College Planning

How To: College Application Manager/Initial Transcript

How to: Letter of Recommendation Requests

How to: Common App vs. Applying Directly

Need a step by step guide for applying to colleges? Check out Mounds View's "Application Cheat Sheet" and make sure you have all of your boxes checked!

Link coming soon!

Preparing for college begins in middle school and continues all the way to high school graduation. Talk with your teachers, dean and family about what courses are best for you, where you might want to attend, and what you want to do as a career.

Junior Post-Secondary Prep Presentation

Check out this helpful resource:

MN Office of Higher Education

Check out this useful platform for all things college planning! This site has unlimited free resources for writing a college essay, college application assistance, college search tools, free online course videos, and more! There are numerous tips and tricks for how to make the college application process as easy and less stressful as possible: 

College Planning Guy

Want to learn how to write a college essay directly from a college admissions representative? Then check out the power point here on some great tips and tricks!

College Essay Workshop

SchooLinks

• “SchooLinks is a great resource for researching colleges based on what you are looking for! Go to the College tab and select College Search to find the best fit schools for you. 
• “SchooLinks is REQUIRED for Seniors to use in order to send out your transcripts and letters of recommendation to colleges.”
  • SchooLinks College Application Steps

Identify What You Want in a School

U.S News College Ranking Search

Niche College Search

 

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Common App

The Common App is one way to apply to colleges. It is a one stop storage hub for all of your applications (or those that use the Common App). Students will still need to complete each individual application, but all are in one place. This method of applying is recommended for those applying to numerous colleges.

Refer to this Application Guide for step-by-step instructions on how to complete your application.

Information you will need to complete your Common App:

Irondale High School 2425 Long Lake Rd New Brighton, MN 55112 CEEB Code 242263 If you are taking any classes that you are also receiving college credit for (i.e. ARCC or CIS) you will list those institutions in the Education section under Colleges and Universities. Mark them as Dual Enrollment. Any online courses you are taking will be listed on your MVHS transcript and do not need to be listed as a separate school. 2026 Class Size =  Class Rank = None GPA Scale Reporting = 4 GPA Weighting = Weighted You must sign the FERPA Release Authorization so that your Common App and Naviance accounts can be linked. You can find this on the My Colleges Tab once you've added a college to your list. Recommenders - you will make all of your letter of recommendation requests via NAVIANCE, not CA, with a few exceptions.

Mounds View High School 1900 Lake Valentine Rd Arden Hills, MN 55112 CEEB Code 241805 If you are taking any classes that you are also receiving college credit for (i.e. ARCC or CIS) you will list those institutions in the Education section under Colleges and Universities. Mark them as Dual Enrollment. Any online courses you are taking will be listed on your MVHS transcript and do not need to be listed as a separate school. 2026 Class Size = 484 Class Rank = None GPA Scale Reporting = 4 GPA Weighting = Weighted You must sign the FERPA Release Authorization so that your Common App and Naviance accounts can be linked. You can find this on the My Colleges Tab once you've added a college to your list. Recommenders - you will make all of your letter of recommendation requests via NAVIANCE, not CA, with a few exceptions.

Applying Directly

Completing a direct application is when a student applies directly on a school’s website. This is the same application that one would complete in the Common App, but is completed through the college instead. This method is the only option for some colleges and this method is recommended for those applying to only a few colleges.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

Before each year of college, apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Your college uses your FAFSA data to determine your federal aid eligibility. Many states and colleges use FAFSA data to award their own aid. After submission, you'll receive your Student Aid Report (SAR)

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Scholarships

Equity Promise Scholarship Program:

Application opens: Friday, November 21, 2025
Application closes: Friday, January 9, 2026

Mounds View Public Schools has established a long-standing tradition of working with community businesses and organizations to provide local scholarships to graduating seniors. The scholarship program is aimed at reinforcing the District's Equity Promise of supporting all students in achieving their post-secondary goals, whether at a two-year college or a four-year college or university.

Wallin Scholarship Application NOW OPEN:

This scholarship is for any student who will be attending a 4-year school in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin or any HBC school. The scholarship is worth up to $16,000 over 4 years of college. There are requirements to be eligible for scholarships so take a look if you qualify. If you have questions, see your dean.

Other local scholarships

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Scholarship Search Engines

• Scholarships.com
• College Board Scholarship Search
• MN Department of Higher Education Scholarships
• SchooLinks Scholarship Matching (Log into SchooLinks, click “College” and select “Scholarship Matching.”

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Federal and State Grants

Federal and state governments provide grants for students attending college or career school. Most types of grants, unlike loans, are sources of free money that generally do not have to be repaid.

Federal Grant Information

Minnesota Grant Information

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Paying for College and Financial Aid Resources

Federal Student Aid - An Office of the U.S. Department of Education

How Financial Aid Works

Types of Financial Aid

Filling out the FAFSA

Minnesota Office of Higher Education - A cabinet-level state agency providing students with financial aid programs and information to help them gain access to post-secondary education.

Understanding the Costs of College: A Complete Guide to Financial Aid - There are many ways to pay for college. This publication outlines how to apply for and access different types of aid, including federal and state grants and scholarships, federal, state and private loans, and other ways to pay. We will walk you through how to weigh your options, what application(s) you need to submit, and how to make college affordable for you.