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Senior Checklist - Check to see if you are on track as you prepare for your college career.
Key Resources for Seniors
Some of you already know your post-high school plans while others may be uncertain. Here are two helpful 18-minute videos from the On to College, College Counseling System.
Session 9: Maximizing Your College Experience
Help ALL college-bound students by having them watch this before graduation.Session 10: Certification in a Trade & Final Thoughts for Career Success
Uncertain seniors might get certified in a trade ASAP, a lucrative skill, while they consider their other post-high school paths.
FAFSA
The 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is your first step toward funding your college education.
Why is it important to complete the FAFSA? The FAFSA determines your eligibility for federal student aid, including grants, work-study, and federal student loans. The FAFSA is also a graduation requirement, meaning all HHS seniors must complete and submit it.
What you need to know…
When: It’s in your best interest to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible!
Gather Your Documents: You'll need 2024 federal tax returns and other important information. (I have included a link for the 2026-2027 FAFSA Checklist in this e-mail, so look over it and gather everything that pertains to you and your parents.) https://eqf.org/FAFSAChecklist
Create Your FSA IDs: You (the student) and at least one parent must each create FSA IDs. You will go to www.studentaid.gov and click “Create Account” in the upper right-hand corner. Follow the prompts all the way through, and ensure that you verify your cell phone number and personal email addresses. (Students, DO NOT use your school e-mail address, as you won’t have access to it after you graduate from HHS.) *If your parent(s) already have an FSA ID from a previous sibling/college student, they will use that same FSA ID for your FAFSA as well.
Parents with no SSN: For parents who do NOT have U.S. Social Security numbers, you will follow the directions in this link https://www.educationquest.org/pdfs/FSA_ID-no_SSN.pdf to create your FSA IDs. **The student must have a U.S. Social Security number in order to complete the FAFSA.**
Seek Assistance: If you have questions regarding the FAFSA, contact your high school counselor or contact EducationQuest for free help. Kearney Office 308.234.6310
Important Reminder for Seniors: Request Your College Transcripts
As graduation approaches, seniors who have earned dual credit or college credit during high school are reminded that they must request transcripts directly from the college or institution where the credit was earned. These transcripts are not sent automatically.
To ensure your transcript is complete and includes final grades from spring courses, it is best to wait until after June 1 before requesting an official transcript. This helps avoid delays or missing information.
Having your official transcript will be very important during freshman orientation at the college you plan to attend. Colleges use this document to review and apply your earned credits to your program of study, which can affect course placement and degree requirements. If you have questions or need help with the process, please contact the school counseling office.
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