January 27, 2006 - Volume 34 Issue 8

Student Guide to College Planning
Financial aid available, options provided online
By Katie Hauser, jr.
Opinion Editor

As the second semester gets into full swing, students should look ahead and begin to prepare for their future plans.

For many students, this includes planning for college. However, college is expensive, and most families need a little help. This is the time of year to start looking for financial aid as many applications are due in the early spring.

One important application is the FAFSA, or the free application for federal student aid. According to fafsa.ed.gov, “the FAFSA is the federal application for financial aid, and it may also be used to apply for aid from other sources, such as [one’s] state or school.” This application can mean money from the government.

Scholarships are also an opportunity to get money for college. Jason Feeback, high school counselor, has made the frantic search for possible scholarships as easy as possible. Students or parents can log on to the school website, usd258.net, and then click on the ‘scholarships’ link. From there, local scholarships are available for downloading, as well as the counselor’s newsletter.


Most local scholarships are due April 15 to the counselor’s office. More detailed information is available on the website.

The counselor’s newsletter is a four-page document that Feeback updates twice a month. The document lists all available scholarships that Feeback has found. Due dates and amounts are available, as well as websites to find more information on the national scholarships.

“ I find new scholarships every month and deadlines come up every month,” said Feeback.

Colleges offer scholarships for students who attend based on grades and ACT scores. Colleges may also have financial aid for those students who qualify.

“ I would encourage seniors to contact the college they plan to attend to find out about the financial aid that college offers,” said Feeback.

Some colleges allow students to fill out a general form online that then qualifies them for several of the scholarships at that college. Still, some college scholarships require more than basic information, so students should be prepared to be more detailed, and possibly write essays, document community service, or fulfill other requirements.

Students can also search the Internet themselves for scholarships. Some websites have been set up for that purpose. One is FastWeb.com. Students can create an account and then search for scholarships or colleges. It also provides tips for writing better scholarships so that students have a better chance to win.

Finding this money can help relieve stress on families as they try to pay for college. As costs for higher education go up, it is quickly becoming more and more important that money comes from as many sources as possible.

Daunting college decisions need not haunt students
By Jesse Lundine, sr.
District Editor


With the school year rolling on, students, especially juniors and seniors, are faced with one of the most important questions of their life: what college to attend?

For many students, the cost of an education is the foremost worry in their minds. Students are often finding other sources for payment rather than out of their own pockets. The school offers many named scholarships based upon academic achievement, leadership skills, and athletic ability. The scholarships range in various amounts, from paying for just the bare necessities, to paying for the student’s entire education.

Many students are trying to decide whether or not to stay home to attend college somewhere close; to leave home for college. Another choice is whether to attend a private, public, community, or technical college that is the most beneficial to their personal needs. There are many positive and negative aspects to consider in making this decision.

By living at home while attending college and letting mom and dad pay for their essentials, like the roof over their head and their meals, students have time to work and save money for their future plans.

Another road often taken is going away from home where they are faced with everyday problems without parental help. Students often find it hard to make ends meet based upon their own income while attending school, but one of the main reason students go off to college is to learn their own strengths based upon experiences. This consideration helps them to gain a sense of self knowing that they can make it in this world.

Deciding on a major seems to be a big fret for some students. The thought of having to decide what they want to do or be for the rest of their life seems to have had students contemplating their career choice since grade school. Young adults’ ideas of a perfect job lifestyle are still changing. If students are torn between careers to choose from, they have plenty of resources to help with that major decision.

One such resource is the Career Interest Inventory Test that is offered to most high school students during their junior year of high school. This test consists of numerous questions concerning their personal interests, with the idea of trying to match the student based upon their personal likes and dislikes to a career that is best suited for them.

If students already have an idea of what they want to do in the future, one option is that they can always find a person in that career field and shadow them for a day or however long they choose. Some students tend to find this option as a good insight to what the future might hold for someone who has entered into that field of work.

No matter how tough the decision is for their future plans, students have a wealth of resources available to them. They have opportunities such as campus visits, the guidance counselors’ advice, and their own intuition to guide them toward their future decision.

Early involvment, commitment proves vital
By Melanie Weilert, sr.
Editor-in-Chief


While many students wait until the last few lingering months before their high school graduation to ready themselves for college, underclassmen would be wise to get an early start on these usually dreaded preparations.

Often times, college and scholarship applications require that the student is able to provide a detailed list of past academic and athletic recognition, participation in community service projects, involvement in extracurricular activities, and means of employment throughout the course of high school. It is important that underclassmen keep a list of these requirements as they occur, making sure to keep track of specific detail. Many applications request specific information, such as years of involvement, exact total of community service hours, and leadership positions held within organizations.

Past participation in extracurricular activities and community service projects, as well as academic and athletic recognition, are often difficult to recall if a record is not kept of them. Many students who wait until the last minute to record their previous activity discover that they forget important occurrences. It is not uncommon that people on scholarship committees or college admission boards consider every piece of information pertaining to applicants in order to make close decisions. If a student happens to have a lapse in memory when it comes to 20 hours of community service here or consistent involvement in school organizations there, then they are ultimately cheating themselves.

Students can do more than just keep track of previous activity while still in high school. Developing respectable professional relationships with teachers and administration can assist in the future process of obtaining positive letters of recommendation, a significant deciding factor for many applications.

Although some students consider the school counselor as someone who primarily deals with personal problems, this is not always so. School counselors exist, in the most part, to provide students with assistance in regards to post-secondary education and career decisions.

It is extremely beneficial to confer on a regular basis with the school counselor, as they are able to help make sure applications are completed and on time, that career decisions are best suited to a student’s ability and preference, and that some form of college education is available to the student.

In cooperation with a desired college location, students are given many opportunities to visit their future educational sources through college visit days. Visit days are scheduled throughout the school year as an open house of sorts where the college sets up special events with tours and seminars, usually planned around college athletic games or during the presence of an important person. Underclassmen should definitely take advantage of these opportunities, as it is crucial for them to feel a sense of belonging during their visit to the campus before making any definite decisions on their attendance. These visit days allow the students the opportunity to experience college life, whether it be through a football game atmosphere, adequacy of the dormitories, or the general impression of the campus population.

Despite whether or not underclassmen feel that now is too soon to get a head start on college preparations, it is extremely crucial that they do not put it off until the last minute. College admission offices, as well as scholarship committees, have dealt with enough student applicants to know the difference between someone who has taken their time to construct well thought essays and information from someone who did everything in a rush.

Activities build character
Devotion to interests creates reliable students
By Blair Umholtz, sr.
Advertising Manager


In some cases, a beneficial thing that students can do to prepare themselves for the future is remain active and supportive throughout their entire high school career.

Along with the various opportunities for students to get involved both within and outside of their school, there are really a great amount of activities for students to get involved with. There are clubs and organizations, even sports, that relate to each person. There is something to fit everyone’s interests. This gives students multiple chances and opportunities to belong to something and to dedicate their time and energy to a cause, often gaining several benefits in return.

Dedication to the school and to a student’s extracurricular clubs and activities appeals to both colleges and employers. If such people notice in an application that someone has remained dedicated to these clubs and organizations, they will be more likely to choose that person for a scholarship or job offer.

These activities all look great on college transcripts and resumes. Participation will serve as proof to the colleges and employers that this student would be a great contribution to their business or college. They are able to see that those students are not at all strangers to dedication, leadership, community service, and good old hard work. They realize that such a student would be ready at any time to jump in and help others out.

These people are also often the most pleasant and most reliable to work with. They are used to deadlines and working to the benefit of others. Colleges and employers will take note of this when it comes time to choose someone that is most fitting of the job or scholarship that they have to offer.

Staying active also gives students a chance to discover what skills they are most talented at or enjoy doing the most. Throughout those four years in high school, teens are able to try out the variety of clubs, organizations, and sports that are available to them both within and outside of the school. This will allow them to decide what they are most interested in and what they want to devote a majority of their precious time to.

Students are then able to perfect and strengthen their skills. Slowly, along with time and patience, that person can become a professional in his or her field of choice. This can even help some to choose an occupational field in which to pursue further education and training. It can help them to decide what goals they ultimately want to achieve in their lives, in their schooling, or in their occupational field of choice.

Remaining active also allows students to learn leadership skills and contribute to the community. A majority of clubs and organizations participate in a type of community service, whether on a local, county, or state level. If students participate in fundraisers and leadership services, not only will they be able to watch others prosper as a result of their hard work, but they may also grow themselves in the end. The leadership and community service that they take part in will help them to grow and mature further as a person on an individualized scale.

With the endless possibilities for students to get involved inside and outside of their school, each student has plenty of opportunity to participate in one thing or another. Everyone can dedicate themselves to one or several clubs, organizations, or sports. Most students can find something that fits their lifestyle and interests the best.

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