Career Exploration
We use the term post-secondary education for institutions like universities, trade schools, and community colleges.
Before applying to an institution, make sure you know your social security number (SSN). If you do not possess a SSN, just use all 0 (zeros). By creating an application account for a college, you can pause and resume the application at any time. Contact your advisor or counselor to see if they can provide you with a fee waiver, especially if you are TIP eligible. Click here if you would like a virtual tour of the Michigan colleges. If you need help choosing a college and things to consider, click here for some tips provided by the Manistee Foundation. Lastly, if you would like more information about the income of different careers, click here for a general overview of average incomes across industries.
Use this sheet to apply directly to one of the 15 public universities and to check their requirements for acceptance. (Last updated)
Parchment: Transcripts
Parchment is a service that allows you to send and review your transcripts to a post-secondary institution or employment. You can send as many transcripts as you would like during high school, but there is a charge when you graduate.
The Common Application (Common App) is an undergraduate college admission application where you can apply to over 900 colleges and universities in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, China, Japan, and many European countries.
The department of education has college scorecard with general information like average tuition, graduation and retention rate, and fields of study.
This website provides many careers with descriptions, salary, demand and training.
This is a comprehensive list of all the colleges and universities in Michigan. It was updated on 1/6 so changes could have been made to some requirements.
covid-response-guide-1-06-21.pdfJob Projections in Michigan
These documents can be used to narrow your selection of a profession or career and to make a decision based on your goals and the needs of your community
Michigan Hot Jobs until 2028
Hot50_Poster_2028.pdfCareer Outlook Michigan 2028
CareerOutlook_Statewide_2028.pdfNorthwestern Michigan Career Outlook 2026
Region2_CareerOutlook_2026.pdfCommonly known as HBCUs, these are any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans. However, anyone can go attend! These colleges celebrate black culture, provide a connection to black history, have a supportive environment, and some tend to be very affordable (click here for more information). Several out of state HBCUs provide in-state tuition regardless where you live (click here for a list of the most affordable HBCUs).
Use these website to explore HBCUs across the country.
Watch this video if you are interested in learning more about the impact of HBCUs in our society and economy. Here, Elwood Robinson explain why these colleges are crucial in the battle against inequality in education in the United States.
This video talks more about their history and importance.
The following file serves as a quick glance at the Michigan's Public Universities. It contains tuition cost, transfer information, standardize test requirements, class sizes, and more.
Info Public Universities.pdf