wisconsin's technical colleges We are futuremakers
YOUR FUTURE
IS UP TO YOU
Where to Start Start planning for college today and attend a college open house or tour a college campus. START NOW. SET UP A
CAMPUS VISIT
TODAY!
Superior Ashland
For information on setting up a visit, go to www.wistechcolleges.org. Here, you’ll find contacts for all 16 technical colleges. With 49 campuses statewide—both large and small, urban and rural— technical colleges provide learning opportunities close to home.
WISCONSIN INDIANHEAD NICOLET
New Richmond
600
TRANSFER
AGREEMENTS
Merrill
Medford
Menomonie
Chippewa Falls
Neillsville
Black River Falls
WESTERN La Crosse
BETWEEN
WTCS
Wisconsin Rapids
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Stevens Point
FOX VALLEY
Viroqua
Portage
Appleton Oshkosh
SOUTHWEST TECH
West Bend
Watertown
Fort Atkinson
Monroe
Milton Janesville Beloit
BLACKHAWK
wistechcolleges.org
Manitowoc Cleveland Sheboygan
LAKESHORE
Beaver Dam
MADISON AREA Madison
Chilton
Plymouth MORAINE PARK Fond du Lac
Reedsburg
Fennimore
Green Bay
Waupaca
Wautoma
Mauston
Sturgeon Bay
Clintonville
Tomah
AND OTHER
HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
NORTHEAST WISCONSIN
Wittenberg
Marshfield
CALENDAR
Independence
Marinette
Wausau
OPEN HOUSE MID-STATE
CHIPPEWA VALLEY
FOLLOW US FOR ALL THE
LATEST UPDATES
Antigo
NORTHCENTRAL
Spencer CHECK OUT OUR Eau Claire
River Falls
TRANSFER OPTIONS Heads up—there are now more than 600 transfer agreements between Wisconsin’s Technical Colleges and other higher education institutions! THERE ARE MORE THAN
Rhinelander
Phillips Rice Lake
Pewaukee Waukesha
Elkhorn Burlington
MILWAUKEE AREA Mequon
WAUKESHA COUNTY
Milwaukee West Allis Oak Creek Racine
Kenosha GATEWAY WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE DISTRICTS
Denotes campuses Most colleges have additional centers or locations where specific courses are available. Contact the college of your choice for this information.
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©2015 Wisconsin Technical College System
What is Out There
FOR YOU
Now is the time to start looking at your options and considering what you want from your college education. TECHNICAL DIPLOMA
APPRENTICESHIP
Technical diploma programs deliver hands-on learning and are offered at all Wisconsin technical colleges.
Apprenticeship is paid on-thejob training combined with some coursework on the way to ‘journey’ status in a trade.
YOUR CAREER
TRANSFER Launched in June 2014, our Universal Transfer Agreement now provides additional transfer opportunities to all 4-year UW institutions.
STARTS HERE
CERTIFICATE Certificates meet employers’ custom needs for skilled employees in business, health, trade and industry.
ASSOCIATE DEGREE All Wisconsin technical colleges offer two-year programs requiring about 60 semester credits leading to an associate degree.
Go online and find out more about Go online transfer options at and visit wistechcolleges.org/ studentaid.ed.gove /preparing-college/ transfer-options
Visit studentaid.ed.gov
SHORT-TERM PROGRAM These programs focus on custom skills related to specific jobs and can often take less than one year to complete.
ADVANCED TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE This specialized certificate meets employers’ custom needs for highly-skilled employees in business, health, trade and industry program areas.
Your path is as unique
AS YOU ARE
Your future is already forming. You don’t have to know what your path is to start preparing yourself for success today. Even if you’re not sure what your path after high school includes (four-year college, technical college, work/study or apprenticeship, for example) you can do some things during high school to make the transition to your career easier.
9
10 11 12
FRESHMAN YEAR Get set for a great high school career by setting good habits. Complete an academic career plan (ACP). SOPHOMORE YEAR You’re no longer a high school rookie, so start looking into prerequisites for college and keep your grades up! JUNIOR YEAR Keep challenging yourself and keep up your academic grades, test scores, and activities. Make sure you are taking the right courses. SENIOR YEAR This is your year to make all your hard work pay off—get your applications in, make campus visits, apply for financial aid and enjoy your year! For more information, visit
WISTECHCOLLEGES.ORG
TAKE OUR CAREER QUIZ Open this to find out how
WATCH OUR VIDEO “Your Career, Your Future” on our website to learn more
2/3
OF ALL NEWLY CREATED JOBS BETWEEN NOW AND 2020 WILL REQUIRE THE TYPES OF SKILLS WE PROVIDE.
COLLEGE PREP: 4 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU APPLY
High School
OPTIONS
Get a head start on college with programs and courses available to you during high school.
DUAL CREDIT
Courses offered for dual credit allow high school students to enroll in technical college courses and earn both college AND high school credit for the course.
Visit www.wistechcolleges.org/ preparing-college/college-credithigh-school/dual-credit
2+2 PROGRAM
Receive guaranteed transfer with full junior-year status from a Wisconsin technical college to a four-year institution after earning an associate degree.
Visit www.wistechcolleges.org/ preparing-college/college-credithigh-school/2+2-program
YOUTH OPTIONS
Public high school juniors and seniors who apply and meet requirements are allowed to take college courses from an approved list at a Wisconsin technical college.
T HE ADMISSIONS PROCESS Talk to a college representative to see how easy it is to apply. A PPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID For general information, consult “Student Aid on the Web,� sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education at studentaid. ed.gov. Students need to fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 for enrollment the following fall. Visit fafsa.ed.gov Call 1-800-4FED-AID; or TDD 1-800-730-8913 for the hearing impaired Information on state aid is available at the Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board website at heab.state.wi.us S CHOLARSHIP INFORMATION Speak to a college representative or check out the college website for scholarship applications and deadlines. You will see that others are there to help you succeed! C AREER INTEREST QUESTIONNAIRE Discover your interests and abilities with our Online Career Interest Questionnaire. This 10-minute quiz can help identify which careers might be the best fit for you.
Visit www.wistechcolleges.org/ preparing-college/collegecredit-high-school/youth-options wistechcolleges.org/explorecareers/career-interest-questionnaire.
Where will
YOUR JOURNEY
take YOUR FUTURE? IVE UT C E EX CHEF PAR A
MED
IC
ASS O DEG CIATE REE
FIR CER E SERV I TIFI CAT CE ION
CU AR LIN TS AR
PA CH STR EF Y
D RE SE TE R IS NU
G RE
F PROT IRE TECH ECTION NICIA N
AP PLU PR M EN BIN TI G PL CE U JO M W UR BIN O N G PL RK EY U ER BU M SI BIN O N W ES G N S ER
L CA E TI RS AC NU PR
WEB DEVELO PER
D IE IF NG T RT RSI N CE U ISTA N S AS
ASSOCIATE D
EGREE
WEB DESIGN CERTIFICATE
Y
9 FUTURE TODAY 10 11 12 Your Life, Your College, YOUR
FRESHMAN YEAR
A PARENT’S GUIDE
Freshman year is a great time to think about your education and career interests. When you begin mapping out your courses, focus your education around your career interests and abilities.
Meet with your school counselors to discuss the careers and colleges that interest you. Get involved in extracurricular activities. Research careers and talk to people about their jobs. Learn and practice good work and study habits that you can carry with you to college. Choose courses connected to your chosen career interests.
BEGINS
“This is a time to be thinking about your own exploration— paying attention to the kinds of coursework you like, what kinds of hobbies and things you enjoy.”
97%
paralegal
WELDER
Take the career interest survey at wistechcolleges.org.
Research colleges, their offerings and locations. Visit them and look into college admissions requirements.
Research dual credit options to take every opportunity to earn free college credits in high school.
Advanced Placement (AP) and foreign language classes are a great way to prepare for college.
Apply for high school/college credit programs in the fall.
s h ort -t erm p rog ra m ASSOCIATE • DEGREE
i nt e r ns hi p TECHNICAL
C OMMUNICATE Be sure to talk to your child about schoolwork, goals, your expectations and the importance of education.
DIPLOMA
ADVANCED CERTIFICATE
SHORT-TERM PROGRAM
APPRENTICESHIP
S TART EARLY It’s never too early to talk with your student about college. Use this checklist to work together and ensure you’re on track to college acceptance.
G IVE ENCOURAGEMENT College can be a scary transition for students. Encourage your student to try new activities and get involved.
Average cost and fees for full-time undergraduates in the United States.
TWO-YEAR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS FOUR-YEAR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS FOUR-YEAR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS ALL FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES
SPEND LESS
SATISFIED OR VERY SATISFIED WITH THEIR EDUCATION
twitter.com/wistechcolleges
$37,000 $37,000
ASSOCIATE DEGREE GRADUATES
Look for recommendations for colleges by peers, family, counselors and business owners. Check with the college to find out what placement test they accept and schedule an appointment to take it, allowing at least one month in advance. pply to college – fall semester. A Apply for scholarship opportunities. Apply for financial aid.
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EARN MORE
Median salary for associate degree graduates right out of college. GRADUATES
You are nearly ready for the next step in your journey. The following steps will help ensure your success.
$16,789 $16,789$23,066
HOW MUCH CAN MY CHILD EXPECT TOASSOCIATE MAKE OUT OF COLLEGE? DEGREE
Pursue summer jobs, internships or job shadows.
A N A LY ST
$9,308 ONLY $9,308
ONLY
$23,066
Visit colleges and sit in on a class that interests you. Research financial aid with high school counselors and corporate grants offered by companies you have a personal relationship with or you’re familiar within the industry of your choice.
SPEND LESS
HOW MUCH IS COLLEGE GOING TO COST?
ALL FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES
Start planning for admissions testing.
SENIOR YEAR
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BA CH EL OR ’S DE GR EE
TWO-YEAR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
What cluster or industry interests you? Start considering a potential career and understand which college studies lead to these careers.
OF WISCONSIN'S TECHNICAL COLLEGE GRADUATES ARE
facebook.com/wistechcolleges
Discuss your opportunities as well as how to pay for college with your parents, counselors, friends and family.
What are you learning about yourself that you can use to help you plan your future? Try to use your talents to your benefit.
WISTECHCOLLEGES.ORG/PREPARING-COLLEGE
Consider your strengths and interests and choose classes that will help you maximize those.
JUNIOR YEAR
Barb Kelsey, Career Services Representative Start preparing for your career at:
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Even though your child is the one heading off to college, the process of getting them there is a team effort. Parents, grandparents and caring adults play important roles in a child’s education. With your support, a college degree can offer students more opportunities for success, a wider variety of job options and higher earnings throughout their lifetime. Here are some few simple things you can do right now to set your student up for success.
HOW CAN MY STUDENT DISCOVER THEIR INTERESTS AND STRENGTHS? $20K $50K
$36,400 $36,400
Our online Career Interest Questionnaire is$20K a great place for students to start.
$50K
This 10-minute quiz helps students identify which career areas might be the best fit for them based on activities they do, personal qualities and school subjects they like.
wistechcolleges.org/explorecareers/career-interest-questionnaire
flickr.com/wistechcolleges
wistechcolleges.org