High School Info: College & Career Sites

EducationQuest Information

By Kathy Brzon

October 18, 2007

Education Quest Foundation

College Planning Bulletin

A monthly college planning guide for Nebraska high school students

November 2007

Seniors…it’s time to start the admissions process!

College may still seem far off, but admission deadlines will start hitting this fall. Follow these steps to stay on track:

Contact your top college choices NOW and ask about deadlines and the process for applying for admission, college-based scholarships and financial aid.

Apply to your top 3-4 colleges before the deadline. Along with your application, the colleges will require your high school transcript, class rank, GPA and ACT/SAT score. They may also request a list of your extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, an essay and an interview.

Update your Activities Resume. Because extracurricular activities are an important part of the admissions application, keep them up-to-date by using the Activities Resume at www.educationquest.org. In many cases, you can simply print your resume and include it with the application.

Contact your admissions representative periodically to stay informed about deadlines and campus activities.

Attend a Financial Aid Program to learn college funding options

Juniors and seniors - to learn about financial aid and other college funding options, attend an upcoming Financial Aid Program with your parents or an adult who can help you with college planning. To find the date and location of the program at your school or in your area, ask your guidance counselor or see the Upcoming Events section at www.educationquest.org.

Juniors…start researching colleges

If you can narrow your choices by the end of your junior year, your senior year will be less stressful. Here’s how to get started:

Review College Profiles at www.educationquest.org for information about Midwest colleges. If you’re interested in going to an out-of-state school, check out the Midwest Student Exchange Program at http://msep.mhec.org.

Visit an EducationQuest location in Lincoln, Kearney or Omahaand use our free college search resources.

Meet with college representatives who visit your school.

Once you’ve narrowed your choices, schedule campus visits. Try to visit in the spring of your junior year while college classes are still in session.

November “To Do” List

Juniors and seniors…complete these tasks in November to stay on the right college planning track.

____ Seniors, register by October 30 for the December 1 SAT.

____ Seniors, register by November 2 for the December 8 ACT.

____ Juniors and seniors, apply for scholarships. Visit free sites such as ScholarshipQuest at

www.educationquest.org, www.fastweb.com, www.fastaid.com and www.srnexpress.com.

____ Juniors and seniors, meet with college representatives who visit your school.

For free help with college planning, contact EducationQuest Foundation:

Kearney

308-234-6310

800-666-3721

Lincoln