College careers 2013 by Omaha World-Herald

SPECIAL SECTION

October 13, 2013

SHOULD YOU TAKE YOUR CAR TO SCHOOL?

Should you take your car to school?

COLLEGE&CAREERS Check out the college fair at UNO Oct. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m.

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Community colleges address demand for paramedics BY JEFF BARNES WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

As baby boomers move into their senior years and face increasing health challenges, the job prospects are excellent for emergency medical technicians and paramedics. Acting on that demand, area community colleges are creating and expanding programs to train a new generation of emergency professionals. Peggy Dean, program director for the EMS program at Metropolitan Community College, said Omaha-area private and public services have hired numerous graduates since she developed the program in 2006. “Private services seem to take applications at any time of the year, while the public services hire typically every two years,” she said. “They both see the benefits of hiring employees that are already licensed paramedics. Some hire paramedics only, while others such as fire departments hire paramedics/firefighters.

Students in Metropolitan Community College’s paramedic program immobilize a patient during a simulated trauma emergency at one of MCC’s multiple Emergency Medical Services learning labs. The program connects lecture with clinical practice through collaborative learning scenarios. M E T R O P O L I TA N COMMUNITY COLLEGE

There are jobs available in this area, said Cherri Lynch-Fuehring, director of EMS education at Iowa Western Community College, but the opportunity to go elsewhere for specific work environments is certainly an option. “Sometimes we see students who want to work with a wildland fire service, for example,” she said. “The certification that they receive will allow them to transfer from state to state and obtain certification easily to pursue their career goals.” Both Iowa Western and Metro have comprehensive, accredited programs, with students in the paramedic program at Metro required to be EMTs upon entrance. Dean said three to four EMT courses are offered per quarter. Upon successful completion, the EMT is enrolled into the paramedic course. Once a student successfully completes the paramedic course, he or she is allowed to sit for the National Registry Certifying exam. At that point, the student can use his

College & Careers A special section produced by the news division of the Omaha World-Herald. Special sections editor: Shelley Larsen Designer: Jan DeKnock Copy editors: Howard K. Marcus, Melinda Keenan Contributors: Jeff Barnes, Chris Peters, Kelsey Stewart, Todd von Kampen Cover illustration: Dave Croy For special section advertising information, contact dan.matuella@owh.com .

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I O WA W E S T E R N C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E

The paramedic program at Iowa Western Community College provides as much “real-life” experience as possible and is designed to prepare students for entry-level paramedic positions. or her certiﬁcate to apply for state licensure where he or she plans to practice. Lynch-Fuehring said the Iowa Western program is designed to prepare the student

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for an entry-level paramedic position. “Obviously, nothing will replace life experience,” she said, “but we do go to great lengths to provide as much ‘real life’ experi-

ence as possible. Our students practice their skills regularly on high fidelity mannequins in our state-of-the-art simulation center with qualified paramedic instructors. “We cover everything from the basics of the legal responsibilities, documentation, understanding human anatomy and physiology ... all the way to being able to read and interpret a 12-lead ECG, placing breathing tubes in patients, and advanced medication administration. Our paramedics cover a wide range of issues, including delivery of a newborn, patients with advanced medical situations and how to respond to acts of terrorism.” With a two-year degree, one won’t lack for career opportunities. Dean said the two-year degree from Metro can be used to apply for managerial positions at the various fire and EMS services. “Our students will at times move to other states for a variety of reasons,” she said. “They’ll find the state requires an associate degree from an accredited program to be hired and function as a paramedic.” Lynch-Fuehring said the field includes hospitals and emergency rooms, private ambulance services, volunteer agencies and fire departments. “Since our aging population is providing job security, there are positions readily open,” she said. Dean said once a student is EMS licensed, whether as an EMT or a paramedic, he or she is required to maintain a current license and must obtain refresher or continuing education hours to renew and maintain the license, offered at all levels at Metro. A degree is not currently required in

either Iowa or Nebraska to secure a position as a paramedic, Lynch-Fuehring said. “However,” she added, “we do see the trend going that way. There are currently three states that will issue paramedic certifications only to individuals who have completed a paramedic program and hold a minimum of an associate’s degree. “Presently in this area, a student can become certified as long as he/she has completed a state-authorized program successfully and passed the state certification exams. We certainly advocate for our students to obtain their degree while they are in school gaining their paramedic education.” Dean and Lynch-Fuehring said starting paramedic salaries range from $13.50 to $20 an hour, with experienced paramedics in the $20 to $24 range. Both say the trained professionals have a bright future. “There are promotions made within a company, ranging from directors to EMS chiefs,” Dean said. “Across the nation, Community Paramedicine or Mobile Integrated Healthcare will soon be added to the scene. This will be for EMTs and other allied health professionals as well as the paramedic.” Presently, the longevity of a paramedic can expand to the critical health settings, home health and into paramedic education, Lynch-Fuehring said, “but due to back injuries and the high stress levels of the paramedic career, the average lifespan of a field medic is only 10 years. “Therefore, many long-term paramedics find themselves in a teaching role or an administrative position.”

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Undecided on a major? Take your time Adam Ramsey, a senior at Creighton University, was undecided on his college major for two years until counselors at Creighton’s Career Center helped him settle on a career track in environmental science. TODD VON KAMPEN FOR THE WORLD-HERALD

Career centers at area universities offer tools to help students narrow their choices. BY TODD VON KAMPEN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Adam Ramsey arrived at Creighton University with a vague plan to become a doctor. Two years later, he had yet to choose a major. The 2010 Creighton Prep graduate ﬁnally found his calling with help from the university’s Career Center, which helps “undeclared” students turn their investments of money and time into practical and potentially interesting careers. A variety of personal, academic and career-interest tools are available to help such students settle on a major, said Jim Bretl, the Creighton center’s senior director, and Jessica Wolff, who directs the Academic and Career Development Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. But the personal touch remains important. Ramsey, 21, says he owes a lot to Creigh-

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ton counselor Lisa Fitzsimmons, who talked with him often during his sophomore year with the aim of “dissecting what I liked and zeroing in on what I’ve done and what I’ve been interested in since I’ve been here.” Fitzsimmons suggested that Ramsey seek an internship at Henry Doorly Zoo’s Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium. That experience, which included working in the popular penguin exhibit, did the trick. He declared a major in environmental science at the start of his junior year. “It took a while to get used to doing the field work,” Ramsey said, but he finally realized “there was nothing else I wanted to do.” After he graduates next May, Ramsey wants to be a hands-on researcher in wildlife conservation or marine biology. He explored the latter field during an August internship with Oceans Research, which has been studying great white sharks off the coast of South Africa. UNO senior Nick Harrahill likewise credits his counselor, Cathy Pettit, with a pivotal role in helping him find his major. The 2010 Millard North High School graduate, a devoted hockey player, was torn as a freshman between possible careers in

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broadcasting or coaching. Pettit made sure Harrahill made progress toward fulfilling his core course requirements, but she also signed him up for introductory courses in mass communications and physical education. When he figured out that P.E. appealed to him regardless of whether he could coach, he had settled on a major. “When they hire you for P.E., you’re the physical educator first — not the coach,” said Harrahill, 21. But “I found out I had a passion for working with kids.” He’s on track to receive his degree in P.E. at the end of 2014 — and he has found hockey coaching internships in the Omaha area in the meantime. Undeclared students, Bretl and Wolff said, likely are better off to focus on their college’s core classes and take their time in choosing a major. Students who declare a major right away but change their mind, they said, can have trouble fitting credit hours from their original major into their new program. But UNO students have less time to make a decision than their Creighton counterparts. Wolff said her office allows students using its services to complete up to 36 credit hours before declaring a major. “We feel like we’ve done our job well if they’re moving on by the second semester of their sophomore year,” she said. Creighton students have more time, Bretl said, because his university’s core curriculum covers

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61 to 64 credit hours — up to half of the 128 typically needed to graduate. “Our preference is for them to make one really good first decision and not jump around (in majors) four or five times,” he said. The Creighton and UNO career centers offer two popular surveys among their career assessment tools. The Strong Interest Inventory measures career and leisure interests, while the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator measures people’s degree of introversion or extroversion and their perceptions of the world. Each career center also offers a free online career assessment tool for students who can’t afford to pay for the popular survey tools. The Strong and Myers-Briggs surveys are included in a one-credit-hour UNO elective, “First-Year Experience,” coordinated by Wolff’s office. She said the instructors — typically academic advisers or other staffers connected with degree programs — familiarize undeclared students with UNO resources. They assign students a final project designed to help them narrow their choices for a major. Harrahill said that Pettit, his UNO adviser, also had him take the Clifton StrengthsFinder, a survey offered by Gallup Inc. that helps people identify their personal strengths. Harrahill said it pointed out that he had a gift for working with people, a finding that reinforced his decision to major in P.E.

The Creighton and UNO career centers offer two popular surveys among their career assessment tools. The Strong Interest Inventory measures career and leisure interests, while the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator measures people’s degree of introversion or extroversion and their perceptions of the world. Each career center also offers a free online career assessment tool for students who can’t afford to pay for the popular survey tools.

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Fair to feature more than 160 colleges Oct. 20 at UNO College-bound students can visit with representatives from more than 160 colleges during the Omaha Area College Fair. The fair is Sunday, Oct. 20, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Sapp Fieldhouse at 60th and Dodge Streets. Admission is free. Students and parents are encouraged to park on the South Campus and use the free shuttles from the Kiewit Institute to the Fieldhouse. Shuttles will run from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The college fair is sponsored by the EducationQuest Foundation in partnership with Omaha area school counselors and the Nebraska Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers. If you have questions about the college fair, contact Joan Jurek of EducationQuest at 888-357-6300 or visit EducationQuest.org. Follow these tips to make the most of your college fair visit: » Before you attend, visit NebraskaCollegeFairs.org to register for a bar code you can print and take to the fair. College reps will scan the bar code to retrieve your demographic information so you won’t have to complete their information cards. » Determine which colleges you want to visit. Arrive early so you have time to visit your top colleges. » Prepare a list of questions to ask the college representatives. Ask about deadlines for admission, scholarship and financial aid applications. » Attend a financial aid program to learn about types of aid and how to apply.

E D U C AT I O N Q U E S T

Kevin Hale, the director of admissions at Wayne State College, shares information with a prospective student at a recent EducationQuest College Fair.

NEBRASKA

Air National Guard of Nebraska Alegent-Creighton Health School of Radiology Bellevue University Bryan College of Health Sciences Capitol School of Hairstyling & Esthetics Central Community College (Columbus, Hastings, Grand Island)

Chadron State College Clarkson College College of Hair Design College of St. Mary Concordia University Creative Center, College of Art & Design Creighton University Creighton University, Army ROTC

W I L L

Doane College Grace University Hastings College ITT Technical Institute Joseph’s College-Cosmetology Kaplan University La James International College Metropolitan Community College Midland University Nebraska Christian College Nebraska Methodist College Nebraska Wesleyan University Northeast Community College Peru State College Southeast Community College (Beatrice, Lincoln, Milford) University of Nebraska at Kearney University of Nebraska at Omaha University of Nebraska Medical Center University of Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture Union College U.S. Army University of Nebraska-Lincoln University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Air Force ROTC Wayne State College WyoTech Xenon International Academy York College

IOWA

AIB College of Business Briar Cliff University Buena Vista University Central College Coe College

Y O U

S T A N D

S T I L L

OR GO SOMEWHERE THAT MOVES YOU? G O B I G . U N L . E D U

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Cornell College Dordt College Drake University Graceland University Grand View University Grinnell College Iowa Lakes Community College Iowa State University Iowa Western Community College Luther College Morningside College Mount Mercy University Northwestern College St. Luke’s College Simpson College Southwestern Community College University of Iowa University of Northern Iowa Upper Iowa University Waldorf College Wartburg College Western Iowa Technical Community College William Penn University

COLORADO

Auguste Escofﬁer School of Culinary Arts Colorado Christian University Colorado State University Regis University Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design

CONNECTICUT

U.S. Coast Guard Academy

GEORGIA

Savannah College of Art and Design

KANSAS

Baker University Benedictine College Bethany College Bethel College Central Christian College Colby Community College Friends University Hesston College Kansas State University Kansas Wesleyan University Manhattan Christian College Ottawa University Pittsburg State University University of Kansas University of Saint Mary Washburn University Wichita State University

ILLINOIS

Bradley University Knox College Lake Forest College Loyola University Chicago Northwestern University

INDIANA

Butler University Indiana University Purdue University University of Evansville University of Notre Dame

MARYLAND

United States Naval Academy

MASSACHUSETTS

Harvard College

MICHIGAN

Hillsdale College

S U N DAY, O C T O B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 3

MINNESOTA

Augsburg College Carleton College College of Saint Benedict Concordia College Concordia University-St. Paul Gustavus Adolphus College Hamline University Macalester College St. Catherine University St. John’s University St. Mary’s University St. Olaf College Southwest Minnesota State University University of St. Thomas

MISSOURI

Avila University Columbia College Cottey College Drury University Lincoln University Maryville University Missouri State University Missouri University of Science and Technology Missouri Western State University Northwest Missouri State University Park University Rockhurst University Saint Louis University Truman State University University of Central Missouri University of Missouri-Columbia University of Missouri-Kansas City Webster University William Jewell College William Woods University

NEW JERSEY

Seton Hall University

FIND THE

! T I F T H G I R

OMAHA AREA COLLEGE FAIR

Sunday, October 20 • 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. University of Nebraska at Omaha Sapp Fieldhouse • 6001 Dodge Street

888.357.6300 EducationQuest.org

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NEW YORK

Colgate University Syracuse University U.S. Military Academy

OKLAHOMA

University of Tulsa

PENNSYLVANIA

University of Pennsylvania

RHODE ISLAND

Johnson and Wales University

SOUTH DAKOTA

Augustana College Black Hills State University Dakota State University Dakota Wesleyan University Mount Marty College Northern State University Presentation College South Dakota State University University of Sioux Falls University of South Dakota

TEXAS

Southern Methodist University Texas A&M University Texas Christian University Trinity University

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VIRGINIA

Virginia Tech

WISCONSIN

Lawrence University Marquette University

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Do you need a car on campus? Some are fine walking and taking the bus, but others view having a vehicle as a necessity.

BY CHRIS PETERS WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

CHRIS PETERS FOR THE WORLD-HERALD

UNL student Jake Snyder walks to wherever he needs to go on campus.

LINCOLN — Students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are faced with a decision when they arrive on campus — with parking rates on the rise, will they bring a car? An increase in the price of on-campus parking meters last spring — doubling the price from 50 cents per hour to $1 — forced many students to consider other options. Some students park in on-campus lots, which cost between $198 and $360 per semester, while others feed meters at an average rate of $300 per semester. Still others use the campus shuttles and Lincoln bus system, park off campus for free, ride a bike or walk. Dan Carpenter, director of UNL’s Parking and Transit Services, said only one-fourth of UNL students living off campus purchase a parking permit, compared with 68 percent of those who live on campus. After UNL decided to raise the prices on the meters last spring, some students have found other means of getting around. Senior Amy Strop took a page from her sister’s playbook. The 22-year-old had used the meters more frequently, but has now cut back to two days a week when she has just one class. On the three other days, she parks in the North Bottoms neighborhood near campus. There, she said, she has no issues ﬁnding a spot on the side of the road for free, a block away from UNL’s perimeter lots — which cost $117 per semester. The walk to class is just a few blocks across a pedestrian bridge near Memorial Stadium. “It’s not that big of a deal to

Last spring, UNL raised the rates on most parking meters from 50 cents per hour to $1 per hour. Individuals who don’t pay attention to the time remaining on a meter risk getting a ticket. walk,” she said. Some students, such as Jake Snyder, walk every day. The 22-year-old senior never brought a car to campus, even when he moved off campus to a neighborhood a mile away. He estimates that he has saved thousands on gas and parking. “You don’t need (a car),” he said. “Everything you could ever need is on campus.” When students need to go home to see family or just leave campus to run errands, they can bum rides from friends, rent cars or take the bus to the airport. A mandatory student fee of $25.09 per semester provides bus passes for UNL shuttles and Lincoln StarTran buses. The Transit

Services fee, which is part of a greater package of student fees, increased from $15.46 last spring. Routes 24 and 25, which circle UNL’s City Campus and run between City Campus and East Campus — transported 671,000 riders in ﬁscal year 2012, Carpenter said. All other routes on StarTran totaled 187,986. At the University of Iowa, the bus system — dubbed the “Cambus” — transported more than 4.5 million riders last year. Dave Ricketts, director of parking and transportation at Iowa, said students in Iowa City save money on gas and parking by driving mopeds. “It has just exploded on cam-

pus,” Ricketts said. More than 1,300 motorcycle permits were issued at Iowa last year — a classification that covers motorcycles, mopeds and the like. At UNL, only about 120 motorcycles or mopeds park regularly, Carpenter said. Meter prices at Iowa are a bit higher, at $1.20 per hour, while permits are cheaper than at Nebraska. A commuter pass costs $24 per month, compared with $44 at UNL, while a storage lot costs $37 per month at Iowa and $53 for a garage pass at UNL. UNL’s lots are much closer to classes and dorms, however. One method both schools are experimenting with is ZipCar, a company that sells subscriptions, then charges an hourly rate to rent a car on campus for student use. At UNL, a student using ZipCar pays a $25 annual fee, plus about $7 per hour to rent the car. Carpenter said it’s gradually catching on. “We’ve seen some significant use,” he said. “We’re going to promote it more this year.” Students who want to cut costs can find plenty of options. But for a good portion of the population — whether they’re paying their way or riding on Daddy’s dime — convenience is priceless. Junior Logan Cecil, a 22-yearold from Omaha, is living and parking on campus for the fifth straight year. He considered other options, such as parking in third-party lots downtown, but found the convenience tough to beat. “It’s right here. I don’t have to walk a mile to my car,” he said. “Eventually, you’re going to get a parking ticket, and that tends to add up. “I would rather just park here. It just makes life easier.”

Logan Cecil heads to his Jeep, which is parked in a UNL lot near 19th and S Streets. He has a UNL resident surface lot pass.

A bus stops on campus at 14th and R Streets, just outside the student union. Mopeds are lined up at 13th and R Streets. Vehicles such as mopeds and motorcycles park for free in designated spaces on campus. On a typical day, about 120 vehicles are parked in the designated spots.

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Students tell what they wish they’d known before college BY KELSEY STEWART WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

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High school seniors have a lot to learn in preparation for college. These 13 college students shared their advice and what they wish they had known about college before starting. ASHLEY CIRCO

High school: Millard North College: Junior at Texas Christian University Major: Accounting “I wish I knew how exciting and fun college is and not to take any minute of it for granted. Everyone always wishes they could be a freshman again, so soak it all up! I advise incoming freshmen to learn how to balance their free time. Get involved, but also learn to say no. Only get involved in things that you are passionate about and will help you grow as a student and a person.”

EBONIE EPINGER

High school: Omaha Central College: Senior at the University of Nebraska at Omaha Major: Criminal justice “The thing I wish I knew the most coming into college was understanding and knowing better study habits. I felt like that was really important and I had to teach myself, along with help from advisers, how to study better for college exams. The advice I would give is to practice study habits. Make sure you study ahead of time. Do your assignments on time. Don’t procrastinate. Enjoy your college experience. It’s a blast, and it opens up your mind to new opportunities that you may not have had or known before.”

JUSTIN GIPE

High school: Omaha Central College: May 2013 graduate of Metropolitan Community College; now a student at UNO. Major: Culinary arts at Metro; business management at UNO. “I guess I wish I knew more about how professors were going to be, especially in the bigger classrooms. I started at Metro and moved to UNO. The transition from going to high school and even from Metro to UNO, I didn’t know how large the classes were and how the professors don’t really know exactly who you are. Not having that one-on-one was a shock to me, especially my ﬁrst semester at UNO. My advice would be to study, study, study and always pay attention to what’s going on.”

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LIZ JOEKEL

High school: Omaha Burke College: Completed prerequisites at University of Nebraska-Lincoln; now a senior at Nebraska Methodist College. Major: Nursing “Before I started college, I wish I would have known what a time commitment it was and how focused you need to be if you want to succeed. I also wish I had known about nursing programs in high school. I didn’t know you could get into nursing programs right out of high school. My advice is a quote, and it’s kind of cheesy. It’s one of the Jimmy John’s quotes — ‘If you do what you need to do when you need to do it, then someday you can do what you want to do when you want to do it.’ I would say to focus on school and doing well because it will be worth it in the end.”

CODI LIPPOLD

High school: Omaha Burke College: Junior at UNO Major: Engineering “College is nothing like high school. Teachers aren’t going to bug you for your assignment if it’s late. They’ll just give you a zero. Attend class. If you don’t make

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it to a class, the notes won’t be sitting there waiting for you the next day for you to pick up. And chances are that information will be on a test sooner or later.”

TORI OSLER

High school: Perkins County College: Sophomore at Nebraska Wesleyan Major: Global studies and political science “I wish I had known how many activities there would be available in college so that I could think it through. In high school, I would try everything. In college, you can’t really do that. You have to narrow it down. It takes more time. I hadn’t thought about the fact that there would be the same amount of activities available. I wish I had thought that through. Make sure to balance your time. Time management is a huge thing. You can’t spend your whole time studying or worrying about classes. You also need to have a social life, in addition to dedicating time to studies and extracurriculars.”

CAMERON RAMAEKERS

High school: Papillion-La Vista College: Senior at Northwest Missouri State University Major: Interactive digital media — new media “I wish I had known the importance of extracurriculars and ﬁnding opportunities outside of just classes. In high school they tell you to focus on the grades, and that’s important, but there’s so much more importance outside of class, too.”

WILL RAUN

High school: Minden College: Senior at St. Olaf College Major: Music and Spanish “One thing I would have been glad to know was how important the school’s alumni network was. St. Olaf has a strong alumni network. I feel like every student, when you’re on a campus or a tour, at least for me when I visited, I just knew that was the place. If you’re able to do that, take advantage of it.”

COLETTE RECTOR

High school: Omaha Westside College: Sophomore at the University of Missouri-Columbia Major: Journalism with an emphasis on strategic communications and Spanish “If you’re going out of state, just know that it’s not going to be easy right away. A lot of people will talk about how great college is, but there’s a lot of times when it’s not. Be prepared for that, especially if you don’t know anyone where you’re going. Get involved on campus. That made a huge difference for me. Don’t settle on a friend group.”

RACHEL RIMATHE

High school: North Polk Community Schools College: Senior at Iowa State University Major: Marketing and management “I wish I had known how much extra work you have to do related to classwork. You need to be organized and prioritize your time.”

CORINNE SNELLING

High school: Papillion-La Vista College: Junior at College of St. Mary Major: Nursing “I wish I would have known about all of the types of scholarships available. I would have tried to apply to more than I did because college is so expensive. If I had more knowledge on that, I wouldn’t be as stressed with trying to pay for college. I wish I had been aware of how many other resources are out there, too.”

GRANT THOMAS

High school: Lincoln Southwest College: Junior at University of Nebraska-Lincoln Major: Secondary social science education “Find likeminded individuals who are equally as studious as you are. I’ve found that you study as much as your friends do. People who don’t study that much group together. People who do study group together. Your peers determine how successful you’ll be in life. The same is true in

academic studies. Try to meet as many people as you can. That’s been one of the most rewarding aspects of college. Be careful of online classes. Unless you have a scheduled time of when you’re going to do them, you end up getting bad grades.”

NATHAN VAN WINKLE

High school: Cody-Kilgore College: Senior at Creighton University Major: Health care administration and policy “When I was a freshman, I wish some-one had told me how much free time there was to manage. In high school, I was really involved. When I got to Creighton, I was just in classes. That free time is what ended up killing me more than not having enough time. I have a tight schedule now and am more efﬁcient now. Be courageous enough to follow what you think is interesting and exciting, not just what you think you need to do or what society expects you to do. Follow your passions. It’s very easy to get caught up in what your parents or grandparents want. You need to live your life for you, and it starts with college.”

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EFC is a key piece of the financial-aid puzzle

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Though the figure isn’t necessarily what a family will have to pay, it gives colleges a way to measure need.

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BY TODD VON KAMPEN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Resist the urge to laugh, cry or cheer when you see the “Expected Family Contribution” figure on your college-bound child’s FAFSA form. It doesn’t quite mean what you think it does. Not that the EFC isn’t a pivotal portion of the annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid, said Joan Jurek, director of college planning at the EducationQuest Foundation’s Omaha office. But the figure indicates a student’s relative need for federally backed student loans or need-based scholarships — not some stash the federal government thinks parents have lying around the house. “Knowing the EFC doesn’t automatically mean you’ll pay that (amount),” Jurek said. “But it gives the colleges a consistent measure or snapshot of the family’s ability to pay for school.” The FAFSA, which can be completed and

ﬁled for free at www.fafsa.ed.gov, must be submitted by any student seeking ﬁnancial aid that isn’t academically based.

Even relatively well-to-do parents have to ﬁle the form, Jurek said, if they insist that their children work their way through college and apply on their behalf for student loans that likely won’t be based on need. “What’s critical for families to understand is that it’s not as simple as saying your income is X amount of dollars, and you either qualify for grants or scholarships or you don’t,” she said. Nebraska families with college-bound students may start preparing for the FAFSA process by using the College Funding Estimator link on the EducationQuest website, www.educationquest.org, or by using the “Contact Us” link to set up an appointment with the foundation’s counselors. Jurek said families should start gathering their ﬁnancial records now for the FAFSA if their child is a high school senior this fall.

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The EducationQuest home page also offers links called “FAFSA Checklist” and “FAFSA Tools” to help families learn what information they will need. That said, much of the information needed will be reused from the family’s federal income tax return, meaning that the FAFSA can’t be ﬁled before winter. If a family has electronically ﬁled its tax return, the free FAFSA site includes a function for electronically transferring information from the IRS into the form.

In addition to the student’s and parents’ income, information used to calculate the EFC includes: » The student’s dependency status — that is, whether the student receives more than half of his or her annual support from the parents. If the student is independent and married, his or her spouse’s salary and assets also will be needed. » The number of people in the student’s household who get more than half their support from the household. » The parents’ marital status and assets, including their net home equity and the value of their investments. » Untaxed federal benefits, such as the Earned Income Credit, child tax credits and welfare or Social Security benefits. Food stamps and subsidized housing benefits are not included. » Tax-deferred or untaxed income, including but not limited to pension and IRA contributions, child support received, tax-exempt interest income, workers’ compensation or disability benefits.

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» Other aid being received by the student, including child support paid by a divorced or separated parent, education credits, taxable earnings from federal work-study or other need-based work programs and the taxable portions of other student grants and scholarships. Parents should not be discouraged by the list, Jurek said, because the FAFSA shields portions of their income and assets — especially their primary home, motor vehicles and retirement accounts — from affecting their child’s eligibility for need-based aid. They’re sometimes surprised, for example, when they look at the form’s treatment of investments “and say, ‘Wow, that didn’t change our numbers at all,’” she said. “If it is a two-parent family, do both parents work? There’s an allowance for that. The older the older parent is, the greater the parents’ assets are protected.” Knowing a student’s likely FAFSA outcome in advance, Jurek said, can be useful when making the ﬁnal decision about which college to attend. Private schools might offer ﬁnancial aid packages that allow them to compete with lower-tuition public colleges and universities — but the FAFSA has to be completed for them to be able to make such offers. Students should consider applying to a “dream school,” a “realistic school” and “fallback” schools so they can use their FAFSA results to their best advantage, she said. That way, “even if I don’t want to stay in Omaha (for college), I’ve covered my bases.”

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Be on the lookout for scholarships Colleges, foundations and businesses all offer money to students.

BY TODD VON KAMPEN WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Counselors working with soon-to-be college students and their families have a saying about scholarship searches: Don’t pay for online help when you can get the same help for free. High school guidance offices and Nebraska’s EducationQuest Foundation offer in-depth and broad-based help — be it in person or online — that equals or surpasses anything students can hope to get from Internet-based services, say counselors with EducationQuest and two Omaha-area high schools. “I tell them never, ever to pay money for a service or a search,” said Liz Schow, guidance counselor for juniors and seniors at Daniel J. Gross Catholic High School. “We have the resources here. … Otherwise, they’re wasting their time looking on the Internet. There’s so much there, and it’s so hard to tell what’s real and what’s not.” The counselors said students should be applying for scholarships in earnest by the start of their senior year, though they can begin to scout the field while they’re juniors. Joan Jurek, director of college planning at EducationQuest’s Omaha office,

referred college-bound students to the “ScholarshipQuest” link at the bottom right of EducationQuest’s home page at www. educationquest.org. Clicking on the link allows them to complete a personal proﬁle and receive a list of matching scholarships from among 2,000 Nebraska-based scholarships. ScholarshipQuest also includes links to eight nationally based but free scholarship search engines such as Fastaid and the College Board. “You’re applying for free money,” Jurek said. “You shouldn’t have to go pay to get it.” Students at high schools within Omaha Public Schools can make use of a free Scholarship Handbook compiled jointly by OPS counselors. She and Schow, like other high school counselors, also put out regular print or online newsletters with the latest scholarship information received by their ofﬁces. The 2013-14 version of the OPS handbook, available in print or online at the high schools’ websites, includes a list of 212 local, regional and national scholarship sponsors and their application deadlines. Most are due between January and May, with nearly one-third due in March. When students at Gross become juniors,

Schow holds a “college night” in the spring for them and their parents. She also starts working with them on academic and activity résumés, personal statements and essays “so when they’re seniors and applications are open, they have a lot of that work done,” she said. This year’s juniors already should be pushing themselves in the classroom, the counselors said, because their grade-point average at the end of their junior year is the one most senior scholarship applications will ask for. The extent of their involvement in extracurricular activities also is important, said Omaha Central High School guidance counselor Angie Meyer. The counselors advised seniors to apply for scholarships at each school they’re considering attending, even though in the end they can attend only one school. That’s why some seniors at next spring’s academic honors ceremonies will boast lists of thousands of dollars’ worth of scholarships from several schools. “The college is going to be the prime source of scholarship applications for a student,” Jurek said. If students realize that as juniors, “they can push themselves to retake the ACT (or SAT) if they have to and really push the GPA.” Though parents often assume public

colleges and universities will be cheaper, private schools have more grant money and scholarship money to give out that helps them compete for students, Schow added. Here are some of the other potential scholarship sources the three counselors suggested. » Scholarships aimed at students who excel at particular activities, regardless of whether they intend to turn those activities as a career. Athletic and fine arts scholarships are the most common examples but hardly the only ones, the counselors said. » Parents’ employers, local churches and service clubs and local, regional or national businesses and foundations. Students at Gross have scored well with scholarships offered by Coca-Cola, Burger King and Walmart, Schow said. OPS students can apply for scholarships from the Omaha Schools Foundation and the Omaha Education Association Foundation. Omaha Central High School also offers scholarships through its own foundation, Meyer added. » Education benefits available to students who join the U.S. military or the National Guard. Even if students don’t take that route, some scholarships or financial aid may be available to them if their parents are retired military veterans or still on active duty, the counselors said.

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Want a better deal? Trying showing your college ID BY JOSEPH PISANI

That plastic college ID card is worth more than you think. Flashing the card at stores and restaurants can get you major savings. But many of the deals are not advertised, so it never hurts to ask. Clothing seller Banana Republic and electronics chain RadioShack Corp., for example, offer discounts to college students year-round. Online sellers, such as Amazon.com, will ask for your college email address in exchange for deals. Smaller local stores near campus are likely to offer deals, too. “Always have your student ID with you,” said Trae Bodge, a senior editor at online coupon and deals company RetailMeNot. “All college students need to inquire about discounts. A store might have a discount they are not aware of.” Companies target students for deals because if a product wins them over, the company might have customers for life. The deals expire when your college education does, so take advantage of them while you can. Here’s what you need to know.

TECH DEALS

FOOD DISCOUNTS

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

If you’re in the market for a new laptop or other electronic devices, you’re in luck. Many companies offer deals for college students. Apple Inc. has special pricing on its laptops and desktop computers, both at its online and physical stores. MacBook Pro laptops, for example, are discounted $200. RadioShack, which sells everything from calculators to computers, offers a 10 percent discount online and in its stores. (You’ll need to put in your college email address for the online discount here: http://bit.ly/1duaRsD .) Best Buy Co. Inc., the electronics retailer, will send you

Many fast-food companies, such as Subway and Dairy Queen, offer discounts, but not all stores participate. Fastfood restaurants often are owned by individuals and not the parent company. The companies can’t enforce the discount. So ask at the counter if they offer any discounts. Most are around 10 percent off.

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM DEALS

H O WA R D K . M A R C U S / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

Beyond their on-campus uses, college ID cards can often be used for discounts at restaurants, brick-and-mortar stores and when shopping online. new online coupon codes every month on a variety of items. You will need to register and give them your .edu email address at BestBuy.com/StudentDeals.

CLOTHING MARKDOWNS

You can also save money if you want to update your wardrobe. J. Crew, the clothing retailer, offers a 15 percent discount in its stores. Club Monaco and Ann Taylor both offer 20 percent off their goods, but only on full-price items. Banana Republic gives 15 percent off full-price items. Charlotte Russe’s 10 percent student discount works in its stores and online.

Some retailers offer deals on their membership programs. Amazon.com Inc. gives college students free two-day shipping for six months if they sign up at amazon.com/joinstudent. After that, they can sign up for Amazon.com’s Prime service for $39 a year, almost half off the regular price of $79 a year. Amazon Prime members receive free two-day shipping, free instant streaming of select movies and TV shows and one free e-book loan a month. Sam’s Club, the membership-only warehouse club, gives college students a $15 gift card if they renew or sign up for a new membership.

DO THE RESEARCH

Stores and restaurants near campus might offer discounts, too. Check your school’s website to see whether it has a list of shops that offer deals, or ask the store’s employees when you’re there. Do a quick Internet search for a store and the words “student discount” before you head out. Bodge said you also can search “student discount” on RetailMeNot.com’s search bar for newer or limited discounts.

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The Nebraska State Colleges are equal opportunity institutions and do not discriminate against any student, employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, or age in employment and education opportunities, including but not limited to admission decisions. Each College has designated an individual to coordinate the College’s nondiscrimination efforts to comply with regulations implementing Title VI, VII, IX, and Section 504. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies and practices may be directed to the following Compliance Coordinator: Kristin Petersen, General Counsel/Vice Chancellor for Employee Relations, Nebraska State College System Ofﬁce, PO Box 94605, Lincoln, NE 68509, 402-471-2505