Local High School Seniors gearing up for after graduation
Troy and Libby High School principals are proud and impressed with the turnout of seniors for College Application Week this year.
Around 80 percent of students from each school sent out college applications from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4, and most of the remaining percentage are either enlisted in the military or have a plan of their own.
In the past three weeks, Troy High School and Libby High School have participated in both College Application Week (CAW) and College Goal Montana.
CAW is a statewide initiative that allows all Montana seniors to apply to one Montana school (colleges of tech, junior colleges, tribal colleges and four year schools) for free. College Goal Montana, another statewide initiative assists students and their parents in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The FAFSA allows each student, regardless of household income, to apply for federal aid. The application takes many factors into account to help students with the cost of higher education.
During the week, students are guided through college applications and get a taste of what college life would be like through virtual tours and various activities.
The schools have participated in College Application Week for the last three years, but this year has been the best turnout they’ve seen so far.
This year, Troy’s class of 2017 has 29 members, of which, two have enlisted in the military, one is going to a fire academy and another to the Job Corps. Of the 25 remaining, 24 applied to college and 23 out of the 29 seniors filled out a FAFSA.
“It has been a very busy month, but the results speak for themselves,” Troy High School Principal and Superintendent Dr. Jacob Francom said.
The students at Libby sent our 22 in-state college applications, and 44 students filled out FAFSA forms.
Through Libby and Troy’s GearUp program, students have been on college campuses since they were in seventh grade. Several seniors took tours of college campuses last year, and Libby High School Principal Ruth VanWorth-Rogers and Francom are seeing many sign up again this year.
Bethany Rolfson is a reporter at The Western News and can be reached at 293-4124 or by email at reporter@thewesternnews.com.