Central Lakes College College-in-the-Schools A Handbook for Parents and Students

Transcription

1 Central Lakes College College-in-the-Schools A Handbook for Parents and Students CLC is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment and education opportunity. No person shall be discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment, personnel practices, or access to and participation in, programs, services, and activities with regard to race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, or membership or activity in a local commission as defined by law. This information is available in alternative format upon a 48-hour advance request by contacting Paula Huss in Disability Services, office C111 at ext Deaf and Hard of Hearing users or TTY communication contact the "Minnesota Relay Service at or

2 College-in-the-Schools (CIS) Central Lakes College, in partnership with area high schools, offers College-in-the-Schools (CIS), a program that allows high school juniors and seniors opportunities to take college classes for credit while being enrolled in their local high schools. CIS is one form of Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) as established by the Minnesota Legislature and governed by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU) System Board Policies and Central Lakes College. Who is eligible for CIS? Only high school juniors and seniors are eligible for the CIS program. Juniors must have a 3.0 GPA, and seniors must have at least a 2.5 GPA. All potential CIS Students must take the college s ACCUPLACER Assessment Test. Scores from this test determine placement into some college-level English and Math classes. Why should my son or daughter enroll in a CIS course? CIS Courses can be used to fulfill the general requirements of a student s college education. Specific courses a student takes may also be used to fulfill the requirements of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum and be applied towards an Associate in Arts Degree or be used to meet specific Technical Program requirements. In other words, your son or daughter could earn credits for free and transfer those credits to another Minnesota college or university. Many private colleges also accept courses in the transfer curriculum. Plus, every CIS class is monitored by a Central Lakes College faculty member who serves as a collaborator to the high school teacher. The college faculty collaborator ensures that the CIS course meets college-level standards. 2

3 How much does CIS cost? There is no cost to students to enroll in CIS classes. Tuition is covered as part of the PSEO Program. Books and course material are also supplied by the local high school and remain the property of the high school, so you do not have to buy textbooks. What should we consider before deciding to apply for admission to take CIS classes? Being successful in college requires self-discipline, a commitment to challenge, and a willingness to be a proactive learner. The pace and the stakes for success are much higher than high school. In college courses, students are responsible for monitoring their own progress, asking questions, and seeking help from their instructors. Are you ready to commit to these requirements in order to succeed? The following questions may help you determine if you are ready to enroll in a college-level course: Typically, how well do you prepare before class? Do you leave yourself enough time to process a reading assignment before class begins? Do you formulate questions that you would like answered during the next class meeting? (Unlike a high school class, most assignments are completed outside of class, and it is expected that you are ready to begin discussion of the assigned reading when you enter class.) Do you take detailed notes during class? Do you review your notes frequently? (College exams can be based on lecture notes, making it important to take detailed lecture notes.) 3

4 Central Lakes College We Build Futures Do you seek out help from your teachers if you have problems? Do you set up a time to meet with the teacher when you have questions? (College professors do not track down students who are at risk. College students are expected to schedule appointments during office hours to seek help.) Do you turn in all of your work on time? Do you use work or school activities as an excuse for not completing assignments or not being ready for an exam? (This sets up a course for failure, as college assignments are expected to be completed before class begins.) Are you good at managing your time? Do you make a point to attend class regularly? Are you organized? Do you schedule assignments, tests, and projects in a calendar? (College professors do not give reminders of test or paper deadlines; students are expected to keep track of that information on the course syllabus.) Do you set aside study time in your daily life? (2 hours per week times the number of college credits the class is worth. For example, with a 3-credit class schedule 6 hours per week of time for completing assignments and studying.) Do you honestly account for family, social, school activities, work, class, study, and transportation time before selecting which CIS classes in which to enroll? *Note these were adapted from the CLC College Readiness: Understanding the Difference between High School and College Brochure 4

5 What is the first step to enrolling in a CIS course? The first step involves seeing your high school counselor to The Gallery complete an application for Central Lakes College. In rare cases, juniors or seniors who do not meet the GPA Admissions Requirement may work with their high school counselor or principal to request an appeal for Admissions. All appeals go to a college appeals committee for consideration. All potential students must take the ACCUPLACER Assessment Test and there are additional ACCUPLACER Prerequisite Requirements for some specific English and Math courses. Once you are enrolled in a CIS course... Students who need to Drop a course after it begins should work with their high school counselor or principal and may do so without the class showing up on their transcript through the 10th day of the semester. After 10 days the students may Withdraw from a course, but a W will be recorded on their transcript. Please note that W grades could cause a student to be placed on academic probation or suspension at Central Lakes (see below). Students who are considering Dropping or Withdrawing from a class should always consult with their high school first to see how it will affect their high school graduation requirements. The same is true for a student who does not receive a passing grade in a CIS class, since this too can jeopardize a student s graduation from high school. Since the high school and the college record grades independent of one another, it is possible for the teacher to record a different grade on a student s high school transcript than he or she does on the college transcript. Academic information CIS Students are CLC Students: By applying to be admitted into the CIS Program, students are also applying to be admitted as Central Lakes College students. Satisfactory Academic Progress: CIS and PSEO students are required to maintain a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) and Course Completion Rate at Central Lakes College. Students who fall below a 2.0 cumulative GPA or do not complete 67% of the credits they attempt are placed on academic probation, and falling below this standard in a subsequent semester will result in a student being placed on academic suspension from CLC. Once placed on suspension at CLC, a student would need to file an appeal in order to take courses at CLC or any other MNSCU college or university. (See the CLC Student Handbook for details.) For more information on the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum or College Degree Requirements students should see their High School Counselor or visit the CLC Website at 5

6 You should know that.. CIS classes offer the same curriculum and credit value as classes at the Central Lakes College campuses in Brainerd and Staples. CIS classes are taught by qualified high school teachers who work in conjunction with a collaborating CLC Instructor to ensure the curriculum and college-level standards are met. CIS classes have college -level rigor and expectations, and students should be prepared for the additional work and accelerated pace. QUESTIONS Contact your: -High School Counselor -CIS Program Director: Betsy Picciano (218) CIS Student Coordinator: Janet Gontarek (218) Transcripts/Grade Reports: Records Office (218) Tutoring: Smarthinking Located On-Line at the D2L web site -D2L (Online ClassD2L (Online Class Support) (218) Library Dave Bissonette, Librarian (218) The Jon Hassler Library LIBRARY, COMPUTER COMMONS, CAMPUS ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORT SERVICES As CLC Students all CIS Students have access to the CLC Libraries in both Brainerd and Staples and also the CLC Virtual Library Online. CIS Students have access to the CLC Computer Commons, College Tutorial Services and other Support Services both oncampus and online. CIS Students have the opportunity to be included in all college events, clubs, organizations, or activities including free admission to all athletic events and discounted theatre tickets. TRANSCRIPTS AND TRANSFERRING COURSES TO OTHER COLLEGES Students in CIS classes are enrolled in their local high schools and at Central Lakes College. Therefore, CIS courses are recorded on both a student s high school transcript and a CLC transcript. Credits earned are fully transferable to any college within the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU) system, and if a class meets the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum Goal at Central Lakes College other MNSCU Colleges must accept it as meeting the same goal at their college. Students who wish to transfer credits to a private college or out-ofstate need to check with the particular college to check on the transferability. Often these colleges will want to see course syllabi, so students should always keep a copy for this purpose. CLC Transcripts may be obtained for a fee from the college Records and Registration Office. 6