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Leah Bittner

“The SMSU RN to BSN Program does not have you take a set amount of credits each semester. This flexible scheduling was perfect for me as it allowed me to vary the amount of credits I took each semester. I would have struggled without that flexibility as I am a non-traditional student who is also a wife, mother of four, and worked full time while completing my degree. This program is designed to fit into your life, whether you want to be a full-time or part-time student.”

Leah Bittner, '22 Alum
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High School Liaisons College Now Timeline

With all the deadlines, terminology, and necessary steps to run a smooth operating concurrent enrollment program at your school, we understand the time commitment. So, to make things as easy as possible, we have created a TIMELINE for College Now liaisons. We will keep this list and dates as updated as possible so you can bookmark it and return to it regularly for quick access and double checks. Let us know if you have suggestions for additional content. The work begins in February for the upcoming year:

FEBRUARY AND MARCH

College Now Course Consideration
Consider what possible College Now courses you would like to offer during the upcoming school year. Note – we cannot always guarantee that we can accommodate all requests for our courses. Staffing availability on our end determines our ability to meet your requests.

Concurrent Enrollment Aid Application
Since 2013, MDE is only requiring this aid application for high schools that were partnered with non-NACEP accredited schools. Since SMSU is an accredited program through NACEP, this aid application is not needed for our partnering high schools.

Fall Grade Checks
Approximately three weeks after a course ends, have teachers check on e-services to confirm that grades have been posted. If not, contact the Director of Concurrent Enrollment to inform and inquire.

New Teacher Applications:
If you have courses you are interested in offering but do not yet have teachers who have been approved to teach in the College Now Program, now is the time to have them turn in all the necessary information. Pre-approved teachers are a requirement when you fill out the online course request page in April, so don’t miss this step now. Interested teachers must send in:

  • A New Teacher Application Form (located on our College Now Website under Teacher Resources:
  • Cover letter
  • Current/Updated Vitae
  • All college/university transcripts (both undergraduate and graduate work completed). Unofficial transcripts are fine.
  • A letter of reference from H.S. Principal

(Contact Ellie Ahmann - Assistant Director of College Now, with any additional questions on the teacher application process.) 

 

APRIL

Course Request
It’s time to fill out the online course request page. This is how we determine how many courses our high schools are hoping to offer for the following year and determine how many of those requests we can accommodate. Deadline for filling out this request form is the end of April.  Schools will be able to submit a late course request form after May 1st and we will create those courses as spots are available.  The course request form is emailed out to College Now liaisons the first week in April.  If you are in need of this form, please contact Ellie Ahmann.

Student Appeals
April is also the time to get any students who do not meet eligibility requirements, whom you endorse as a student we should consider, to turn in all their appeal information. Here is a link to our current Student Eligibility Requirements.

Students are encouraged to appeal the semester before the course they are hoping to take to allow time for an appeal review.  If you have students who are on the edge with eligibility requirements, you might consider going ahead with the appeal in case they drop below based on current semester outcomes. The appeal form and additional information can be found on the SMSU College Now website under “Student Resources: Student Appeal."

The deadline to appeal is no later than the fifth day from the start of the course and appeal documents include:

  • A student appeal form
  • Letter from student
  • Letter of recommendation from either a H.S. teacher, counselor, principal or other appropriate person
  • Copy of high school transcripts

E-applications
Sometime in April or May is the best time to have students who will be taking College Now courses for the very first time, fill out the E-application. Step-by-step instructions are available at: Step-by-Step Guide to E-application.

Remember, this is ONLY for students who have never taken a College Now course before. Once they have filled out the E-application one time, they do NOT need to fill it out again for additional College Now courses. This can be done anytime in the semester prior to the course they want to take.  Also, if they have a StarID from another MinnState institution, they should be using that to log into the online application for College Now.

 

MAY

Follow up with SMSU
If you have not heard from the College Now department regarding course approvals for the upcoming year before you leave for summer, follow up with Ellie Ahmann - Assistant Director of College Now.

Surveys
Towards the end of each course, remind teachers that students need to fill out the "Student Satisfaction Survey", now conducted through Qualtrics.com.

Every three years, we ask that each of your College Now teachers, school counselors, and high school principal, complete their respective survey from our Surveys page.

 

JUNE

Spring Grade Checks
Approximately three weeks after a course ends, have teachers check on e-services to confirm that grades have been posted. If not, contact the director of College Now to inform.

 

AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER

Concurrent Enrollment Program Agreement (Contract)
You will receive an updated program agreement for the year via e-mail. Have it signed by the appropriate school system administrator (usually the principal) and returned to Jessica Mensink - Director of Concurrent Enrollment. Be sure to retain a copy for your files.

Registration
Get students registered – All students taking a College Now course for college credit must get registered in our SMSU system within the first two weeks of your term. The registration link will be open during that time for students at the following link: Course Registration.

Have teachers verify rosters through E-services
After students have registered for the course, it is VERY important that you make sure your teachers double check their class rosters on E-services. This is the ONLY way to confirm that students have all registered appropriately. This step is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Unfortunately, there is currently not a way for the College Now liaison to check the rosters, so you must have your individual teachers do it for their classes and report back to you. E-services is available by going to the SMSU website and clicking on Menu in the upper left.

Drop and Withdrawal dates
Remind teachers of drop and withdrawal dates and make sure students understand their options. To drop a course a student must do so within the first 10 days of the class. A drop means that the course will not appear on their college transcripts and the school will not be billed for that student. A withdrawal can occur within the first 80% of the course. A withdrawal means that the course will appear on their college transcripts with a “W” posted, but will NOT affect their college GPA. The high school will still be billed for that student.  After 80% of the class, neither of these is an option and the student must take the grade they earn. That grade will stay on their college transcripts.

 

NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER

E-applications
Sometime in November or December is the time to have students who will be taking College Now courses for the very first time during spring semester, fill out the E-application. Step-by-Step instructions to the E-application are available at: Step-by-Step Guide to E-application.

Remember, this is ONLY for students who have never taken or applied to take a College Now course before. Once they have filled out the E-application one time, they do NOT need to fill it out again for additional College Now courses.

Student Appeals
Now is the time to get any students who do not meet the requirements to participate, who you endorse as a student we should consider on appeal, to turn in all their appeal information for spring semester. Here is a link to our current Student Eligibility Requirements.

Students are encouraged to appeal the semester before the course they are hoping to take to allow time for an appeal review.  If you have students who are on the edge with eligibility requirements, you might consider going ahead with the appeal in case they drop below based on current semester outcomes. The appeal form and additional information can be found on the SMSU College Now website under “Student Resources: Student Appeal."

The deadline to appeal is no later than the fifth day from the start of the course and appeal documents include:

  • A student appeal form
  • Letter from student
  • Letter of recommendation from either a H.S. teacher, counselor, principal or other appropriate person
  • Copy of high school transcripts

 

JANUARY

Registration
Get students registered – All students taking a College Now course for college credit must get registered in our SMSU system within the first two weeks of your term. The registration link will be open during that time for students at the following link: Course Registration.

Have teachers verify rosters through E-services
After students have registered for the course, it is VERY important that you make sure your teachers double check their class rosters on E-services. This is the ONLY way to confirm that students have all registered appropriately. This step is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Unfortunately, there is currently not a way for the College Now liaison to check the rosters, so you must have your individual teachers do it for their classes and report back to you. E-services is available by going to the SMSU website and clicking on Menu in the upper left.

Drop and Withdrawal dates
Remind teachers of drop and withdrawal dates and make sure students understand their options. To drop a course a student must do so within the first 10 days of the class. A drop means that the course will not appear on their college transcripts and the school will not be billed for that student. A withdrawal can occur within the first 80% of the course. A withdrawal means that the course will appear on their college transcripts with a “W” posted, but will NOT affect their college GPA. The high school will still be billed for that student.  After 80% of the class, neither of these is an option and the student must take the grade they earn. That grade will stay on their college transcripts.

Surveys
Towards the end of each course, remind teachers that students need to fill out the "Student Satisfaction Survey", now conducted through Qualtrics.com.

(Start back at the top for February and on…)

Last Modified: 7/29/24 2:03 PM | Website Feedback