Heartland Community Schools - HCS Junior/Senior Newsletter

This newsletter is for juniors, seniors and their parents to provide information about special programs offered by colleges or other institutions, scholarships, and tests. It will be published once a month and given to each junior and senior and mailed to senior parents. **Parents, please let me know if you would like me to email the newsletter to you to help cut down on mailing/printing costs!! Contact me at lkoehler@esu6.org about this or any other question.

I will be posting the newsletter on the school web site at www.heartlandschools.org. I will be adding things to the web site as the year goes along so check it out! Contact Mrs. Koehler for more information about anything listed in this newsletter.

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

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

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

One of the best resources for financial aid information is EducationQuest Foundation. They are a free resource to families to discuss the cost of post-secondary education and the types of aid available to meet those costs. Now is the time to explore your college choices. EducationQuest is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 – 5:00. Their phone number is 800-303-3745.

Each senior will be given a Career and College Planning packet that contains much relevant information. Talk with your senior about their plans and encourage them to begin the process early. This year will go by quickly and in the past the most prepared and organized students had the least amount of stress during their last year of high school.

Video demonstrates college selection process – and shoe shopping!

In our newest EducationQuest video, “Find the Right Fit,” high school seniors Maya and Mike demonstrate how searching for the right college is like shopping for a good pair of shoes. Available at EducationQuest.org, YouTube and Facebook, this 10-minute video provides college selection guidance and tips.

Are you ready for your senior year??? Seniors who are planning to attend a post-secondary school should be scheduling visits to institutions they are interested in to help narrow down their choices. Nothing can replace actually being on campus to see what it is like. Parents are encouraged to attend these visits also. It is important to begin college planning as soon as possible to avoid missing important financial aid and scholarship deadlines, since many colleges set their own deadlines for that information. At the very least, seniors should be contacting colleges to let them know they are interested in that institution so that their name can be placed on their mailing list, if they are not already. Also, take advantage of the college fairs and "preview days" that many colleges offer. Mrs. Koehler can assist with setting up these visits or contacting colleges.

If you are seriously interested in a particular college that is coming to school for a visit, be sure to sign up to see that representative. I will put the posters up on the bulletin board that is outside my office. Please get a pass from me at least ONE DAY AHEAD OF THE SCHEDULED VISIT so that you can inform your teachers that you will be absent from part of their class. Ultimately, the teacher has the right to keep you in class. You need their permission also. Juniors, please wait until second semester to begin visiting with reps. If you are a junior and need to talk to a rep this semester, talk to me about it ahead of the visit.

Students interested in a career in the health and medical sciences can access information about those careers at science.education.nih.gov/LifeWorks. At this site students can find careers that match their personal interests, browse careers by salary, education required, interests, and job title, discover the types of high school and postsecondary courses they should consider for specific career paths.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is holding Red Letter Day Senior Open Houses on the following dates: December 4, January 15, February 15. Super Saturday Campus Visit is on Nov. 14. Big Red Open House is March 8 & April 12. Admitted Multicultural Day is February 14-15, and Greek Preview is March 7. Register at least one week prior to the event at www.admissions.unl.edu.

Nebraska Wesleyan University will be holding Prairie Wolf Visit Day on Saturday, Nov. 14. RSVP at least a week ahead at www.findoutnwu.com.

The Peter Kiewit Institute on the UNO campus is holding a Spring Open House on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 1-3.

The University of Nebraska – Omaha is holding several open houses during the fall and spring semesters. Find specific dates and make reservations by visiting their web site at www.openhouse.unomaha.edu.

Just Juniors Day @ WSC is scheduled for March 20. Visit www.wsc.edu for more information.

Northeast Community College (Norfolk) is holding Explore Northeast Days throughout the school year. Call 1-800-348-9033 ext. 7280 for specific dates and to register.

Don’t pay for scholarship searches! Use free search sites including ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org with over 2,000 state and local awards. Scholarship resources are also available at your local library and at the EducationQuest offices in Kearney, Lincoln and Omaha.

Visit your guidance counselor weekly for information about local scholarships.

Get organized. Place scholarship applications in deadline order and prioritize each award. Local and college-specific scholarships deserve top priority because you're more likely to earn them.

Continually update your activities, honors and volunteer or paid jobsusing the Activities Resume at EducationQuest.org.

Earn the best possible ACT/SAT scores by taking the exams in the spring of your junior year and again in the fall of your senior year.

Use quality references such as a teacher, coach or counselor. Encourage them to write specific examples of your leadership skills. Give them advance notice and a specific deadline.

Get an early start on essays. Describe your interests, hopes for the future, and leadership abilities – but be sure to tailor your essay to the scholarship topic.

Pay close attention to grammar, spelling and neatness. Ask at least two people to proofread your application.

Money is available for both undergraduate and graduate engineering students through generous contributions from various corporations and universities. Funded through the SAE Foundation, these scholarships help students around the world to pursue their passion for engineering, encourage academic excellence, and further develop the future engineering workforce. Check out http://students.sae.org/awdscholar/scholarships/ for a complete listing. Deadlines begin in December.

Students with outstanding community service can apply for the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. To be eligible, students must be in grades 5-12 and must describe an individual community service activity or an individual's significant leadership in a group activity that has taken place during the previous year. See Mrs. Koehler to apply.

Applications for the Constance K. Rife Scholarship for $1,000 are available at www.mhbgolf.com. To be eligible, you must be a female member of the golf team. Deadline: Dec. 15.

Students may apply for RHOP (Rural Health Opportunities Program), a cooperative program between Wayne State College, Chadron State College, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Students at Wayne may apply in the following areas: dental hygiene, dentistry, medicine (physician), pharmacy, and medical technology. Students at Chadron can select from the above areas and also nursing, physical therapy, radiography, and physician assistant. Selected students will receive guaranteed pre-admission to their respective class in the Medical Center and some students will receive a full-tuition waiver during their stay at Wayne State. Deadline for application is December 1, 2009.

University Of Kearney Honors Program --There are two important deadlines for students who are considering Honors Program and Honors scholarships at University of Nebraska at Kearney. Applicants for the Omaha World Herald/ Kearney Hub Scholarship must have their completed applications forms postmarked by December 1, 2009. Criteria for the Omaha World Herald/ Kearney Hub Scholarship are a 28 ACT minimum and a ranking of the top 10% of their senior class. Applicants for the Honors Program and other scholarships considerations from the University of Nebraska at Kearney must have their completed application forms postmarked by February 1, 2010. Applicants applying after February 1 will be reviewed as received with scholarships offered only when money becomes available. Students who apply for the Omaha World Herald/ Kearney Hub Scholarship, do not need to reapply for other scholarships. Criteria for the Honors programs is a 26 ACT minimum and a ranking in the top 25%of their senior class.

Midland Lutheran College is holding Competitive Scholarship Days on Saturday, Dec. 5 or Jan. 16. Students must have an ACT score of 25 or higher. Applications are due one week prior to the scholarship date. Applications are available at www.mlc.edu.

Applications are available for the AXA Achievement Scholarship. To be eligible, students should be well rounded, determined to succeed and have demonstrated achievement at a job, sport or extra-curricular activity. To learn more go to www.axa-achievement.com. Deadline for application is December 15, 2009.

Perennial Public Power District is offering a $1,000 per year scholarship to a student planning to enroll in a utility line program. Applicants must reside within Perennial’s service area and submit an application by January 1, 2009 to be considered.

Hastings College is announcing the 20009-10 Walter Scott Scholarship Program. Recipients are selected on superior academic achievements and the scholarships are renewable. To be eligible, score at least 26 on the ACT, be in the top 20% of your class, and apply by January 8.

National scholarships are available for seniors who enjoy history & politics from the Washington Crossing Foundation worth $1,000 to $7,500. To apply, visit the web site at: www.gwcf.org. Deadline: January 15.

Nebraska Machinery Company is accepting applications for two sponsorships they offer for students pursuing a Diesel Mechanics degree at CCC in Hastings. Sponsorships provide around $14,000 toward expenses. Deadline: January 30, 2010.

Blue Valley Community Action Partnership is offering two scholarship opportunities: BVCA Partnership Scholarship for seniors planning to attend a 4 year college and BVCA Partnership Vocational Scholarship for seniors planning to attend or currently attending a 2 year college. Deadline for application for both is February 1, 2010.

York College is accepting applicants for their Nebraska Presidential Scholarship, which provides full tuition for 4 years. Must have an ACT score of 28 or above and provide reference letters and other documentation by March 1.

The American Legionhas announced the availability of its annual $500 scholarships for students planning to enroll in a Nebraska educational facility of higher learning for the fall semester of 2010. Applicants must be sons or daughters, grandchildren or great-grandchildren, adopted or step-children of members of Department of Nebraska, The American Legion or POW, MIA, KIA or any veteran that was a current American Legion member at time of death. Deadline for application is March 1, 2010.

ACT News! Choose either of two test options – the ACT Assessment (original test) or the ACT assessment Plus Writing which includes a 30-minute Writing Test (an additional fee of $15.00 is required). Very few colleges and universities require the Writing Test. Check with the colleges you are considering – or go to www.actstudent.org for a list of institutions that require or recommend the Writing Test.

Regular registration fee is $31.00. Late registration fee is $51.00. Registration packets and student test preparation booklets called Preparing for the ACT Assessment are available in the guidance office.

November 2009

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 EducationQuest.org. In many cases, you can simply copy and paste your resume information into the application.

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

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 EducationQuest.org.

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 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.

Meet with college representatives who visit your school, and then visit the Web sites of the colleges that interest you to learn more about the schools.

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

		Nov. – 20	Dec. - 11
Jan. - 29	Feb. – 5, 12 & 26	Mar. – 19 & 26	Apr. - 106

HCS Junior/Senior Newsletter Third Edition – November, 2009

HCS Junior/Senior Newsletter
Third Edition – November, 2009