MUSTANG MESSAGES November Newsletter

Transcription

1 MUSTANG MESSAGES November Newsletter Now is the time for your senior to be applying for college admission to attend post-secondary school next fall. Most colleges like students to apply for admission as early as possible so that other arrangements, such as financial aid, housing, etc. can be worked out more easily. If your student has narrowed the college choices down to two or three schools, I would encourage your child to apply to each school. I also encourage both you and your senior to visit each of these campuses. Then you can see firsthand the advantages and disadvantages of each campus. There is a great deal of information on colleges in Nebraska available to view in the guidance office. If you would like to look over this information, just call ( ) or stop in. Most colleges also have websites that provide useful information and I can help you obtain addresses. Chris Sluka Guidance Counselor IMPORTANT NOVEMBER DATES Fri., Nov. 7 December ACT Reg. Deadline Tues., Nov. 11 TVC Vocal Bruning Mon., Nov. 17 Financial Aid HS, 6:00 Mon., Nov st winter sports practice Thurs. Nov. 20 All-School Play at High School Wed., Nov. 26 1:00 dismissal Thurs. Nov.27 Thanksgiving-No School Fri., Nov. 28 Thanksgiving Break-No School COLLEGE REPS AT SL Mon., Nov. 3 Midland Lutheran, 1:30 Tues., Nov. 4 Wayne State, 8:30 Tues., Nov. 4 Doane College, 9:15 Thurs. Nov. 6 U. S. Army, 1:30 Wed., Nov. 12 Nebraska Wesleyan U., 11:30 Wed., Nov. 19 Concordia U., 1:30 FINANCIAL AID PROGRAM TO BE HELD Silver Lake High School and EducationQuest Foundation will host a financial aid program in Roseland on Monday, November 17 at 6:00 p.m. in the distance learning room. SL, Kenesaw, and Doniphan-Trumbull will all receive the program via distance learning. The program will run just over an hour and will be led by a representative from EducationQuest. Parents, seniors and juniors are welcome to attend. Parents who have not been involved in the college financial aid process before are encouraged to attend. A TROUBLING TREND Some of you may have received postcards in the mail inviting you to participate in a nationwide scholarship search. For a modest fee, these agencies guarantee that your student will receive a scholarship through their search. The old saying if it s too good to be true usually holds true. Many of these organizations do not hold true to their promise of awarding scholarships and then fail to give refunds. You are strongly urged not to pay for this service. The Kearney EducationQuest office provides a free scholarship search. EducationQuest does not guarantee a student any scholarships, but it does provide the student with a list of awards the student is eligible to apply for. The internet sources below are also excellent ways to find information about scholarships. GET ON THE NET FOR SCHOLARSHIPS EducationQuest recommends several web sites for conducting scholarship searches. These include: EducationQuest FASTAID FASTWEB SRN Scholarships College Board

2 A REMINDER FROM THE SENIOR SPONSOR Please remember to bring pictures for various needs by December 15. These pictures must be turned in: 5 Senior pictures 2 baby or young pictures 1 elementary picture photographer release form Also group pictures of seniors (when little, sports teams, etc) are acceptable. Please submit pictures to Mrs. Hinrichs. RETAKING THE ACT AND OTHER INFO Statistics given at a recent ACT workshop revealed the following information: 13 % of students score a 27 or higher on the ACT, 42 % score 22 or higher, and 27% score 17 or below. TYPES OF UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES A little terminology may be helpful during the upcoming months. First of all, an undergraduate is a college student who has not yet earned a degree. A graduate student already has a bachelor s degree and is working towards a masters or doctorate degree. There are two major types of undergraduate degrees. An Associate degree is a degree awarded to a student who has completed a twoyear program. A student may earn an Associate of Arts (AA) or an Associate of Science (AS). A bachelor or baccalaureate degree is a degree awarded to a student who has completed a fouryear college course of study. The most common types of bachelor degree programs include the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Sciences (BS). In terms of retaking the ACT, the following information was presented: 15 % who re-tested improved 3 or more points, 18 % who re-tested improved 2 points, 24 % who re-tested improved 1 point, 22 % earned the same score, and 21 % had scores decrease. FINANCIAL AID BITS AND PIECES This year s PELL grant max is $4800. Most colleges award PELL eligible recipients between $500 and $1500 Parents with an adjusted gross income of $20,000 or less, who are not required to file a 1040 tax form have an automatic zero estimated family contribution and will be eligible for a maximum PELL award Students and parents may now obtain a PIN number for filing the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) by logging on to or The PIN number will be mailed within 7-10 days of request or ed within 3 days. The federal government is strongly encouraging parents to file the FAFSA electronically. Plan to have the FAFSA filed by March 1 to able to obtain the most funds possible. NOVEMBER CHECKLIST During the month of November, seniors should be doing the following tasks: -applying for admission to colleges, -making college visits, -applying for scholarships, -registering for the December ACT (if applicable), -prepare resumes/essays for future needs. Happy Thanksgiving!

3 SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION Scholarship: U.S. Bank s Internet Scholarship Program Requirements: Open to seniors planning to attend two or four year colleges full-time next fall. Recipients are selected through a random drawing process. Students can apply online at usbank.com/studentbanking. Amount: $1000 Deadline: Applications accepted only through February, 2009 Scholarship: ASAP/Union Bank/Lincoln Journal Star We Have Money to Learn Scholarship Requirements: Senior must be in the top 1/3 of class or have an ACT score of 20 or higher. Apply online at Amount: $500 Deadline: March 15, 2009 Scholarship: KFC Colonel s Scholarship Requirements: Senior with a GPA of C+ or higher who will pursue a bachelor s degree at a public, in-state college/university. Students are to apply online at Amount: $5000 (renewable up to $20,000) Deadline: February 10, 2009 Scholarship: UNK-Honors Program Omaha World Herald/Kearney Hub Scholarship Requirements: Senior who will attend UNK, have a minimum score of 28 on the ACT and be in the top 10% of class. Apply online at Amount: Full tuition, room & board, fees and books at UNK. Deadline: December 1, 2008 Scholarship: Peter Kiewit Foundation Legacy Scholarship Requirements: Nebraska senior who plans to attend any four-year college in Nebraska, ranks in the top 20% of graduating class, has taken the ACT and is able to demonstrate financial need. Financial need and academic ability are the top selection criteria. Amount: $7500 (renewable up to four years). Deadline: January 7, 2009 Scholarship: Nebraska Machine (NMC) Diesel Technology Sponsorship Requirements: Senior who plans to major in diesel technology at Central Community College-Hastings. Applicant must have desire to work for NMC upon college graduation. Student must tour CCC-Hastings campus and take the required testing. Amount: Tuition, books, fees, along with tools and tool box. Approximate total value is $14,000. Deadline: February 13, 2009 Scholarship: Nebraska Machine (NMC) Caterpillar Scholarship Requirements: Senior who plans to major in diesel technology at CCC-Hastings. Amount: $1000 Deadline: February 13, 2009

4 Scholarship: Nebraska State College System Board of Trustees Scholarship Requirements: Senior who plans to attend Wayne State, Chadron State or Peru State and who has scored at least a 25 on the ACT. Amount: Full tuition, renewable for four years. Approximate value is $13,200 over 4 years. Deadline: January 15, 2009 Scholarship: American Legion Auxiliary Scholarships Requirements: A number of scholarships are available to children and grandchildren of veterans and Legion Auxiliary members. Amount: up to $1000 Deadline: Most deadlines are on or about March 1, See Mr. Sluka to view the packet. Scholarship: Toyota Community Scholars Award Requirements: Senior with a B or better average who has been actively involved in a service organization or project that has a positive impact on the school/community. Student must attend a 4-year college or university. Amount: $2500 to $5000 a year for four years Deadline: December 1, 2008 Scholarship: McKelvey Foundation Entrepreneurial Scholarship Requirements: Senior who owns and operates own business, hired at least one employee, and will attend a 4-year college somewhere in the United States. Apply online at mckelveyfoundation.org. Amount: Up to $10,000 per year for four years Deadline: January 25, 2009 HAVE YOU HEARD OF RHOP OR MARHOP? The Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP) is designed to address the special needs of rural Nebraska by encouraging rural residents to pursue a career in the health care fields. Those selected obtain guaranteed admission to the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) upon successful completion of their studies at Wayne State College. Preparatory courses at Wayne State are offered in Medicine (physician), Pharmacy, Dentistry, Dental Hygiene and Medical Technology. RHOP was designed for rural Nebraska students interested in practicing in small communities throughout Nebraska. The selection is based on, but not restricted to: academic potential, commitment to practice in rural Nebraska, students from rural Nebraska communities under 25,000 in population. The application deadline is December 1, The Mid-America Rural Health Opportunities Program (MARHOP) is a cooperative agreement between Wayne State College and Creighton University Medical Center with options in Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy and Physical Therapy. This program is specifically designed for people from rural communities in Mid-America wanting to become occupational therapists, pharmacists, or physical therapists and who want to return to a rural area to practice. Selection is similar to RHOP and the application deadline is also December 1, VOLUNTEER NEBRASKA ENTERS THIRD YEAR Volunteer Nebraska is a recognition program available to all Nebraska students who volunteer in their community. Research shows children who volunteer feel more connected to their community, do better academically, and become adults who volunteer. Students and parents who would like more information are encouraged to visit the website at

5