Community College Pathways

 
 
 

Sign up for a Senior Visit Day and receive your choice of a FREE Nike backpack or name-brand water bottle at the end of your visit.
RECEIVE AN EXCLUSIVE ADMIT KIT WHEN YOU APPLY AND ARE ACCEPTED BY NOV. 1

Morningside University announces full-tuition initiative aimed at Siouxland students, read more here

 

 

Your Path to Morningside

The Morningside Pathways (MP) program is designed to encourage, facilitate and support the transfer process for students who begin their higher education journeys at a community college. The MP program is designed so that community college students earn their associate’s degrees before transferring to Morningside.

Below are the programs currently offered.

Click the blue link to learn more about the program.

Additional areas of study will be considered as the program develops.

Qualified students interested in MP are encouraged to connect with community college faculty and staff early in their degree program to prepare to apply for the MP.

Program admitted students will receive:

  • An academic roadmap that explores the coursework required to graduate on time
  • A financial plan and financial aid award

After committing to MP, students gain:

  • Access to online and on-site Advising and Career Planning tools for first and second-year students at Morningside
  • A Morningside Academic Advisor and staff mentor who serve as resources for MP students during their time in community college
  • Opportunities to participate in Performing Arts ensembles at Morningside

As the time to transfer to Morningside approaches, MP students will be able to register for classes and select housing alongside their fellow incoming juniors at Morningside.

student studying

Frequently Asked Questions

Morningside is proud to provide opportunities for community college students to complete their degrees right here in Siouxland. Learn more about how the MP program can work for you.

It is highly recommended that you enroll in the program by end of your first year at your community college. Morningside will consider these students on a case-by-case basis, helping each student decide if MP is the best option for them.

MP is designed to make the transfer process as smooth as possible. This begins with following a prescribed academic roadmap that will prepare you for a seamless academic transition into your final two years at Morningside. The sooner you align your community college academic program to match with the roadmap, the better.

MP offers an early commitment of admission to Morningside, thus eliminating the need to go through that process at the end of your community college experience. And, we will make an early commitment to financial aid along with helping you plan your higher education financial picture.

Also, MP offers opportunities to experience some of the programs and workshops that take place during the first two years of a Morningside student’s campus life. These include access to career planning tools and workshops, along with regular opportunities to visit the Morningside campus.

MP is designed to optimize the resources – time, effort, and finances – that a student commits to his/her higher education experience. Obtaining an associate’s degree will allow you more opportunities in the workforce while completing your four-year degree.

The program recognizes the strengths of each partner community college and leverages these to each student’s advantage. Your future success is the primary goal of both colleges.

In addition to the generous scholarship opportunities available to transfer students, full-time MP students will receive a $2,000 annual MP scholarship when they enroll at Morningside.

In an effort to make the transition easy for MP students, our Office of Student Financial Planning will develop a financial plan that will assist each student in understanding how best to optimize available resources to invest in their college education.

MP students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15 in the spring before planning to enroll at Morningside.

No. Your application to the MP program serves as your Morningside application.

You will have to request a “Statement of Good Standing” from an official at your community college – often the dean of student life or director of student services – which indicates that you have remained in good social standing while enrolled there.

Morningside will be in regular contact with you throughout your time at your community college. You will receive applicable emails and text messages and will have access to the college’s activities calendar.

The MP Admissions counselor will assist you throughout the process.

After each semester, your grade reports will be checked to make sure that expected progress is being made; adjustments will be made as necessary. You will register for your first set of Morningside classes and for housing (if you’re living on-campus) in the spring before you transfer.

Transition-to-college and career planning tools and services will be available, both online and on-site. MP students also receive an early commitment of financial aid, and financial counseling is available on an ongoing basis in addition to staff mentoring and academic advising.

As an MP student, you give your community college permission to share your semester grade reports with Morningside. You are also expected to complete the required financial aid forms in the spring before your transition to Morningside.

Other than that, we simply recommend that you take advantage of the opportunities to get to know our community and prepare to make a smooth transition to Morningside.

No. MP is a special program designed for students interested in making a transfer commitment at an early stage of their community college experience to a specific Morningside program. Your participation in MP is not binding if you decide to choose a different path.

To ensure that each MP student is academically prepared to enroll as a junior at Morningside, faculty at both institutions have collaboratively created a specific academic plan that spells out the courses you need to complete for the complete MP program – i.e., the academic roadmap.

By following the roadmap, you are guaranteed transfer credit, junior-year status, and timely completion of your undergraduate degree program.

Morningside recognizes all appropriate level coursework on each student’s community college transcript. Credits from dual enrollment programs may transfer depending on their applicability to the courses outlined in the academic roadmap.