Senior College & Career Readiness

Senior CCR: Graduation, College, Career & Life After High School

Senior year is an exciting and important year. This page is here to help you stay on track for graduation and prepare for your next step after high school.

Whether your plan is college, technical school, an apprenticeship, the military, full-time work, or another pathway, your counselor and the Career Center are here to help you make a plan and finish strong.

1. Check Your Graduation Status

The first step of senior year is making sure you are on track to graduate.

Students should check:

Meet with your Schoool Counselor at the start of your senior year to go over:
- Required graduation credits
- Failed or missing classes
- CPA/graduation ceremony eligibility
- Credit recovery needs
- Current grades and attendance
- Any graduation requirement that still needs to be completed

Students can check their graduation progress in Focus by reviewing the GRAD tab. If something looks incorrect or confusing, please contact your counselor as soon as possible.

Do not wait until the end of the year to ask for help. The earlier you check, the more options you have.

2. Credit Recovery

If you failed a class that is required for graduation, you may need to complete credit recovery.

3. Choose Your Plan After High School

Every senior should have a plan for what comes next.

Your plan may include:

Utah College Directory
Apprenticeship / DWS Apprenticeships
Unions /
Military
Full-time employment
YouScience
My Next Move
Mission, service, or gap year with a plan
Certificate or training program

College does not only mean a four-year university. College can also mean technical training, certification programs, apprenticeships, or other education that prepares you for a career.

If you are not sure what you want to do yet, that is okay. Your counselor and the Career Center can help you explore your options.

4. Apply for College, Technical School, Training, or Work

Seniors should complete at least one application connected to their post-high school plan. This may include:

College application- can be completed during College Application Week (CAW)

When: October 26–30, 2026
Where: During English class

Technical college application
- When: October 26–30, 2026
- Where: During English class
Apprenticeship application
- If you need help please contact our Work Based Learning Specialist, Mrs. Stagg at (385) 646-6372 or via email: Email Mrs. Stagg.
Job application
Military contact or enlistment process
Training or certification program
Scholarship or program application

Keep track of usernames, passwords, deadlines, and application status. Use an email address you check regularly and make sure it is appropriate and professional.

5. Send Your Transcript Through Parchment

Parchment is the website students use to send official high school transcripts to colleges, universities, and some scholarship programs.

You may need to send a transcript when you:

Apply to college
Apply for scholarships
Need proof of high school grades
Need a final transcript after graduation

Seniors can usually send transcripts for free while they are still enrolled in high school. After graduation, there may be a fee.

Make sure you send your final transcript after graduation if your college, university, or program requires it.

6. FAFSA and Financial Aid

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is the form students complete to see if they qualify for grants, work-study, student loans, and some scholarships.

FAFSA is not only for students attending a four-year college. Many technical colleges, community colleges, and training programs also use FAFSA.

Need help with FAFSA? Attend

Students and families may need:

Student Social Security number, if applicable
Parent/guardian information, if required
Student and parent FSA ID
Tax information
A personal email address
List of schools or programs the student is considering

If you are not sure whether FAFSA applies to you, please ask your counselor or the Career Center. It is better to ask than to miss out on possible financial aid.

7. Scholarships

Scholarships are money that can help pay for college, technical school, or training. Scholarships do not usually need to be paid back.

Students should:

Check scholarship lists often
Apply early
Read requirements carefully
Ask for recommendation letters ahead of time
Keep track of deadlines
Apply for college-specific scholarships
Never pay money to apply for a scholarship

Scholarships can be based on grades, financial need, leadership, service, career interests, talents, community involvement, or personal background.

Even small scholarships can help.

8. Career and Technical Education Options

Not every student needs the same path after high school. Many students choose technical training, apprenticeships, certifications, or career programs that lead directly to employment.

Career and technical options may include: