College Planning

College Planning Resources | College Search Sites | How to Gather Info | Making Your College Choice | Admission Requirements | College Entrance Tests | How to Process an Application | Scholarship Fraud | State and Federal Aid/Loans

College Planning Resources

• Planning for College Timeline for Juniors and Seniors – Timeline outlining recommended activities during your junior and senior year to organize the process – highly recommended to follow this guide!
• Local College Websites - Links to two and four year colleges in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Colorado, and Missouri. Find out what it takes to get admitted, take a virtual tour of their campus, and/or apply online.
• Colleges listed by State - Here you will find links to 1539 College and University web sites. Yes, every single college and university is just two clicks away! Apply online now and be admitted ASAP!
• Two Year Colleges - You will find every two-year college in the country just a click away on this site.
• NCAA Clearinghouse - New website for student-athletes who want to play in Division I and Division II schools. You can register online right here! (see the "Domestic Student Release Form" under "Prospective Student-Athletes").
• EducationQuest - This is the best local site there is for college planning. They cover all the bases, from how to write a resume, to how to figure out the financial aid process. They are the experts in financial aid, and all college bound students in Nebraska should check their web site... and go visit them in downtown Lincoln. They will help you with scholarships as well! Best of all, their help is free!
• Campus Tours.com - This site provides prospective students with a visual tour of hundreds of college campuses. It is a great way to get a feel for the campus that might be too far away for a weekend drive. So check them out here before you fly!
• ACT Website – Learn the tips for taking the ACT Test, register online, and complete the practice questions. This site provides information for students and parents for the ACT Test as well as college and financial aid information.
• College Board Online - Register here for the SAT. This gigantic web site is full of all kinds of college planning information, including a college and scholarship search program, sample SAT and PSAT questions, how to find the right school for you, and financial aid and scholarship information. It even provides detailed information about SAT II Tests and helps you figure out, for example, which Math test you should take.
• My College Options - a free college search site that matches your interests with colleges that fit those interests.
• University of Nebraska Admission Standards - Here is a detailed explanation of what it takes to be admitted to UNL.
• NCAA Eligibility Guide - For the college bound athlete, this site has it all. Find out what your high school GPA and ACT scores need to be to play in Division I and Division II schools.
• NAIA Eligibility Guide - If you are a student athlete interested in a smaller college, check this out.
• Common Application - Many colleges accept this common online application for admission. If you don't have an application that you need in a hurry, this is an option you may want to consider.
• Kaplan's College Search - Here is another comprehensive site for the college bound student.
  They will, however try to sell you some of their test prep programs.
• College Admissions: US - You'll find college rankings here and reminders to fill out the FAFSA, take the ACT, etc.
• NRCCUA - This is the National Research Center for College and University Admissions and it has some great information for students and parents about the whole college planning process. This is a must see site!
• Associated Colleges of the Midwest
  This is an association of 14 private colleges that include Grinnell, Carleton, St Olaf, and Colorado College.
• US Dept of Education - Huge site that makes you dig to find anything, but if you find it, there really are some parts of it that have helpful information.
• US Military Opportunities - This page has links to all branches of the military including the academies and ROTC. If you are interested in the military, it is all here.
• National Student Exchange - This program enables college students to spend a semester or a year at another College or University and pay resident tuition!
• Study Abroad! - If you are at all interested in studying abroad, this site has lots of helpful information and links to dozens of programs.
• Art Institutes International - An association of some of the top private Art schools in the country, with links to all of them.
• Chiropractic Colleges - If you want to be a chiropractor, this is the site for you.

Top of Page

College Search Sites

• The Princeton Review.com - A superb college search site that allows you to set the parameters (your interests, majors, public or private school, size, etc.) and then gives you a list of schools that fit your profile.
• C3Apply - This is a very quick and easy, user-friendly site that allows you to point and click the factors to consider in choosing a college. It is a wonderful college search program and lots of other information about college preparation.
• CollegeNET - Here is a site that claims to find you the right college and then gives you an online application so you can apply instantly. Also has a free scholarship search program.
• MyCollegeGuide - Another comprehensive web site for the college bound student. Rankings, searches, tips on admission essays, early admission advice...you can find it all here.
• CollegeXpress - This site has a great college search program and overall it is a very comprehensive site for college bound students.
• AnyCollege.Net - This is a college search site that is simple and user friendly.

Top of Page

How to Gather Info

• Information on a Specific College - If a student is seriously interested in a particular college, a call or letter to that school’s Office of Admission requesting an application packet, including information on housing, financial aid, scholarships, etc., is in order. Ask to be put on their mailing list. Other than a personal visit, college catalogs, pamphlets, college video, and websites provide excellent basic information about colleges.
• Computer Assisted College Selection - The Nebraska Career Information System (N.C.I.S.) is a computer-based system which provides Aurora High School students with excellent information about colleges. N.C.I.S. enables a student to explore 2,000 two- and four-year colleges and over 1,000 careers. In addition, N.C.I.S. will quickly display responses to questions regarding a college major, enrollment, location cost, test information, and various aspects of campus life. This resource is available online at: http://necis.intocareers.org log on name: aurorahs password: wa1f3fles
• College and Career Day - Over 50 college representatives are available for junior and senior students and their parents at the Aurora High School College and Career Day in September. The representatives are eager to promote their schools and answer any questions.
• College Applications for Admission - In most cases applications can be obtained from the college or from their websites. Most area colleges send applications to the high schools. The guidance office also has a limited number of applications from other colleges and universities. Many institutions have moved to online admissions.
• Attention NCAA Division I and II Student-Athletes - Student-athletes who wish to participate in NCAA Division I or Division II sports in college MUST BE CERTIFIED by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse which will analyze your academic information to determine if you meet NCAA initial-eligibility requirements. Don’t delay this process—if you are uncertain about participation in Division I or II it is best to complete this process anyway. This process does NOT bind you to participate; however, it is a necessary procedure should you elect to participate. Failure to be certified may affect visitations to colleges regarding athletics, and college coaches may be reluctant to make commitments to athletes who have not completed the NCAA Initial-Eligibility certification

Top of Page

Making Your College Choice

Making a college choice can be like making other important decisions that challenge you. Until you find a place to begin, a method to organize the task into smaller pieces, a way to put a great deal of information into a meaningful package, it may seem almost impossible to make a good decision.

Begin by identifying what your reasons are for going to college.

• What do you hope to gain?
• What learning opportunities do you need?
• What are your goals?
• What are your career ambitions?
• How will college help you achieve these goals and ambitions?

The next step is to relate these goals to factors you can use as you search for colleges that meet your needs.

Factors to consider:

1. Type of college
   • Two-or four-year college?
   • Residential or commuter?
   • Large or small?
   • •College or university?
2. Location
   • What area(s) of the country can you realistically consider?
   • What about the relation between location and costs?
   • Are specific interests and goals tied to a specific location?
3. Admissions selectivity
• What are the application procedures?
  • What tests are required?
  • Are there any deadlines?
  • What high school course preparation is needed?
• Are you eligible for admission?
• What academic demands can you expect to find?
4. Costs
   • How much will it cost?
   • What kind of financial aid is available?
   • How do you apply for financial aid?
5. Majors and study programs available
   • Does the school offer the major you want?
   • If you are undecided, does the school offer you the chance to explore areas of your interest?
   • Does the school have any kind of internship program?
6. Social life
   • What is the campus atmosphere like?
   • What extracurricular activities are available?

After you have developed a list of colleges to consider, begin to form a detailed and complete picture of each college. This will be helpful in identifying those that best fit your needs.

Top of Page

Admission Requirements

Each college/university has established their specific admission criteria. These include general admission criteria as well as more specific program criteria (i.e. the college of engineering will most likely have additional math and science requirements). It is recommended that you study the admission requirements for the University of Nebraska as this will help your planning process for your high school course of study and your college/university selection process.

College Entrance Tests

Almost all colleges require tests for admission. These exams may use the results for placement purposes in certain courses or programs. Registration packets for all tests are available in the counseling office and you may apply online for the ACT and SAT Tests.

• ACT (American College Test) - used by the vast majority of colleges in the Midwest. It is a primary test used to determine Regents Scholarship winners in the University of Nebraska system (UNL, UNO, and UNK).
• SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) - used primarily by East Coast, West Coast, some southern colleges, and the military academies. Some selective admission colleges may request the SAT II’s that are specific tests in a certain curriculum area. If you are not sure about the appropriate test, ask your counselor or refer to the specific college catalog or a general college handbook that will provide test information.

• Seniors - If you have not taken the ACT (or the SAT if you plan to attend an SAT college), register for the October date. Those who already have at least one test score should consider October through December as retake dates. Senior testing after December is too late for most purposes.
• Juniors - The October PSAT is a high priority. If you are considering an ACT college, the April ACT is a very high priority. Other spring ACT and SAT dates are optional. We recommend taking the ACT and/or SAT in the spring of Junior year.

Top of Page

How to Process an Application

Unless you are sure you want to attend one specific college, it may be to your advantage to apply to several. It may cost a small fee to apply, but more options will be available! When you decide on the colleges to which you wish to apply, follow the simple steps below.

STEP 1: Complete the college application form. If the application requires teacher or counselor recommendations, arrange for those immediately (see important note on teacher recommendations below).

STEP 2: Write a check for the application fee if a fee is required. Do not use cash for the application fee!

STEP 3: Bring all items in step 1 - 2 to your counselor. Be sure the address of the college admissions office is on your application form. An official transcript will be placed in the envelope and all material will be mailed to the college. This process reduces the chances of registration material being lost or misfiled.

Online Applications: Students applying online need to notify the guidance office by completing the “transcript request” form so transcripts can be sent to the respective colleges. This is the responsibility of the student. Failure to have official transcripts mailed from the school will result in a delay of acceptance and possible loss of eligible scholarship dollars.

Important Note About Teacher or Counselor Recommendations:

If teacher recommendations are needed, contact a teacher you have this year or one that you had last year at least one week (and preferably two weeks) in advance of any deadlines. It is not to your advantage to have any written recommendations done under time pressure. Providing the teacher with more specific information about you can enhance the recommendation (i.e. personal resume).

Final Transcripts:

Most colleges, vocational schools, armed services, and some employers require a final transcript to be sent to them. You will be required to complete a final transcript request form to authorize the guidance office to provide schools with this information.

Top of Page

Scholarship Fraud

The painful cost of college education may be most easily soothed in three primary ways: federal grants, loans and scholarships. Since financial aid packages are uncertain and are not announced until May of the senior year, it is best to focus attention upon scholarships throughout the senior year and not rely on financial aid.

How to Steer Clear of Scholarship Fraud:

• If you must pay money to get money, it might be a scam

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

• Spend the time, not the money

• Never invest more than a postage stamp to get information about scholarships

• Nobody can guarantee that you’ll win a scholarship

• If you’re suspicious of an offer, it’s usually with good reason

Students and families who suspect that scholarship program might be a fraud should contact their school’s guidance counselor, the college financial aid office, and/or the following resources:

• FTC Consumer Response Center: www.ftc.gov or call (202) FTC-HELP

• National Fraud Information Center: www.fraud.org or call (800) 876-7060

• Better Business Bureau: www.bbb.org or call (703) 276-0100

• State Attorney General Office: Check for listing in your state

Top of Page

State and Federal Financial Aid/Loans

Determining financial aid eligibility is not easy. The financial aid application forms are fairly comprehensive and take considerable time to process. In addition to materials, the most accurate assessment can be made through online analysis programs. The free computer analysis provides a quick and accurate answer. Parents need to provide some basic information on a simple worksheet obtained from the guidance office or online at the Education Quest Foundation by selecting “Estimator”. This worksheet can be mailed, or taken in person to the Education Quest Foundation, located 13th and “O” Street in Lincoln, NE. Staff members at this office will process your worksheet and provide the results to you, or process your own form “on line”. They are very knowledgeable about all aspects of financial aid, and will assist you in filling out an official financial aid form if you wish.

The critical decision about applying for financial aid, however, should be based upon this statement - WHEN IN DOUBT- APPLY!!

In December of the senior year obtain the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This single form will put you into consideration for FEDERAL financial aid, and to some extent for other aid available from colleges. There may be some rare instances when certain colleges will request a supplemental form in addition to the FAFSA. If a supplemental form is used, the college will supply the form.

During December and January, complete the FAFSA. DO NOT MAIL IT TO THE PROCESSING CENTER BEFORE JANUARY 1. If you do not finalize your tax information until late March, it may be desirable to use estimated tax information. Do NOT wait until mid-March or April to process a financial aid application if you want maximum financial aid. Late applications are the number one reason for receiving a reduced financial aid amount or, quite frequently, receiving NO aid at all. (The FAFSA is also available online).

As you finish your financial aid application, you will have the option of indicating which colleges are to receive the analysis. Provide the analysis to all colleges you still have in consideration, because it is difficult to add colleges later. Be sure parents and the student sign the form in the proper places.

Approximately six to eight weeks after you send in your application, you will receive an acknowledgment notice. At this time, you may correct any errors or make changes in the schools you selected to receive the data.

COLLEGES WILL NOT BEGIN ANY FINANCIAL AID CONSIDERATIONS FOR A STUDENT UNLESS THEY HAVE AN APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION ON FILE!

Approximately eight to ten weeks after you send in your application, you will receive the Student Aid Report (S.A.R.). Save this form (all pages) since you may need to submit it to the college of your choice.

If you have any unusual or unique financial situations, or if you wish to appeal the financial aid decision, your best contact is the financial aid department of the college you wish to attend. College financial aid directors have some discretion and options for the financial aid awarded by their institution.

Grants (funds that do not need to be paid back)

• Federal Pell Grant is the grant that provides assistance to the neediest college students. Students must be citizens or eligible non-citizens enrolled at least half time. Grants range from $200 to $3,000. Renewal is based upon continued eligibility as determined by a federal eligibility formula and maintenance of satisfactory academic performance. It is necessary to apply each year for the Pell Grant via the FAFSA.

Federal

• Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant is awarded to students with high financial need. The citizenship requirement is the same as Pell Grant. Grants range from $100 to $4,000. Renewal standards are similar to the Pell Grant. Each college determines the amount of the grant based on students’ need and availability of money.

Federal College Work Study

• Part of your financial aid package may include work study. The hourly pay will be at least minimum wage. Your hours will vary; however, they will usually range between five to twenty hours per week. In most cases, the jobs are arranged for and secured by the college. You may have some choice in the job you select; however, underclassmen have less choice than college juniors and seniors.

Low Interest Loans

• The Federal Perkins Loan may be part of a campus-based financial aid package. The amount of this low interest (five percent) loan varies with each college. You need to repay this loan; however, no interest accrues on the loan while you are in college. Your repayment period does not begin until nine months after you graduate, leave college, or drop below half time. You may borrow $3,000 yearly and a total of $15,000 as an undergraduate.
• A second loan program called the Federal Stafford Loan may not automatically be part of the initial college financial aid package. The Federal Stafford Loan has two segments—(1) “subsidized” which means that the federal government pays the interest and therefore subsidizes or supports the loan while in college and (2) “unsubsidized” which means that you will be immediately responsible for the interest payments. Both are relatively low-interest loans. Interest rates on these loans change annually.
• The Federal Stafford Loan may require a separate application. If you qualify for the Stafford Loan you will be notified via your financial aid package from the college. Refer questions to your intended college regarding application procedures.

PLUS Loans

• Parents who do not have a bad credit history can borrow a PLUS Loan to pay the education expenses of a child who is a dependent student enrolled at least half time in an eligible program at an eligible school.

Hope Scholarship Tax Credit

• Up to a $1,500 “HOPE Scholarship” tax credit. Under the “HOPE” Scholarship” tax credit, students will receive a 100% tax credit for the first $1,000 of tuition and required fees and a 50% credit on the second $1,000. This credit is available for tuition and required fees less grants, scholarships, and other tax-free educational assistance.
• This credit is phased out for joint filers who have between $80,000-$100,000 adjusted gross income, and for single filers who have between $40,000-$50,000 adjusted gross income. The credit can be claimed in two years for students who are in their first two years of college or vocational school and who are enrolled on at least a half-time basis in a degree or certificate program for any portion of the year. The taxpayer can claim a credit for his or her own tuition expense or for the expenses of a spouse or dependent children.
• The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. This tax credit is designed for adults who want to go back to school, change careers, or take a course or two to upgrade their skills and to college juniors, seniors, graduate, and professional degree students. A family will receive a 20% tax credit for the first $5,000 of tuition and fees paid each year through 2002, and for the first $10,000 thereafter.
• Parents and grandparents can create education IRAs and make penalty-free withdrawals from other IRAs for their own higher education expenses or those of their spouse, child, or even grandchild. In addition, for each child under age 18, families may deposit $500 per year into an Education IRA in the child’s name. Earnings in the Education IRA will accumulate tax-free and no taxes will be due upon withdrawal if the money is used to pay for post-secondary tuition.

Other Aid Programs

• Parents and students are encouraged to investigate other resources for financial assistance. This may require contact with other federal, state, and other agencies, such as Social Security Administration, Veterans Affairs Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Vocational Rehabilitation, and others.

ROTC Scholarships

• The Reserve Officer Training Corps of the Army, Air Force and Navy (including the Marine option) offer an excellent scholarship program to the college-bound student willing to make a commitment to several years of active duty with the military after college. The ROTC scholarship provides an opportunity to attend a civilian college or university while studying officer training as part of the total undergraduate program. The scholarships may be for two to four years. After the first year, the student may choose to discontinue the scholarship without any obligations or pay backs of any kind.
• The scholarship pays full tuition (in most cases), fees and textbooks. In addition, the student receives a $150 monthly allowance during the school year. The student has a choice of majors, primarily in engineering, selected technical fields, and nursing. He/she must plan to attend a college or university with the appropriate ROTC program and enroll in this program. After college, the young man/woman receives an officer’s commission.
• Early application for an ROTC scholarship is critical, either at the end of the junior year or by October 1 of the senior year. The application process is detailed and takes somewhat more time than most scholarships; however, the scholarship is quite lucrative.

Active Military Service

• Active service personnel can contribute to their own college fund and receive a considerable amount in benefits to help defray college costs.

Tuition Assistance Plans

• Students who do not want to commit to a full time active military involvement may want to investigate the opportunities for college tuition assistance by the Army Reserve (or other Reserve components), Nebraska (or other state) Air Guard Programs.
• The Army “Star” program is especially attractive for students interested in the health medical related areas. Army Reserve centers or Army Recruiting offices have more information.
• The Nebraska Air Guard provides significant tuition assistance at any state supported college, university, vocational or trade school in Nebraska. Your commitment is only one week-end of training per month plus 15 additional days usually in the summer. An Air Guard representative can be reached at 402-475-4910 for more information.

College Planning Resources | College Search Sites | How to Gather Info | Making Your College Choice | Admission Requirements | College Entrance Tests | How to Process an Application | Scholarship Fraud | State and Federal Aid/Loans

For questions or comments, contact Maggie Rasmussen, Aurora High School Guidance Counselor