College Resources/Planning

Gifted Parents Night on
EXPLORING COLLEGE OPTIONS
Power point presentation that was shared at our meeting.

College Entrance Tests

ACT (American College Test)
The ACT includes test areas in english, math, reading, and science, along with an optional writing test.  Scores for each section are averaged to create a composite score.  A perfect score is 36.  It's recommended to take the test in the spring of your junior year and fall of your senior year.  Many midwestern colleges and universities recommend the ACT test.  UNL, UNO, and UNK Regents Scholarships are awarded based upon ACT Scores.  Registration materials are available in the Counseling Center or online at www.actstudent.org

SAT Reasoning Test
The SAT Reasoning Test measures verbal and math reasoning skills, along with writing.  The Reasoning test is required by many East and West coast colleges as well as by many selective colleges. 

SAT Subject Test
Only certain colleges require SAT Subject tests.  Typically, these tests are required by competitive/prestigious colleges and are used as an additional means of discriminating between applicants.

Registration materials are available for both the SAT Reasoning and Subject Test in the Counseling Center or online at www.collegeboard.com

Important Reminder: ACT and SAT scores are no longer printed on student transcripts from LPS (this is a district decision and affects all high schools). Official score reports are required for virtually all college admissions applications and for some scholarships. In order to be an official report it must be sent directly to the college or scholarship committee from the testing agency (either ACT or the College Board for SAT scores). Score reports are automatically sent to the colleges a students has listed on the test registration form.

If additional reports are needed, students may visit the web sites to request additional score reports at http://www.actstudent.org/scores/send/ or http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/scores/sending.html. There is an additional fee for reports that are sent to organizations that were not listed on the student's test registration form.

ACT and SAT Test Dates
ACT Test Dates
SAT Test Dates

East High School Code:  281303
East High Test Center Code:  180100

COMPASS
The COMPASS test is Southeast Community College’s computer adaptive placement test.  It measures skills in Reading, English, and Mathematics.  The COMPASS test helps determine your placement in Southeast Community College courses.  There is very little pressure as there is no time limit. The computer selects questions for you on the basis of your answers to previous questions. It is recommended that students take the COMPASS as soon as you decide to attend SCC.

PSAT Test
(Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)
The PSAT test is a pre-SAT I and is available to interested juniors and high achieving sophomores in October. Students must register for this test in the Counseling Center and pay a fee. The PSAT also serves as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test for juniors.

PLAN Test
The Plan Test is a "pre-ACT" test that will help predict your success on the ACT Assessment.  Schools also use the Plan Test results to help students with career preparation and to help them improve academic achievement.  The Plan Test is typically administered in the fall of the sophomore year.

College Prep Courses

ACT Online Prep Test
SAT Online Prep Test
BAYLOR Test Prep or call 475-PREP
SYLVAN Learning Center – SAT/ACT Test Prep classes…contact Wes Miller at 423-8833 or email at wesmiller@nebraskasylvan.com
Lincoln Northeast ACT Prep Workshop with Joe Gallagher contact Ruth Lohmeyer at rlohm@lps.org or call 436-1339
Lincoln Southwest ACT Prep Workshop contact Tom Ahlschwede at tahlsch@lps.org or call 436-1306
LPS ACT/SAT Prep Workshop contact Linda Geisert if you have any questions at lgeisert@lps.org or call 441-6817. Applications can be downloaded at http://isite.lps.org/lgeisert/ACTpage.htm
Kaplan Test Prep…contact Stephan Reyes, Program Manager, Kaplan Test Prep, located at 1821 K Street (Lincoln School of Commerce), Lincoln, NE 402-475-7010 or email stephan.reyes@kaplan.com
Huntington Learning Center– one on one individualized ACT prep instruction, test-taking strategies, flexible scheduling and experienced teachers. Located at 2801 Pine Lake Road, Suite "H". For more information call 423-0600.

College Athletics
Students considering college athletics at the Division I or II level can obtain information on NCAA guidelines at http://eligibilitycenter.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.html

Consult an NCAA worksheet to calculate your eligibility. Be aware of requirements and colleges/universities changing Division status.

Admission Requirements
The admission illustration is meant as a general guideline to assist parents and students in planning their high school courses.  It is important to review the admissions information listed in the college catalogs or via computer to determine the specific academic requirements of each institution or department.  College’s admissions officers make every effort to recognize individual differences in student's academic preparation before making final admissions decisions.

UNL College Admission Requirements
(This example is not intended to market UNL.  It is an illustration to inform seniors about classes required for college.  Requirements are subject to change.)

Performance Requirements
In addition to meeting the above core course requirements, students applying for admission to the University should:

• be ranked in the upper one-half of their high school class or
• have received an ACT composite score of 20 or higher or
• have received an SAT total score of 950 or higher

Admission Requirements Courtesy of the LPS Post-High School Planning Guide

Common Application
The Common Application is a non-profit organization that serves students and member institutions by providing an admission application -online and in print- that students may submit to any of their nearly 300 members. If you are applying to a number of selective colleges, this application can save you valuable time.  For more information on participating colleges and universities and the Common Application go online to www.commonapp.org

Midwest Student Exchange Program
Over 100 colleges in Nebraska, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and North Dakota participate in the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP).  Students from these states pay lower non-resident tuition while attending out-of-state colleges.  To benefit from the program, students must:

• reside in a MSEP state
• enroll in a designated program
• attend a participating out-of-state college
• be accepted for the MSEP program through the college

For more information go to http://msep.ehec.org