Student Story: College and Career Experiences
Hear directly from a student about navigating education, employment, and plans for the future.
Video source: Minnesota State
Transition to College
Learn More About College
Planning for college starts in high school. In this section, you will explore colleges and programs in Minnesota, learn simple ways to pay for school, try online tools to search for training and jobs, and understand how disability accommodations work at Minnesota colleges. You will see who to contact, what documents to bring, and how to ask for help so you can start strong and stay on track.
Introduction to the College Exploration
Exploring college options is an important step in preparing for life after high school—especially for students with disabilities who may need to consider additional support services, campus accessibility, and available accommodations. This fillable document is designed to help students, families, and educators navigate the decision-making process by prompting thoughtful reflection and research. The questions in each section encourage students to evaluate their learning needs, explore campus resources, and compare college programs that align with their goals. By completing this guide, students will create a personalized roadmap to support a successful transition to higher education.
To help explore college, here is a form you may complete and print online, or save to your device: College Explorations Fillable Form
Choosing the Right Postsecondary Path
When students consider attending a college or training program, it's essential to begin with identifying a career pathway and understanding the postsecondary training required to achieve that career. Once that’s clear, selecting the right college or program becomes the next crucial step. Explore college and training program websites and visit campuses to ensure they align with your educational and personal needs.
As you research potential schools, consider the level of education your career goal demands—whether a certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or beyond—and choose an accredited program that awards the appropriate credential. Short-term training options, such as noncredit workshops or technical skills courses, may also be available (e.g., welding, forklift operation, boilermaking).
Narrow your search by determining what matters most to you: a small campus, a large university, online flexibility, or a blend. Other key factors include proximity to home, community size, on-campus housing, transportation ease, and access to basic needs like food.
Explore Support Resources:
Online Placement (Course Placement)
What it is: Colleges use course placement to help you start in the right reading, writing, and math classes. Minnesota State schools use more than one way to place you. They may look at your high school GPA, ACT/SAT/MCA scores, any prior college work, a placement test such as ACCUPLACER, or Guided Self-Placement with an advisor.
Online options you may see
- Remote ACCUPLACER: Take the test online from home with a proctoring service. You’ll need a photo ID, camera, and quiet space.
- Guided Self-Placement (online): Review examples and answer questions to choose the best class level, then confirm with an advisor.
Do I have to test? Not always. Many students are placed using GPA, test scores already on file, or past coursework. Your college will tell you if an online step is needed.
If you use accommodations
You can get accommodations for placement testing. Contact your campus Disability/Accessibility Services before you schedule the test. You may be asked for recent documents (IEP/504, evaluation, or doctor’s note). Possible supports include extra time, a quiet setting, screen readers, and more.
How to get ready (simple steps)
- Ask how you’ll be placed. Check your college email/website for GPA, Guided Self-Placement, or ACCUPLACER directions.
- Practice. If you will take ACCUPLACER, use the practice links on your college site and review basic math and reading/writing.
- Set up your tech. For remote testing, find a quiet place, stable internet, a camera, and have your photo ID ready.
- Know your supports. If you need accommodations, contact Disability/Accessibility Services early.
- Keep perspective. Placement helps you start strong. Some colleges allow a retest after studying if advised.
Why this matters
- Starting in the right level saves time and money.
- You build confidence by beginning with classes that fit your skills.
- Minnesota State colleges use multiple measures so placement is fair and flexible.
Where to go for help
- Your college’s Testing/Placement or Advising page (details on whether you must test, remote options, and practice links).
- Your campus Disability/Accessibility Services office (testing accommodations and classroom supports).
- Disability Hub MN – Postsecondary Options (planning tools for students, families, and educators).
Tip
Schedule placement early, test in a quiet place, and have your photo ID ready. If you need accommodations, contact Disability/Accessibility Services before you sign up.
College Accommodations
What they are: Colleges provide reasonable accommodations so students with disabilities can access classes, materials, tests, housing, and campus life. You work with the campus Disability/Accessibility Services office in an interactive process to set up supports that fit your needs.
Typical accommodations you may see
- Testing supports: extra time, reduced-distraction or separate testing room, break time as approved.
- Note-taking & course materials: shared instructor slides, peer/tech-assisted notes, permission to record, alternative formats (audio, large print, Braille, accessible PDFs).
- Assistive technology: screen readers, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, magnification, smart pens.
- Communication access: ASL/Deaf-Blind interpreting, real-time captioning, captioned media.
- Classroom logistics: preferential seating, accessible furniture, flexibility with attendance or due dates when disability-related and approved.
- Campus living & dining: accessible housing or meal accommodations as needed.
How to self-advocate (simple steps)
- Contact Disability/Accessibility Services early. Schedule an intake meeting—before the term starts if you can.
- Explain your needs. Describe how your disability affects learning, testing, housing, or campus life.
- Share documentation. Bring recent records that support your request (see below). Ask if your provider should complete a campus form.
- Activate each term. After approval, you may need to send accommodation notices to instructors every semester.
- Follow up. If something isn’t working, return to the office to adjust. Your disability info is private.
Documentation you may need
Colleges usually ask for recent documentation that explains your diagnosis and current impact (functional limits). Examples include:
- A letter or report from a qualified professional (doctor, psychologist, audiologist, etc.).
- Educational records such as a recent IEP or 504 plan, neuropsych/psych evaluations, or school testing.
- Any campus forms your provider needs to complete (check your college website).
Where to start at Minnesota State (examples)
- Lake Superior College — Student Accessibility Services (how to request services, getting started, lead-time guidance).
- Minneapolis College — Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) (documentation, rights & responsibilities, new-student process).
- Hennepin Technical College — Access/Disability Services (what to bring to intake, examples of reasonable accommodations).
Tip
Email Disability/Accessibility Services before orientation so your accommodations are ready on day one. Bring your most recent IEP/504 or provider letter to your intake meeting.
Transfer Options (Minnesota State)
What “transfer” means: You can start at a Minnesota State college and finish a bachelor’s degree at a Minnesota State university. The system is designed to help you move your credits so you don’t lose time or money.
Your main paths
- Transfer Pathways (AA/AS designed for a major): Finish a Transfer Pathway degree at a Minnesota State community college and—once admitted to a Minnesota State university—you enter with junior status and your 60 pathway credits apply to the related major.
- Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) + AA: Complete an AA that includes the 40-credit MnTC. Your lower-division general education transfers as a package. Some Minnesota State universities offer guaranteed admission to AA+MnTC completers who meet GPA requirements.
- Program-to-program transfer: Some AS/AAS programs transfer into specific BAS/BS degrees through articulation (transfer) agreements. Check the exact agreement for course and GPA rules.
- Reverse transfer: If you moved to a university before finishing the AA, you may be able to send back credits you’ve earned and receive the AA while you continue the bachelor’s degree.
Help & tools
Tip
Pick your destination major and university first. Then choose a Transfer Pathway or AA+MnTC that feeds into it, and use Transferology to confirm each course.
Career Pathways
Career pathways help you connect your interests, strengths, and skills to future education, training, and employment opportunities. Exploring career pathways gives you a clearer understanding of the steps you can take after high school, whether that includes college, technical education, apprenticeships, work-based learning, or direct entry into the workforce.
For someone with disabilities, career pathway planning is an important part of transition preparation. It helps you identify possible career goals, understand the education or training needed, and build the academic, technical, and employability skills that support long-term success. Career pathway exploration can also help you and your support team make informed decisions about courses, work-based learning experiences, credentials, and support services.
Why this matters: When you understand the range of options available, you are better able to make choices that align with your goals, preferences, and support needs. Career pathway planning encourages informed decision-making and helps you move forward with greater confidence and purpose.
The following sections provide information and resources to explore career pathways, identify next steps, and connect school experiences to future opportunities in education and employment.
Preparing for Careers
It’s important to start learning about jobs and careers early. Career exploration and work-readiness experiences can help students prepare for future employment, training, college, and career opportunities that match their interests, strengths, and goals.
Work-readiness, sometimes called job-readiness training, helps students learn skills needed to find, get, and keep a job. These experiences may include learning how to write a resume, complete job applications, prepare for interviews, communicate professionally, work with others, solve problems, and understand workplace expectations.
College career services offices can help students create or improve resumes, prepare for interviews, explore career pathways, and learn about available jobs, internships, and career resources. Some campuses may use different names for these services, so students may want to ask a college advisor or counselor where to begin.
Students may also build career and leadership skills by participating in school or college clubs, student organizations, volunteer opportunities, and career-focused activities. Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) are one example of student organizations that help students develop leadership, teamwork, communication, technical, and career-readiness skills through hands-on learning and participation.
Examples of Career Readiness Skills
- Writing resumes and cover letters
- Completing job applications
- Practicing interview skills
- Learning workplace communication skills
- Working as part of a team
- Building leadership and problem-solving skills
- Exploring careers and workplace expectations
Career exploration and work-readiness experiences can help students feel more confident, prepared, and informed as they plan for future education, training, and employment opportunities.
Career Exploration for Students
Students with disabilities have unique strengths, interests, and goals, and career exploration can help connect those strengths to meaningful education, training, and employment opportunities. The Minnesota State Career Exploration resources provide tools to help students learn about careers, explore different pathways, identify personal interests and skills, and better understand the education and training needed for future success.
These resources can support students as they begin planning for life after high school and explore careers that match their interests, abilities, and support needs.
You can explore career pathways, complete interest assessments, learn about in-demand occupations, and discover education and training opportunities across Minnesota using the Minnesota State Career Exploration website .
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