Are you interested in earning college credit while still in high school?

We're excited to announce monthly virtual informational sessions designed to help students and families learn about the college credit opportunities available at Hastings High School. These sessions will cover:

• Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)

• Concurrent Enrollment (college courses taught at HHS)

• Advanced Placement (AP) courses

• Transcripted Credits and Articulation Agreements

Each session will explain how these options work, outline the eligibility requirements, describe the benefits, highlight potential challenges, and clarify student responsibilities.

Due to high interest, we're unable to schedule individual meetings.

Once you submit the registration form, you'll receive a Google Meet link via email.

We look forward to seeing you at one of our College Credit Opportunities Information Sessions and helping you explore the path that's right for you!

*Students interested in participating in PSEO are required to attend one virtual session with a parent or guardian. After the meeting, all attendees will receive an email with a PDF packet that includes the HHS PSEO Checklist and the Notice of Intent to Enroll form. This packet outlines all required steps and important deadlines for students planning to pursue PSEO, so please review it carefully.

-HHS Counselors

Concurrent Enrollment allows Hastings High School students to earn direct college credit through partnerships with the University of Minnesota's College in the Schools program, Southwest Minnesota State University's College Now program, and Chippewa Valley Technical College. Our qualified HHS instructors teach these courses and meet the same rigorous standards and expectations as university-level classes. Students can earn over 60 semester college credits across all core subjects—English, math, social studies, and science—without ever leaving the high school. Concurrent enrollment also allows for continued parent involvement and grade monitoring, unlike PSEO courses, which are subject to FERPA limitations. It’s an excellent opportunity for students to experience college-level coursework while still benefiting from the support and familiarity of the high school environment.

Advanced Placement (AP) Courses offer students the opportunity to experience college-level learning while still in high school. These classes are renowned for their rigor, depth, and high academic standards, enabling students to develop the critical thinking, writing, and problem-solving skills necessary for success in college and beyond. At the end of each course, students have the option to take an AP Exam, which is scored on a scale of 1–5. Depending on the score earned and the college's policies, students may receive college credit, advanced placement, or both—saving time and money while strengthening their college applications.

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 nonsectarian courses at any eligible postsecondary institution in Minnesota. Most PSEO courses are offered on the campus of the postsecondary institution, while some are also available online. Students must meet the PSEO residency and eligibility requirements and abide by participation limits specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09. To assist the district in planning, a student must inform the district/charter school by May 30 (for fall term enrollment) or October 30 (for spring term enrollment) of their intent to enroll in postsecondary courses. The district/charter school must provide counseling services to students and their parents or guardians before the student enrolls in courses, ensuring that both the student and their parents or guardians are fully aware of the risks and possible consequences of enrolling in postsecondary courses.

Student Eligibility

Eleventh and 12th-grade students may take PSEO courses on a full- or part-time basis. Each participating college or university sets its own admissions requirements for enrollment in the PSEO courses.

Tenth-grade students are eligible to enroll in one Career and Technical Education (CTE) course if they receive a reading proficiency score of “meets” or “exceeds” on the 8th-grade MCA. If a 10th-grade student did not take the MCA in 8th grade, another reading assessment accepted by the enrolling postsecondary institution can be substituted. For students with disabilities, an alternative option exists to demonstrate reading proficiency. A 10th-grade student who enrolls in one CTE course and earns at least a grade C in the first term of enrollment may take additional postsecondary courses in the subsequent term, not limited to CTE. Access the list of postsecondary institutions offering approved CTE courses to 10th-grade students.

If the district/charter school determines that a student is not academically on track to graduate, the student may continue to participate in PSEO on a term-by-term basis beyond their cohort's graduation date.

Tuition and Fees

There is no charge to PSEO students for tuition, books or fees for items that are required to participate in a course; however, students may incur fees for equipment that becomes their property when the course or program is completed, textbooks that are not returned to the postsecondary institution according to their policies, or for tuition costs if they do not notify the district by May 30 or October 30 and the district does not waive the date requirement.

Funding is available to help cover transportation expenses for qualifying students participating in PSEO courses on college campuses. For more information on these funds, please refer to the PSEO Mileage Reimbursement Program Instructions.

Other Helpful Information for Public School Students

Enrolling in a PSEO course does not prohibit a student from participating in activities sponsored by the high school.

High schools are required to provide access to space and technology during the core school day, if needed, for a student to participate in PSEO. However, they may not require students to attend the high school during online PSEO courses or require them to remain in the high school for a specific amount of time. Students are expected to follow safety guidelines and school policy for leaving and entering the school building.

PSEO students must provide the school with a copy of their grades in each PSEO course.

Districts must transcript high school credits earned through PSEO by a ratio prescribed in statute. Districts have the authority to decide which subject area and standards the PSEO course meets. If a dispute arises between the district and the student regarding the number of credits granted for a particular course, the student may appeal the board's decision to the commissioner. The commissioner's decision regarding the number of credits will be final and binding. Grade weighting policies for PSEO courses vary by district/charter school.

Postsecondary institutions are required to allow PSEO students to enroll in online courses consistent with the institution's policy regarding postsecondary student enrollment in online courses.

For current information about the PSEO program, visit the Minnesota Department of Education's Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) webpage.