CATALINA FOOTHILLS SCHOOL DISTRICT

Counselors present bi-annual ECAP (Education and Career Action Plan) lessons to students through their English classes.   ECAP has four components:  

• Academic:  Planning to meet high school graduation requirements, plan coursework to explore interests and prepare for post-secondary education goals
• Careers:   Exploring careers through personal surveys of interests, values, and skills; and researching career opportunities (tasks, skills and knowledge, expected wages, preparation requirements, etc.) through MaiaLearning.
• Post-secondary Planning:  Exploring options for college (including universities, community college, technical training programs), understanding admissions requirements (including SAT/ACT testing) and financial aid, reviewing the application process. Extracurricular:  Encouraging involvement in clubs, sports, fine arts, and civic activities and keeping an activities record.

The annual schedule of ECAP sessions is as follows:

• Freshman Fall ~ ECAP overview, MaiaLearning introduction, academic and career exploration through Personality Profiler Survey.   
• Freshman Spring ~ Academic planning, four-year plan, intro college exploration
• Sophomore Fall ~ Continue career exploration through Personality and Interest Inventories.
• Sophomore Spring ~ Academic planning, college exploration
• Junior Fall ~ Activity resume’ update, career exploration, testing. 
• Junior Spring ~ Academic planning/credit check, college exploration, testing.
• Senior Fall ~ College application overview including recommendations, college visits, financial aid, etc.   
• Senior Spring (senior meetings) ~ college admissions next steps, final transcripts, etc.
   

CFHS uses a web-based tool called MaiaLearning (aka “Maia”) to support ECAP goals and implementation.  Maia has several information tabs and each student has their own account.   Maia is an amazing tool and students are encouraged to review ECAP lessons with their parents.   The primary applications of Maia include:

• Student Profile ~ Student GPA and PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP test scores are loaded into Maia for student reference.   Interested students can also use Maia Portfolio or Notes functions.   Survey results (career, activity log, and other) can be accessed from the Career Plan and Academic Plan tabs.
• Careers ~ Through Maia, students may explore careers either through entering a particular job title, a general occupational field, or completing a personal survey of likes/dislikes/skills/etc.   Each career area provides an overview of the identified profession and related occupations, the related colleges majors and the colleges that offer those majors, descriptors of the knowledge and skills required and the tasks and activities for that job, as well as a state-by-state average wage chart. 
• Colleges ~ Maia maintains a current database of American and international universities.   Students may research colleges based on major, geographic region, size, and many other factors.   Information includes admissions criteria (including average GPA and test scores), cost, size, campus demographics, etc. and links to college websites.  As juniors and seniors, students will enter “Colleges Considering” and, ultimately, “Colleges 
• Applying” in their Maia account.   Seniors will request transcripts and school reports be sent to their colleges of choice through Maia.
  
  

The Pima JTED Career and Technical Education District offers premier, tuition-free CTE  programs to sophomores, juniors and seniors from public, private, and charter schools as well as home-schooled students, and students who have not earned a diploma or GED who are under the age of 22. 

Classes are held at a central JTED campus or through a satellite location at a designated public high school. Program areas include Business, Arts & Design (Accounting, Management/Operations, Fashion Design, etc.); Industrial Technologies (Automotive, Aviation, and Construction Technologies; Carpentry, HVAC, Drafting, Welding, etc.); Computers & Media (Animation, Computer Maintenance, etc.); Hospitality, Education & Human Services (Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Early Childhood Education, etc.); and Health Science (Dental Assisting, EMT, Licensed Nursing Assistant - LNA, Medical Records Technology, etc.) 

Pima JTED Website

CFHS (on campus) Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways and certification programs:

• Technical Theatre
• Graphic Design
• Digital Photography
• Film & TV
• Business Management
• Bioscience
• Sports Medicine
• Software Programming & App Design
• Engineering

Learn more about each program here.

CFHS Fall College Fair - check Google Classroom, Parent Square, and @cfhs.counseling for updates
Arizona College Consortium College Fair @ CFHS 
National Association of College Admission Counseling Phoenix College Fair  
Tucson College Night @ Tucson Convention Center 

College Representative Visits:  Ongoing. A schedule can be found in MaiaLearning under the Events page.  It is also posted outside the Counseling office and in the weekly Falcon Flash.  If the visit is during class time, students must request permission from their teacher 24 hours in advance of any affected class.

• MaiaLearning - MaiaLearning is CFHS' dedicated college and career platform. It is an excellent resource for college matching, college and career exploration, and scholarship searches.
• KhanAcademy - Unit: Applying to College
• Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE/WICHE) -  provides the opportunity for students to attend a public college, at the undergraduate level outside Arizona, at a reduced level of tuition (150% of the host institution's resident tuition.)  The WICHE member states are:  Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
• University of Arizona's Bridge Program - 2+2 programs allow students to complete two years at their community college and finish their degree in two years at the University of Arizona.

Institutional Merit Scholarships: 

The number one source of financial aid/scholarships comes from the school the student is attending.  Colleges often offer merit scholarships to incoming freshmen who meet certain academic standards (usually a combination of GPA, strength of high school curriculum, SAT/ACT test scores).  These are often part of the admissions application (e.g., UA Wildcat Excellence Scholarship), but sometimes you have to complete a separate scholarship application.  Specific academic departments often have scholarships (e.g. the “XYZ Memorial Scholarship for Nursing”).  These often aren't available to underclassmen but should be checked out for soph/jr/sr years with the college or program the student is in (e.g., College of Nursing, Education, Agriculture, etc).  Find scholarship information on the school's website under scholarship or financial aid search.  (Check out scholarshipuniverse.arizona.edu for UA scholarships.)

Other Scholarships:

• The second most-likely source of scholarship money is through family affiliation with certain programs.  Oftentimes employers have scholarship programs for dependents of employees (e.g., Raytheon, Jim Click Ford).   Churches/Religious organizations often have scholarships available to members.   Fraternal organizations such as the Elks or Masons or Rotary Clubs often have scholarships, as do some professional organizations (Association of Stenographers, Fraternal Order of Police, etc.).   If affiliated, Scouting programs and the like would also be avenues to explore.   Students of certain heritage can check out cultural organizations (Celtic, Hispanic, Native American, "Descendent of ...."  etc.) through google searches.

• Students also might register with www.fastweb.com, which purports to be the largest internet scholarship database.   You sign up, enter some information, and then get periodic emails about scholarships for which you may qualify.   These scholarships require applications, often an essay or artwork or other, which is made clear in the scholarship description.

• Other examples of search engine websites: MaiaLearning, SallieMae, Scholarships.com, Big Future/College Board, Road2College.

Suggestion:  Create a separate email account for scholarship notifications so your primary mailbox doesn’t get overwhelmed.

Note:  Because there are so many scholarship programs throughout the country, it takes time to explore and find matches and deadlines, and then complete the applications, essays, etc.  It can certainly pay off, however, for a motivated and qualified student.  

Caution: Companies that charge money to do scholarship research for you or who “guarantee” scholarship offers are scams.  Scholarship searches are meant to be FREE and should have no fee attached.  Also, more and more scholarship programs are tied to marketing and are similar to a lottery.  More info on scholarship scams can be found at finaid.org/scholarships/scams.phtml.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2025-26 school year FAFSA will fully open by Dec. 1, 2024. Families are encouraged to apply early, as many schools have priority deadlines. (The sooner you complete the FAFSA, the sooner you’ll know about your financial aid package.) Students must first create an FSA ID and then fill out the FAFSA application once the FSA ID is generated. 

Be sure to enter the college codes for the colleges you want the information released to.   After the government processes your info, you'll be sent information regarding your calculated Student Aid Index (SAI) for college expenses for the upcoming year.   Each school to which you requested the information released will then soon send you a student aid report (SAR) with the need-based financial aid package (any grants, loans, and/or work study) for which you qualify. 

Useful Resources:

• Arizona FAFSA Hotline: A service for parents and students to call in to a live person Monday-Friday 8am-5pm and receive support on FAFSA or college enrollment. This service is available in English (1-833-AzFAFSA) and Spanish (1-833-MiFAFSA) and is staffed by higher ed and college access experts.
• Chat with an expert from the FAFSA webpage 
• Financial Aid To-Do List

• Dorrance - Provides academic and financial support to Arizona's first-generation college students
• Flinn Foundation Scholarship - Highly competitive merit-based scholarship for high-achieving students who plan to attend one of the three in-state schools. 
• Coca-Cola Scholars Program Scholarship - The Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. 
• Horatio Alger Association Scholarships - Horatio Alger Scholarship Programs specifically assist high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. While many programs are directed primarily to recognizing academic achievement or leadership potential, the Horatio Alger Association seeks students who have exhibited determination, integrity, and perseverance in overcoming adversity, as well as have critical financial need.
• Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship - Available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation's best four-year colleges and universities.
• College Board Opportunity Scholarships - Scholarship program open to all students and it doesn't require an essay, application, or minimum GPA. Instead, it rewards your effort and initiative. Complete key steps along your path to college for a chance to earn scholarships.
• Cameron Impact Scholarship: Merit-based undergraduate scholarship for incomparable individuals who have the ability to make real, tangible contributions to their families, friends, and the greater society. 

Air Force

Website: Air Force Website

What to Know: The United States Air Force is the aerial and space warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the five branches of the United States Armed Forces, and one of the seven American uniformed services.

Army

Website: Army Website

What to Know: The United States Army is the land warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.
 

Marines

Website: Marines Website

What to Know: The United States Marine Corps, also referred to as the United States Marines, is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations with the United States Navy as well as the Army and Air Force.

National Guard

Website: National Guard Website

What to Know: The United States National Guard, also commonly referred to as the National Guard, is part of the reserve components of the United States Armed Forces.

Navy

Website: Navy Website

What to Know: The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States.

Coast Guard

Website: US Coast Guard Website

What to Know: The United States Coast Guard is the coastal defense and maritime law enforcement branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's seven uniformed services.

The United States service academies, also known as the United States military academies, are federal academies for the undergraduate education and training of commissioned officers for the United States Armed Forces.  There are five U.S. service academies. See your School Counselor for guidance, questions, and more information.   

US Military Academy

Website: US Military Academy: West Point Website

Location: West Point, New York

What to Know: The U.S. Military Academy at West Point's mission is "to educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army

US Naval Academy

Website: US Naval Academy Website

Location: Annapolis, Maryland

What to Know: As the undergraduate college of our country’s naval service, the Naval Academy prepares young men and women to become professional officers of competence, character, and compassion in the U.S. Navy & Marine Corps.  Naval Academy students are midshipmen on active duty in the U.S. Navy. They attend the academy for four years, graduating with bachelor of science degrees and commissions as ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps.  Naval Academy graduates serve at least five years in the Navy or Marine Corps. 

US Air Force Academy

Website: US Air Force Academy Website

Location: Colorado Springs, CO

What to Know: The role of the USAFA is to educate, train, and inspire men and women to become officers of character motivated to lead the United States Air Force in service to our nation.

US Coast Guard Academy

Website: US Coast Guard Academy Website

Location: New London, Connecticut

What to Know: The United States Coast Guard Academy is the service academy of the United States Coast Guard, founded in 1876 and located in New London, Connecticut. It is the second smallest of the five federal service academies and provides education to future Coast Guard officers in one of nine major fields of study.

US Merchant Marine Academy

Website: US Merchant Marine Academy

Location: Kings Point, NY

What to Know: The US Merchant Marine Academy is charged with training officers for the United States Merchant Marine, branches of the military, and the transportation industry. Midshipmen (as students at the academy are called) are trained in marine engineering, navigation, ship's administration, maritime law, personnel management, international law, customs, and many other subjects important to the task of running a large ship.

New Mexico Military Institute

Virginia Military Institute

Medical Career Pathways

- Health Professions Scholarship Program 
- US Air Force Healthcare Careers

The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a college program offered at more than 1,700 colleges and universities across the United States that prepares young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military.

ROTC branches: Army, Navy & Air Force

Click here to learn more about ROTC options.