Guam Scholars

This is general planning guidance, not a personal plan. Courses, testing rules, college requirements, scholarship deadlines, and program eligibility can change. Confirm current details with official providers and speak with your school counselor or another trusted adult about your own situation.

Focus on learning, interests, and habits—not having every future decision figured out.

• Notice what interests you. Pay attention to subjects, activities, communities, and problems you care about. Discuss ideas with a counselor, teacher, parent/guardian, or another trusted adult.
• Discuss next-year courses and activities. Early choices are easier when you understand your school’s options and graduation path.
• Try meaningful activities. Clubs, service, sports, leadership, creative work, STEM, and school events can all help you build skills and confidence. Explore current Programs and Competitions.
• Start a private activity record. Keep track of activities, awards, service, jobs, projects, and responsibilities in a notebook, document, or spreadsheet you control. Do not upload personal records to Guam Scholars.
• Use part of the summer to explore an interest. Reading, service, a project, work, a program, or another realistic activity can help you learn what fits. Check current Programs and Competitions.

Build on what you have learned, keep your options open, and begin exploring what could fit after high school.

• Review your course plan and progress. Check with a counselor, teacher, or trusted adult to see whether next-year courses support your interests and goals.
• Continue, deepen, or broaden your involvement. You can build on an activity you value or try something new. Explore current Programs and Competitions.
• Keep your activity record current. A current private record can make later applications and recommendation requests less stressful.
• Explore possible paths after high school. Learn about on-island and off-island education, training, and career options that interest you. Start with College/University.
• Notice future opportunities. Some scholarships and programs may fit older students or return in later cycles. Browse Scholarships and Programs, and always verify current eligibility.
• Plan a realistic summer experience. Work, service, projects, programs, and skill-building can all be meaningful. Check current Programs.

Start turning interests into a realistic plan for senior year and life after graduation.

• Check your graduation plan and next-year courses. Meet with your counselor about possible college, career, military, training, or work pathways. Confirm individual requirements directly with each school or program.
• Build an initial list of options. Research on-island and off-island choices that fit your interests, needs, and budget. See College/University and its financial-aid guidance.
• Start a private tracker. Keep possible schools, programs, scholarships, documents, and questions in one notebook, document, or spreadsheet. Guam Scholars does not collect or store it.
• Make a testing plan only after checking requirements. Testing policies differ by school and program. See Standardized Tests and confirm official current requirements.
• Keep building meaningful experience. Continue activities, service, work, projects, leadership, and summer opportunities that matter to you. Explore Programs and Competitions.
• Prepare for senior year early. Use the summer to refine your tracker, explore an interest, and begin checking next-year application requirements where appropriate.
• Identify possible recommenders. Think about adults who know your work well. Check each application’s official requirements before asking for a recommendation.

Use a written deadline list, start early, and verify every requirement directly with the provider.

• Confirm your graduation plan and final options. Review college, career, training, military, or work choices with a counselor or trusted adult. Start with College/University, then visit each official provider.
• Request documents early. Ask for transcripts, recommendations, and school documents well before each provider deadline.
• Keep one private deadline and document tracker. Include applications, scholarships, transcripts, recommendations, and financial aid. Update it from official provider pages; Guam Scholars does not collect or store it.
• Submit applications by the provider’s actual deadline. Use Scholarships, Programs, College/University, and the official FAFSA website as starting points.
• Compare offers carefully before committing. Costs, aid, loans, program fit, and next steps can differ. Ask each school’s financial-aid office questions when needed.
• Finish strong through graduation. Final grades, attendance, and completion requirements can still matter to providers. Confirm any conditions directly.

• Scholarships — find funding opportunities and check current eligibility directly with providers.
• Programs — explore enrichment, leadership, STEM, career, and summer experiences.
• Competitions — look for academic, creative, and technical contests.
• Standardized Tests — understand SAT, ACT, ASVAB, and other testing decisions.
• College/University — learn about on-island and off-island applications, the Common App, FAFSA, and college planning.

If you are considering college athletics, portfolio or audition-based programs, service academies, military education pathways, or another specialized route, research the official requirements early and discuss your plan with a counselor or qualified program contact. Requirements can be more specific than a general college checklist.