Getting Started - A General Plan

• Know yourself and your reasons for attending college

• Consider college characteristics

• List, compare, and visit colleges

• Apply for admission and observe deadlines

• Develop a plan to finance your education

• Review and finalize your plans

Things to Consider when Choosing a College or Technical School

• Program choice

• Entrance difficulty

• Location

• Size

• Cost

• Student body

• Parents’ opinion

What Colleges Look For when Reviewing Applicants

• Class rank

• Standardized test scores

• Challenging curriculum

• Attendance

• Extra-curricular activities

• Community involvement

• Personal recommendations 

Below are additional websites you can check out to learn more about colleges and universities, military, apprenticeships and technical colleges.

Technical Colleges

Wisconsin Technical College System- www.witechcolleges.com/

Western Technical College- www.westerntc.edu/

Madison Area Technical College- www.matcmadison.edu/matc/

Universities and Colleges

University of Wisconsin Schools: https://uwhelp.wisconsin.edu/

Wisconsin Private Colleges: http://www.wisconsinsprivatecolleges.org/

University of Minnesota Schools: https://twin-cities.umn.edu/

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities: http://www.mnscu.edu/

Minnesota Private Colleges and Universities: http://mnprivatecolleges.org/

U.S. Colleges and Universities: http://www.univsearch.com/

Resources for college bound students with a disability: http://www.bestcolleges.com/resources/#disability

National College Search by filter/criteria: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/

Apprenticeships

Information on construction apprenticeships- www.btrades.com

Tool, Die and Machining Association of Wisconsin- http://tdmaw.org

American Mold Builders Association- www.amba.org

National Tooling and Machining Association, Milwaukee- http://ntma1.com

Madison Area Plumbing Contractors- www.mapcwi.com

Military

www.todaysmilitary.com/app/tm/careers - This site provides information regarding the over 4100 jobs available in the military. Parent and student pages provide information regarding frequently asked questions.

www.usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/blrecruitmenu.htm - what the recruiter never told you

www.goarmy.com - Army

www.navyjobs.com - Navy

www.airforce.com - Air Force

www.marines.com - Marines

www.uscg.mil - Coast Guard

www.goang.com - Wisconsin Air National Guard

www.wisconsinguard.com - Wisconsin Army National Guard

Postsecondary Information for Parents:

https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/college-resource-center/parent-support-guide/- parent guide