Starting college as an undergraduate is a very exciting time.

Its an end to your PSEO experience, but the beginning of the next chapter in your life as a college student. It is also a time of transition. In times of transition, its crucial that you know your resources, where you can go for help, and how to navigate the transition from Pre-College to College. Obtaining
Pre-College Non-Degree Seeking

College Expectations

transcripts

Finalizing the Process

College Undergraduate degree seeking

Applying to Colleges

Transferring PSEO Credits

Financial Aid

In the next twelve months, many important steps need to be completed, in a timely matter, to ensure that your transition into your freshman year of college goes smoothly. Depending on where you plan to attend college, these steps may be different. Nevertheless, it is important you are aware of the steps outlined in the figure above. The process of starting college as an undergraduate is different from the process of beginning PSEO. We hope this newsletter prepares you for a successful transition!

Applying to Colleges

APPLICATION CHECKLIST: High school transcript PSEO/College transcript SAT/ACT Score TOEFL or MELAB Score Letter(s) of recommendation Personal essay(s) Interviews Application Fees

The first step to complete this fall is to apply to various colleges. Whether you apply to only your dream school or are keeping your options open and applying to many, this checklist is relevant. Each college has a slightly different application process, but in almost every application, you will need to include some or all of the items in this checklist.

Applying to Colleges

If you have been in the PSEO program your junior and senior year of high school, you may be wondering who to ask for a letter of recommendation. This can sometimes be a difficult decision as you may no longer have much contact with your high school teachers but have yet to get to know any professors well enough at your college level. If no high school teachers seem appropriate, consider asking extracurricular advisers, college professors, or teaching assistants. Choose individuals who will be able to articulate your strengths, your motivation, work ethic, etc. Remember to send a hand written thank you to them following their acceptance to write a letter as this takes time and effort on their part to accommodate your request.

CAN BE FROM YOUR: High School Teachers Extracurricular Advisers College Professors Teacher Assistants

Applying to Colleges Different colleges have different deadlines for applying, which you should be well aware of at this point in the process. For example, the deadline for the University of Minnesota Twin Cities is December 15th. Schools such as Hamline and other smaller colleges often have a priority deadline, in this case it is December 1st; however, they review applications on a rolling basis which means that there is no set cutoff date. Submitting your application early often has benefits such as guaranteed housing, earlier orientation/ registration times, and other perks depending on the college. Check with each college that you are applying to and attempt to submit each application by the EARLIST deadline rather than the last day possible. Consider the following application review and application deadlines below. College U of M Twin Cities (PSEO quick decision)
University of Wisconsin, Madison November 1st

Application Review Begins November 1st

Deadline December 15th Varies for programs November 1st-Early Action January 1st Regular Decision Rolling

Harvard Hamline

November 1st December 1st

Obtaining Transcripts As mentioned before, you will need to obtain not only your high school transcript, but also your University of Minnesota transcript with all of your PSEO classes listed. You can order an official transcript online through One Stop (http://onestop.umn.edu/) under the Grades and Transcripts section (http:// onestop.umn.edu/grades_and_transcripts/index.html). It will cost you $5 for each copy that you send, so make sure to double check your unofficial transcript online to ensure that everything is correct stated before sending official copies. If you have done PSEO credits at a community college or a program such as UMPTYMP, you will also need to make sure that you have official copies of your grades to obtain accurate credit at your new college. NOTE: You do not need to send your UMTC transcript with your application to the University of Minnesota. The Office of Admissions already has access to that information. However, if you have done PSEO work at another college, you DO need to submit official transcripts from those schools with your application. You need to obtain: Transcript from high school Transcript from UMTC Check with your prospective college about other college credits you have taken

Transferring PSEO Credits APPLYING TO COLLEGES: While applying to colleges, you may be wondering whether you should fill out a freshman or transfer application. Remember to always complete the freshman application. Although this may seem like a disadvantage, it is really an advantage because you qualify for freshmanonly scholarships and an on-campus housing guarantee that you would otherwise not be eligible for. You may also have access to freshman seminars and other freshman-only benefits depending on your choice of school. Once you have been here for a semester, your PSEO credits will be added and your status will be recalculated to the appropriate placement of a second semester freshman, sophomore, or even junior. Keep in mind that the number of credits that you have may be more than the average college student when you graduate from college; this is because you probably were also taking classes through PSEO to fulfill high school requirements. Some of these classes may count towards your major while others may not, depending on where you go to school.

Am I a FRESHMAN?

TRANSFERING YOUR PSEO CREDITS:

Depending on where you choose to go to college, your credits from the University of Minnesota PSEO college courses after graduating from high school. program will transfer differently. Each individual University of Minnesota institution decides which credits to take and what they will count for in respect to your major. U.select Office of Admissions (https://www.transfer.org/uselect/login.htm) is one option for determining how credits will transfer, but you must always contact the individual institution for confirmation. Transferring credits to the any of the University of Minnesota campuses is guaranteed. Furthermore, most Minnesota colleges accept PSEO transfer credits. If you are planning on attending a college that is out of state or a private college, you must confirm with the institution if and how your credits will transfer. Always keep the syllabi from the classes you take at the University of Minnesota. You may need to refer to them at a later date in order for a new school to count a particular course for a particular requirement. If you need assistance in explaining the PSEO program to your new college, please let the AHS3 office know. We are happy to print a letter for you to send to your each school that explains the PSEO program.

You are considered a freshman if are still a high school student or if you have not enrolled in any

REMEMBER: Credits transfer differently depending on where you go to college Each individual institution decides which credits to take and what they count for In state transfers should not be a problem Always keep the syllabi from your classes

College Expectations You probably feel confident about your upcoming transition from a PSEO student to an undergraduate. You may think, Hey, I am a PSEO student, I know how to handle my first year of college! However, you have started college, but you arent truly in college. Its very important to understand what to expect your first year of college and to understand what colleges are going to expect from you! WHAT TO EXPECT: Academics are important! You have already learned that you need to study 2-3 hours for every hour in class, initiate contact with professors/instructors when you need help, the importance of a syllabus, and that tests are often more infrequent and cover large amounts of material. Furthermore, you have learned the importance of managing your own time, balancing your responsibilities, and setting your own priorities. However, as a college student you will have MORE time to manage, MORE responsibilities to balance, and MORE priorities to set.

College Expectations

No matter what institution you attend, you will have a new set of responsibilities and experiences. You will have to consider: o Making new friends (you will be creating a whole new social network!) o Living on-campus (its up to you to do your laundry and make your bed!) o Managing your money (create a budget & stick to it; do you need to find a job?) o Eating (you decide what to eat and when to eat! Important to maintain healthy eating habits) o Health (where will you go for emergency care/doctor/dentist, what insurance will you have, etc.) o Transportation (how will you get around? Car, bike, is public transit an option?) o Getting involved on campus (be a leader and seize the opportunity to meet others from across campus) o Fitness (use your campus recreation center, fitness classes, weight rooms, etc)

On the other hand, colleges have expectations of their students. Colleges expect you to: o Take ownership of your learning: college is voluntary and you choose your classes, your major, and your career. The classes you take matter and its up to you to make your learning experience uniquely your own. o Manage your time and schedule (including study time, meals, commuting, free time, time to relax!). o Maintain an appropriate attitude. You must be polite and open to new learning experiences, even if they seem familiar. Remember, the college experience is familiar to you, but you do not know it all! o Understand rules, policies, & procedures: you are expected to follow them, even if you dont agree with them! (This includes: conduct code, conflict resolution process, online safety, etc.) . o Examine your health care options. o Create a budget and manage finances. o Fully understand your financial aid package! o Become involved on campus: become a leader with your experience! (find student employment, volunteer, join or start your own student group). o Decide on your major, potentially earlier than your peers: many colleges require major dedication at or by 60 credits (or the end of second year). PSEO students are still held to this policy, even if you havent had the chance to fully explore majors.

Liberal Education Requirement Almost every college has some form of liberal education requirements, also known as general education requirements or distribution requirements. Your PSEO adviser can help you determine how your PSEO courses satisfy different requirements at UMTC, and can offer suggestions for possibilities at other schools. These requirements are generally expected for every student on campus, regardless of the students major or college. They represent a core curriculum that every adult in our society should have a foundational knowledge in, and in general, they help students reach different learning and student development outcomes. The UMTC liberal education requirements are available at: http://www.onestop.umn.edu/degree_planning/lib_eds/ fall_2010_requirements/index.html Here is an example of some of the skills and knowledge you will gain from a liberal education: The study of the physical/biological sciences, math, history, literature, social sciences, and the arts. The ability to understand the connections and make between disciplines. Learning about one subject will influence your understanding of another. Practical skills: you will enhance your skills in written & oral communication, research, technology, teamwork, and initiative, just to name a few! These are also known as transferable skills, skills one can use in multiple situations, and that employers look for on resumes! The ability to integrate learning and apply and synthesize knowledge and skills to new settings and across various disciplines. Attending College Freshman Orientation is still mandatory! You will know some thingsbut not everything Take the opportunity to be a leader A time to meet new people You will probably know some things that orientation will cover, but you will not know everything. Freshman orientation is mandatory and designed to help you learn about campus resources, learn about the campus community that is now your new home, understand what the institution expects of you, and will most likely be when you register for courses. Attend orientation and get to know others. This is your opportunity to meet your new cohort! Step up and be a leader within your group. If you are interested in becoming more involved on your new campus, use your orientation experience to learn about ways to get involved. Let your orientation experience open the doors to leadership opportunities that will build your resume and your experience. Freshman orientations are much more than a lecture; they encompass an orientation to campus lifestyle. They can be a lot of fun if you take the time to be involved in the process and we encourage you to go with an open mind.

Financial Aid

Lets face it, college is expensive, but there are many resources available to help you pay for college. First is the FAFSA, which stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. By completing the FAFSA form, you are applying for several different things including: Grants: money that the government gives you for free that you do not have to pay back, Loans: money that you can borrow to pay for school, but have to pay back, including interest. Two types of students loans exist: Subsidized: interest does not begin until school is complete Unsubsidized: accrue interest on principle while in school Work Study: if you are interested in work study, you must indicate so on your FAFSA. Work study is a need based award that applies to certain jobs on campus. This form of financial aids provides jobs for students to help pay for college. The UM application automatically puts you in a pool for all available UM scholarships. Internal scholarships are often set aside for freshman admits into certain colleges. Another great place to look for scholarships is within organizations that youre affiliated with, such as your community or any professional or student organizations. Many times, these scholarships have a smaller dollar value; however, keep in mind that the applicant pool will typically be smaller, increasing your odds of receiving one. Many small scholarships add up over time!

FAFSA (Free Application For Student Aid) Priority deadline March 1st, 2014 Application covers grants, loans and work study funds http://www.fafsa.ed.gov Internal Scholarships Application is sometimes a part of your admissions application Double check with your college of choice to ensure that you apply Outside Scholarships Community scholarships Professional organization scholarships Many small scholarships add up over time

Finalizing the Process For all students, even if not attending the UMTC: o Confirm attendance early! You will have better housing options and earlier orientation and registration o Submit final transcript from high school and the U (no UMTC transcript is necessary if you are attending the U) If you are attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities next fall as a freshman, there are a few additional steps that you will need to complete. Just because you were admitted into the PSEO program at the University of Minnesota, it does not mean that you are automatically admitted into the University of Minnesota. You will still need to apply for admissions like any other high school senior. If you choose to go to the University of Minnesota, you will have to attend a freshman orientation session. These will be held early next summer. BEFORE you go to your registration, contact the AHS3 office so that we can remove your hold on your account. If you do not call, you will not be able to register at orientation. The hold will be released for 24 hours. On June 1st, we will permanently remove your registration hold if you are admitted to the University of Minnesota as an undergraduate degree seeking student.

College visits are NOT excused absences at the U of M You still represent PSEO, even during the summer

Although you are attending the University of Minnesota, you are not admitted into any college just yet! Even though you will be finished with the PSEO program next summer, you still represent the PSEO program and your actions could have an impact on the program for future students that want to participate in the PSEO program at UMTC. Remember, poor behavior reflects poorly on the PSEO program, which may result in loss of special privileges for PSEO students. Although you are held up to expectations of any college student at the University, you are also held to the expectations of the program. Remember, unlike in high school, the University does not excuse absences for college visits. You are expected to attend class. If you expect that you will be gone, inform the instructor, but the instructors are under no obligation to make an exception for you. Again, your transition from Pre-College to College is an exciting time in your life. Your transition begins now! It is important you understand what you need to accomplish in the upcoming months. Remember to utilize your support network. Seek help from your PSEO advisers, high school counselor, high school teachers, and your instructors/professors if you have questions or concerns.