April 2012

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Wondering what the future will hold? Get a Reality Check!

Don’t know how much money you’ll need to earn in the future? Don’t know which occupation to choose? No problem! Get a Reality Check! – It’s a free tool at EducationQuest.org that helps you determine if your future career will provide you with enough income to support your desired lifestyle. It takes into account expenses such as housing, utilities (like electricity, cable and Internet), food, car expenses, healthcare, and “extras.” Reality Check totals up the expenses for a year and then helps you learn about careers that will pay what you’ll need to enjoy the lifestyle you want. Check it out!

For now…start tracking your high school activities
While you’re on the EducationQuest website, check out a couple other tools that will help you prepare for college. One you should be using right now is the Activities Resume. It will track your extracurricular activities, honors and awards throughout high school. Then the information is available when it’s time to apply for a job, college admission and scholarships.

To learn about other ways to start preparing for college, visit the “8th, 9th and 10th Grade Students” section at EducationQuest.org!

April 2012

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College Fairs coming to Lincoln and Omaha

Meet with representatives from colleges across the region during College Fairs in Lincoln and Omaha. If you’re a junior or sophomore, this is a great way to start your college search process!

Lincoln College Fair
Lincoln Southeast High School, 2930 South 37th Street
Monday, April 23, 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Omaha College Fair
Burke High School, 12200 Burke Street
Tuesday, April 24, 6:00 – 8:00 pm

EducationQuest will conduct financial aid presentations at both fairs.

Seniors … it’s decision time!

If you haven’t already, it’s time to decide which college you will attend. Follow our advice to find the right fit for you.

First, gather and compare your college acceptance notifications, financial aid award notifications and campus visit notes. Consider items such as:

Location. Is the college too close? If you come home every weekend, you won’t experience true campus life. Is the college too far away? If travel costs are prohibitive, you may not make it home as often as you’d like.

Cost. Can your family afford the school? What can you expect for financial aid beyond your freshman year? Did you receive renewable scholarships? How much in student and parent loans will you need to cover expenses?

Academic program. Does the college offer the program that interests you? What happens if you change majors? Does the college offer other programs that interest you?

Student life. Does the school offer activities you will enjoy? Do you like the living arrangements provided by the school? Will you have an opportunity to work on or near campus?

Visit EducationQuest.org for college selection tools including the Award Letter Comparison Calculator, the College Comparison Calculator, and information about student and parent loans

Juniors … start looking for scholarships

Follow these tips to the start the scholarship search process:

Start searching! In addition to your guidance office, check out free online sites including ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org – it contains over 2,000 local and state scholarships. Pay attention to scholarships current seniors are receiving – they’re often listed in your local newspaper. Other sources might include your parent’s employer, your employer or local service organizations.

Create files and place scholarship applications in deadline order.

Get involved in extracurricular activities and community service. This is a critical component on many scholarship applications. Track your involvement with the Activities Resume at EducationQuest.org.

Earn the best possible grades and entrance exam scores. These factors are especially important for college-based scholarships.

Determine if you will qualify for need-based scholarships by completing the College Funding Estimator at EducationQuest.org.

Talk to colleges about scholarships they offer. Check out tuition assistance programs like the University of Nebraska’s Collegebound program, and the Advantage Program offered by the Nebraska State College System. These programs cover the cost of tuition if you meet certain income and academic criteria.

Scholarship warning…

If you receive offers for scholarship services, investigate them thoroughly if they charge a fee. EducationQuest will help you complete financial aid forms for free and will guide you to free scholarship search resources. For more information, talk to you guidance counselor or contact EducationQuest.

April “To Do” List

Seniors:

___ Continue applying for scholarships.

___ Start purchasing dorm essentials now to avoid sticker shock in August.

___ Start looking for a summer job.

Juniors:

___ Attend the Lincoln or Omaha College Fair (see article above).

___ Register by April 6 for the May 5 SAT.

___ Register by May 4 for the June 9 ACT.

___ Schedule campus visits while college are still in session.

___ Start looking for scholarships.

Coordinate your own KH2G Pep Rally!

A KnowHow2GO Pep Rally is an exciting and interactive way to show your students the four steps to KnowHow2GO!  As part of the KnowHow2GONebraska initiative, EducationQuest encourages counselors to coordinate pep rally events at their schools.

Here are some tips for a successful pep rally:

• Recruit older high school students and current college students to participate in the pep rally. Students respond best to people near their age who have similar backgrounds.
• Arrange for an emcee — someone who is energetic and can connect with young people.
• Order FREE materials from the “Middle School/High School Professionals” section of EducationQuest.org.
• Arrange for giveaways.
• Line up equipment – sound system, microphone, and podium.
• Arrange for music. (Ask the school pep band!)

Watch an actual KnowHow2GO pep rally!

For details about coordinating a KnowHow2GO Pep Rally at your school, view “Your guide to planning a KnowHow2GO Pep Rally” or contact: 

Kristin Ageton 
College Access Manager for Middle Schools
KristinA@educationquest.org 
800-303-3745 ext. 6745

Kristin can also provide information about EducationQuest’s KnowHow2GO resources and services.

March 2012

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College Doesn’t Just Happen!

Todd Williams and Travis Dorfman are two high school friends who took different routes after graduation. The pair reunited five years later at an event for their high school basketball coach, who had encouraged them to go to college.

Williams listened to the coach, went to college, and snagged his dream job as a landscape architect. Dorfman didn’t listen and still works the same job he had in high school.

Learn more about Williams and Dorfman in this “College Doesn’t Just Happen” video. You’ll also learn about steps YOU should follow to make college a reality: 

Don’t be like Dorfman! Watch the video and then visit the 8th, 9th, and 10th Grade section at EducationQuest.org for LOTS of great information and tools to help you prepare for college!

March 2012

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What happens after you submit the FAFSA?

If you’re a college-bound senior, you and your parents may have already submitted the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) – or will soon do so. Here’s what will happen next:

Expect your SAR

You will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) after you submit the FAFSA. This acknowledges that your form was processed and can be used to make corrections to your FAFSA. You’ll need the PIN you used to file the FAFSA to make corrections online.

Did you use IRS Data Retrieval?

If you did not use the new IRS Data Retrieval process when you filed your FAFSA, EducationQuest encourages you to “correct your FAFSA” and use the IRS Data Retrieval process to input income tax data for you and your parents. Review this flyer for instructions. If you don’t use the IRS Data Retrieval process, your college(s) may require you to provide a copy of your IRS tax transcript.

Expect a financial aid award notification

The colleges you listed on the FAFSA will send you a financial aid award notification (by mail or email) detailing the assistance they’re offering. They may offer a combination of scholarships, grants, work-study and student loans.

Compare award notifications

Compare award notifications from the colleges. Calculate your out-of-pocket expenses for each school to get the whole financial picture. Use the Award Letter Comparison Calculator at EducationQuest.org to determine which school offers the best financial aid package. Respond to each notification keeping in mind that most students accept all award packages until they make their final college selection.

Keep looking for scholarships!

Many local, state and national scholarships have deadlines in March, April and May. Talk to your guidance counselor about scholarships that meet your criteria. For local and state scholarships, visit ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org.

Juniors: It’s time to start your campus visits

Start looking at colleges your junior year so you can narrow your choices by the time you’re a senior. If your school has a spring break, that’s a perfect time to schedule a campus visit. Follow these tips: 

Explore your career interests. Before you determine which colleges you want to visit, think about your career interests and then research colleges that fit your interests. Ask your guidance counselor about career assessment tools at your school. To find colleges that offer your desired major, see the Index of Majors at EducationQuest.org.

Check out college websites. You’ll find admission requirements, academic and social information, and campus photos or a virtual tour.

Visit your top college choices while the schools are in session. You won’t get the true flavor of the school during breaks or finals week. Here are questions to ask while on a campus visit. 

Schedule your visits at least two weeks in advance. Ask for appointments with an admissions representative, financial aid counselor, and a faculty member in your area of interest.

Talk to a faculty member about upper-level classes in your anticipated major. This will help you understand the coursework that will be required and the degree of difficulty.

Ask the financial aid counselor how the college may offset tuition costs and about college-based scholarship applications and deadlines.

Helpful resources at EducationQuest.org

Check out these free resources and tools at EducationQuest.org to help you find the college that’s the best fit for you:

“Exploring Careers” section links you to career assessment resources.

“Selecting a College” section walks you through steps you should take during the college search process.

“About Nebraska Colleges” section provides a chart with cost and contact information for every college in Nebraska.

College Profiles has information about colleges in Nebraska and across the country. 

“Find the Right Fit” video follows two high school seniors as they search for colleges that fit their career interests.

March “To Do” List

Complete these tasks during March to stay on the right college planning track.

Seniors:

___ If you haven’t already done so, complete your FAFSA!

___ Expect financial aid notifications during March and April.

___ Continue to apply for scholarships.

Juniors:

___ Register by March 9 for the April 14 ACT.

___ Register by April 6 for the May 5 SAT.

___ Schedule campus visits.