Post Secondary Planning Informaiton

Life After High School

Grade level-appropriate interest inventories, updated career information, a career fair and suggested activities are provided throughout

the high school years. The premier online tool used is the Minnesota Career Information System (MCIS). This extensive database

is ideal for any student wishing to further explore possible career areas, specific occupations, two- and four-year colleges (both in

Minnesota and the entire United States), admissions test prep, and more. Each student has an account to access MCIS, and is

encouraged to actively engage with this comprehensive system.

New Prague High School prioritizes equitable opportunities and support for all career and college paths. The admission requirements

vary greatly for postsecondary institutions, branches of the military, and potential employers. Each student needs to become familiar

with the specific requirements based upon their interests and goals. Students may gather this information by meeting with admissions

representatives and military recruiters who visit New Prague High School, researching relevant websites, contacting the institutions or

recruiters directly, and/or arranging campus visits. Although admissions standards vary from school to school, listed below are some

general credit guidelines to consider.

Admission Requirements for Technical and Community Colleges:

A high school diploma or GED is the basic admissions requirement. Placement testing is required (ACCUPLACER or satisfactory ACT

scores). The following high school credits are recommended because they represent HS graduation requirements and will prepare

students. It also offers students the best chance of not needing remedial courses at the college level. Also keep in mind that these two

year colleges sometimes combine with both technical and general education options.

• English: 8 credits (4 yrs)

• Social Studies: 7 credits (3.5 yrs)

• Math: 6 credits (3 yrs)

• Science: 6 credits (3 yrs)

• Electives in areas of interest for potential career

Admission Requirements for Four-Year Colleges and Universities:

Colleges and universities have individualized grade point average, class rank, and standardized test score requirements. The following

high school credits are typically required:

• English: 8 credits (including composition and literature)

• Social Studies: 6 credits (including 2 credits of U.S. history and 1 credit of geography)

• Math: 6-8 credits (including 4 credits of algebra and 2 credits of geometry)

• Science: 6 credits (2 credits each in biological and physical science, including significant lab experiences)

• World Language: 4 credits of a single world language (minimum; 6-8 credits suggested)

• Fine Arts: 2 credits of visual or performing arts. Students planning to attend a 4-year college should take fine arts credits within

the music or visual art departments.

Highly selective colleges and universities expect additional coursework beyond the above minimum credits. Most selective schools

prefer at least 4 credits from the core academic areas of language arts, math, science, social studies, and world language.

Requirements for Military Services:

Students may choose from a variety of military service opportunities: A high school diploma or advanced degree is the basic academic

requirement. Recruits must also pass a physical examination and complete the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).

Contact specific branches of the military for more information. The ASVAB is offered at NPHS during the school year.

Planning Your Path

It is best when students start their course planning with post-secondary goals in mind.
1. 1. Some students already have a specific career or career field in mind.
  2. Other students may know that they want to enter the military, workforce, attend a 2 year or a 4 year institution after high school.
  3. Many students will change their mind and that is okay.
  4. Beginning with the end in mind promotes future planning conversations and creates context for course selection.
It is highly recommended that students choose elective courses that align with their future goals.
1. 1. High School is a safe time for students to explore their interests in a variety of areas.
  2. Sometimes specific classes will help verify student interests and sometimes students are able to confirm areas they no longer would like to pursue.
  3. Both are valuable experiences.
It is important to remind all students that their high school transcript is a great way to build their resume.
All adults will need to have the skills and experiences to prepare for a job interview in the future.
1. 1. Students gather valuable experiences at NPHS through class projects, internships and other experiences that can be discussed in job interviews and the post-secondary admissions process.
We encourage all students to use this mindset when choosing the courses that will help them meet their post-secondary goals.

MCIS (Minnesota Career Information System)

Each student at NPHS has an MCIS account which can be accessed under the Student Section (Student Resources) of NPHS website. Be sure to choose the "Log in with Clever" option at the bottom of the MCIS website when signing in.

Students at NPHS complete the Career Cluster survey in 9th grade, the IDEAS survey in 10th grade and the Career Profiler survey in 11th grade. These surveys help customize the information provided in MCIS for each student's career interests, provides recommended high school courses and identifies in demand career opportunities in the employment tab. We encourage all families to review MCIS with their student(s) to support their post secondary planning.

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Resources

The following resources are available through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. They can assist students and families in learning more about in-demand careers, career pathways and applicable employment information throughout our region.

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