College Bound in Fall 2024?

1.Apply to the University/College of your choice:

• Fill out the required application materials

  Applications are typically located under the admissions section on the website of the university or college you want to attend

• Communicate with your MNCS Advisor and the College and Career Readiness Team so MNCS can send your transcripts and any other needed documents to the university/college you applied to

2.Fill out your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

• Information about filling out the FAFSA FAFSA

PSEO: Post-Secondary Enrollment Options

Planning to do PSEO Next Year? Or are you just curious what PSEO is all about and how it works at MNCS? Check out these resources and contact Nichole Kotasek (the PSEO Coordinator) if you have any questions.

MNCS Information Sessions:

Student Presentations - 2/26/2024 at the MNCS weekly town meeting, and weekly following town meeting on Tuesdays in the month of March 2024.

Parent/Guardian virtual information session - Thursday, March 14th at 5:30pm (link)

MNCS PSEO Informational Meeting Slides

MNCS PSEO Guidelines explains the steps needed to participate in PSEO

PSEO NOSR (notice of Student Registration) Form --REQUIRED by 5/30/2024

• This form is in addition to the student’s individual application to the college of their choice - note that colleges/universities set their own deadlines.

• This form must be completed and submitted every semester you attend PSEO

• Due by 5/30/24 to the MNCS PSEO Coordinator: Nichole Kotasek  for PSEO enrollment in during the 2024-2025 school year (keep in mind that some institutions need the form and the application prior to this date)

PSEO Information from MDE: Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn both high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college nonsectarian courses at eligible participating postsecondary institutions. Most PSEO courses are offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are offered online.

Each participating college or university sets its own admissions requirements for enrollment into the PSEO courses. Eleventh and 12th-grade students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis; 10th graders are eligible to enroll in PSEO on a more limited basis (see note below). Students must meet the PSEO residency and eligibility requirements and abide by participation limits specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09. If a school district determines a pupil is not on track to graduate, she/he may continue to participate in PSEO on a term by term basis.

By March 1 of each year, or three weeks prior to the date a student registers for courses for the following school year (whichever is earlier), schools must provide PSEO information to all students in grades 8-11 and their families. To assist the district in planning, a student must inform the district by May 30 of each year of their intent to enroll in postsecondary courses during the following school year.

There is no charge to PSEO students for tuition, books or fees for items that are required to participate in a course; however, students may incur fees for equipment that becomes their property when the course or program is completed, textbooks that are not returned to the postsecondary institution according to their policies, or for tuition costs if they do not notify the district by May 30 and the district does not waive this date requirement.

Funds are available to help pay transportation expenses for qualifying students to participate in PSEO courses on college campuses. For more information on these funds, access the PSEO Mileage Reimbursement Program Instructions.

Enrolling in a PSEO course does not prohibit a student from participating in activities sponsored by the high school.

School districts must allow a PSEO student reasonable access to the high school building, computers and/or other technology resources during regular school hours to participate in PSEO courses, whether on-line or on campus.

Each year, districts must publish their grade-weighting policy on their website, including a list of courses for which students can earn weighted grades.

All courses taken through the PSEO program must meet graduation requirements. Districts must transcript credits earned in PSEO by a ratio prescribed in statute. Districts have the authority to decide which subject area and standards the PSEO course meets. If there is a dispute between the district and the student regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the student may appeal the board's decision to the commissioner. The commissioner's decision regarding the number of credits will be final.

Postsecondary institutions are required to allow PSEO students to enroll in online courses consistent with the institution’s policy regarding postsecondary student enrollment in online courses.

Tenth-grade students may initially enroll in one Career and Technical Education (CTE) PSEO course if they receive a reading proficiency score of “meets” or “exceeds” on the 8th grade MCA. If 10th graders taking a CTE PSEO course earn at least a grade C in that class, they may take additional postsecondary courses. If the student did not take the MCA in 8th-grade, another reading assessment accepted by the enrolling postsecondary institution can be substituted. For students with disabilities, there is an alternative option to demonstrate reading proficiency.

For current information about the PSEO program, visit the Minnesota Department of Education’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) webpage.

Career Information from the South-Central MN Workforce Center: The Career Corner Newsletters are a great way to learn about many different types of careers. Check out careers and educational opportunities available.  Read about skills learned in school that help prepare students for the workforce. Watch a short video about Vocational Rehabilitation Services and how they help students with disabilities plan the journey from school to what comes next.

Check Out These Career Corner Newsletters!

• Apprenticeships and Construction Careers

• Technology Careers

• Business Careers

• Agriculture Careers

• Health Care Careers

• Transportation Careers

• Manufacturing Careers

• Education Careers

• Construction Careers

Some Useful Websites for College and Career Planning

• www.commonapp.org/ – Common App – many post-secondary institutions use this for all incoming applications

• www.actstudent.org/ – Online registration for the ACT; lists of test dates and centers in the US plus tips on how to prepare for the test.

• www.collegeboard.com – SAT test dates, test questions, and SAT question of the day. College searches, online college applications, and some useful information to read before visiting a college

• www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org/– Link to college search and scholarship info on the College Board website

• www.khanacademy.com – ACT and SAT Prep available

• www.fafsa.ed.gov/ – Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid electronically.

• www.princetonreview.com – Information on colleges, careers, college entrance testing, scholarships & financial aid.

• www.ohe.state.mn.us/ – MN Office of Higher Education – many great resources for planning for post-secondary – including both choosing and paying for school

• www.careerwise.minnstate.edu/

  – CareerWise – Career exploration, planning your education or training, and labor market information. This site will help you match your interests to careers and give you descriptions of many careers.

• www.scholarships.com/ – College contact information, links to free scholarship searches, etc.

• www.studentaid.gov – Department of Education: Student Financial Assistance.

• www.fastweb.com – Free scholarship search. Database of scholarships, grants, fellowships, and loans.

• www.finaid.org/ – A complete page of links to information about financial aid on the Internet. You can complete a questionnaire to arrive at your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), get loan and scholarship information, and more.

• www.myfuture.com – Information on the GI Bill, College Fund, CCAF, ROTC, Service Academies, and other military opportunities.

• www.collegeanswer.com – Pointers on the entire “Go-to-College” process from preparation to getting loans; contains more than 2.8 million scholarships worth more than $16 billion.