The Youth Options Opportunity

• Are you a motivated high school student in good academic standing who is ready for the challenges of college level courses?
  
• Are you looking for specific courses not available at your high school?
  
• Would you like to begin working on a college degree – or even complete one – while still enrolled in high school?
  
  …then get ahead with YOUTH OPTIONS!

The program opens the door to greater learning opportunities for motivated and academically qualified students who are considering a technical career, students wishing to begin their college careers early, or those who want to prepare themselves for work after high school graduation.

What is the benefit of Youth Options?
In Youth Options, you can earn credit toward your high school diploma and your college degree or diploma at the same time. This program gives you the opportunity to complete college earlier, giving you a head start on your career.

How does Youth Options Work?
If you want to pursue Youth Options, you must first apply to your high school district for approval to take one or more college courses during your junior or senior year. Once the school board reviews your eligibility and authorizes the course(s), you can attend NTC full- or part-time, while still remaining a member of your high school class.

Am I eligible for Youth Options at NTC?

Yes, if you:
• are enrolled in a Wisconsin public high school and have completed the tenth grade.
• are in good academic standing and meet course entry requirements.
• have an acceptable disciplinary record and do not meet the legal definition of a “child-at-risk”.
• have the written approval of your parent/guardian to participate.

Are there tests I have to take to prove I can do technical college work?
No, there are no special tests to take to participate in the program. You must, however, meet all of the requirements and prerequisites of each class you wish to take.

What kinds of classes can I take?
If you meet the course admission requirement and prerequisites, you may enroll in any postsecondary level course at NTC with the approval of your high school.

You may take classes during or after regular school hours as long as the course is offered during the regular school year. Technical college enrollment through Youth Options is not available during the summer session.

Classes are available on each of our campuses (Antigo, Medford, Phillips, Spencer, Wausau, and Wittenberg) through in-person classes, Interactive Television (ITV) or the Internet.

Please note a separate application process is followed for admission to an Associate Degree or Technical Diploma program.

Will I still be able to earn a high school diploma if I participate in Youth Options?
If you satisfy all your school district’s high school graduation requirements, your school board must grant you a high school diploma even if you attend NTC full-time.

How much high school credit will I earn?
High school students usually earn one-half high school credit for a high school course that meets every day. Technical college courses are generally faster paced than most high school courses and technical college students earn credits at a faster rate.

For each credit offered for a technical college course you complete, you will earn at least an additional one-fourth high school credit. For a typical one semester three-credit technical college course, for example, you would earn at least three-fourths of a high school credit instead of the one-half credit you would have earned in that same semester at the high school.

Generally, you will be responsible for appropriate student activity fees, transportation, parking fees, and for any equipment, books, or course materials that will become your property at the end of the course.

1. Obtain application forms from your high school’s counseling office or from NTC.
2. Obtain your parent’s/guardian’s signature on the application.
3. Meet with your high school guidance counselor to discuss how Youth Options classes will fit into your high school schedule.
4. With the assistance of your high school counselor, make course selections and submit those choices to your school board by March 1 for the fall semester or October 1 for the spring semester.
5. Submit the signed forms and school board approved classes to NTC by May 15 for the fall semester or November 15 for the spring semester.

After the submission deadline, you will be contacted by NTC.

What if I enroll at NTC and then decide to drop the class?
As a Youth Options student, even if you choose to attend technical college full-time, you remain enrolled in your high school. If you withdraw or stop attending one or more technical college classes, you must return to your high school and comply with Wisconsin’s compulsory attendance law.

What happens to the grades and credit I earn at NTC?
If you are receiving high school credit for technical college courses, your high school will probably use your technical college grades and credits in computing your high school GPA and class rank.

You will also begin building a college transcript recording the courses you have taken and the credits you have earned. Later, you can use your experience at NTC to shorten the time it takes to earn a college degree or technical certificate. Alternatively, you may be able to transfer the credit you have earned at NTC to many other public or private colleges in Wisconsin.

Wendy Peterson
Associate Dean, K-16 Relations
888-NTC-7144 or
715-675-3331, Ext. 4752