PSEO Guidelines

Guidelines for Postsecondary Enrollment Options students

• Your first priority as a PSEO student is meeting your high school graduation requirements or standards. Because M State does not track or verify high school requirements, you are responsible for meeting with your high school counselor or principal to ensure your selected college courses will meet your high school graduation requirements. If you plan to make changes to your selected college courses, notify your advisor to verify PSEO eligibility.
• M State cannot guarantee classes will be available for PSEO students. Class availability is the same for PSEO students as regular M State students. Course registration is open to all students on a first-come, first-served basis, although some M State programs and courses are not open to PSEO students. Consult with your PSEO advisor for course and program eligibility.
• College courses are different from high school courses.
  • The majority of your learning is accomplished during study time outside the classroom, not during the classroom setting.
  • Expect two to four hours of homework weekly for each course credit.
  • Your class syllabus will contain a course outline and assignment deadlines; instructors rarely grant extensions or remind students of assignments.
  • Choose your classes wisely, because you will be expected to complete the courses you enroll in (the state of Minnesota pays for eligible PSEO classes and wants to make a good financial investment). All students have the first three days of the semester to add a course. Only PSEO students are able to drop courses through the first two weeks of the semester. For courses that begin mid-semester, the add/drop period ends one business day after the first class meeting. Meet with an M State advisor and your high school counselor before deciding to drop a course.
  • After the drop period ends, there is a withdrawal process that must be followed. Withdrawing from a course will result in a grade of a W on your transcript. Failure to follow the withdrawal process will most likely result in a failing grade, which will negatively affect your high school and M State GPAs. Check the academic calendar for the published “last day to withdraw from full-term classes” date. You also can find the last day to withdraw from a specific course by checking your class schedule in eServices.
• PSEO students do not have to pay to enroll in fall and spring semester courses, but they are responsible for tuition and fees if they choose to enroll in summer classes.
• The grades you earn as a PSEO student are part of your permanent college transcript, so it is important to do your best in all courses. If you have academic questions or concerns, please contact us immediately so we can connect you with the needed resources.
• You are responsible for meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards each semester. Under our SAP policy, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a completion rate of 66.66 percent (withdrawals, incompletes and failing grades would all adversely affect the successful completion percentage) to stay off academic warning. Once on academic warning, you have one semester to raise your GPA and completion rate or you will be placed on academic suspension. This policy changes for students who have taken fewer than 24 total credits. If you are concerned about your grades at any time, please contact your PSEO advisor or high school counselor.
• Each semester, bring a completed PSEO Minnesota Department of Education form to your M State advising appointment. You will need to meet with your high school counselor/principal to complete the form. The Minnesota Department of Education form is found at minnesota.edu/forms under PSEO Forms. The Minnesota Department of Education form confirms you have met with your high school to verify high school graduation requirements and ensures eligible college course tuition and book fees are covered.
• Be conservative when you enroll for classes and plan your time wisely. Start and end dates for college courses are likely to vary from those of your high school. Please refer to your class schedule and the academic calendar for start and end dates each semester. If you anticipate conflicts that could interfere with completing a course, it would be best not to enroll in that course. Instructors will expect students to be in class, take exams on time and turn in all assignments by due dates.
• Email is our official means of communication at M State. Both staff and instructors will communicate with you via email. We recommend that you check your institutional student email account daily as some of these emails may require action on your part. You will receive an institutional student email account after registering for courses.
• PSEO students borrow textbooks. Books for on-campus courses can be picked up at the campus bookstore by showing your M State student ID and class schedule. Books for online courses can be ordered via the online bookstore (located within SpartanNet by selecting “Bookstore”). Order your books three weeks before the semester start date. Order your books online by selecting “Financial Aid/Agency/PSEO” from the drop-down payment menu.
  • You will receive a letter in the mail with instructions for returning books and/or course materials that have been covered by the PSEO program. Follow the instructions in the letter, or you will be charged for any items that are not returned.
• PSEO students are considered an “eligible college student” under the Family Education and Right to Privacy Act (FERPA). No matter the age of the student, M State cannot release any information, with the exception of directory information, to anyone other than the student unless a release of information is on file. If you wish to complete a Release of Information Request, visit minnesota.edu/forms>Records Office Forms>eForms. A Release of Information Request is valid until rescinded by the student.
  • The high school counselor/principal is considered an “extension of the college staff” while the student is enrolled in PSEO. If there is not a release of information on file, parents may direct questions to the high school counselor, who in turn may communicate with the college.
• Attendance is key. It is up to you to show up and be prepared for class. Absences for vacations or any other reason will not count as excused absences, as they do in high school. If you need to miss a day of class, be sure to contact your instructor by phone and/or email, and get notes from a fellow class member.