Counselor's Corner

Seniors:

____If you haven’t already, complete the FAFSA.

____Expect financial aid award notifications from the colleges you listed on your FAFSA.

____Apply for scholarships.

Juniors:

____Continue preparing for the March ACT. Click here to view ACT test prep resources.

Wisner-Pilger will host a FAFSA Completion Night on February 19th, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the high school library. A representative from the Financial Aid Office at Northeast will be on-site to answer questions and provide one-on-one assistance with completing and submitting the FAFSA. Please contact the school counseling office or fill out the form below if you are interested in scheduling a time to meet during this event.

HOBY Youth Leadership will be hosting a one-day leadership experience on Saturday, March 22, 2025 from 9:15 am - 2:30 pm at the Norfolk Public Library.

During this free event, 9th graders will participate in several sessions including great speakers, leadership activities, service learning project, and reflections. It will be a fun, informative day with students from throughout the area.

Registration is limited to 3 students per school. Let Mrs. Reese know if you are interested.

Boys' State and Girls' State are separate leadership experiences taking place June 1st-7th, 2025 for students after their junior year of high school.The goal of this event is to learn how government works, develop leadership skills, and make lifelong connections with other participants. Spots are limited and students should let Mrs. Reese know if they are interested in attending. Click the links below for more information.

As one of the nation’s largest college financial aid programs in the country, the Horatio Alger Scholarship Program is one of the major scholarship programs nationally that specifically assists high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. The scholarships are funded by Horatio Alger Members who, like the Scholars, have experienced challenges but ultimately overcame them to become successful business and civic leaders. There is a national scholarship and a state level scholarship. The national scholarship is valued at $25,000. The state level scholarship is valued at $10,000.

To be eligible to apply for the Horatio Alger National Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled full time as a high school junior in the United States
• Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States (students may start their studies at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution)
• Demonstrate critical financial need ($65,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required)
• Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities
• Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity
• Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0; and
• Be a United States citizen

Scholarship Deadline: March 14th

On Tuesday, February 11th, seniors will be given access to AppCentri, the website that manages our Wisner-Pilger local scholarship applications. Parents can also create an account to view scholarships. Please let Mrs. Reese know if you would like this information. Students will be able to submit applications for local scholarships starting February 11th.

The deadline for local scholarships is April 1st before 4:00 p.m.

Other local, state, and regional scholarships not managed by Wisner-Pilger schools can be found on the Wisner-Pilger Scholarship List. This list is updated weekly as new scholarships open. Click the link below to view the list.

• Don’t ever pay for scholarship searches! Use free resources such as ScholarshipQuest at EducationQuest.org with over 2,000 Nebraska-based scholarships. You’ll also find a list of free national sites that we recommend such as College Board and Fastweb.
• Focus on local and college-based scholarships because you're more likely to earn them.
• Update your Activities Resume.
• Earn the best possible ACT scores by taking the exam(s) in the spring of your junior year and again in the fall of your senior year.
• Use quality references such as a teacher, coach, or counselor. Encourage them to write specific examples of your leadership skills. Give them a specific deadline, and a copy of your Activities Resume and Personal Profile.
• Tailor your essay to the scholarship. Ask an English teacher to read your essay and offer advice on making a big impact. Your essay will need to stand out from other applications.

Registration Night for current 8-10th graders will be held on Tuesday, March 18th in the school cafeteria. Scheduling information, high school requirements, and other pertinent information will be reviewed

Students will begin registering for next year's classes as follows:

• 6:00-6:30 - Current 8th Graders
• 6:30-7:00 - Current 9th Graders
• 7:00-7:30 - Current 10th Graders

• Current 11th graders will meet with Mrs. Reese individually by appointment.

On Wednesday, February 5th, the junior class will attend a Career Planning Workshop at Northeast Community College. During this workshop, students will complete the YouScience career assessment, explore their results, and discover careers that align with their strengths and interests. They will also learn about the education required for their chosen career paths and steps they can take to prepare. The day will include a campus tour.

We will depart from school at 8:15 a.m. and return around 3:45 p.m. Students should bring money for lunch, wear comfortable shoes, and dress appropriately for the weather. Students will also need to bring their school computers.

Juniors who signed up to go to the University of Nebraska-Omaha will visit campus on Thursday, March 6th. We will leave at 8:15 and be back sometime around 3:30. Students should bring money for lunch, wear comfortable shoes, and dress appropriately for the weather.

Students who signed up will be attending the Careers in Healthcare Day at Southeast Community College in Lincoln on Thursday, March 20th. Students will leave school at 6:45 and return by 4:00. Students should wear closed toed shoes (no sandals) and should not wear hooded sweatshirts with strings, leggings, shorts or tank tops, and long hair should be able to be tied back. Please make sure to dress appropriately for the weather as some activities will be outside.

Juniors who signed up to go to the Central Community College will visit the Columbus campus on Friday, March 28th. We will leave at 8:15 and be back sometime around 2:00. Students should bring money for lunch, wear comfortable shoes, and dress appropriately for the weather.

Juniors will be taking the ACT test during school on Tuesday, March 25th. Taking the ACT can be a stressful experience for many students. Below is a great article on what parents can do to help their students prepare so students can be relaxed and focused on test day.

Sophomores will take the Pre-ACT on Wednesday, March 26th. The PreACT is a slightly shorter, slightly easier exam designed to help students prepare for the official ACT exam by simulating the test and testing experience. After testing, students will receive an estimated ACT score based on their performance, as well as data that they can use to help them understand their performance and prepare for the official ACT test.