Looking Ahead

Now that you understand what you can do during your freshman and sophomore years to prepare for college, here’s a preview of what to expect your junior and senior years.

Junior year college-prep tasks:

  • Take the ACT test. You can take the SAT as well. Many colleges base admission decisions on the scores you receive on these college entrance exams.
  • Continue to research colleges. Meet with college representatives who visit your school, and talk to graduates of your high school about the colleges they’re attending.
  • Attend a College Fair or Educational Planning Program (smaller college fair). For dates and locations, see “Upcoming Events” at EducationQuest.org.
  • Go on campus visits. This will help you narrow your college choices before you start your senior year.

Senior year college-prep tasks:

  • Apply to your top college choices. Colleges will consider your ACT/SAT scores, GPA, class rank, and extracurricular activities.
  • Complete the FAFSA. Colleges will use your FAFSA results to determine how much they will award you in financial aid.
  • Apply for scholarships. ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org has over 2,000 Nebraska-based scholarships.