Post Secondary Planning

Apprenticeships are partnerships between business, industry, labor and government that enable students to receive training in skilled trades through classroom training and work on-the-job. Most apprenticeships are paid positions.

Apprenticeship/Labor Union Opportunities

The demand for trade workers is at an all-time high. 

• Trade Schools offer practical training and education to prepare students for specific skilled careers. Get more information about what trade schools offer.
• Find out more about the trade industry from CareerForce which has specific information about SE Minnesota.

Labor Union Opportunities

Joining the workforce is a good opportunity for recent high school graduates to transition into adulthood by learning the responsibilities of holding down a full-time job and personal financial management. It’s also important to focus the job search on positions that allow for career growth, as opposed to typical jobs that hire teen workers.

A GAP year is a semester or year of experiential learning, typically taken after high school and prior to career or post-secondary education, in order to deepen one's practical, professional, and personal awareness. Gap year programs are available for a wide range of interests, including:

• National and global volunteer and enrichment
• Internships and work experiences
• Language immersion
• Conservation and sustainability
• Academic learning
• Fine arts and media
• Adventure travel

Resources & Articles

• Sign up: All students in grades 9-12 are welcome to sign up in the BHS Counseling Office to meet with visiting college representatives. Visits are announced through the daily announcements and on our website. Our admin assistant will take your name and provide you with a pass to be excused from class. There is no limit to how many rep visits you can sign up for.
• Location: All college rep visits take place in the BHS Counseling Office.
• What Happens: Students get the opportunity to meet the college rep and listen to the information they provide about their respective college. Students will also get the opportunity to ask specific questions. College reps LOVE to visit with students! Colleges also take note of who visits with them so it does help with admission decisions.

Steps to Completing a College Application - Flowchart/Links

• Common App "Application Guide for First Year Students"
• Additional resources for the Common Application

Resource: MN Goes to College Website- College App Resources/Tips

Tips for Writing the College Application Essay

College Essay Guy: Resource Application Hub

Letter of Recommendation Form

Guidelines for Requesting a Letter of Recommendation

• First, students must apply to the U of M Twin Cities and pay the full app fee.
• Then, (starting the 2nd week in October), students can request to share their application file with any of the other U of MN schools (Duluth, Morris, Rochester, Crookston) for FREE.
• In student's Application Tracker checklist, they can access a web form where they can choose to be considered for admission at one or more of the U of M’s other campuses with no additional application and no additional application fee.

Military Opportunities

Thinking About a Career in the Military Handout

Military ROTC and Military Academies Resources

In order to be eligible to participate in Division I or II athletics at college, you must first be registered with the NCAA Clearinghouse.  NCAA encourages students to start this process in their sophomore year. To help prospective student-athletes make the best decision about their college choices, there are two options for registration:

• Certification Account: A student-athlete must be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center to compete at an NCAA Division I or II school. A student also must be registered with a Certification Account before they can make official visits to a school or sign a National Letter of Intent in Division I or II. The registration fee is $90 for domestic students and $150 for international students. Registration typically takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes. 

• Profile Page : If a student-athlete is currently unsure which division they want to compete in or plan to compete at a Division III school, they should create a Profile Page. Creating a Profile Page is free and easy. Students should expect 15 to 30 minutes to complete a Profile Page. If, at any time, the student wishes to play at the Division I or II level, they can transition to a Certification Account and pay the registration fee to begin the certification process. 

Student-athletes that want to play college sports are encouraged to complete their NCAA registration at eligibilitycenter.org. Students can find more information and resources about registering on our How to Register page. 

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. Since 1937, the NAIA has administered programs and championships in balance with the overall college educational experience. The student-athlete is the center of all NAIA initiatives. Each year more than 77,000 student-athletes have the opportunity to play college sports, earn over $800 million in scholarships and compete for a chance to participate in 27 national championships.

Register with the NAIA Eligibility Center at PlayNAIA.org.