Staff: Diane Ahlberg and Jody HansenSeptember 20th, 2016

(763) 569-7665 or (763) 569-7627

The CCRC newsletter is provided on a monthly or semi-monthly basis to provide information on activities and events that are helpful to Park Center students and their parents. This publication is also on Park Center’s website ( (under Academics or under Quick Links at right of home page).

Test Date / Registration Deadline / (Late Fee Required)
October 22, 2016
December 10, 2016
February 11, 2017
April 8, 2017
June 10, 2017 / September 16, 2016
November 4, 2016
January 13, 2017
March 3, 2017
May 5, 2017 / September 17-30, 2016
November 5-18, 2016
January 14-20, 2017
March 4-17, 2017
May 6-19, 2017

TEST FEE PER TEST OPTION:

  • ACT (No Writing)$42.50
  • Includes reports for you, your high school, and up to four college choices (if valid codes are provided when you register).
  • ACT Plus Writing$58.50
  • Includes reports for you, your high school, and up to four college choices (if valid codes are provided when you register). The Writing Test fee is refundable, on written request.
  • 5th & 6th college choice fee is $12 for each school.
  • Late registration fee is $27.50.
  • Standby testing is $51 in addition to the basic fee, if you missed registration.
  • Test date change fee is $25 in addition to the basic fee.
  • Test center change fee is $25 in addition to the basic fee.
  • Test information release service is $20.
  • International testing is $33.

Students need to register on-line at

Students receiving free/reduced lunch can have their test fees waived TWICE by bringing a copy of the letter they received from Food Service to the CCRC to receive a waiver. Fee waivers do not include late fees.

Students can register for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests at

Preparing for the ACT Test booklets that include a full length practice test, including the writing test, strategies to prepare for the test and what to expect on test day are available in the CCRC.

You can take free ACT or SAT practice tests online at: and at

Choosing a College, Applying to College, and Sending Transcripts: ddddd Wednesday, September 21st at 1:00PM & Thursday, September 29th at 8:30AM

Completing Your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): Tuesday, October 4th at 8:30AM

NCAA Eligibility Requirements: Monday, October 24th at 10:00AM

Star Student Award Sponsored by the North Hennepin Area Chamber of Commerce Business Education Partnership Committee

The North Hennepin Area Chamber of Commerce Business Education Partnership Committee has chosen to recognize accomplishments of juniors and seniors at Brooklyn Center, Maple Grove, Osseo and Park Center High Schools, Maranatha Christian Academy, and the Osseo Area Learning Center.

This award is for students who deserve recognition for their outstanding achievement in the following three areas: Employment, Career Advancement, and Volunteerism. A student can apply for an award in any or all of the three categories, but is only eligible to receive an award in one category in either their junior or senior year. There will be several awards given in each of the three categories. Recipients should be prepared to attend the Star Student Recognition Breakfast that will be held on Wednesday, December 7th, 7:00AM-9:00AM.

Applicants must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average. The application deadline is October 24th. Pick up an application in the CCRC.

Attention juniors and seniors: The Brooklyn Park Rotary is sponsoring up to five junior or senior students from Park Center to attend Camp Enterprise to immerse themselves for three days in understanding the free enterprise system. Presentations are made by business executives and entrepreneurs who share their experiences and answer questions on a variety of fields and interests. You will participate in discussions about business and life after high school, including a chance at scholarships totaling approximately $5,000! If interested stop by the CCRC for an application. The application deadline is October 12th.

The entire cost of attending camp, including meals and lodging, is paid by your local Rotary Club. The cost is $375per student. Camp Enterprise is one of twenty-five (25) similar programs held throughout the United States. At camp, students are assigned to a team of 7-8 students. Each team also includes a counselor and a mentor. Counselors are college-aged students and, in some cases, past participants in Camp Enterprise. Mentors are professionals and, in many cases, Rotarians. Each team is assigned a case study and tasked with developing a business plan with the goal of making a pitch to potential investors in their companies. In addition to working on the case studies, while at camp students have the opportunity to participate in team-building and leadership activities, network with other students and volunteers, make new friends, and challenge themselves. Among other unique experiences, students have the opportunity to listen to several guest speakers from business or industry who make inspirational and informative presentations on relevant topics.

Camp starts Thursdaymorning, October 27th, when everyone arrives by 11:00 AM. It is action packed for two solid days until Saturday, October 29th, at 3:00PM. Camp Enterprise utilizes the YMCA Camp Ihduhapi facility on the shores of Lake Independence.

Scholarship Program is an initiative of Urban Ventures and is Minneapolis-St. Paul’s only full tuition, full-need urban leadership award. 30-40 of the Twin Cities’ most promising urban leaders will be selected for scholarships for one of their four partner colleges: Augsburg College, Bethel University, North Central University, and University of Northwestern-St. Paul. An informational meeting for ActSix will be held on Thursday, October 13th at 10:00AM in the CCRC.

Applicants must be able to answer “yes” to the following questions:

  • Will you graduate from high school in 2017, or did you graduate previously in2016 or 2015?
  • Do you live in the Twin Citiesarea and, if selected, could you arrange your own transportation to weekly evening trainings at Urban Ventures?
  • Do you want toattend Augsburg, Bethel, North Central or Northwestern-St Paul?
  • Are you not currently enrolledat a four-year college? (Students at two-year colleges may apply.)

Questbridge National College Match islooking for high school seniors who have shown outstanding academic ability despite financial challenges. Over $2,000,000,000 is available from partnering colleges for Quest Bridge Scholars.

Eligibility: In order to be eligible to apply for the National College Match in the fall of 2017, applicants must graduate from high school during or before the summer of 2017 and plan to enroll as a freshman in college in the fall of 2017. The QuestBridge National College Match is open to allUnited States citizens and permanent residents, or students, regardless of citizenship, currently attending high school in the United States.

Academic Achievement: They seek students who have demonstrated a level of academic achievement that meets or exceeds the admissions standards of their colleges. The following is based on profiles of past finalists, and are not strict cut-offs:

Academic Criteria
Grades and rigor of high school curriculum / Primarily grade of A in the most challenging courses available (usually including Honors, AP, and/or IB level courses.)
Class rank / Top 5-10% of your graduating class.
Standardized test scores / SAT (CR+M) scores > 1240
ACT composite score > 28
They recommend submitting any AP, IB, or SAT Subject Test scores. Review the standardized testing requirementsfor each college.
Additional Criteria / They look for evidence of strong writing ability, intellectual spark, and determination through essays and teacher/counselor recommendations.

Financial Qualifications: Finalists typically come fromhouseholds earning less than $65,000 annually for a family of four,and often less. This is not a strict cut-off and they encourage students who feel they have faced significant financial hardship to review these financial details carefully to see if they may qualify.

Go to for details and a list of College Partner schools.

Attention seniors!

There have been some changes in the admission timeline for this upcoming year at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. They have now moved to a 2-tiered timeline.

  • November 1st Priority Deadline: Priority consideration for admission, Honors, and scholarships given to those with complete applications by this date. Students will receive their admission decision by January 31st at the latest.
  • December 15th Regular Deadline: Full consideration for admission. Honors admission and scholarship consideration is available on a space and funds available basis.

Nursing Guarantee Option at University of Minnesota - Rochester! The University of Minnesota Rochester has announced that they will be offering aNursing Guarantee option for students interested in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree through the University of Minnesota. This opportunity guarantees first year students entry into the University of Minnesota Twin Citiesnursing program located on the Rochester campus their sophomore year provided they meet the program requirements. Students will be able to complete all four years of the program on the University of Minnesota Rochester’s campus. Practicum work in this program will be conducted at Mayo Clinic. Students interested in this must apply directly to UMR. No Share My App’s are accepted for UMR’s Nursing Guarantee option.

The University of Wisconsin college system will be texting each senior who applies to a UW campus between September 1 and early November—if they agree to receive text messages.Their campaign will focus on the Early FAFSA, preferred financial aid filing dates, College Goal Wisconsin, and related financial aid information. The campaign has begun and will end by December 1st. They expect to text approximately 45,000 students.

Did you know that North Hennepin Community College is expandingtheir 4-year partnerships? Currently, Bemidji State University, Bethel University, Concordia-St. Paul, Metropolitan State University, MSU-Moorhead, Southwest State, and St. Cloud State University are on their campus offering a variety of bachelor degree options for current NHCC students.

Bethany Lutheran CollegeThursday, September 22nd8:30AM

University of Minnesota – DuluthMonday, September 26th8:30AM

Winona State UniversityTuesday, September 27th10:00AM

Concordia – MoorheadThursday, September 29th11:00AM

St. Kate’sThursday, October 6th1:00PM

University of Minnesota – RochesterMonday, October 17th10:00AM

St. ThomasTuesday, October 18th8:15AM

Bemidji State UniversityTuesday, October 18th1:00PM

St. Mary’s University of MinnesotaThursday, October 27th8:00AM

Rainy River Community CollegeTuesday, November 8th10:00AM

University of Wisconsin – MilwaukeeMonday, November 14th9:00AM

St. OlafTuesday, November 15th1:00PM

Minnesota State University – MoorheadThursday, November 17th8:30AM

Sign up in the CCRC for a pass to attend these meetings.

NOTE TO STUDENTS AND PARENTS: The CCRC publishes the Scholarship Bulletin and Newsletter approximately every two weeks. The Scholarship Bulletin lists all the scholarships that we have received information on, including scholarships that are offered by local organizations which are available to residents of Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center or students who attend a District 279 school. Because these programs have restricted criteria, there is less competition and better “odds” for the student to be awarded scholarship monies. The CCRC Newsletter has information on events that are occurring in the area, testing information, and special programs that are being offered at Park Center PLUS helpful “Tidbits from the CCRC Staff”. These publications are distributed to the students’ advisory classes and are published on Park Center’s web site. If students and/or parents would like to have a copy of the Scholarship Bulletin (12th grade) and/or the Newsletter (all grade levels) sent directly to theire-mail, we are asking that you send a request to Jody Hansen at and we will add you to our distribution list.

October is Minnesota College Knowledge Month! During the final week of October college and university application fees will be waived throughout Minnesota State Colleges and Universities in recognition of “College Knowledge Month”, a statewide effort to provide every graduating high school senior, especially underrepresented students, with the opportunity to apply to college.

Listen to the announcements and watch the CCRC Newsletter for College Knowledge weekly questions and drop off your answer for a prize drawing.

Experience U Penn - Penn Admissions and the Penn Alumni Interview Program invite you tobe a part of an interactive discussion about the opportunities at the University of Pennsylvania. Wednesday, September 28th, at 7:00PM at the Minneapolis Central Library, Pohlad Hall,300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis.

Learn more about DartmouthonThursday, September 29th at 7:00PM at DeLaSalle High School, 1 DeLaSale Drive, Minneapolis.

The Minnesota National College Fairwill take place at the Minneapolis Convention Center on October 4th, from 5:00PM to 8:00PM. This is the time to visit with college reps from other states as well as those from here in Minnesota.

Groves Academy's 15th Annual LD/ADHD College and Post-Secondary Opportunities Fair will be Thursday, October 6th, at the Earle Brown Heritage Center, 6155 Earle Brown Drive, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430. This fair is free and open to the public.

The Admissions Office of Washington University in St. Louis invites in you to an Information Session on Thursday, October 13th, from 7:00PM-8:00PM at the Minneapolis Marriott West, 9960 Wayzata Boulevard, Minneapolis. Reservations are not required.

Minnesota State University - Moorheadinvites you to their Preview Days onOctober 20th, 21st & 22nd, January 27th28th, February 16th, 17th & 18th, March 17th & 18th, and April 4th& 22nd. Campus Preview Days include a campus tour, student panel, visit with faculty, and a complimentary lunch.Register to attend at

Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsinis offering an overnight bus tripfrom Minneapolis on Thursday, October 20that 11:00AM until Friday, October 21st, at 10:00PM. You can experience Lawrence on a Thursday evening and a full day of classes and special presentations on Friday! They supply the transportation (coach buses), wonderful company (other students from all over Minnesota), an informative college visit, and your overnight accommodations on campus. (They will feed you too!) The cost is $40. Register to attend at

Explore Colorado State University Preview Day - Friday, October 28th. Explore CSU is a comprehensive visit day program designed for high school seniors, transfer students, and their parents and families to experience what it means to be a Ram. You’ll spend the day touring the campus and learning how CSU supports and promotes student success. This full-day program includes an admissions overview, walking tour of campus, lunch in one of our dining centers and two breakoutsessions of your choice. Before the day concludes there will be an information and resource fair featuring campus offices and representatives from all eight academic colleges. To register go to Fee waivers are available for the registration fee.

HOW TO SEND YOUR TRANSCRIPT: For the second year, Osseo School District is offering FREE electronic transcripts for current students. Students needing a transcript should go to set up a personal profile using an e-mail address that is nottheir school apps e-mailaddress and then request their transcript to be sent electronically. Transcripts will be processed within two school days with the following exceptions – weekends, holidays, during processing of final transcript grades and two days before and three days after trimester end. Former students will be charged a $5.00 processing fee for this service. Note: When putting in your school, put in “Park Center” only and a drop down menu will come up and then choose “Park Center IB World”.

HENNEPIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE APPLICANTS…. IMPORTANT TRANSCRIPT INFORMATION

When sending your transcript through Parchment to Hennepin Technical College you must use the following e-mail address as the recipient’s address:

Ebenezer Senior Living is looking for Culinary Assistants & Servers to join their team. Their community is located in St. Louis Park and provides independent living, assisted living, and memory care for seniors. Applicants must be 16 years or older and have good customer service skills and a positive attitude. No experience is required. To view open positions and to apply online go to

Will my credits transfer???

Transferology is a nation-wide network designed to help students explore their college transfer options. Their goal is to save students time and money by providing a quick, intuitive way of getting their college transfer credit questions answered.

Students can answer the question "Will my courses transfer?" by adding coursework, exams, and/or military learning experiences to see how many schools in the Transferology network have matching courses that may be awarded when they transfer. They can also find out what their options are for taking classes over the summer (or whenever) at another school to transfer back to their current school by using the "Find a Replacement Course" feature. Visit to see this program in action.

Class of 2017! Important Information - Diane Ahlberg writes letters of recommendation and completes counselor forms for seniors.

If you need a college secondary report, recommendation, or scholarship recommendation please pick up a Senior Information Sheet for Recommendation in the CCRC, complete it and e-mail it as an attachment to or bring it to the CCRC. You should list Diane Ahlberg as your school counselor on your applications.

ACT offers many free and affordable tools at help you prepare for the test including:

  • “Preparing for the ACT Test” also available in the CCRC
  • ACT Question of the Day”
  • Sample Test Questions
  • Test Tips
  • Test Descriptions
  • The Official ACT Prep Guide
  • ACT online prep
  • ACT Kaplan online prep live

Recently, a fee increase consistent with industry standards was approved for National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes Eligibility Center registration.