We are excited about the 2026-2027 school year and look forward to a great time at Jordan Vocational High School College and Career Academy. We are here to assist you with planning your high school path, investigating careers, college & scholarship applications, individual & group counseling, educational resources, and more.
Students are assigned to counselors based on their Academies (Freshman, THS, & IES). Our counseling office is open daily from 8:15am – 4:00pm. Students can request an appointment with their counselor via email. Parents can also schedule a meeting with a counselor via email or phone at 706-748-2819.
~~ Guidance News You Can Use ~~
9th Grade — Start Strong
Freshman year begins your official high school record. Grades, attendance, course choices, and involvement during 9th grade can affect graduation, college admission, and eligibility for Georgia financial aid programs.
9th Grade Priorities
- Create a GAfutures account using your full legal name and select the correct high school.
- Learn your school’s graduation requirements and begin tracking progress toward the required 25 credits.
- Understand that grades earned beginning in 9th grade can affect your HOPE Scholarship GPA.
- Develop strong study, organization, attendance, and time-management habits.
- Ask teachers and counselors for academic help early when needed.
- Explore careers, college majors, technical programs, military options, and other postsecondary pathways.
- Get involved in clubs, athletics, fine arts, CTAE organizations, community service, leadership, or other meaningful activities.
- Begin keeping a record of activities, awards, leadership positions, employment, and volunteer hours.
- Talk with your counselor about Honors, AP, Dual Enrollment, CTAE pathways, and other advanced-course opportunities for future years.
10th Grade — Explore & Prepare
Sophomore year is the time to build on your freshman foundation and begin making more intentional decisions about academics, college, careers, and future opportunities.
10th Grade Priorities
- Review your transcript and make sure you are progressing toward the 25-credit graduation requirement.
- Log in to GAfutures and begin monitoring your HOPE GPA and academic rigor credits.
- Learn the current eligibility requirements for the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships.
- Continue taking appropriately challenging courses and maintain strong grades.
- Explore careers and college majors that match your interests, strengths, and goals.
- Begin researching colleges, universities, and technical colleges and learn their admission requirements.
- Discuss Dual Enrollment opportunities with your counselor and determine whether they fit your academic plan.
- Become familiar with the ACT and SAT. Take the PSAT or other available practice assessments when offered.
- Continue building your resume through activities, leadership, service, employment, and awards.
- Meet with your counselor when planning junior-year courses so your schedule supports graduation and postsecondary goals.
11th Grade — Plan & Prepare
Junior year is a major college and career planning year. Students should begin narrowing their options, preparing for admission testing, and becoming familiar with the application and financial-aid process.
11th Grade Priorities
- Review your transcript with your counselor and confirm that you are on track to earn the required 25 credits.
- Check your HOPE GPA and rigor credits through GAfutures.
- Prepare for and take the ACT and/or SAT. Retest when appropriate based on your goals.
- Research colleges, universities, technical colleges, apprenticeships, military opportunities, and career pathways.
- Attend college fairs, campus visits, information sessions, and career events when possible.
- Learn the admission requirements, GPA expectations, test policies, and deadlines for schools you are considering.
- Develop a balanced college list that includes realistic, target, and more competitive options.
- Research scholarships and understand HOPE and Zell Miller eligibility requirements.
- Continue meaningful extracurricular involvement, leadership, community service, and/or employment.
- Create or update a student resume that includes activities, honors, awards, employment, service, and leadership.
- Begin identifying teachers, counselors, coaches, or other adults who may be appropriate recommendation writers.
- Plan a strong senior-year schedule. Colleges may consider the rigor of senior-year coursework.
- Become familiar with GEORGIA MATCH and other Georgia college-planning resources.
12th Grade — Apply, Complete & Graduate
Senior year is the time to put your plan into action. Deadlines matter. Students should check school email, counseling announcements, GAfutures, and college portals regularly.
12th Grade Priorities
- Review your transcript and graduation status with your counselor. Confirm that you are on track to earn all 25 required credits.
- Continue monitoring your HOPE/Zell Miller GPA and rigor requirements through GAfutures.
- Review GEORGIA MATCH information and other Georgia postsecondary opportunities.
- Finalize your college, technical college, military, apprenticeship, employment, or career plan.
- Complete college applications and pay close attention to Early Action, Early Decision, priority, scholarship, and regular admission deadlines.
- Request transcripts according to your school’s procedures.
- Request recommendation letters well before deadlines when they are required.
- Take or retake the ACT/SAT when appropriate for admission or scholarship purposes.
- Apply for institutional, local, state, national, and community scholarships.
- Complete the FAFSA when available and complete the GSFAPP when appropriate for Georgia state financial aid.
- Regularly check college application portals for missing documents and admission decisions.
- Compare financial-aid and scholarship offers carefully before making a final college decision.
- Complete required enrollment steps, deposits, housing forms, orientation registration, and other college requirements by the stated deadlines.
- Request/send your final transcript after graduation when required.
- Finish senior year strong. Colleges can review final grades and may reconsider admission if academic performance drops significantly.
HOPE Scholarships and Grants
HOPE – Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally – is Georgia’s unique scholarship and grant program that rewards students with financial assistance in degree, diploma, and certificate programs at eligible Georgia public and private colleges and universities, and public technical colleges.
HOPE is funded entirely by the Georgia Lottery for Education, which also funds Georgia’s statewide prekindergarten program. Since the HOPE Program began in 1993, over $6.4 billion in HOPE funds have been awarded to more than 1.5 million students attending Georgia’s colleges, universities, and technical colleges. You can benefit from HOPE in several ways.
The HOPE Scholarship, Zell Miller Scholarship and HOPE Grant pay a certain amount for tuition. The amount of the award depends on the type of school the student is attending, the number of credit hours the student is enrolled in, and the specific rates of the college. For a complete listing of eligibility requirements, please review the individual HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant, or HOPE GED Grant program regulations. Click Here for more information.
Hope Scholarship
The HOPE Scholarship program is for students that have demonstrated academic achievement and that are seeking a college degree. There are several ways to become eligible for the HOPE Scholarship, either by graduating from high school as a HOPE Scholar or by earning it while in college. For more information, please review the HOPE Scholarship regulations.
Hope Grant
The HOPE Grant program is for students seeking a technical certification or diploma, regardless of the student’s high school grade point average or graduation date. For more information, please review the HOPE Grant regulations.
Zell Miller Scholarship
The Zell Miller Scholarship program is for students who have demonstrated academic achievement and that are seeking a college degree. Generally, to become eligible, a student must graduate from an eligible high school with a 3.70 GPA and a minimum score on the SAT/ACT. Students must also send their SAT/ACT scores to the Georgia Student Finance Commission. For more information, please review the Zell Miller Scholarship Regulations.
Hope GED Grant
Georgia’s HOPE GED Grant is available to students who earned a General Education Development (GED/high school equivalency) diploma awarded by the Technical College System of Georgia after June 30, 1993.
The Grant provides a one-time $500 HOPE award that can be used towards tuition, books, and other educational costs at an eligible public technical college or public or private college or university. Full-time enrollment is not required. Students must use their HOPE GED Grant award within 24 months of the date of their GED diploma.
For more information, please review the HOPE GED Grant regulations.
All four HOPE programs require students to meet basic requirements. An eligible student must:
- Meet HOPE’s U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements;
- Be a legal resident of Georgia;
- Meet enrollment requirements;
- Be registered with Selective Service, if required;
- Meet academic achievement standards required by the program or the college;
- Be in good standing on all student loans or other financial aid programs;
- Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
- Not have exceeded the maximum award limits for any HOPE program.
Financial Aid Resources
College can be expensive. It is important that you understand all of the resources that are available to you and your family. Below we have listed great resources to help you map out your financial aid plan. Always remember to check with each individual college regarding their available financial aid plans and scholarships. Remember, there is a difference between being able to get into a college and being able to afford it. Start having financial aid conversations with your family early in your college search process.
Keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive list of all scholarship opportunities available to you. You are encouraged to research other scholarship options through a variety of resources, including: scholarship search engines, colleges and universities, places of employment, and community organizations.