“Countdown to College” Guides Students and Parents

The pathway to college is not always clear. Questions about financial barriers, admission applications and academic requirements can litter the way. If your family is struggling to organize and finance a college education, answers to your questions may be just a phone call away.

Students and parents dealing with the transition from high school to higher education can talk to experts about college financial aid and admissions when the live, call-in program “Countdown to College: A Nebraska Connects Special” airs Thursday, Dec. 15, at 7 p.m. CT on NET1.

Viewers can phone in questions by calling 1-800-666-3721 toll-free across the state. They may also submit questions via e-mail in advance or during the program to countdown@educationquest.org.

The “Countdown to College” panel this year will include: Dolores Simpson-Kirkland, Ph.D., guidance counselor at Lincoln North Star High School in Lincoln; Joan Jurek, director of college planning, EducationQuest Foundation, Omaha office; Dean Obenauer, director of financial aid at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont; and Jolene Adams, director of admissions at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

A videotaped version of the live “Countdown to College” program repeats on NET1 Sunday, Dec. 18, at 11 p.m. CT. It repeats on NET2 Saturday, Dec. 17, at 5 p.m. CT and Thursday, Dec. 22, at 9 p.m. CT. A Spanish-language version will air in February.

This is the seventh consecutive year that NET has partnered with EducationQuest Foundation to produce this popular call-in program. Featuring admissions, financial aid and college planning experts, the program offers guidance and answers questions about how to make a successful transition from high school to college.

Viewers can go to the EducationQuest Web site (www.educationquest.org) for additional information and links to college-planning resources. EducationQuest Foundation is a nonprofit organization with offices in Kearney, Lincoln and Omaha that provides free services and information to help students prepare for college, apply for financial aid, search for scholarships and navigate the student loan process. EducationQuest also offers college planning information online at educationquest.org.

“Countdown to College: A Nebraska Connects Special” is closed-captioned for hearing-impaired viewers. “Nebraska Connects” is a NET Television initiative designed to connect viewers with resources and engage audiences in an ongoing dialogue about topics of interest to Nebraska’s individuals, businesses, families and communities.