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Prepare for College

Going to college is a big commitment with great rewards. Employers look for college educated workers for many of the most rewarding jobs.

Not convinced? See how education means more money. If college is one of your goals, start preparing now.

High school students — start now!

There's no magic formula to make sure you get accepted into the colleges of your choice. But, there are factors that help. Consider these as you plan to apply to college:

  • Take the necessary high–school courses. Look at this list of recommended high school classes to make sure you're meeting the minimum requirements of most colleges.
  • Beef up your extra–curricular resume. Consider activities to do each year in high school using this helpful college prep timeline.
  • Earn college credits early. Explore how you can earn college credit or advanced placement credits while in high school. Look at programs like Colleges in the Schools and the International Baccalaureate. Also take advantage of Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO):
    • High school juniors and seniors can enroll in courses at Minnesota colleges and universities.
    • College courses are free. The state of Minnesota pays for tuition, fees, books, and sometimes transportation.
    • Students earn both college credits and credits toward high school graduation.
    • You can learn about what it is like to be a college student.

Tips for adult learners — it's never too late

Did you know that about 40 percent of American college students are 25 years of age or older? Think that's only for other people? Not true — If you really want to be an adult learner, chances are that you can go to college.

Get started with one of these:

Time to look at schools

The most important feature of your college field of study should be that it's something you enjoy. If you enjoy the subjects, you're likely to do better in school. You'll also likely be able to better explain to potential employers what you gained from school. Get started on choosing a college and a major with the tips below.

Take some self assessments.

These help you get to know your own interests, skills, and strengths. Create a list of your top skills, interests, and values to use it to explore majors and careers.

  • Take ISEEK's skills assessment to see how your skills map to career options. You can link to occupational descriptions and programs of study.
  • Look at your interests to see how they match to career clusters.
  • Assess your employment related values to help you choose careers, work environments and industries that best fit you.

Research majors, fields of study, and type of degrees.

Make a list of types of majors and degrees that best fit you. Then use that list to choose schools and programs.

Learn about schools.

Look at Minnesota programs and colleges that offer the types of majors and types of degrees that interest you. Also, explore schools outside of Minnesota with the Education and Training Finder. As you look at schools, consider these factors:

  • Reputation of major or field of study
  • Location of school or facility
  • Cost of program or courses
  • Student body size
  • Faculty/student ratio
  • Availability of online or hybrid (mix of in-class time and online/computer time) courses
  • Apprenticeship or internship, if applicable
  • Extracurricular opportunities (music, athletics, etc.)

Remember, while schools' websites provide valuable information, the best way to determine if you'll like the school and program is to visit it. Finally, check out the admission requirements of schools that interest you. Remember to consider admission tests

Get real-life work experience.

This will help you decide if particular jobs or careers are a good fit for you — and if it's worth pursuing education in those fields.

  • Volunteer or get a job — even part-time — to learn about occupations through actual work experience.
  • Explore work-based learning opportunities.