The Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program allows juniors and seniors in high school to take courses, full- or part-time, at liberal arts, community or technical colleges, universities, or non-profit degree granting trade schools for both high school and college credit. The program provides students with a greater variety of course offerings and the opportunity to pursue more challenging study. The tuition, fees and required textbooks are at no cost to students.
Students should see their counselor during registration for detailed information on this program in early spring prior to the year they would enter the program. Students cannot accelerate graduation through PSEO. In some cases, coordinating calendars may present a difficult hurdle to overcome.
The Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program, also known as PSEO, was created in 1985 as a means to "promote rigorous educational pursuits and provide a wider variety of options for students." Through PSEO, high school students receive both high school and college/university credit for college or university courses that are completed.
The program is available to students throughout the state and students from nearly every Minnesota public high school earn credits through PSEO from programs at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities. Through PSEO, students may take courses on a college or university campus or, where available, at their high school. PSEO courses offered in high school are commonly called concurrent enrollment courses. To increase the likelihood of student success, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities have set the following standards for admission to PSEO:
- High school seniors must be in the upper one-half of their class or score at or above the 50th percentile on the ACT or SAT.
- Juniors must be in the upper one-third of their class or score at or above the 70th percentile on a test, such as the ACT or SAT.
- Sophomores may enroll in a career or technical education course at a Minnesota State college or university if they have attained a passing score or met the 8th grade standard on the 8th grade Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment in reading and meet other course prerequisites or course enrollment standards established by the college. These standards include but are not limited to assessment test scores, program admission or other requirements.
- If a sophomore receives a grade of C or better in the course, the student shall be allowed to take additional career or technical education courses in subsequent terms.
- A student who first enrolls under this provision while in 10th grade and wishes to enroll in general education courses as an 11th or 12th grade student must take the system Assessment for Course Placement and achieve the required scores prior to enrollment.
- Campuses may require eligible 10th grade PSEO students who wish to enroll in a career and technical course to meet with a college counselor or advisor.
- Colleges and universities may admit students based on other documentation of ability to perform college-level work.
Wayzata High School accepts PSEO college credits with the ratio of 2 college credits equal to 1 WHS credit. Students participating in the PSEO program are responsible for choosing courses that will meet all the requirements for WHS graduation. In order to participate in the graduation ceremony, students must meet all graduation requirements by the Friday before graduation.
