Buzzing with excitement, questions and college dreams, students at Yutan participated in Apply2College Week, Oct. 6-10, which focuses on encouraging high school seniors to take the first big step in their higher education journey.
“Apply2College Week is a national campaign that high schools are asked to participate in throughout the United States,” school counselor Missy Chvatal said. “In Nebraska, it is spearheaded through EducationQuest, a non-profit with a mission to improve access to higher education in Nebraska.”
At Yutan, the week featured college and military visits, assistance to seniors applying to schools and activities for every grade level to get all ages thinking about college.
“I always encourage seniors to apply to their top three schools by December 1st,” Chvatal said. “That was my goal for the week so that they wouldn’t miss any deadlines or scholarships. Applying early helps ensure they wouldn’t miss those opportunities.”
Chvatal also hoped to spark interest in different colleges that students might consider visiting.
“It’s important for students to visit different kinds of schools, whether it’s big, small, public or private,” Chvatal said. “You might be surprised by what you find when you explore your options.”
One way to expose students to different colleges was through pennants featuring colleges that each of the staff members had attended.
“It was cool to see where each of the teachers went and what they studied,” senior Ruby Ochoa said. “It lets me look at all the teachers’ schools.”
Seniors made their own pennants to hang in the cafeteria that featured colleges they are thinking about attending.
“I was able to pick from a bunch of different colleges to put on my pennant,” senior Madalynn Bussing said. “I liked seeing where everyone was going or where they hoped to be going.”
Even though many of the activities were focused on seniors, an activity that involved everyone was college trivia during Chieftain Times.
“Everyone was able to call the office and guess the questions right,” junior Ella Henkel said. “We didn’t get any right, but to guess and have the whole school compete was fun.”
While all ages had opportunities to participate, for the seniors, Apply2College Week was more than just a school event.
“It means that we’re getting older and actually have something we’re working toward,” Bussing said. “I’m excited because it’s something new and it feels like the start of real life.”
Bussing is planning to study welding at Metropolitan Community College. She has yet to start the application process but is still looking forward to it.
“I feel more prepared than ever this week,” Bussing said. “I have a clearer plan of what I need to do for my future.”
While Bussing feels confident about her next steps, other students are still navigating their choices. Ochoa, for instance, has applied to several schools, including Wayne State College and Metropolitan Community College, and has been working closely with counselors and teachers to refine her essays and explore her options.
“I’ve had really good teachers to give me advice and lend me a hand when I have questions,” Ochoa said. “The hardest part has been figuring out which colleges meet my goals, and every school offers something different.”
The week was also helpful to students who don’t know where they want to study, like senior Dryden Hobza.
“I don’t know where I am going, but I want to stay in state,” Hobza said. “I want to go for four years because it would be better for what I want to study.”
At the end of the week, both seniors and underclassmen found the benefits of Apply2College week.
“Even though I am still a sophomore, I definitely have started to think about where I am going,” sophomore Aniston Hoegh said. “The activities we had done and talking to some colleges were very helpful for me.”
