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Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)

Minnesota’s PSEO program allows students to get a jump-start on earning college credits by taking college courses while still in high school. Students can take college courses tuition-free, saving both time and money on completing a post-secondary credential. PSEO courses may also fulfill high school requirements.

There are several different types of PSEO courses available:

On Campus and Online Courses

Juniors and seniors can travel to a Minnesota West campus or take Minnesota West courses online. If students are interested in attending Minnesota West, traveling to a campus can help them determine if Minnesota West will be a good fit. Students planning to attend a 4-year institution after high school can also benefit from exposure to a college campus. If traveling is not an option, taking online courses will still help students acclimate themselves to the college environment. In either case, students are not identified to instructors as PSEO. *Piano Lessons and Voice Lessons are not available to PSEO students (MUSC 1140, 1141, 1156, 1146, 2140, 2141, 2146, and 2146).

REACH program (PSEO Concurrent Enrollment)

The REACH program allows high school juniors and seniors to take Minnesota West courses in their high schools. The courses are taught by their pre-approved high school teachers who partner with faculty members from the college. 

Under certain circumstances, students in grade 9 or 10 may also be allowed to take concurrent enrollment courses. Students should contact their high school counselor for more information.

ICAN Project - Limited Opportunity Fall 2024

Free PSEO course through ICAN grant – Composition I.
Minnesota West has been awarded a grant from Jobs For the Future (JFF), in partnership with the Greater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW) and The Learning Accelerator (TLA) to offer online college Composition I courses (ENGL 1101) to PSEO high school students throughout Minnesota. This opportunity is funded under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Education Innovative and Research (EIR) Program.
Learn more

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Options

High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors can take one career and technical course on a Minnesota West campus, at their local high school, or online. To be eligible, they must:

  • have a minimum of a “proficient” score on the 8th grade Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) test for reading, and
  • meet the assessment prerequisites set for the specific course they are interested in.
If a student successfully completes the course with a C or higher, the student can take additional PSEO CTE courses, provided course prerequisites are met. Students who first enter PSEO programming through career and technical education can also begin to take PSEO general education courses in grades 11 and 12 by meeting the assessment prerequisites for the general education course they wish to enroll in, regardless of class rank or percentile on a nationally normed exam.

CTE courses may also be available to students through LYFT Pathways. Launch Your Future Today (LYFT) is a rural career and technical education pathway initiative with the purpose of rebuilding CTE in southwest and west central Minnesota. The goal of LYFT Pathways is for every secondary student in the region to gain marketable skills through meaningful CTE courses and opportunities which lead to further education and careers that match our region’s labor market needs. The LYFT website lists eligible schools and their available courses.

Minnesota West also partners with the Minnesota River Valley CTE Collaborative to provide opportunities for students to gain skills, knowledge, and experience in technical careers. MRV CTEC serves students in these school districts: Lakeview, MACCRAY, Montevideo, Renville County West, and Yellow Medicine East. More information is available at https://mrvctec.com/

Questions?
Contact:
Kent Dahlman, Interim Dean of Liberal Arts and K-12 Partnerships
kent.dahlman@mnwest.edu

Theresa S. Ireland, K-12 Collaboration Coordinator
theresa.ireland@mnwest.edu
507-847-7949

PSEO Academic Advisors are available at each of our campus/center locations to answer questions and provide guidance about the PSEO program. Contact one of them directly for assistance.

Minnesota Statute 124D.09 Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act