Montana University System
College Access
News & Updates
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College Access Arc Event - College Application Week |
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Montana's "Best in Class" For College Application Week |
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The Montana University System wishes to recognize those schools with high participation during this year's College Application Week. Please note the number of applications listed is only for applications submitted through Apply Montana to MUS campuses and does not include in-state private colleges or tribal colleges, nor does it include out-of-state applications. Actual participation rates for each school may be higher. Well done to these schools for their efforts in making college accessible to all Montana students! |
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AA Schools:
- Billings West HS- 494 applications
- Helena HS - 387 applications
- Capital HS - 377 applications
A Schools:
- Ronan HS - 174 applications
- Corvallis HS - 142 applications
- Stevensville HS - 119 applications
- Hardin HS - 116 applications
- Park HS - 94 applications
- Beaverhead Co HS - 82 applications
- Butte Central HS - 77 applications
B Schools:
- St. Ignatius HS - 101 applications
- Whitehall HS - 95 applications
- Big Fork HS - 86 applications
- Sweet Grass HS - 75 applications
- Jefferson Co HS - 73 applications
- Broadwater HS - 73 applications
- Manhattan HS - 67 applications
- Shelby HS - 59 applications
- Red Lodge HS - 56 applications
- Colstrip HS - 50 applications
- Roundup HS - 50 applications
- Fairfield HS - 36 applications
C Schools:
- Superior HS - 47 applications
- Drummond HS - 36 applications
- Belt HS - 35 applications
- Cascade HS - 33 applications
- Hobson HS - 30 applications
- Twin Bridges HS - 28 applications
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C Schools (continued):
- Shields Valley HS - 27 applications
- St. Regis HS - 27 applications
- Absarokee HS - 26 applications
- Culbertson HS - 25 applications
- Alberton HS - 24 applications
- Scobey HS - 24 applications
- White Sulphur Springs HS - 24 apps
- Centerville HS - 23 applications
- Chester-Joplin HS - 21 applications
- Rapelje HS - 21 applications
- Augusta HS - 21 applications
- Circle HS - 20 applications
- Garfield Co HS - 20 applications
- North Star HS - 20 applications
- Dutton Brady HS - 18 applications
- Carter Co HS - 16 applications
- Granite Co HS - 16 applications
- Power HS - 14 applications
- Lincoln HS - 14 applications
- Valley Christian School - 13 apps
- Nashua HS - 11 applications
- Moore HS - 11 applications
Additional C Schools who had 100% participation:
- Dodson HS
- Fromberg HS
- Geraldine HS
- Geyser HS
- Grass Range HS
- Lambert HS
- Roundup HS
- Turner HS
- Whitewater HS
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State of Montana's School of Excellence for CAW 2020 |
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This year's School of Excellence is Chinook High School. Not only did all 26 seniors participate in College Application Week but their counselor and CAW site coordinator, Faye Freide, has worked tirelessly to submit data, complete surveys, promote FAFSA completion and ensure that Chinook students are college aware and college ready! They will be recognized at the national level by our national partner, The American College Application Campaign. Well done, Chinook High School!
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College Application Week and FAFSA Completion - Round 2 |
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Due to COVID-19 school closures and lockdowns in the fall, the Montana University System's College Access Team will be hosting a second round of College Application Week for those high schools that were unable to fully participate in the fall. This CAW part 2 will take place the week of April 5th-9th, 2021 in conjunction with the virtual Tribal College Fair hosted by MPSEOC (to learn more about that opportuntiy, click here). If your school would like to participate in this second College Application Week, please reach out to Maria Lillrose at mlillrose@montana.edu. College Application Week resources can be found at: mus.edu/college-access.
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Meet our College Access Champions |
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K-12 College Access Champion, Jessica Knapp
GEAR UP Liaison, Troy High School
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My name is Jessica Knapp and I come from Pittsburgh, PA originally. All three of my siblings and myself are first-generation college students thanks to our parents who did everything they could to help us gain the kind of future we wanted. I've been blessed to be able to explore and experience so many amazing places and I now live in Troy, MT with my best friend/husband Tony, our dog Rocky and two cats Mico and Shirley. I love to explore new parts of the country and to do anything that involves being outdoors, especially hiking, camping, and fishing.
Why is education important to you and your community?
I believe that education is important because it opens opportunities to gain the future and life that you want. Programs like GEAR UP provide students the opportunity, resources, and confidence to apply to and attend college. I think educating our youth will help build our small town's economy and help give students experiences different from what they've always been used to.
How do you motivate students to go to college?
The main way I try to encourage students to consider college is by trying to build their self-worth and willpower so that they not only believe that college is an option for them but also that they succeed once they get there. I also try to emphasize that college does not have to be a 4 year degree as there are so many programs that can advance our students into the trade fields that we desperately need in Montana. Every single student in our school has the potential to gain the future they dream of and I am glad that GEAR UP is here to help the ones that need college to do so.
What is the best thing about your school?
I love how welcoming our school is to students and that we truly try to focus on building relationships with them. We also have a lot of opportunities for students that are available to be utilized, which truly makes me excited to raise our own kids here someday. Plus, although I may be biased, we get to live in the most beautiful location in Montana!
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Post-Secondary College Access Champion, Blake Ladenburg
First Year Service Coordinator, Flathead Valley Community College
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Blake Ladenburg is the First Year Services Coordinator at Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell. In this capacity, he helps students navigate the college experience by supporting them from admission through their first year on campus. Prior to this role, he worked in the high-school setting helping students take advantage of dual-enrollment opportunities through FVCC’s Running Start program. Blake is a proud Montanan, graduating from Columbia Falls High School in 2013. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. Blake is passionate about service and enjoys helping students achieve success in higher education. Outside of his duties at FVCC, Blake is the Head Speech and Debate Coach for Columbia Falls High School, loves to hike in Glacier National Park, and spend time with his partner Hope and their 2-year-old son Miller.
Why is education important to you and your community?
Personally, I whole-heartedly believe that education is the great equalizer in our society. Committing to my education allowed me to overcome challenging hurdles and set a path very different from that take by my parents. It was my college experience that actually lead me to want to work in higher education. As a first-generation, working-class college student, I experienced firsthand the numerous barriers that exist within higher education. Successfully navigating those barriers inspired me to want to help others realize their potential by helping to knock down those same barriers to their success. In doing so, I am helping not just that one student, but the community at large that benefits from an educated, productive and engaged citizenry.
How do you ensure success on your campus?
Every faculty and staff member is integral to the success of every student on our campus. I am fortunate to work among some amazing academic professionals at FVCC who are committed to the success of each and every student. The largest barrier to success for students is not the availability of resources, but often the lack of knowledge of these resources. It is my role, and the role of every advisor at FVCC, to ensure that our students are knowledgeable about the resources available to them, so that when they need support they know they just have to ask.
Why should high school students consider college?
Education beyond high school, whether it be an apprenticeship, vocational certificate program, an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree, is the most valuable investment a student can make for their future. This investment pays dividends both in terms of financial reward and in personal fulfillment. Higher education allows students to chart their own path to a career that provides the life of which they dream.
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To nominate a College Access Champion from your community, either at the K-12 level or the post-secondary level, click here.
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FAFSA UPDATES
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FAFSA Office Hours: Every Friday in March and April a designated financial aid officer will be available virtually to answer any questions you or your students may have regarding FAFSA completion. Look for more details on times and the link to join coming soon!
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FAFSA workshop: In conjunction with College Application Week Part 2 and the Virtual Tribal College Fair, the Montana University System and MASFAA will be hosting a FAFSA Completion Workshop on April 9th, 2021. Details to follow soon!
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COVID-19 Impacts on Financial Aid |
Montana University System Resources
Federal Resources
- Federal Student Aid COVID-19 FAQS
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MUS Honors Scholarship:The MUS Honor Scholarship is a 4-year renewable scholarship, which waives the recipient’s tuition when used at an eligible campus. Due date: March 15, 2021. Apply here!
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Montana's STEM Scholarship: Montana’s STEM Scholarship Program is designed to provide an incentive for Montana high school students to prepare for, enter into, and complete degrees in postsecondary fields related to science, technology, engineering, mathematics and healthcare. Recipients receive $1,000 the first year and may be eligible for additional funds in years 2-4. Due Date: March 15, 2021. Apply here!
- To view additional scholarship opportunities, learn more here.
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MCAN's annual conference -March 8-9, 2021 (register here)
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FAFSA Fridays -Every Friday in March/April
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Tribal College Fair -April 5-9, 2021(learn more here)
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College App Week #2 -April 5-9, 2021
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FAFSA Workshop -April 9, 2021
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Decision Day -May 3-7, 2021
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Montana University System www.mus.edu |
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