Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) is a program that allows 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students to earn both high school and college credit while still in high school, through enrollment in and successful completion of college-level, nonsectarian courses at eligible participating postsecondary institutions. Most PSEO courses are offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution; some courses are offered online. Each participating college or university sets its own requirements for enrollment into the PSEO courses. Eleventh and 12th-grade students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis; 10th graders may take one career/technical PSEO course. If they earn at least a grade C in that class, they may take additional PSEO courses. For current information about the PSEO program, visit the Minnesota Department of Education’s Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) webpage.
What is the process for becoming a PSEO student?
1) Students should begin by researching the colleges' PSEO programs. Most colleges have eligibility requirements and applications available on their websites. Students should come up with a list of colleges they would like to apply to for admission.
2) Next, students should meet with his/her school counselor to:
- Review his/her remaining graduation requirements,
- Discuss course choice for HPSH courses in the next year, and
- Complete the required Minnesota PSEO Notice of Student Enrollment, see attachment below.
3) Gather together application materials:
- Students will also need to request an official transcript from the School Counseling Office. Students can complete the request form with the Counseling Secretary, and pick up their official transcript in one to two days.
- Other application requirements vary. These can include: essays, writing samples, letters of recommendation, and site-specific exams. Please read through application materials carefully for details.
- Some applications require that students submit a standardized test score, like the PLAN, PSAT, ACT or SAT score. The PSAT is given in October, so sophomores planning to apply for PSEO for their junior year will need to plan ahead and sign up to take the PSAT in their sophomore year. The ACT and SAT are college admissions exams that students generally take during their junior year.
4) Complete and submit all application materials by the deadline. Remember - application deadlines vary, so check the with the colleges!
5) Once accepted, students will meet with PSEO staff at the college to register for classes.
6) After registering for classes, students should then meet with the school counselor to adjust the HPSH schedule to meet graduation and PSEO needs.
Postsecondary Enrollment Options for 10th-grade Minnesota Public School Students interested in Career and Technical Education
New legislation passed under Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09, allows eligible 10th-grade students to enroll in one (1)Career and Technical Education (CTE) course. In order to be eligible, a 10th-grade student must have taken the 8th-grade MCA reading test in the 8th-grade and have met the composite proficiency level of “meets or exceeds”. If the student meets this standard, they may be eligible to enroll in CTE courses, as identified by the Minnesota State College and University System (MNSCU) if they meet the specific course requirements and pre-requisites of the CTE courses(s) they wish to enroll in [which may include a qualifying assessment. Students must meet all course prerequisites in order to enroll in a course.]. Students who successfully complete the course, earning a grade of ‘C’ or better, may enroll in additional CTE courses in subsequent semesters. [If later you enroll in general education courses as an 11th or 12th grade student you must take the Accuplacer test & achieve the required scores prior to enrollment in PSEO general ed. classes at a MnSCU school.] For info. on which colleges and what programs a sophomore may be eligible for, visithttp://education.state.mn.us/MDE/StuSuc/CollReadi/PSEO/index.html
