Apply to college week results in successful turnout, helps seniors

Central held the second formal Apply2College week for seniors Oct. 16-20. A total of 338 seniors participated in Apply2College week and more than 500 college admission applications were submitted.

College counselor Angela Meyer, school counselors and college representatives were there to help students apply for college admissions. Apply2College week was founded by EducationQuest and was participated throughout Nebraska. “High schools are encouraged to sign up during October,” Meyer said. EducationQuest provided stickers and a banner for Central’s college week.

“We have always had Apply to College days to help students, but this was a formalized week for everyone,” Meyer said. With the results of Apply2College week Meyer felt it encouraged students to stop procrastinating and that it was not as difficult as it seems. Later in the year, Meyer will find out how many of senior’s admissions were accepted.

Meyer feels Apply to College benefit seniors by giving them dedication and assistance from professionals. College representatives from Metropolitan Community College, University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) and Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) were there to aid students during their application process. Meyer had to fill out reports on how many seniors participated, how many applications total and how many Nebraska schools did students apply to. Then, reports were sent back to EducationQuest for the state of Nebraska.

Feedback that Meyer received from seniors was that it was easy and did not take as long as they thought it would have. The week for Meyer was a ‘fast paced event that went very smoothly.’ Apply2College will continue every school year.

George Lupercio was one of many seniors that participated in Apply2College week. Lupercio applied to Metropolitan Community College, both the Community College and University of Denver, Colorado. The weekend after applying to the three he received an email from the Community College of Denver, Colorado saying he had been accepted. “I was so happy. I couldn’t believe it. I was in shock,” Lupercio said.
Before Apply2College week Lupercio thought about going to college but if it wasn’t for the week to apply at school he feels he would have never applied.

Apply2College week was motivational for Lupercio. “It was a push for me to see what was out there,” Lupercio said. Though Central has a week dedicated for seniors to help apply for college he feels Central should help seniors more. “OPS should have a required class for seniors that teaches aspects of college and fundamentals students will need in real life,” he said.

Though Apply2College was motivational for Lupercio he feels Apply2College week ‘should be longer like two weeks’. After high school Lupercio plans to work a full-time job to help his parents with rent and bills. He hates seeing his family go through hard times and is determined to help them. “My family and I are all in this together,” Lupercio said.