College & Career

How did I earn $690,000 in merit-based scholarships? 

Yes, my participation in pageantry helped a ton.  I would highly encourage anyone who wants to participate to join me! 

Also, GRIT: Go into the college and scholarship application process knowing you are going to hear some no's and that’s ok. Like the Japanese proverb says, “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” 

You may have heard that standardized tests, like the ACT, don’t count anymore. That’s not really true. While you might not be required to submit an ACT score with your admissions application, LOTS of scholarships still require the ACT or SAT. So be prepared! Take advantage of any free test prep at your high school and the Omaha Public Library offers free test prep too.

My ACT score, GPA and class rank automatically qualified me for a $12,000 scholarship, so don’t underestimate the value of test prep!  

 Apply for every scholarship you can and ask for help! Your counseling office can help you identify scholarships and EducationQuest is a great resource too. Don’t forget to ask your English teacher if they’ll take a look at your scholarship applications and essays. You don’t want to submit typos! Do any of your scholarship require an interview? Get advice from your parents or teachers to practice ahead of time and plan to put your best foot forward! 

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow, belongs to those who prepare for it today.” Omaha native, Malcolm X