Paying for College

🎯 What is SMARTTRACK®?

SMARTTRACK® has a team of licensed, certified college funding experts and an online platform designed to better prepare parents with college-bound students from PK – 12^th grade.

Their main goal is to help:

• Make it easier and less expensive to pay for college - applicable to all families.

• Understand how college financial aid works and how to be more succesful in it.

• Maximize or preserve eligibility for grants, scholarships and aid.

• Legally reposition finances to improve eligibility.

• Avoid overpaying for college by making informed, strategic decisions as early as possible.

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🧠 What Services Does It Offer?

As part of our comprehensive college readiness initiative, NISD provides the following SMARTTRACK College Funding benefits at no cost to our families: 

• Complimentary SMARTTRACK parent accounts
• Online research tools and calculators for estimating your expected family contribution (EFC/SAI), etc.
• Personalized, Confidential College Funding Evaluations with college funding experts
• Parent Webinars and educational materials

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💰 Is it Worth It?

It depends! Here's are some things to consider:

✅ Pros:

• Helps families plan ahead so they can better afford higher education for all their children without crippling debt or risking their financial future
• Recommendations are based on each families’ unique circumstances, including how to position finances long before FAFSA or CSS Profile submission
• College Funding Planning is helpful for ALL families, regardless of income or assets. Whether you’ll qualify for need-based aid or expect to pay full price for college, everyone needs to understand their best strategies
• College Funding Evaluations are incredibly helpful and there is no cost or obligation whatsoever. 

⚠️ Things to Note:

• SMARTTRACK offers a suite of Premium software tools and advanced college funding planning services as part of paid plans, at a steep discount for NISD families. Comprehensive services cost less than $500.
• Free resources can still be very helpful, as many families don’t need advanced services.
• It’s not a scholarship site, but rather a planning and optimization resource.
• Families still need to do the legwork—SMARTTRACK has resources to help make sure you get through the process successfully, but does not fill out forms for you.

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Click the SMARTTRACK® banner at the top of the page to access the NISD SMARTTRACK® site where you can create an account and take a free assessment.

🎥 SmartTrack Virtual Presentations

Each year, SmartTrack® hosts two free virtual presentations just for NISD families, packed with insider tips on how to pay less for college and maximize financial aid opportunities.

🚨 The presentations for the 2024–2025 school year have wrapped—but don’t worry!
More great sessions are coming in 2025–2026. Check back soon for dates, details, and registration info.

✨ Good things are on the way—stay tuned!

4-Year Colleges Offering Free Tuition Based on Family Income

Updated November 2023

While we strive to keep this information as accurate as possible, students should use the links to review the criteria and deadlines rather that relying on the information in this table. 

College	Criteria for Free Tuition	Important Deadlines
Angelo State University	Blue & Gold Guarantee 1st time Freshman Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $40,000 or less Covers eight semesters, not including summers; must complete 15 credit hours each semester	May 1– Blue & Gold Guarantee (Be admitted & complete all Financial Aid paperwork) May 1 – Admission & FAFSA
East Texas A&M University	President's Promise Program 1st time Freshman or transfer student Family Income $50,000 or less; financial need as determined by FAFSA Eligible for up to four years, not including summers. Must complete 15 credit hours each semester; maintain 2.5 GPA (Pride Program PLUS – 3.0 GPA and includes $100/yr book voucher)	January 15 – Financial Aid Priority May 15 - Admission
Lamar University	Lamar Promise Program 1st time Freshman or transfer student; Covers tuition/ fees for students with family Income of $25,000 or less Must be ‘dependent’ student and Federal Pell Grant eligible Must complete 12 credit hours each semester	February 1 – Scholarship Priority (& FAFSA) February 1 – Lamar Promise (Be admitted and submit all Financial Aid paperwork) August 1 – Regular Admission
Midwestern State University	Mustangs Guarantee Program Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $50,000 or less Eligible for four years, excluding summers Must complete 15 credit hours each semester and maintain 2.0 GPA	May 31 – Mustangs Guarantee Program (Be admitted & complete all Financial Aid paperwork) April 1 – Must be admitted by date to be considered for university scholarships August 7 – Regular Admission
Rice University	The Rice Investment 1st Time Freshman or eligible transfer student FAFSA & HB 1403 eligible Full-time Family Income $130,000 or less for	November 1 – Application January 15 - Financial Aid & Admissions paperwork submitted and accepted
Sam Houston State University	Bearkat Promise 1st Time Freshman or transfer student Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $25,000 or less Renewable for three years, not including summers. Must complete 12 credit hours each semester; maintain 2.5 GPA.	November 1 – Scholarship & FAFSA Priority November 1 – Bearkat Promise
Stephen F. Austin University	Purple Promise Program 1st time Freshman Must be ‘dependent’ student and Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $30,000 or less Eligible for up to four years, not including summers. Must complete 30 credit hours each year; maintain 2.2 GPA.	February 1 – Scholarship (must be admitted to apply) March 15 – Financial Aid Priority June 1 – Purple Promise Program
Tarleton State University	Tarleton Promise 1st time Freshman Pell & TX Grant eligible, Zero EFC Top 25% of graduating class Renewable up to 4 years Covers tuition/fees/room & board/book allowance	January 15 – Completion of FAFSA February 15 – Completion of Tarleton Scholarship App
Texas A&M University	Aggie Assurance Program 1st time Freshman or transfer student Family Income $60,000 or less; financial need as determined by FAFSA. Eligible for up to four years, not including summers. Must complete 12 credit hours each semester; maintain 2.5 GPA. **subject to funding availability	October 15 – Early Action & Engineering Majors Admission December 1 – Regular Admission/ Scholarship January 15 – Financial Aid Priority January 15 – Aggie Assurance Program
Texas A&M Corpus Christi	Institutional Islander Guarantee 1st time Freshman Pell Grant eligible Family Income $40,000 or less Scholarship application required Must complete 30 credit hour each year (@ TAMUCC); maintain 2.5 GPA Eligible for eight consecutive semesters, fall and spring	March 1 – Priority Admissions/Scholarship App March 1 – FAFSA completed
Texas A&M San Antonio	Jaguar Promise Top 10% and ECHS grads w/30 hours eligible Maintain 2.5 GPA (ECHS) or 3.0 (Top 10),Full-time Apply and submit FAFSA and general scholarship application	January 25 - Priority Scholarship
Texas A&M International	Dusty Promise Scholarship 1st time Freshman or undergraduate transfer student Family income of $30,000 or less Eligible for four years Must enroll in 15 credit hours each semester and maintain 2.5 GPA. Separate application must be completed 1/1-3/15; can be found on the TAMIU Financial Aid site under scholarships.	December 1 - Scholarships March 15 – Dusty Promise March 15 – Financial Aid Priority July 1 – Regular Admission
Texas State University	Bobcat Promise 1st time Freshman only Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $35,000 or less Eligible for 8 semesters. Must complete at least 15 credit hours each semester; maintain 2.0 GPA.	December 15 – Scholarships January 15 – Bobcat Promise - Admissions/FAFSA complete
Texas Tech University	Red Raider Guarantee 1st time Freshman or transfer student Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $40,000 or less Eligible for eight semesters, not including summers. Must complete 12 credit hours each semester. **Subject to funding availability	November 1 – Priority Admission December 1 – Priority Scholarship January 15 – Red Raider Guarantee - Admissions & FAFSA complete
University of North Texas	Emerald Eagle Scholars 1st time Freshman only Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $40,000 or less Must complete 15 credit hours each semester; maintain 2.5 GPA.	January 15 – Scholarship Priority / FAFSA complete for Emerald Eagle Scholars
University of Houston	Cougar Promise 1st time Freshman Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $50,000 or less Must complete 24 credit hours each year; maintain 2.5 GPA.	November 15 – Scholarship Priority January 15 – Cougar Promise – Admit/FAFSA June 30 – Regular Admission
UH Victoria	UHV Committment Scholarship $1,000 scholarship for UHV Jaguar Village housing. New Freshmen & Sophomores Eligible to receive federal, state, and/or university aid Must attend Victoria campus and complete 12 credit hours each semester	March 15 – Scholarship Priority July 15 – Regular Admission
UT Austin	Texas Advance Commitment 1st time Freshman or transfer student Demonstrated Financial Need – FAFSA/TASFA Family Income up to $65,000 – tuition covered Family Income $65K - $125K – tuition assistance as needed 2.0 GPA, eligible for up to four years	November 1 – Scholarship Priority January 15 – Texas Advance Commitment
UT Dallas	Comet Promise 1st time Freshman only Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $25,000 or less Eligible for up to four years, not including summers. Must complete 30 credit hours each school year; maintain 2.5 GPA.	October 15 – Financial Aid Priority March 1 – Priority Admissions March 15 – Tuition Promise July 1 – Regular Admission
UT El Paso	PayDirt Promise 1st time Freshman Demonstrated financial need Family Income $40,000 or less Eligible for up to four years Must complete 24 credit hour each school year; maintain 2.0 GPA	January 15 – Admissions / FAFSA complete
UT Permian Basin	Falcon Free Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $45,000 or less Eligible for up to eight semesters of full-time undergraduate enrollment, excluding summer. Must enroll/complete at least 12 credit hours each semester.	March 1 – Top 5% Scholarship Nomination May 1 – Scholarship Deadline (Must be in Top 35% of class) July 15 – Regular Admission July 15 – Falcon Promise
UT Rio Grande Valley	Achieve Program 1st time Freshman only Federal Pell Grant eligible Covers tuition/fees & $500 books per semester for students with family income $50,000 or less Eligible for up to eight semesters or until graduation, whichever occurs first. Must complete minimum of 15 credit hours per semester; maintain 2.5 GPA.	January 15 – Entering Freshman Scholarship January 15 – Achieve Program / Financial Aid Priority
UT San Antonio	UTSA Bold Promise 1st time Freshman only Federal Pell Grant eligible Covers tuition/fees for students with Family Income $30,000 or less Eligible for up to four years, not including summers. Must complete 30 credit hours each school year; maintain 2.0 GPA.	December 1 – Scholarships March 1 – Priority Admission March 15 – UTSAccess Program / Financial Aid June 1 – Regular Admission *must have minimum score to be considered for individual review
UT Tyler	Patriot Promise Program 1st time Freshman only Federal Pell Grant eligible Covers tuition for students with family income of $25,000 or less Must complete 30 credit hours each year; maintain 2.0 GPA	March – Scholarship (Must confirm intention to attend) May 1 - Pathway to Success
West Texas A&M	Buff Promise Federal Pell Grant eligible Family Income $40,000 or less Eligible for up to eight semesters, not including summers. Must complete 30 credit hours per school year.	December 1 – Early Action Scholarships February 1 – Priority Scholarships March 1 – Priority Federal Financial Aid March 15 – Priority State Financial Aid April 15 – Buff Promise August 1 – Regular Admission

 

 

🎓 NISD Scholarship Resources

Looking for scholarships? You’re in the right place! Northwest ISD offers several tools and resources to help students and families explore scholarship opportunities that match their goals, talents, and future plans.

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🚀 Start Here: The NISD Scholarship Spreadsheet

Our district-maintained Scholarship Spreadsheet is your go-to resource for current scholarship opportunities. Updated regularly, it includes eligibility details, deadlines, and direct application links.
🔗 tinyurl.com/NISDScholarships

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🔍 Find Scholarships in Naviance

Naviance is your personalized college and career planning platform. You can explore scholarships, track applications, and find matches tailored to your profile.
➡️ Log into Naviance via your Student Portal. 

➡️ Select Colleges at the top. You will see scholarship search option on the right side of the dropdown.   

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🌟 Featured National Scholarship Programs

• College Board BigFuture Scholarships – Earn scholarships just by planning for college!

• Study.com Student Scholarships – Browse over 100 targeted scholarships for different majors, backgrounds, and interests.

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⚠️ Watch Out: Scholarship Scams

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Avoid services that “guarantee” scholarships or charge fees to apply.
Helpful Read:

• Can You Spot a Scholarship Scam?

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🧭 Scholarship Search Engines

These trusted websites are great for casting a wider net:

• Tuition Funding Sources (via Wells Fargo – free and easy to use)

• Fastweb

• Scholarships.com

• College Board Scholarship Search

• CollegeNet

• Sallie Mae Scholarship Search

• FinAid

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🎯 Specific Scholarships & Targeted Opportunities

• Dell Scholars Program

• Scholarships for Students with Disabilities

• National Merit Scholarships (via the PSAT/NMSQT)

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🎖️ Military-Connected Scholarships

• Financial Aid for Military Careers

• Texas Military & Veterans College Opportunities

• Hazlewood Exemption (Texas Veterans & Dependents)

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💬 Found a broken link or a scholarship we should add? Let us know! Keeping this list accurate and helpful is a team effort.

💰 Grants & FAFSA: Your Gateway to Financial Aid

One application. Lots of possibilities.

Each year, students can access federal, state, and institutional financial aid just by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Whether you're applying for grants, scholarships, or need-based aid from colleges, FAFSA is the key that unlocks it all.

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📅 Key FAFSA Dates & Tips

• FAFSA typically opens in December of your senior year (due to recent updates to the federal process).

• The Texas priority deadline is March 15, but applying earlier gives you a better shot at limited state and campus-based funds.

• Grants are not guaranteed—even if you qualify—so apply early and respond quickly to any requests for additional information from colleges.

• Your eligibility is based in part on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), determined by your FAFSA responses.

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✅ Reminder: Graduation Requirement

Texas law requires every senior to do one of the following:

• Submit the FAFSA

• Submit the TASFA (for undocumented students or those who are not eligible for federal aid)

• Submit a Financial Aid Opt-Out Form

📄 Need help with this step? Visit our CCMR Graduation Requirements page for forms and instructions.

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📚 FAFSA & TASFA Support

• FAFSA Resources – Step-by-step guides and how-to videos

• TASFA Resources – Instructions and forms for Texas residents ineligible for FAFSA

• FAFSA FAQs – Answers to common questions, including:
  "Am I a dependent or independent student?" 👉 Learn more

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🎯 Grants to Know About

Grants = Free Money (no repayment required!)
If you qualify based on financial need, these programs may help cover your college costs:

• Federal Pell Grant

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

• Texas Grant Program

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🧠 More Resources for Smart Borrowing

These official tools and sites help you understand loans, repayment, and financial planning:

• StudentAid.gov – The go-to source for all things FAFSA and federal aid

• IBR Info – Learn about Income-Based Repayment plans

• StudentLoans.gov – For managing federal loans

• Expertise.com – Understand your loan options

• The Simple Dollar: Student Loan Consolidation – Consolidation explained in plain language

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💬 Questions? Reach out to your campus CCMR Facilitator or counselor for personalized support.

Education Benefits for Military Families

Honoring Service. Empowering Futures.

Children of Texas veterans, disabled veterans, and those who’ve received transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits may qualify for free tuition, housing allowances, and book stipends. These powerful programs are designed to thank our service members by investing in their families’ futures.

Explore your options and unlock the benefits you’ve earned:

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🎖️ Hazlewood Act – Texas Proud, Texas Strong

Provides up to 150 credit hours of free tuition at public colleges and universities in Texas for eligible veterans and their dependents.
🔗 Hazlewood Act – Texas Veterans Commission

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🦅 Post-9/11 GI Bill® – Transferred Benefits

Veterans can transfer unused education benefits to their children or spouses. These include tuition, housing, and textbook support at most colleges and universities.
🔗 Transferred GI Bill® Benefits

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⭐ Chapter 35 (DEA) – Survivors & Dependents Educational Assistance

This program offers education and training benefits to dependents of veterans who are permanently disabled, MIA, or who died in the line of duty.
🔗 VA Chapter 35 Benefits

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📘 Military Scholarships

Don’t miss out on scholarships designed just for dependents of service members. This page offers helpful guidance on how to find and apply:
🔗 Study.com – Scholarships for Military Dependents

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🎓 Have questions?
Reach out to your school’s College & Career Facilitator or counselor—we’re here to help you maximize every opportunity.

🎓 College Application Fee Waivers

College dreams shouldn’t come with a price tag—at least not before you're admitted. Many students are eligible to apply to colleges for free using fee waivers. Here’s what you need to know:

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💰 Who Accepts Fee Waivers?

• Most two-year/community colleges don’t charge an application fee—no waiver needed!

• Many four-year colleges and universities accept fee waivers from:

  • The College Board (SAT)

  • The ACT

  • The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)

✅ When you’re filling out an application, many colleges will list “Fee Waiver” as a payment option.
📞 Still unsure? Contact the admissions office or check with your school counselor.

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📋 Who’s Eligible?

You may qualify for a college application fee waiver if:

• You received a SAT or ACT test fee waiver.

• You qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

• Your family meets certain income eligibility guidelines.

• You’re part of an educational support program like AVID, Upward Bound, or TRIO.

If the application fee would create a financial hardship, you’re likely eligible.

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🧾 Types of College Application Fee Waivers

📝 College Board (SAT) Fee Waivers

• If you took the SAT with a fee waiver, you automatically qualify for up to four college application fee waivers.

• These waivers are available in your College Board account during your senior year—no counselor signature needed!

• 💻 More info + list of colleges that accept College Board waivers

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🧾 ACT Fee Waivers

• If you were eligible for an ACT test fee waiver, you can also request college application fee waivers.

• Your school counselor can help complete and sign the ACT Request for Waiver form.

• 📘 ACT Fee Waiver Info – ACT Educator Handbook

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🧾 NACAC Fee Waivers

• Available to students who meet any one of several eligibility criteria (income, program participation, etc.).

• Requires student and counselor/TRIO verification.

• Recommended limit: up to four colleges.

• 📄 Download the NACAC Fee Waiver Form

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🧠 Final Tip:

Fee waiver policies can vary by college. If you’re ever unsure, don’t guess—ask your school counselor or contact the college’s admissions office directly. They’re happy to help!