Resource Center
Minnesota education and career resources
There is no shortage of information about college and careers. What is hard is knowing which sources are authoritative, which ones apply in Minnesota specifically, and where to look for the question you actually have.
This page organises the sources we would point a student or a family to. Everything here is a public agency, an established national organization or a longstanding Minnesota nonprofit. None of them are SHABELLE partners and none of them pay to be listed.
Category 01
Planning for college
The starting points for anyone working out how college applications, requirements and timelines actually fit together in Minnesota.
Minnesota Office of Higher Education
The state agency for higher education. Publishes information on Minnesota colleges and universities, financial aid programs and preparing for college.
Visit resourceFederal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education)
The official source for the FAFSA, federal grants, loans and work-study, with guidance on how the aid process works.
Visit resourceCollege Board
Information on SAT and AP programs, plus a college search tool and guidance on the application process.
Visit resourceACT
Registration, test dates and preparation material for the ACT, with college and career planning resources.
Visit resourceCategory 02
Financial aid and paying for it
Understanding what aid exists, how it is awarded and how to compare offers is often the least explained part of the process. These are the authoritative sources.
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
The application itself. Required for most federal and state aid, and most institutions use it for their own awards too.
Visit resourceMinnesota Dream Act Application
The state financial aid application for students who are not eligible for federal aid, administered by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.
Visit resourceMinnesota State Grant Program
Minnesota's need-based grant program, one of the largest state grant programs in the country. Administered through the Office of Higher Education.
Visit resourceFederal Student Aid: Scholarship Scams
Guidance on recognising scholarship fraud. Worth reading before paying any fee to a scholarship service.
Visit resourceCategory 03
Career planning and exploration
Resources for working out what a career path actually involves before committing years to it, and for understanding the labour market in Minnesota.
O*NET OnLine
A detailed database of occupations describing what each job involves, the skills required and how the field is changing. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Visit resourceBureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook
National data on pay, expected growth and typical entry requirements for hundreds of occupations.
Visit resourceCareerForce Minnesota
Minnesota's public workforce system, with job search tools, training information and in-person career services across the state.
Visit resourceMinnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
State labour market information and industry data, useful for understanding which sectors are growing in Minnesota.
Visit resourceCategory 04
Training and workforce programs
Options beyond a four-year degree, and public programs that help with training costs. Many strong careers do not require a bachelor's degree, and these resources cover the alternatives.
Minnesota State
Minnesota's system of 26 colleges and 7 universities, offering two-year and four-year programs across the state.
Visit resourceMinnesota Department of Labor and Industry: Apprenticeships
Information on registered apprenticeship programs in Minnesota, which combine paid work with structured training.
Visit resourceMinnesota Employment and Training Programs
State-administered training and employment support, including programs for specific groups and industries.
Visit resourceAdult Basic Education in Minnesota
Free classes for adults in reading, writing, math and English, plus preparation for GED and career pathways. Delivered statewide through local programs.
Visit resourceCategory 05
For immigrant and New American families
Resources for families navigating educational systems in a new country, including language support and community organizations across Minnesota.
Minnesota Department of Education: Multilingual Learners
State information on English learner programs in Minnesota schools and the rights of multilingual students and families.
Visit resourceMinnesota Council of Nonprofits
A directory for finding community organizations across Minnesota, including many that support immigrant and refugee families.
Visit resourceOffice of Refugee Resettlement
Federal programs supporting refugee resettlement, employment and self-sufficiency, including guidance on services available.
Visit resourceU.S. Department of Education: Educational Rights of Immigrant Students
Official guidance on the right of all children to a free public education regardless of immigration status.
Visit resourceCategory 06
First-generation and access programs
Programs designed for students who are the first in their family to attend college, or who need additional academic and financial support to get there.
Federal TRIO Programs
Federally funded programs including Upward Bound and Student Support Services, designed for first-generation and low-income students from middle school through college.
Visit resourceMinnesota Office of Higher Education: Get Ready
State guidance preparing Minnesota students and families for college, including information aimed at first-generation families.
Visit resourceCollege Possible
A nonprofit providing near-peer coaching through the college application process and through college completion.
Visit resourceMinnesota Association of Financial Aid Administrators
Guidance on the financial aid process and a resource for reaching Minnesota campus financial aid offices directly.
Visit resourceHow to use this page
A directory is not a plan
Knowing where to look is useful. Knowing what to do with what you find is a different thing, and it is the part that most people need help with.
A student can find the FAFSA website in thirty seconds. What is much harder is understanding how financial aid offers from two different colleges should be compared, or which parts of an application carry the most weight at a particular institution.
Use these resources to answer factual questions. Contact us when the question is about your situation specifically.
A note on external links
These links go to organizations we do not control. We checked them when this page was written, but sites change ownership, reorganize their content and occasionally disappear. If you follow a link and it does not lead where you expected, tell us and we will correct it.
Listing a resource here is not an endorsement of everything that organization does, and it is not a partnership. These are the sources we would point a family toward because they are authoritative, not because we have any relationship with them.