Middle School/High School Guidance and Counseling Office

Guidance and Counseling Staff

Brent Schroeder, Counselor

Nicole Ott, Student Services Secretary

Contact Info

Phone: 507-725-3316
Fax: 507-725-3319

Email: brent_schroeder@cps.k12.mn.us
Email: nicole_ott@cps.k12.mn.us

Caledonia High School Code:  240-375
Test Center Code:  177960  (if taking in Caledonia)

Please visit ACT’s website for all updated information:  www.actstudent.org

When should I test?

Pick a test date that is at least two months ahead of the application deadlines of all the colleges and scholarship agencies you might want to apply to. Scores for the ACT (No Writing) are normally reported within 2–8 weeks after the test date. If you take the ACT Plus Writing, scores will be reported only after all of your scores are available, including Writing, normally within 5–8 weeks after the test date.

Advantages to testing in your junior year:

• You’ve probably completed the coursework corresponding to the test material.
• You’ll have your test scores and other information in time to help you plan your senior year. (For example, you may decide to take an additional class in an area in which your test score was low.)
• Colleges will know of your interests and have your scores in time to contact you during the summer before your senior year, when many of them are sending information about admissions, course placement, scholarships, and special programs to prospective students.
• You’ll have information about yourself and the schools you’re considering prior to your campus visits, making your visits more focused.
• You’ll have the opportunity to retest if you feel your scores don’t accurately reflect your abilities in the areas tested.

How do I Sign up for the ACT?
Online registration is the fastest method. You will know immediately if your preferred test center has space for you to test, and you also can print your admission ticket from the website. How you sign up depends on where and how you plan to test: please see below for how to register.

Reminder: You need to register by mail only if you are younger than 13 or cannot pay by credit card.

• If you plan to test at a national or international test center, sign up online by creating or logging in to your ACT Web account
• If you are requesting extended time or other accommodations for the first time, sign up online by creating or logging in to your ACT Web account or register by mail in addition to completing the application request and submitting required documentation.
• If you missed the late registration deadline, you can request standby testing online.
• If you are homebound or confined, cannot find a test center within 50 miles of your home (U.S. and Canada) or in your country (other locations), or you need a Non-Saturday test center and one is not established within 50 miles of your home (or in your country if outside the U.S. or Canada), on all test dates , check the requirements for Arranged Testing.

2024-2025 National Test Dates Schedule 

BestColleges.com partners with HigherEducation.com to provide students with direct connections to schools and programs suiting their educational goals. Our college planning resources have been featured by New York State, UCLA, and others with a vested interest in quality higher education. 
Our publication of Online Colleges Offering Laptops & Tablets includes:

• A list of schools offering tech to incoming students 
• Tech specifications of laptops & tablets offered by these schools
• Information on college tech, choosing the right device, and device upkeep

http://www.bestcolleges.com/features/colleges-offering-free-laptops/

Course Description Book

Crisis Response Service 

Federal Student Aid

Applying for financial aid is an important step in preparing for college. With college tuition costs increasing every year, financial aid can help make college more affordable.  By applying for financial aid, your son/daughter may be eligible to receive federal grants, state grants, work-study, and/or loans.

Seniors can apply for financial aid starting October 1st.  Students can apply on-line at www.fafsa.gov

This site has helpful information and will give you step-by-step instructions in filling out your financial aid form. If you have questions, either call the number provided on the site or the college you are planning to attend.

If you would like more information on FAFSA and paying for college you can visit the Minnesota Office of Higher Education link and find a lot of useful tips and information

Here is the link: Minnesota Office of Higher Education

Minnesota Career Information System (MCIS)

Website: https://mncis.intocareers.org/materials/portal/home.html
Username: caledonia
password: cps

The Minnesota Career Information System (MCIS) is an Internet-based system that combines a wealth of career, educational and labor market information into one comprehensive, easy-to-use exploration tool. With MCIS, students and clients can:

• Learn about over 500 occupations
• Develop a personal portfolio
• Research colleges, universities and career schools
• Find scholarships and financial aid
• Improve job search skills and create a resume

MCIS offers various subscription fee levels, based on the number of users at each site. MCIS is used by schools, colleges, libraries, Workforce Centers and many community-based organizations. MCIS is updated annually to ensure that the information is current and reliable. An annual MCIS subscription includes:

• Unlimited access to the Website
• Free training via hands-on workshops held around the state
• Free technical support
• Listserv membership

Other Career Development Resources

MCIS Jr. is an Internet-based system that supports reading, writing, decision-making and critical thinking skills while developing self-awareness, career exploration, research and planning skills. It is written at a fifth-grade level, making it appropriate for special populations as well as students in middle schools or junior highs.

Career Trek is a career awareness program designed to teach children in elementary grades about the world of work. Career Trek expands awareness of different careers and the importance of skills like reading and mathematics. Career Trek prepares students for effective participation in their middle and high school career development activities.

NCAA Eligibility Center

All senior students who are planning to participate in athletics at the college level, MUST register at the NCAA Eligibility Center:

https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/

In addition, here is a link to the requirements to become NCAA Division 1 and 2 eligible:

https://professionals.collegeboard.com/guidance/prepare/athletes/ncaa
http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Student_Resources/DI_ReqsFactSheet.pdf
 

http://oedb.org/minnesota/

Explore your distance education options, and search through our comprehensive database of accredited colleges and universities in Minnesota with online offerings. Filter your list of schools according to your preferences for school type, and further narrow your choices by sorting your resulting schools by tuition, graduation rate, and more.

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn both high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college nonsectarian courses at eligible participating postsecondary institutions. Most PSEO courses are offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are offered online. Each participating college or university sets its own admissions requirements for enrollment into the PSEO courses. Eleventh and 12th-grade students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis; 10th graders are eligible to enroll in PSEO on a more limited basis (see note below). Students must meet the PSEO residency and eligibility requirements and abide by participation limits specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09. If a school district determines a pupil is not on track to graduate, she/he may continue to participate in PSEO on a term by term basis.

By March 1 of each year, or three weeks prior to the date a student registers for courses for the following school year (whichever is earlier), schools must provide PSEO information to all students in grades 8-11 and their families. To assist the district in planning, a student must inform the district by May 30 of each year of their intent to enroll in postsecondary courses during the following school year.

There is no charge to PSEO students for tuition, books or fees for items that are required to participate in a course; however, students may incur fees for equipment that becomes their property when the course or program is completed, textbooks that are not returned to the postsecondary institution according to their policies, or for tuition costs if they do not notify the district by May 30 and the district does not waive this date requirement.

Funds are available to help pay transportation expenses for qualifying students to participate in PSEO courses on college campuses. For more information on these funds, access the PSEO Mileage Reimbursement Program Instructions.

Enrolling in a PSEO course does not prohibit a student from participating in activities sponsored by the high school.

School districts must allow a PSEO student reasonable access to the high school building, computers and/or other technology resources during regular school hours to participate in PSEO courses, whether on-line or on campus.

Each year, districts must publish their grade-weighting policy on their website, including a list of courses for which students can earn weighted grades.

All courses taken through the PSEO program must meet graduation requirements. Districts must transcript credits earned in PSEO by a ratio prescribed in statute. Districts have the authority to decide which subject area and standards the PSEO course meets. If there is a dispute between the district and the student regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the student may appeal the board’s decision to the commissioner. The commissioner’s decision regarding the number of credits will be final.

Postsecondary institutions are required to allow PSEO students to enroll in online courses consistent with the institution’s policy regarding postsecondary student enrollment in online courses.

Tenth-grade students may initially enroll in one Career and Technical Education (CTE) PSEO course if they receive a reading proficiency score of “meets” or “exceeds” on the 8^th grade MCA. If 10th graders taking a CTE PSEO course earn at least a grade C in that class, they may take additional postsecondary courses. If the student did not take the MCA in 8^th-grade, another reading assessment accepted by the enrolling postsecondary institution can be substituted. For students with disabilities, there is an alternative option to demonstrate reading proficiency.

For current information about the PSEO program, visit the Minnesota Department of Education’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) webpage.

Scholarships for Seniors

There are many opportunities for scholarships for senior students. Please stop into Student Services to see what scholarships are available! 

Remember…

• never pay money to receive money!
• submit completed applications!
• pay close attention to deadline dates!

Please click the link below to sign up for the Going Merry Scholarship Database! 

Going Merry Scholarship Database

Please click on the link below, there are over 20,000 free-to-apply, sortable scholarships based on:

• Location
• Major
• GPA
• Ethnicity
• And more

Scholarship Database

StudentScholarships.org database is considered the largest and most comprehensive source for finding scholarships online and is 100% free for students to use. Please click on the link to to sign up for free!

Student Scholarships Database

Scholarships.com

High School Transcript Request:

1. Full name at time of graduation
2. Date of graduation
3. Date of birth
4. Name and address to mail transcript to

Requests may be made by phone-507-725-3316 ext 2002, by fax-507-725-3319, or by email: nicole_ott@cps.k12.mn.us

College in the School and PSEO Course Transcripts

College in the Schools:

• Southwest Minnesota State University Transcripts

PSEO Schools:

• Winona State University Transcripts
• Minnesota State College – Southeast Transcripts
• Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota Transcripts

Official ACT Scores

We do not include ACT scores on transcripts. However, many schools will require ACT scores to be officially sent from ACT.

If you need an official ACT score sent, you need to officially request it from ACT. You will be charged a fee if you did not request the scores be sent to your interested schools when you registered. More information about sending ACT scores can be found here…