Small Town Times APRIL NEWSLETTER final | Page 10

Do you prefer a large university or a small college? Are you interested in a community college? What kind of student/ teacher ratio do you want? Where do you want to go to college? Do you want to live close to home or far away? Do you want to be in a major city or a small town? How big of a factor is out-of-state or private school tuition? If you want to go out of state, investigate programs like the Midwest Student Exchange Program which may provide discounted tuition. What can you afford? Consider overall costs: tuition, room and board, books, transportation, and personal expenses. (See “About Nebraska Colleges” for costs.) Determine what you and your parents can afford to pay out-of-pocket and plan to apply for financial aid to help make up the difference. Calculate the loan debt you and your parents may need to incur to pay for your college education. For more details, see Selecting a College at EducationQuest.org. College fairs coming up in South Sioux City, Lincoln, and Omaha Talk to representatives from colleges across the state, region, and nation during upcoming college fairs. Tri-State Area College Fair (South Sioux City) – Sunday, April 7, 1-3 p.m., Delta Hotel Center Omaha Area College Fair – Sunday, April 14, 1-3 p.m., University of Nebraska at Omaha Sapp Fieldhouse Lincoln Area College Fair – Sunday, April 28, 1-3 p.m., Southeast Community College, 8800 O Street Before you attend, get a barcode at NebraskaCollegeFairs.org. Print the barcode (or download it to your smartphone) and take it to the fair so college reps can scan it. April “To Do” List Seniors ___ Continue applying for scholarships. ___ Make your final college decision. ___ Start purchasing dorm essentials. ___ Start looking for a summer job. Juniors ___ Attend a college fair in your area. ___ Schedule campus visits while colleges are still in session. ___ Register by April 5 for the May 4 SAT. ___ Register by May 3 for the June 8 ACT. ___ Start looking for scholarships. For free help with college planning, contact EducationQuest Foundation: Omaha Lincoln Kearney Scottsbluff 402-391-4033 402-475-5222 308-234-6310 800-303-3745 ext. 6654 888-357-6300 800-303-3745 800-666-3721 EducationQuest.org Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Your Journey to College Begins with Us