Top 10 Things to know

Explore interests. Encouraging your student to engage in pathway and postsecondary opportunities is a way to promote success in and after high school.
Planning ahead makes sure your student benefits from completing a pathway, an industry-recognized credential or college credit. An Individual Plan of Study (IPS) is required for every student.
Staying involved is a must. You know your student best. With 250-350 students per high school counselor, your student's IPS requires your involvement.
Agreements between high schools and colleges across Kansas allow certain high school courses to eliminate some required college courses. Known as articulation agreements, they benefit students who know what they want to study and know where they plan to attend college in Kansas.
Taking college classes as a 9th grader is only allowed if your student is classified as "gifted" and has an Individual Education Plan for giftedness. This is because the Kansas Board of Regents will not allow any other 9th grade students to earn college credit during their freshman year. If your student is not classified as gifted, consider taking classes for college credit in the 10th, 11th and 12th grade years.
Grades matter because most colleges consider Grade Point Averages (GPA) and ACT/SAT or Accuplacer/Compass as minimum scores or requirements for admission.
Colleges offer no financial aid for high school students who take college classes during high school. Still, tuition cost is greatly reduced if college classes are taken while your student is in high school.
Micro-Scholarships are available. High school students enrolling to take a college class while in high school for the first time may be eligible to receive a one-time $250 micro- scholarship. (Dependent upon available funds and the amount may change.) Be sure to watch your school's announcements for information related to this opportunity in October and January.
Compare before you decide on a postsecondary school. The cost differences for the same credential may be huge between different colleges. For example, the difference between a registered nurse credential at KU versus FHSU is $60,000. Check out costs and other important information about colleges at the Kansas Degree Stats webpages at www.KSdegreestats.org/program_search.jsp.
The enrollment guide is your source of detailed information about class choices available to your student. Salina Public Schools offers so much for your student that it is impossible to reduce it down to fit into a quick-read brochure. Time spent reading the enrollment guide is a great investment into your student's bright future. The enrollment guide can be found under the "Counseling" tab on each high school's page.