• Direct Admissions

    Direct Admissions proactively admits Idaho public high school seniors to the state’s public higher education institutions based on each student’s GPA and college entrance exam score.

    Learn more about the process so you can help your students and their families find the information they need to take advantage of this opportunity.

    Direct Admissions – Guide for Educators

    Direct Admissions – Guide for Families

    Direct Admissions – What do I do next? (Information for students)

    Direct Admissions: Frequently Asked Questions

  • Educator Resources

    There are many tools you can use to discuss college and career planning topics with your students and help them through the process. Here, we’ll  feature some of the best, current content available for your use, especially tools that have been developed with Idaho in mind.

    Next Steps Newsletter Archive

    Tools for Educators

    Take 5 – Education & Career Planning Activities 

    FAFSA Completion Portal

    Counselor Ambassador Program

  • Next Steps Checklists

    These checklists offer an overview of key milestones, tips and to-dos for students at each grade level. Make them available to both students and parents to help them identify and prioritize their most important steps toward graduation, college and career.

    8th Grade [English] [Spanish]

    9th Grade [English] [Spanish]

    10th Grade [English] [Spanish]

    11th Grade [English] [Spanish]

    12th Grade [English] [Spanish]

  • Getting Your Students to Ask the Right Questions

    These handy guides offer an overview of the most important things students should be thinking through before they talk with their counselors and teachers. Make them available to your students as a way to prepare for their next meeting with you.

    Talking to Your Counselor: 8th Grade [English] [Spanish]

    Talking to Your Counselor: 9th, 10th, 11th Grade
    [English] [Spanish]

    Talking to Your Counselor: 12th Grade [English] [Spanish]

  • Idaho State Board of Education Programs and Initiatives

    Get information about the College and Career Advising Program and other important topics from the Office of the State Board of Education.

    College and Career Advising Program

    College and Career Competencies

    College Application Week

  • Next Steps Marketing Toolkit

    To help you promote all that the Next Steps website has to offer students and families, we’ve developed a marketing toolkit that will help you spread the word at your school.  You can download the digital assets and the easy-to-print brochure here and start using them now.

    Next Steps Marketing Toolkit

  • Testing Tools & Study Tips

    These resources can be adapted for your classroom or shared directly with students and parents.

    SAT vs. ACT
    In Idaho, public school students are required to take college placement exams—either the SAT, ACT or Compass —before the end of their eleventh grade year. This resource offers an explanation of the key differences between these tests.

    PSAT Study Guide
    The redesigned PSAT/NMSQT and the PSAT 10 are tightly aligned with the rest of the tests in the SAT Suite of Assessments. Focusing on the content students learn in the classroom, they reflect strong instruction—in math, English language arts, science, history, and social studies—and relate directly to the skills research shows are essential for college and career.

    Free PSAT & SAT Practice Tools
    The Kahn Academy recently partnered with the College Board to provide free, online SAT practice tools. Parents and educators can even sign up to receive updates and track student progress!

    ACT Info and Study Tools for Students
    The ACT® test is a college entrance exam accepted and valued by all universities and colleges in the United States. The ACT is based on what students learn in high school and provides personalized information about their strengths for education and career planning.

    Basic Study Tips
    Check out these fundamental tactics for learning and honing study skills.