Throughout Fall Semester
- Study at home, do your homework, be organized, manage your time, use your planner, get good grades.
- Set up a college planning organization system such as a notebook or dedicated drawer at home, and put all of your college information and forms into it.
- Participate in extracurricular activities & service learning opportunities. Update your activities resume often.
- Research colleges and scholarships. Schoolinks will be one of your biggest resources this year!
- Explore college options and narrow your selection
- Attend a Fall UNO College Fair. *
- Visit with college admissions representatives at Benson. Watch bulletin for dates, sign up on Schoolinks. *
- Go on campus tours. Sign up at the college website or look for info in bulletin.
- Complete 2-4 college applications by early December* OR complete military, trade school, apprenticeship, job applications. Keep track of deadlines for your college choices. Use the college website to submit applications. On Schoolinks, request transcripts be sent to the colleges you’ve applied to. Consider applying to at least one local college or university.
- Create an Activities Resume. * Update it on a regular basis.
- Begin writing essay(s) for college or scholarship applications. Many scholarships require an essay. Give yourself plenty of time to have them proofed and remember to revise, revise, revise.
- Research and apply for scholarships.*
- Write deadlines on a calendar. Good scholarship resources are:
- Schoolinks Scholarship List/Search
- ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org
- The website of the college you plan to attend
- Benson School Counseling Office
- Benson High School and Alumni Scholarship applications will be available online in Senior Newsletter (found in Benson Bunny News)
September-October
- Your counselor will call you down for an individual meeting in September to make sure you’re on track for graduation, have the courses needed to meet college admission requirements, and to work on post-secondary planning.*
- Attend an EducationQuest Financial Aid Program* at local Omaha area high schools throughout the fall.
- Explore college options
- Come to one of the college planning sessions at Benson with your parent(s) or guardian(s) during Parent-Teacher Conferences. More information about times/location to come.
October-December
- Take (or retake) your college entrance exam*
- Most 4-year colleges/universities require the ACT or SAT for admission. Colleges typically use your highest composite score for admission and scholarship decisions. For registration info, fee waivers** or to register, visit the counseling center.
- Most local 2-year community colleges require students to take the Accuplacer. Wait until January through March to take these. They will accept the ACT and SAT as well.
- Be sure to PREP for your college entrance exam. The scores on these exams can determine which English or Math class you take in college, or how much money a scholarship committee may award you. It is of UTMOST IMPORTANCE that you prepare for these tests like they are worth money! Information on test prep may be found in the Counseling office.
- Prepare and complete the FAFSA* (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
- Use a FAFSA checklist
- Schedule an appointment via Schoolinks with our EducationQuest representative if you need help filling out your FAFSA. She is at Benson every Wednesday.
- After you have submitted your FAFSA, you should expect your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) within a week to 10 days.
- Use Schoolinks to request letters of recommendation from your teachers if needed for college or scholarship applications. Ask in person, and at least three weeks in advance. Let teachers know if you will be using this letter for multiple applications.
* Indicates an Omaha Public Schools High School College and Career Readiness Milestone.
**Students receiving educational benefits may qualify for a registration fee waiver.
