Louisiana Senator Mary L. Landrieu recently announced that the TRIO Talent Search Program will give more than $4 million in grants to various programs, the News Star reports. For example, the University of Louisiana at Monroe was recently given $345,483 in grant money.

W. Wayne Brumfield, vice president for student affairs at the school, said that the TRIO Talent Search Program gives career, financial and academic support to low-income students in order to guide them into college.

The university uses the program in order to assist local junior high and high school students who have been selected by their principals and guidance counselors. Officials from the university give these teenagers access to useful tools such as financial aid workshops, college survival programs and ACT tutoring.

Additionally, university faculty members allow these students to take a career test, which can direct them towards subjects they may want to study in college. According to the book Career Counseling, career tests can show students what their strengths and weaknesses are as well as how they would fit in various work environments.