Close to Home
“I chose Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) because it was close to home. I’m an only child, and I was not ready to be far away. I liked that it was a small school where I was a name, not a number. I attended K-12 Catholic schools that were small(er). While NWU was not Catholic, that was not a priority, I just wanted small and manageable. I wanted to study Finance and Wesleyan has a strong business department. I joined a sorority; I was active in a couple of clubs in the Business Administration Department and found the campus to be very inviting. I lived at home my freshman year and then lived in the sorority house for the next three years.” Liz Koop, President and CEO
Buffett Scholarship College
“I selected the University of Nebraska-Lincoln because It was close enough to home, but it still felt like I was truly far away. I earned the Buffett Scholarship, which made college very low-cost for me, but I had to choose a school in Nebraska where the Buffett could be used. Given the location and the legacy of the school, I decided UNL was the right one for me!” Andrea Contreras, Omaha College Planning
Affordable Choice
“I attended Western Nebraska Community College (WNCC) to get my associate’s degree, then transferred to Chadron State College (CSC) to finish my bachelor’s degree. I chose WNCC for so many reasons. It was significantly more affordable, I qualified for financial aid, it had small class sizes, I could easily get involved in clubs, and it was close to my support system. I transferred to CSC because it was an easy transition, affordable, and close to my family.” Andrew Hunzeker, Scottsbluff College Planning
Legacy School
“I selected Creighton University because it was a legacy school for my family. My parents had a rule that we needed to attend college at least two hours from home, and half of my family attended Creighton while the other half attended a small college in Iowa. I knew I would not thrive at the small school, and Creighton felt like home from the moment I stepped on campus. It was intellectually, challenging, and I met students from across the country. Fortunately, I qualified for financial aid, or it would not have been possible for me to attend that school.” Jeannine Phelan, Communications
Small College
“I definitely picked a college based on size and program. I went to a smaller high school in a small town, and it felt like everyone I knew was going to UNL. I was afraid to attend a school that big and navigate a ‘big’ city as it was so much bigger than anything I’d ever been a part of. I was a ‘weird’ 18-year-old who knew what I wanted to major in, so I shopped schools that were fairly close to home, smaller in size, and had a strong accounting program.” Jodi Benjamin, Chief Financial Officer
Great Reputation
“Doane University has a strong reputation for preparing teachers (my career before EducationQuest). When I went on a campus visit, it felt very comfortable and like I would have success there.” Kristin Ageton, Lincoln College Access
Earned Scholarships
“I chose Nebraska Wesleyan because it was a small school (which was what I experienced in high school) in a large town that was just the right distance from home (2.5 hours). And I received scholarship offers to make it affordable.” Stacy Seim, Kearney College Planning
Whether you knew right away what college you wanted to attend, or whether it took a lot of forethought and deliberation, there is always a college out there that is a great fit for anyone. Feel free to make an appointment with an EducationQuest Foundation College Planning Specialist to get you going in the right direction.
By Lori Caffery