MUSTANG MESSAGES
SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER
Welcome to MUSTANG MESSAGES. This newsletter is especially designed for senior
parents and seniors. It is my hope that the information given in this newsletter will
be useful as you make plans for the future. I plan to include information on
scholarships, important dates that you may want to remember, college rep. visit
reminders, and other information that seniors and parents will need to know.
MUSTANG MESSAGES will be distributed on a monthly basis. It will also be placed
on the Silver Lake website in the “counselor corner.” If you have any questions or
would just like to visit, please stop by or call me at the high school (402-756-6611).
Sincerely,
Chris Sluka
COLLEGE FAIR – CCC HASTINGS
SL seniors will be attending a college fair
at CCC-Hastings on Monday, October 12.
Almost 60 college and military
representatives have been invited to
participate. The fair will help students
meet college officials and provide the
opportunity for students to receive a
variety of information from area schools.
We plan to leave the high school around
8:30 and will return around 11:00.
MAKING COLLEGE VISITS
Senior class members and parents are
encouraged to visit colleges that they are
interested in attending. Fall typically is a
good time to make campus visits because
this gives the student plenty of time to
make comparisons regarding the different
aspects of college life.
Students are encouraged to make college
visit appointments through the guidance
office. Most colleges need at least a week
in advance notice so please keep this in
mind when selecting a visit date. A
college visit is considered an excused
absence with homework to be done
prior to missing school.
COLLEGE CAN BE EXPENSIVE, BUT …
Two programs are available which can
help.
The University of Nebraska’s
CollegeBound Program offers students
who qualify for a federal Pell Grant FREE
tuition up to 16 hours per semester. This
program is available for students
attending the UNL, UNK or UNO. The
NSCS Advantage Program, offers students
who are Pell Eligible free tuition to attend
Peru State College, Wayne State College,
or Chadron State College. Federal Pell
eligibility is determined by completing
the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA). Students and parents can
begin to complete the FAFSA after
January 1. Each program is renewable as
long as the student continues to be Pell
eligible and the student meets the
deadline to apply. Contact the financial
aid office of each college for more info.
COLLEGE/MILITARY REPS TO VISIT
The colleges listed below will send
admission reps to Silver Lake:
Doane College
NWU
UNL
UNK
UNO
Tues., Sept. 8 11:30
Wed., Sept. 9 1:00
Thurs., Oct. 1 10:00
Tues, Oct. 6
2:00
Thurs, Oct. 8 10:00
DATES TO KEEP IN MIND
Mon, Sept. 7 Labor Day-NO SCHOOL
Tues, Sept. 15 JOSTEN’s Rep meet with
Srs.
Thurs, Sept. 17 12:30 out-PT Conference
Fri., Sept. 18 No School
Fri., Sept. 18 ACT Registration
Deadline for OCT. test
Fri, Oct. 2
Homecoming
Mon., Oct. 12 College Planning @ CCC
Fri, Oct. 16
End of 1st Quarter
Mon., Oct. 19 No School
ACT DEADLINES APPROACHING
The ACT is a college entrance exam
used by most four-year colleges for
admissions purposes. Some two-year
community colleges also use the ACT
for admission reasons. High school
students who plan to go to a four-year
school or a two-year college that uses
the ACT are encouraged to take the
test in the spring of their junior year
and again in the fall of their senior
year.
Many scholarships also use the ACT as
a determining factor and as a result,
some students may choose to take the
test more often.
This year’s October ACT test date is
Saturday, October 24.
The
registration deadline is Friday,
September 18. The cost for taking
the test is $39.50 each time a
student tests.
ACT encourages
students to register online at
www.actstudent.org.
Other tests dates are:
December 12 (register by Nov. 6)
February 6 (register by January 8)
April 9
(register by March 4)
June 11
(register by May 6)
EDUCATIONQUEST INFORMATION
EducationQuest provides a variety of
services for seniors and parents including
brochures, college planning counseling
and financial aid assistance. The 20152016 College Prep Handbook has recently
been delivered to Silver Lake Schools and
will be given to each senior. The Kearney
office phone number is 1-800-666-3721.
They also can be found on the web at
www.educationquest.org.
APPLICATION PROCESS CHANGING
AT SOME COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES
Test scores sent for admission to UNL
and some other schools in Nebraska
(such as the ACT) must be sent
electronically from the testing agency.
Test scores will no longer be accepted
at these colleges from high schools.
Students will need to find out how
ACT scores are accepted from the
college admissions office.
When
registering for the ACT, scores can be
sent to up to four colleges at no
additional cost.
COLLEGE CLASSES FOUND AT SL
Seniors are able to get a head start on
college by taking a variety of courses
at Silver Lake. English Composition is
a general education requirement at
most colleges and is being taught here
by Mrs. Vap through CCC in
conjunction with English 12A. College
Algebra is available through CCC and
our
distance-learning
network.
College courses can also be completed
through the CCC Learning Center at
Silver Lake. Courses will also be
available next semester at the cost of
$94/credit hour plus the cost of
books. Please see me if you or your
child are interested in taking a college
class.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
The scholarships listed below are now available to apply to. Some of these can
be applied for online. See the details for more information.
Scholarship: Coca-Cola Scholarship
Requirements: Seniors with a cumulative “B” average, who are actively involved in
school and community, work part-time, and who exemplify leadership and
commitment, and who plan to attend a four-year college.
Apply at: www.coca-colascholars.org
Amount: $1000-$5000 (renewable)
Deadline: October 31, 2015
Scholarship: Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation Scholarship
Requirements: Senior who will graduate from a Nebraska high school, who needs
financial assistance to attend college, has at least an 80% high school cumulative
grade point average, and who will attend a Nebraska state public 2 or 4 year
college/university. Apply at http://buffettscholarships.org. (Silver Lake HS had
three recipients of this scholarship last year.)
Amount: Varies depending on the college the student will attend, but is typically
equal to the cost of tuition at the student’s college.
Deadline: February 1, 2015 (application is available beginning November 1, 2015).
Scholarship: Gates Millennium Scholars Program Scholarship
Requirements: Student who is African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native,
Asian Pacific Islander American or Hispanic American. Student must be a citizen,
national or legal permanent resident of the U.S. The student must have a cumulative
high school grade point average of B to B+, must have demonstrated leadership
abilities through participation in community service, extracurricular or other
activities, and meet Federal Pell Grant Eligibility criteria. Students should be
studying one of the following career fields: computer science, education,
engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science.
Apply at: www.gmsp.org
Amount: varies based on student’s unmet financial need, renewable
Deadline: January 13, 2016
Scholarship: NSCS Board of Trustees Scholarship
Requirements: Student who will be a Nebraska high school graduate with a
minimum ACT score of 25 who plans to attend Chadron State, Peru State or Wayne
State College. The student must maintain a 3.25 GPA while in college.
Amount: Full tuition for four years at Chadron St., Peru St., or Wayne St. The
current total value of this scholarship would be $18,100.
Deadline: The student must be admitted to the state college of their choice by
January 15, 2016. For Chadron or Wayne, the student must also complete a general
scholarship application from the college.
Scholarship: Governor’s Opportunity Award
Requirements: Student who will be a Nebraska high school graduate with an ACT
score of 21-24 who plans to attend Chadron State, Peru State, or Wayne State
College. An essay addressing reasons to stay in Nebraska after college is part of the
application. While in college, the student must maintain a 3.25 GPA. Apply online
at www.nscs.edu.
Amount: Half-tuition for four years at Chadron St., Peru St., or Wayne St.
The current total value of this scholarship would be just over $9000.
Deadline: The student must be admitted to the state college of their choice by
January 15, 2016. For Chadron or Wayne, the student must also complete a general
scholarship application from the college.
Scholarship: Prudential Spirit of Community Award
Requirements: Student must complete application form describing a volunteer
community service activity performed over the past year. Apply online at
http://spirit.prudential.com.
Amount: $1000
Deadline: November 3, 2015
Scholarship: Horatio Alger Scholarship
Requirements: Student who exhibits a strong commitment to pursue and complete
a bachelor’s degree (may begin at a community college), demonstrate financial need
($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required), be involved in cocurricular and community service activities, display integrity and perseverance in
overcoming adversity, and have a minimum grade point average of “C” or above.
Apply at scholars.horatioalger.org.
Amount: $6000 to $20,000
Deadline: October 25, 2015
Scholarship: Hearst Foundation Scholarship
Requirements: Senior who has been/is a class officer or student council
representative. A qualifying exam is part of the application process. Applicants
should have an interest in civics and/or government and are encouraged to major in
history or political science.
Amount: $5000 and expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. from March 5-12, 2016
Deadline: October 2, 2015