 Changes for 2017-18 (3) New essay prompts: 1.What was the environment in which you were raised? Describe your family, home, neighborhood, or community, and explain how it shaped you as a person. 2.Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself. 3.You’ve got a ticket in your hand – Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there? 10

11. 11 Access to Counselor Suite 11 ***All data is password-protected.*** 1. District completes Memorandum of Understanding 2. District sends counselor names/emails to ESC Contact 3. Contact enters counselor data into system 4. System sends counselor temporary password/instructions 5. Counselor logs in, signs FERPA* certification, gains access Step 1 is done once Steps 2-5 are repeated annually *Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act See Document 1

12. 12 Counselor Login: https://admin.applytexas.org 12

13. 13 Admissions App Screen 13 Accessed when counselor logs into System and clicks on “See students at your school” Blue bar at top has links to related sites Below HS name is HS ID and # student in your application list Table reflects student data, originally in alpha order by name, but can be sorted Includes 1.Applicant ID information; 2.Admission application status information See Document 2

14. 14 Missing Students 14 You only receive data for student who have selected your school as their high school Urge students to use the “?Find Your High School?” button and match your School ID when selecting the high school they attend In Apply Texas, a HS ID starts with a “2”, followed by your regular 6-digit code See Document 2

15. 15 Using the App Data 15 1.How many students have pending admissions apps? 2.Of those shown, how many completed applications to 2- year institutions? 3.Did Logan and Charles complete the same number of apps? 4.Has anyone not completed any apps? 5.Which student is most likely a Dual Credit student? See Document 2

16. 16 Using Logan’s App Details Page 16 Click on “app listing” for Logan (final column of admission app table) 1.T or F. Logan has submitted an application to West Texas A&M. 2.If today were Dec 30, could he still apply to TAMU- Kingsville? 3.Did he submit any dual credit applications? 4.Do any of the schools require an essay? See Documents 3 and 4

17. 17 Full Downloads 17 Downloading Admission Applications – Two Options Download Table – data on current spreadsheet Full Download – combines Admission App data with App Detail Data* See Document 5 1. If it was December 1, and you wanted to identify everyone with incomplete applications for UT-Austin or TAMU, how could you do it?

18. 18 FAFSA Apps Screen 18 Click on “FAFSA App” in blue bar at top of admission app page See Document 6 Student-by-student list (alpha, but sortable by column label) Name, DOB FAFSA status – “completed” or “saved, not completed” FAFSA completion, submitted and process dates FAFSA verification status – selected or not

19. 19 Using FAFSA Apps Data 19 See Document 6. 1.How many students at ABC HS have started the FAFSA? 2.Have all students listed completed it? 3.How many were selected for verification? What does that mean? 4.Could any students meet the FAFSA submission deadline for the TEXAS Grant priority consideration? NOTE: FAFSA starting date for 2017-18 academic year will be October 1, 2016 and calculations will be based on prior-prior year income.

20. 20 Other Statistics Available 20 Select “Reports” in blue bar at top of apps page Year-to-date data for a given cycle Applicants per HS or region – Document 8 Submitted apps per HS or region – Document 9 Select “Apply Texas Counts” in blue bar at top of apps page For a given term/year Number of applications and applicants per region, district, or high school – Documents 10-12

21. 21 Using Report Data 21 “Reports” Data Doc 8: # of students in Class of 2015 of Aledo HS who completed apps in 2014-15 = Doc 9: # of applications by Aledo HS Class of 2015 in 2014-15 = “Apply Texas Counts” Data Doc 10 (top of page): TEA region with most apps, fall, 2015 = Doc 10 (back of page): # of apps by 12 th graders in Region 13 = Doc 11: District in Region 13 with largest # of apps, fall, 2015 = Doc 12: High school in Austin ISD with most apps, fall, 2015 =

22. 22 60x30TX – New Statewide Plan 22..to build on and enhance the goals of Closing the Gap: See document 13 By 2030, at least 60 percent of Texans ages 25-34 will have a certificate or degree In 2030 at least 550,000 students will complete a certificate, associate, bachelor’s or master’s from an institution in Texas All graduates from Texas public institutions will have completed programs with identified marketable skills Undergraduate student loan debt will not exceed 60 percent of first year wages for graduates of Texas public institutions

23. 23 Contacts 23 Jane Caldwell Director of Student Support College Readiness and Success Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Jane.Caldwell@thecb.state.tx.us 512-427-6455

24. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 24