College Readiness Academy

Prepare for Higher Learning Success

Our free 12-week advanced-level classes prepare students for college or higher education with academic and navigation support. In-person and online options.

Class Schedule

March
June
September
December
In-Person
- Monday – Thursday
- 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Online
- Monday – Thursday
- 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Requirements

Interested in going to college in 2026 or 2027
Can attend class a minimum of three days a week
500+ TABE score on TABE M/D

Enrollment Steps

Fill out the Get Started form found here.
Get the automated email with a Zoom link to the weekly information session.
Join the Information Session to sign up for an in-person testing and registration appointment.
Come in-person for your scheduled testing and registration appointment.
Start class

Click ‘Get Started’ to express interest, and we will send you the Zoom link for an information session.

Get Started

About This Class

With your instructors, you will practice:

Reading skills: annotation, critical thinking and vocabulary-building
Writing skills: paragraph-writing and essay-writing
Study skills: scanning, note-taking and test-taking
Computer skills: word processing, navigating e-learning platforms and research

With our college navigators, you will learn:

How the college system works
How to plan your classes
How to apply for financial aid
How to balance school, work and home life

Upon successful completion of College Readiness Academy, you may be eligible for three university-level credits at Metropolitan State University. Learn more about our partnership here.

Our Results

The transformative impact of our College Readiness Academy is shown in our students’ success.

3.6

average GPA of College Readiness student in college
192

College Readiness students currently in college
82 %

of students persist toward graduation

Frequently Asked Questions

We specialize in teaching adults who were born outside of the United States, who are not yet ready for college and who would like additional support navigating higher education.

Our classes are filled with students of many different ages and backgrounds. Some students are nursing assistants who want to go to college to advance their medical careers. Some are stay-at-home parents who want higher education. Others are nurses, accountants, lawyers, engineers or teachers in their home countries and want to get retrained in the U.S.

We know how difficult it can be to start over in a new country. Our instructors and navigators listen to your goals and help you plan your next steps to achieve those goals, whether you want to continue in the same career or start a new career.

Our class is free, thanks to our generous donors and higher education partners.

Our college partners are Saint Paul College, Hennepin Technical College and Metropolitan State University. However, we have helped students attend and graduate from most Minnesota colleges and universities.

Find the Right Healthcare Career

Read our updated 2023 Guide to Colleges and Careers in Healthcare in the Twin Cities Metro Area to figure out which program is best for you.

Read Full Guide

The State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) funded (or funded in part) this training through a grant. The grant recipient created this training. DEED does not endorse this publicity or training or make guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability or ownership of the information herein or elsewhere.

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