Post-Secondary Enrollment Options, better known as PSEO, is a program that allows 10th, 11th, and 12th graders to enroll in colleges and universities and earn free college credits by passing courses. Anyone can apply to do PSEO at any university they qualify for. However, most colleges will only accept high school seniors or juniors, and each school has specific requirements.
The students interviewed represent five colleges.
Mire Muledhu (11): Century College
Archer Holman (11): University of Minnesota
Dash Title (11): Hamline University
Seneca Brooks (12): Bethel University
Micheal Kysylyczyn (12): University of Northwestern
Students who chose to do PSEO commonly felt that the learning environment at RAHS was negatively impacted by students who cared less about their education. According to the experience of senior Seneca Brooks, grade-level classes have students with less enthusiasm for learning, and AP classes have the same people every year and hours of homework every night.
On the other hand, students such as Mire Muledhu (11) chose to do PSEO for a headstart in college. PSEO allows students to take general education courses without any cost to the student with benefits such as gas reimbursement for qualifying students.
Most students interviewed discovered PSEO through older siblings or speaking with their counselor. Senior Micheal Kysylyczyn’s father, who did PSEO the second year the program was offered at RAHS, recommended that Micheal join the program.
Most students would recommend their school, but there are some factors to consider before choosing a program, including religion. Kysylyczyn stated, “If you don’t have a background in religion, then a religious institution might not be for you.”
Junior Dash Title recommends applying to multiple schools and choosing a school based on available classes.
Many students fluctuate between taking as few as one class to a full courseload of 5+ classes each semester. It’s common for universities to have a minimum and maximum number of credits PSEO students can take. At Concordia St. Paul, students can take up to 12 credits their first semester, and all following semesters they can take up to 16 credits.
All students interviewed would enthusiastically recommend PSEO to incoming Juniors and Seniors.
