Three Lauded LSC Programs for Financial Services Careers
Lake Superior College appears in our ranking of the Top 50 Best Associates in Accounting Online.
Online on D2L Brightspace or in Duluth, the Business & Industry Division delivers a 60-credit, two-year Accountant A.A.S. for Lake Superior College Ice Hawks to take introductory 1000-level courses like Payroll Accounting and Fundamentals of Taxation that fulfill ACAT accountant credentials. Chaired by Prof. Bradley Vieths, the Business Administration A.S. builds a 60-credit, HLC-accredited curriculum of Web courses, such as General Statistics and Financial Statement Analysis, for optional 2+2 transfer paths to Metropolitan State, Bemidji State, Southwest Minnesota State, or others. Since Fall 2018, the Bookkeeper Diploma has charged in-state and out-of-state online students $6,000 total for 31 credits, including Spreadsheet Concepts and Personal Finance, that lead to the AIPB Certified Bookkeeper title. Lake Superior undergrads might also pursue the Business Operations Support Certificate, intern with RISM, join Phi Theta Kappa, take the Italy trip, and engage in the Mentor Connection Program.
About Lake Superior College
Lake Superior College originated in 1968 when the Minnesota Legislature chartered Duluth Technical College for two-year vocational education along the Saint Louis Bay. Before that, the “Zenith City” was served by Duluth Junior College from 1927 to 1949. By 1995, Duluth Technical College joined with the Hibbing Community College Duluth Center to form Lake Superior College. In 1996, it moved from The Marshall School to its own independent campus. That same year, LSC erected its Harold P. Erickson Library in honor of its first president. On August 7, 1998, Lake Superior College received initial accreditation from the North Central Association. In 2007, Lake Superior added a Student Life Center for engagement. In Spring 2010, the Legislature allocated $12 million to renovate its state-of-the-art Health Sciences Center. In 2014, LSC unveiled a brand new 33,700-square-foot Duluth Downtown Center for technical degrees.
Generating a $195.9 million economic impact, Lake Superior College now employs 86 full-time and 113 part-time faculty instructing 5,281 Ice Hawks online, on its 97-acre Duluth campus, or at three extension centers with 30+ clubs like Business Professionals of America for 57 percent retention. In 2018, LSC accepted the Minnesota State Excellence in Curriculum Programming Award. In 2019, Lake Superior had an MNSCU Board of Trustees Award for Excellence in Teaching recipient. Lake Superior College won the EPA Green Power Challenge too. Niche ranked LSC the 140th best two-year community college nationwide. WalletHub placed Lake Superior College 36th for career outcomes and 35th for tuition value. PayScale crowned LSC the 14th top Minnesota junior college with $62,400 mid-career pay. Forbes named Duluth the 134th best metropolitan area with the 132nd best education. The SR Education Group declared Lake Superior the seventh most affordable online associate provider.
Lake Superior College Accreditation Details
On September 20, 2018, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA) issued a new Institutional Status & Requirements (ISR) Report to Lake Superior College that continued Level I accreditation through 2023-24 under President Patricia L. Rogers, Ph.D., who earned a Minnesota Online Council Pioneer Award. Located 469 miles southeast via Interstate 94 in Chicago, Illinois, this giant 19-state Great Lakes Region accreditor is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to review quality in LSC’s 47 associate and 69 certificate programs.
Lake Superior College Application Requirements
Enrollment at Lake Superior College is classified as “non-competitive” by Peterson’s because all 1,310 Fall 2018 applicants were selected for a 100 percent acceptance rate. First-year Ice Hawks seeking the Accountant A.A.S. or Business Administration A.S. still must be graduating from an accredited high school or GED program. Combined Minnesota GED scores of 580 or higher are required. Since admission is open, there are no minimum grades listed. Satisfactory Academic Progress requires a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better though. Freshmen must be able to complete at least 67 percent of their registered credits. The Honors Online option mandates a GPA above 3.0 and ranking in the top third of the class. Accuplacer tests are required unless students meet other standards. For instance, undergrads with 1047 reading and 1158 math MCA or greater scores earn waivers. Other qualifying scores include 21 ACT English, 22 ACT math, 480 SAT reading, and 530 SAT math. International students also need a minimum 500 TOEFL score or the English as a Second Language program.
Lake Superior College has easy, convenient rolling admissions year-round. Final deadlines are currently January 10th for Spring, May 29th for Summer, and August 23rd for Fall enrollment. Courses begin on January 13th, June 1st, and August 26th respectively. Financial aid forms must be completed 45 or more days before the semester starts. It’s recommended that non-U.S. residents apply before June 23rd or November 13th. Accordingly, complete the Lake Superior or MNSCU System Application online with a $20 non-refundable fee. Forward official transcripts to 2101 Trinity Road in Duluth, MN 55811. Submit supplemental materials, such as the standardized tests, residency form, GED certificate, fee waiver, and financial certificate. Contact (218) 733-7601 or enroll@lsc.edu with questions.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2019-20, Lake Superior College is charging in-person Accountant A.A.S. and Business Administration A.S. majors $151.65 per credit. Mandatory campus fees are $26.17 for $177.82 per credit total. Online students pay $188.46 tuition per credit. Distance education fees are $20.74 for $209.20 per credit. Non-Minnesota residents are billed the same exact rates. Business & Industry Division programs don’t require tuition fee differentials either. Full-time associate attendance averages $2,583 per semester or $5,166 annually. LSC budgets $1,500 for textbooks and supplies each year. Off-campus room and board adds about $6,917 per year. Total annual expenses are $19,717 independently or $12,800 with family.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Financial Aid Office in Student Services Center Room 105 connects 77 percent of new full-time LSC Ice Hawks to tuition assistance averaging $4,127 each for $862,554 combined. Institutional funds include the Mark Kosky Scholarship, Harold P. Erickson Part-Time Scholarship, Patricia & Edward Nelson Scholarship, Hunt Family Scholarship, Robert Erickson Scholarship, Joe Bothwell Memorial Scholarship, Maurice Women in Business Scholarship, Tom Hill Memorial Business Scholarship, David & Beverly Wickstrom Scholarship, Art Pulford Scholarship, Joan Abrams Memorial Scholarship, and Two Harbors Scholarship. The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship gifts $1,000 to Phi Theta Kappa members with 12-36 associate credits and GPAs above 3.50. Lake Superior College awards $60,000 worth of Workforce Development Scholarship to in-state undergrads applying from July 15th to August 15th. Federal resources, such as the Pell Grant and Educational Opportunity Grant, require FAFSA applications coded 005757. Locals might also receive the Minnesota State Grant, MN Reconnect Grant, Dual Training Grant, Minnesota Indian Scholarship, Minnesota SELF Loan, and more.
Keep reading about Lake Superior College at the Accounting Department website.
