STEP Application

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STEP

Welcome to the STEP College-Prep Program application portal!

 

Student Qualifications – you must meet all qualifications to apply

·         Sophomore in High School

·         Un-weighted GPA of 3.6 or higher

·         Currently taking multiple Honors classes and on track to take AP/IB next year

·         Low income household

·         First generation to college - Neither parent has a 4-year degree (Bachelor’s or higher)

 

Note - we recommend you plan ahead to work on your application over a number of sessions. SAVE YOUR PROGRESS and return to the application to continue, you will likely not finish it in one sitting. 


A Complete Application includes:

Part ONE: Student portion - Student submits through this application portal

·         Application and essay responses

·         Recommender names and emails (we require TWO recommendations, from teachers in core subjects) Students input teacher names and emails into the application and STEP will send teachers an online form to complete.

Part TWO: Supporting documents – STEP will reach out to high school counselors to college these documents on all applicants.

·         Transcript

·         Current progress report

·         Final semester grades for sophomore fall semester

 

Application tips

·         We strongly recommend you use a computer (not a phone or tablet) to complete this application

·         Use the ‘next’ and ‘previous’ buttons to move through this application

·         SAVE your progress and return later, don’t try and do it in one sitting

·         Answer all questions

·         SPEND TIME and write quality essay responses, they are a majority of your application

·         Craft and edit your essays outside this application then paste in final versions

·         Proofred, Proofreeed, PROOFREAD your essays!


DO NOT USE AI TO WRITE YOUR ESSAYS 

 

APPLICATION DUE DATE: November 21, 2026 (by 11:59pm)

 

Email us at step@stepexpedition.org if you have questions about this application

Page 2

Applicant (Student) Information





Please enter date in MM/DD/YYYY format








Phoenix includes all locations near or in the larger Phoenix metropolitan area - includes Tolleson, Chandler, Glendale etc. Tuscon includes all locations near or in the larger Tucson metropolitan area - includes Rio Rico, Marana, Vail AND Casa Grande.
We need ways to contact you directly! Please enter your student cell phone number (if you have one) and your personal email.





STEP will primarily use email to correspond with students. Provide us with a PERSONAL email that is checked REGULARLY.


We will be emailing our final decision on your application by the end of January or first week of February. We may also be contacting you via email for an interview. Please check your email regularly during this time including your spam and promotions folders. 

Page 3



Family Members
Please enter family members who have participated in STEP and their relationship to you.






We need to collect info on both biological parents – please fill this out as completely as you can.



Please include this person's contact info in the Guardian section below.
Mother Information










Please give name of company or, if applicable, record unemployed, self-employed, stay-at-home mom, etc.

Please give job title or short description of type of work.

Ask your mother what her total yearly income is. Enter 0 if she doesn't work.


Father Information










Please give name of company or, if applicable, record unemployed, self-employed, stay-at-home mom, etc.

Please give job title or short description of type of work.

Ask your father what his total yearly income is. Enter 0 if he doesn't work.


Guardian Information











Please give name of company or, if applicable, record unemployed, self-employed, stay-at-home mom, etc.

Please give job title or short description of type of work.


Household Size

This number should include everyone including you, siblings, your parent(s) and other dependents. (If two households, list the total number supported in both households)

If both parents work, please add both incomes together to come up with the total, even if your parents are separated.
Student Citizenship



We keep all information you provide us regarding your citizenship confidential. We use information collected regarding citizenship for the sole purpose of being able to answer your questions, advise you on college options, and help you and your parents through the financial aid process. We do not share this information with any third party. 
Student Ethnicity

Hold the control key to select multiple ethnicities.


Parent Education



Bachelors, Masters, PhD, MD, JD, etc.


Additional English Speaking Adult Contact






Page 4

Education and Academic Information (Student) 



This will flag you as not eligible if you enter grade 9 or 11.








This is required in order to apply to STEP
IMPORTANT
Granting access to your grades is required in order to apply to STEP.  If permission is not granted, then your application will be incomplete and your application will not be considered for the STEP program.

Hold the control key to select multiple entires.

Hold the control key to select multiple entiries.






We REQUIRE TWO recommendations.  These should be from two of your high school teachers in CORE SUBJECTS (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Foreign Language).  

 You can identify up to 2 additional recommenders, but this is not required.

Recommender 1




Recommender 2





Two recommendations are required. Any additional recommendations are optional
Additional Recommendations




 


We highly recommend that you STOP and SAVE before continuing with the application.  

Click "Save my progress and resume later" below.  This will take you to a screen where you'll need to enter your e-mail address and a password for this application and then click on "SAVE".  (Please record your password in a safe place so you can retrieve it if you forget.)  From there you can continue filling out the application or log out and return later.

Remember to save frequently as you continue working on your application.  Click on "Save my progress and resume later" below.

Page 5

Essay Questions

 

Your responses to these questions are the core of your application.  Please provide a well thought out and well developed response to each question. 

Please double check your answers for grammar and spelling.

We suggest that you construct your essays in a word processing program (Microsoft Word/Google Drive etc.) and cut and paste them into the available spaces below.


DO NOT USE AI/ChatGPT or any other digital content generator to write these essays. 

 










Extracurricular Activities and Family Responsibilities

Below please provide-

•      Your extracurricular activities and the average number of hours per week you spend on each activity.

•      Please include ALL activities that take up your time outside of class, including sibling/family care-giving, translation for family members, work, clubs, sports, band, choir, volunteering. Provide any details needed for clarity.

•      All leadership positions you've held in the last two years (both in school and outside of school).  Give time frame for each (e.g. half of my freshman year).


Activities




Enter month/day/year or month/year

If this activity is ongoing please enter 'ongoing', otherwise enter the month/day/year or month/year.




Page 6

I hereby certify that all of the information provided in this application is true.

NOTE: Both a student and parent (legal guardian) electronic (typed) signature are required below 





In order to submit your application, complete these FOUR steps:
  1. Hit the Review button below
  2. Review the entire next page
  3. If you need to edit, click Make a Correction at the bottom of the page.
  4. Once no other edits are needed, then click Confirm at the bottom.
Your application will not be submitted unless you hit CONFIRM on the next page.
You will receive an email if you have successfully submitted your application. If you DO NOT recieve that email, your application has not been successfully submitted.
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