Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Colleen Plasek, M.Ed. Ponca Tribe of Nebraska

Where Do I Start?! Thinking about going to school can seem overwhelming. So much so, that just getting started seems daunting. Did you graduate high school or complete a GED? If yes, continue to the next slide to learn about types of institutions. If no, completing a GED or High School Equivalency Diploma will be the first step. For information about Nebraska ‘s GED process, visit www.education.ne.gov/aded/ For information about Iowa’s High School Equivalency Diploma process, visit www.educateiowa.gov/adult-career-and-community-college/adult-education-and-literacy Information about the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska’s GED Incentive Program

Types of Institutions Colleges and Universities 4 Year Institutions Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees Community Colleges 2 Year Institutions Certificates, Diplomas, and Associate’s degrees Private Career Schools For-Profit Institutions Specific fields including cosmetology, business, and technology Most certificates and diplomas. There are some institutions that offer Bachelor’s degrees

Review the information you gathered about the careers you are considering. What type of education does each career require? At what kind of school can you earn that degree? Are you overwhelmed by the idea of going to college? Here are some resources to help: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/prepare-for-college https://www.educationquest.org/adult-learners/ Glossary of higher education related words: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/glossary

Researching Programs & Institutions Here are resources to assist with researching institutions. https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/prepare-for-college/choosing-schools www.educationquest.org/adult-learners/ http://collegeforadults.org/admissions/select.html List of Nebraska colleges: www.educationquest.org/pdfs/Coll_Chart_AL.pdf List of Iowa colleges: www.collegesimply.com/colleges/iowa/ Review the college’s website and schedule a time to visit the campus. Be sure to get all your questions answered.

How Can I Afford to Go to College? There are many funding sources available to assist you. Start by watching this video: www.youtube.com/user/FederalStudentAid Scroll down the page as there are several other videos about the FAFSA including one on how to complete it Visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types to learn about the different types of aid available FAFSA website: https://fafsa.ed.gov/

EducationQuest provides resources for college preparation for individuals. www.educationquest.org FAFSA ScholarshipQuest College Funding Estimator Links to many other related sites

The Ponca Tribe of Nebraska provides funding for higher education. Visit www.poncatribe-ne.org Go to the Education Department Go to the Financial Aid page to learn about the requirements and how to apply. This page also has a linked list of external scholarships.