Advanced Education

Naviance

Naviance is a computer program for students and families that assists in students' course planning, career goals, and college research.  Students and families have access to their Family Connection account wherever they have an internet connection.  Students will also collaborate with counselors and teachers in developing an individualized plan for future coursework, education after high school, and career options.

College Search Engines

Collegeboard has a widely used college search engine that can be very beneficial to students. The database starts with almost 4,000 colleges and eliminates schools based on the student’s preferences (size, major, clubs, etc.).

College Navigator is a government website that was created by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), which is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education.

Exploring Majors

EducationQuest has an Index of Majors showcasing majors that are offered at each college or university in the state of Nebraska. Use this website to find out if the school you are researching carries your program of interest.

Midwest Student Exchange Program

The Midwest Student Exchange Program allows students to attend schools outside Nebraska at a more affordable price. The states that participate in the MSEP are Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Online College Information

Figuring out which degree to pursue can be a difficult decision. College Degrees Online is here to help with that process. They have gathered hundreds of thousands of data points through the US Department of Education, the NCES, and referenced the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics to become an exceptional resource for researching degrees.

College Majors 101

Learn about college majors by university through profiles and videos, search links to future employers, and catch up on the news in a profession of your choosing. This free resource will help you determine what college and major is right for you at College Majors 101

Procedures for Applying to College

1.    Go to the official college website and complete the college application.

2.    If the college or scholarship requires an official transcript, the student must request an official transcript from his/her home high school. There is a $2 processing fee. 

Procedures for Letters of Recommendation

Seniors are encouraged to ask a staff member for a positive letter of recommendation if such a document is needed for college admission or a scholarship application.  Students should give 3 or 4 weeks (minimum) of notice to ensure that their teacher has enough time to write a quality letter. 

Vocational schools, sometimes referred to as trade schools or career schools, provide practical training with few unrelated academic course requirements. They are relevant for many kinds of learners, including:

• Individuals who are planning to enter industry for the first time
• Adults who are looking to reenter the workforce
• Professionals who wish to pursue a new career field

The education offered at vocational schools allows adults to focus on the skills to enter a particular industry. Vocational schools also provide technology training or retraining for workers in their current occupations.

Program Length

Vocational schools can offer programs ranging from short-unit classes of ten weeks or less to long-term programs of up to two years in length. Some states offer public vocational schools and career training programs through community colleges, but most vocational schools are private institutions. Vocational school credits don't typically transfer to academic undergraduate programs like an Associate of Arts program, but they may award students with a certificate credential.

Common Programs

Vocational schools generally focus on programs in career fields that can be completed in two years or less. Vocational schools focusing on a single field, such as automotive trades or health services, may offer only one training program or give students a choice of several programs in the same industry, such as hair stylist, barber, nail technician or esthetician programs at a cosmetology school. Other vocational schools offer programs in several unrelated fields, like agriculture, office skills and technical training. The following are some common types of vocational school programs:

• Welding
• Cosmetology
• Plumbing
• Carpentry
• Locksmithing
• Electrical installation and maintenance
• Motorcycle and automotive repair
• Floral design
• Medical transcription
• Hotel and restaurant management

Did you know?

Many colleges require students to take the ACT

All Juniors in the state of Nebraska are required to take the ACT

Students that participate in the federal free/reduced lunch program can receive up to two fee waivers to take the ACT or SAT free of charge.

Visit the ACT website for more information.

ACT Test Prep

ACT Test Prep (Free for all Juniors)! 

Juniors can create a learning plan, use the game center and discussion boards, and complete practice tests to prepare for the ACT at no cost.

Sign in with your OPS email address

Password: Student ID number

Applying for Scholarships

Scholarships are very similar to applying for college because they are not all the same and may require different information depending on the organization.  Some scholarships require items such as a photo, essay, letter(s) of recommendation, resume, or a counselor page, while others are simpler.  In addition to scholarships from independent organizations, many colleges and universities use the application that is required for admission for their scholarships/financial aid packages.  Make sure you research this information by checking the college's website (see admissions and financial aid sections), or by contacting these offices directly for scholarship opportunities and deadlines.

Scholarship Databases

The process of searching for scholarships has changed dramatically over the past several years. There are many great websites that provide free scholarship searches for students.  

ScholarshipQuest is an EducationQuest database specifically created for students in Nebraska.  This is a great place to start your search as over 2,000 Nebraska-based scholarships are advertised. 

Fastweb is one of the nation's largest scholarship databases that contains hundreds of thousands of scholarships worth several billion dollars. 

Omaha Public Schools Scholarship Handbook

Award Letters

An award letter is the statement from either a college or scholarship committee that gives information about scholarship(s) that have been offered to a student.  If you receive an award letter and have questions, please bring it to school to show your School Counselor. 

Financial Aid can come in many different forms; Scholarships, Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, PLUS loans, and Work Study programs.  We encourage students to visit with their School Counselor before applying for financial aid.  The process to receive financial aid can be long and sometimes challenging.  The Multiple Pathways School Counselors are prepared and excited to help students in their pursuit of financial aid.

EducationQuest

EducationQuest is an organization dedicated to helping students with scholarships and financial aid.  This nonprofit organization is a free resource located at:

11031 Elm Street

Omaha, NE  68144

Phone: 402-391-4033

Call or visit their website for access to a handful of helpful tools and videos.

FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form that students/parents complete annually to determine eligibility for federal student aid; this includes Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, PLUS loans, and Work Study programs.  Available after January 1 each year, FAFSA processes several million financial aid applications and distributes billions of dollars each year.  In addition to financial assistance on a federal level, most states and colleges also use information from the FAFSA to award student aid.  It is recommended that students and families review financial aid deadlines for the prospective schools in their list; March 1, March 15, and April 1 are common deadlines for federal financial aid.  Applications submitted after stated deadlines are not guaranteed financial aid.  FAFSA deadlines vary from college to college; it is in your best interest to contact prospective colleges for more details.

Students and parents filling out the FAFSA are required to sign up for an FSA ID. This ID acts as an electronic signature and allows both students and parents to legally sign the form electronically. The student and parent must have their own unique FSA ID before beginning the FAFSA application.

What You Need to Know About Financial Aid

The Guide to Federal Student Aid is a document put out by the U.S. Department of Education.  This manual will give all the information on grants, work study, loans and other topics with regard to federal financial aid.

Importance of Academics

Many athletes falsely believe they can make it to college based on their athletic ability alone. Although an athlete may be talented, he or she will have a very difficult time advancing to the next level without passing the required high school classes, maintaining a minimum core grade point average and achieving sufficient standardized test scores. 

Researching College Teams by Sport

Link Athletics is a great website to learn about college sports by researching specific sports by state and by school.

College Athletic Associations

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is an association for college sports that has been around since 1906. There are over 1,000 four-year member colleges in the United States that compete at the Division (I), Division (II), and Division (II) level.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is an association for college sports that has been around since 1940. There are nearly 300 four-year member colleges in the United States and Canada.

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is an association for college sports that has been around since 1938. There are about 500 two-year colleges in the United States

NCAA & NAIA Eligibility Center

The NCAA Eligibility Center is the governing body that determines whether a student will be allowed to compete in NCAA Division (I) or Division (II) athletics.

The NCAA Freshman-Eligibility Quick Reference gives information on the general core courses it takes to qualify for Division (I) and Division (II) athletics.  This website outlines eligibility guidelines for prospective student-athletes of NCAA institutions.

The NAIA Eligibility Center is the governing body that determines eligibility for prospective student-athletes who hope to participate at a member institution.  

Prospective student-athletes who plan on participating at either an NCAA (DI or DII) or NAIA member institution must register with the respective organization to be eligible to participate in an intercollegiate sport once on campus.