Welcome!

Thank you for your interest in the myOptions program! We are excited to work with you and our family of education partners.  If you’re one of the tens of thousands of educators who participate annually, thank you and welcome back!

If you are new to myOptions, we encourage you to read through the program highlights below as well as browse more detail in our FAQ section.

What is myOptions?

myOptions, part of a non-profit organization, is the nation’s largest no-cost voluntary college and career planning program. myOptions started with the belief that every student should be encouraged on their journey to college and career success. As a team of former educators and counselors, we’ve been committed to building a path for students to achieve their dreams for over 40 years.

Since then, myOptions has continued to provide valuable tools and resources to millions of students, their parents, and high school faculty and staff nationwide.

 

Our Partner Organizations

Through our partnerships and your participation we:

Serve more students while meeting them where they are  –  Enable educators to ignite growth in their students  –  Help organizations fulfill their mission to help students achieve their college dreams and career goals  –  Allow partner organizations and teachers to shine a light on students and teachers needs in post secondary planning.

 

Benefits to Students

Set up a no-cost myOptions account to get customized college matches and scholarship opportunities.

  • Build a balanced list and engage with a personalized college and scholarship search using our unique matching algorithm.
  • Understand the critical steps in the college planning process.
  • Access hundreds of advice articles on important college and career topics.

 

Benefits to Educators

Set up an account on myOptions Encourage™, a no-cost technology platform for secondary educators to guide students in their post-secondary journeys to college and career success.

  • Analyze trends and summary reports on the college and career interests at the student level, school level, and district level.
  • Access our renowned Eduventures® Research Library as well as data on national trends.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the survey initiative within the myOptions program work?

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We strive to make the process as quick and simple as possible for you and your students to participate.  The student survey is voluntary for your students. Our team initiates outreach to educators annually with an invitation to participate. This starts with our team mailing a package to you!

  • Your myOptions package will arrive at your school at the start of the academic year and contain paper survey forms for students and an “Educator Questionnaire” for educators to complete.
  • Once you have scheduled time to share with students, distribute the forms to the students and give them 10-15 minutes to complete. Participation is strictly voluntary.
  • Collect and return the completed forms in the postage-paid materials provided in the package.
  • To request additional forms, a new package or to receive a link to the online student survey, contact

What happens after my students complete the survey?

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Your students will receive an email soon after they complete the survey to activate their myOptions account. Once your student activates their account, they are ready to plan!

Educators will receive a small series of emails inviting you to activate your no-cost myOptions Encourage account to view your reports and connect with students. Once you activate your account you are ready to go! 

How much does it cost to participate?

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myOptions is a no-cost program serving students and educators nationwide. myOptions is part of the larger ACT family, a non-profit organization. At ACT | NRCCUA, our mission is to inspire lifelong learning and career success. We’re able to reinvest our higher education membership fees back into the myOptions programs, so students will be able to access our tools, guidance, and advice at no cost.

How is the privacy of students protected?

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Students will receive information relevant to their post-secondary plans while ensuring that their privacy is protected in strict accordance with federal guidelines. Student information is used only for educational purposes. No student data is released to commercial marketers. Compliance is maintained through a compliance officer who evaluates all requests for use of the data to ensure that student information is only being used under federal guidelines. In addition, an independent Advisory Council provides oversight to make sure that all practices follow the approved guidelines.

Who will have access to the students’ personal information?

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Besides receiving communications from myOptions, students who participate can expect to hear directly from colleges and universities, suited to their interests and selected through a unique matching algorthm, as well as educational and career service providers offering products and services such as college admissions services, financial aid, career information, extracurricular enrichment and recognition programs. Student data is strictly protected and will not be made available to any company or marketing service that does not provide educational information or assistance.

Is parental consent required?

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Parental consent is not required because it is a voluntary program and students’ personal information is not released to commercial marketers offering to sell non-education-related products and services.

Is participation mandatory?

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Student participate voluntarily and at no cost, enabling them to receive information which is related to their educational needs and helps them plan for the future. The most important benefit of participating is the information that students and their families will receive from suitable colleges and universities.

Which grades should participate?

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The student forms are intended for distribution to all 9th, 10th and 11th grade students and any 12th graders still needing assistance in selecting a college education. We also encourage 8th graders to participate as many educational organizations and the U.S. Department of Education recommend that college readiness should begin in middle school. Students must be at least 13 years old to fully participate in this voluntary program.