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PSC Offers Tuition-Free Course To Qualified High School Seniors and More


Prairie State College News Roundup

Chicago Heights, IL—(ENEWSPF)— Prairie State College is offering high school seniors the opportunity to enroll in a tuition-free class. To be eligible, students must live within the Prairie State district, have a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, and obtain permission from an appropriate high school authority.

“This is a great opportunity for the class of 2009 to get a jump on their college education,” said Beth Wyack, enrollment advisor.

Students who take advantage of this program either during the fall before their senior year, and earn a B or better, are eligible for a second tuition-free course in the spring of senior year. Students also must take a placement test in order to enroll in classes; some classes require a minimum placement test score. Laboratory fees, books, and supplies are not included in this special waiver. Online classes also are not included in this waiver.

For more information about the special tuition waiver, please contact Wyack at (708) 709-7776.

Fall classes begin Aug. 25. Registering now for fall classes assures getting the schedule needed to fit busy lives. All new students must register in person. Prairie State College’s Counseling & Academic Advising Center and Office of Admissions are open Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. In an effort to provide optimal customer service, it is requested that all students sign in by 6:30 p.m. Continuing students may register online at prairiestate.edu or in person. Course listings are available on the Prairie State College Web site through the WebAdvisor link on the homepage. Print versions of the fall schedule are available on campus and were mailed to all households in the district in June. For more information call (708) 709-3506.

PSC Hosts Info Night For High School Students & Parents

Recent high school graduates and their parents are invited to attend an information night at Prairie State College. Info Night will be held Wednesday, Aug. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m., in the Barnes & Noble Reading Room, located on the college’s main campus, 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights.

For those who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree, counselors and academic advisors will share information with students about program and degree requirements to assure transferability to four-year colleges and universities.

Advisors also will discuss career programs available at Prairie State College. The college offers degrees and certificates in programs such as auto tech, game design and development, music production, nursing, and more. Students can earn a degree or certificate for good-paying careers after attending Prairie State for two years or less.

“It’s not too late to register for fall classes; students can begin the admissions process today,” said Marietta Turner, director of admissions, enrollment, and career development services. “We help new students get the personalized attention they deserve in small classroom settings to help their college careers get off to a great start.”

Students who can’t attend Info Night are encouraged to stop by the Academic Advising & Counseling Center.

Fall classes begin Aug. 25. Registering now for fall classes assures getting the schedule needed to fit busy lives. All new students must register in person. Prairie State College’s Counseling & Academic Advising Center and Office of Admissions are open Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. In an effort to provide optimal customer service, it is requested that all students sign in by 6:30 p.m. Continuing students may register online at prairiestate.edu or in person. Course listings are available on the Prairie State College Web site through the WebAdvisor link on the homepage. Print versions of the fall schedule are available on campus and were mailed to all households in the district in June. For more information call (708) 709-3506.

Options For Homeschooling Families

Nationwide, more and more homeschooling families are choosing community colleges as the next step for their children’s education. That trend also holds true for Prairie State College with more homeschooled students enrolling each year.

One option for homeschooled students is to take college level classes while being homeschooled. For example, homeschooling parents who find it difficult to teach foreign language or laboratory science, can enroll their advanced high school student. Some homeschooled students even qualify for enrollment in the Honors program.

“When homeschooled students take classes at Prairie State, they can participate in college activities and events, use the library, and benefit from free tutoring in the Student Success Center,” said Marietta Turner, director of admissions, enrollment, and career development services.

Another option for homeschooled students who have completed high school is to spend the first two years of college at Prairie State College completing general education requirements and lower division courses in their major before transferring to a four-year college or university.

“Prairie State College offers students the ‘small school advantage’ because of our small class sizes and faculty dedicated to teaching freshmen and sophomores,” said Turner.

Kristi Boss is the leader of the Homeschool Resource Center, which provides information, encouragement, and fellowship to homeschooling families. Her family took advantage of both options offered to homeschool students. Her daughters Kelsey and Katie graduated from Prairie State after being homeschooled, and Kara will begin taking classes this fall while completing her homeschool education.

“I enrolled Katie in a Spanish class when I could no longer teach it,” said Boss. “When it came time for college, it was natural to send Katie to Prairie State to complete her general education requirements before moving on to complete her bachelor’s degree.”

Boss said Katie had a smooth transition when she transferred to Trinity Christian College due to the Illinois Articulation Agreement (IAI). IAI is a statewide agreement that allows transfer of the completed Illinois Transferable General Education Core Curriculum between participating institutions. Completion of the Transferable General Education Core Curriculum at any participating college or university in Illinois assures transferring students that lower-division general education requirements for bachelor’s degree have been satisfied.

“The IAI transfer courses are the best because even though my daughter changed majors, under the guidance of an advisor, her classes transferred,” said Boss.

For more information on opportunities for homeschooled students, call Wallace Bailey, Jr., enrollment advisor, at (708) 709-3641 or visit prairiestate.edu/h_student/index.html.

Fall classes begin Aug. 25. Registering now for fall classes assures getting the schedule needed to fit busy lives. All new students must register in person. Prairie State College’s Counseling & Academic Advising Center and Office of Admissions are open Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. In an effort to provide optimal customer service, it is requested that all students sign in by 6:30 p.m. Continuing students may register online at prairiestate.edu or in person. Course listings are available on the Prairie State College Web site through the WebAdvisor link on the homepage. Print versions of the fall schedule are available on campus and were mailed to all households in the district in June. For more information call (708) 709-3506.

Registration Continues For Fall Classes At Prairie State College

There is still time to register for fall classes at Prairie State College. Classes begin August 25.

New students can register in person now until classes begin. Continuing students may register online at prairiestate.edu or in person. Prairie State College’s Counseling & Academic Advising Center and Office of Admissions are open Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. In an effort to provide optimal customer service, it is requested that all students sign in by 6:30 p.m.

“There’s still time for students to start college this fall because Prairie State’s helpful staff will guide them through the registration process,” said Marietta Turner, director of admissions, enrollment, and career development services. “Once students begin classes, our dedicated faculty will give them the attention needed to be successful in the classroom.”

High school graduates and their parents can learn more about what Prairie State College has to offer at Info Night. Info Night will be held Wednesday, August 13, from 5 to 7 p.m., in the Barnes & Noble Reading Room, located on the main campus, 202 S. Halsted St. Chicago Heights. For those adults who might be returning to college or attending college for the first time, New Directions for Returning Adults will be held Tuesday, August 12, at 6 p.m., in the Barnes & Noble Reading Room.

Both events will include an overview of available academic programs and services, general orientation information, and the admissions and registration process. Information will also be available about financial aid and student life.

Students are encouraged to register now to get the schedule that best fits their needs. Classes are scheduled weekdays, evenings, Friday only, Saturdays, Sundays, and online. Print versions of the fall schedule are available on campus and at public libraries and were mailed to district households.

For more information about enrolling at Prairie State College, call the Office of Counseling & Academic Advising at (708) 709-3506.

PSC Offers Non-Credit Program Open Houses

Start a new career and begin training with classes at the Prairie State College Matteson Area Center. Several open houses are planned to introduce the programs being offered. All open houses and classes will be held at the Matteson Area Center at 4821 Southwick Drive, Matteson.

On Tuesday, August 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., information sessions will be held on several non-credit medical vocations programs including health unit coordinator, medical billing/coding specialist, and medical central services technology. An open house for the dialysis technician and pharmacy technician programs will be held on Wednesday, August 13, from 6 to 7 p.m.

For those interested in real estate, an open house will be held on Tuesday, August 19, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Programs covered include real estate sales and broker pre-licensing, real estate appraisal pre-licensing, mortgage loan officer training, home inspection, and home improvement.

There is no charge for the information sessions, but registration is requested. For more information, call (708) 709-3750.

Returning Adult Info Session To Be Held Aug. 12

Prairie State College is hosting a free info session for returning adults to answer questions and help ease the transition to college life. The event, called New Directions, will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 6 p.m., in the Barnes & Noble Reading Room, on the college’s main campus, 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights.

The New Directions session includes an overview of available academic programs and services, general orientation information, and the admissions and registration process. Information also is available about financial aid and student life.

“This workshop is for those who want to return to school but aren’t sure how to get started,” said Diane Janowiak, coordinator of New Directions. “Prairie State offers all students the support to succeed.”

After putting college off to raise her family, Kelly Ortega decided it was time for her to go to college. The divorced mother of three was nervous about starting classes, but found the support she needed at Prairie State College.

“The variety of things I’ve learned has been awesome,” said Ortega. “It’s been a wonderful experience and the professors are amazing; they help students realize their full potential.”

Ortega graduated from Prairie State College in May and will continue her degree at Governors State University this fall.

Students who can’t attend New Directions are encouraged to stop by the Academic Advising & Counseling Center.

Fall classes begin Aug. 25. Registering now for fall classes assures getting the schedule needed to fit busy lives. All new students must register in person. Prairie State College’s Counseling & Academic Advising Center and Office of Admissions are open Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. In an effort to provide optimal customer service, it is requested that all students sign in by 6:30 p.m. Continuing students may register online at prairiestate.edu or in person. Course listings are available on the Prairie State College Web site through the WebAdvisor link on the homepage. Print versions of the fall schedule are available on campus and were mailed to all households in the district in June. For more information call (708) 709-3506.

For more information on New Directions, contact Janowiak at [email protected] or (708) 709-3603 or Tamika Montgomery at [email protected] or (708)709-3512, or visit prairiestate.edu/admissions/returningadults.html.


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