College Visits, Visitors, and College Fairs

College Visit Field Trip: November 6 and 7

PA Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores are invited to a PA-sponsored college trip to Creighton University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln, our 3rd annual out-of-state college visit field trip November 6-7 (during the school holiday for parent-teacher conferences). Departure will be at approximately 7:40 a.m. on November 6 and return by approximately 6:30 p.m. on November 7. The cost of $250 will include transportation, meals, and overnight accommodations in Omaha.

Our trip will include a special dinner with PA alumni in Omaha, an excellent networking opportunity for students. All students who wish to participate will need to pay a $100 deposit, but this fee will be credited toward the full trip cost. Space is limited this year, so please respond by September 5 using this form to indicate your interest (and a $100 deposit will be charged to your student account).

We will share further details with interested families once the 2025-2026 school year begins.

College Representatives at PA

We are receiving multiple requests from college representatives for scheduling daytime visits to PA in September and October. These are scheduled before and after school, as well as during elective periods. Scheduled visits will be included in PA’s weekly E-Bulletin and in announcements. Dozens of colleges visited PA last fall. More information on college visit procedures will be shared with students in the first days/week of school.

College Financial Aid Info.

College Financial Aid information will be shared with parents via virtual College Conversation on Thursday, December 4 at 8:45 A.M. Upper School Parents are invited to tune in to an in-depth virtual presentation covering the college financial aid and scholarships process. Details (including the virtual Google Meet link) forthcoming.

Minnesota National College Fair

College admission representatives from across the country visit the Twin Cities each fall to meet with students, answer questions, and promote their unique institutional offerings. In addition to visiting individual high schools, many admission reps attend college fairs that are free and open to the public. An annual event in downtown Minneapolis is the Minnesota National College Fair (October 7-8 in Minneapolis).

Click this link to learn more, register, and view the college participant lists.

The annual MEA (Education MN) Weekend student holidays will be October 16 and 17. If you plan a visit to a college campus, notify the Admission Office at least two weeks in advance so that they can make plans to schedule a worthwhile visit, including attending classes, meeting with faculty, students, and staff, etc. With many competitive colleges including a question on their application asking a student’s specific reasons for considering their institution, a visit to campus can be immensely helpful for crafting specific and compelling answers to this question that reveal a deep understanding of fit and interest. Please note that most Minnesota colleges will, for obvious reasons, welcome very large crowds of visitors during the MEA holiday. If you sense that a visit experience featuring more individual attention would be more enjoyable and productive for your family, consider visiting Minnesota campuses at another time.

Mark Your Calendars: College Day 2026!

We have also started making plans for our 19th annual College Day program, which is scheduled for April 15, 2026. Parents are invited (and highly encouraged) to attend College Day, an ideal opportunity for underclassmen and their families to set the agenda for future college research.

We will continue to include important information and reminders in upcoming E-Bulletins (and via email) regarding important dates/milestones in the college/post-secondary planning process.

UPDATED* 2025-26 Programming Dates (subject to change)

Virtual Parent College Conversations