PSEO: What Advisers Need to Know

PSEO: What Advisers Need to Know Danielle Tisinger Andrew Kopelman Angie Rivera-Sturtevant

Session Overview • General Info about PSEO students • Admission to the program • Student experiences in PSEO • Q & A

PSEO Students PSEO Legislation • Must be a junior or senior in high school • Must be MN residents with a MN address • Eligible for maximum of 4 semesters • Expenses covered by state education funds: • Tuition, fees • textbooks

PSEO Students cont. • Generally take 1xxx-2xxx classes, though upper division considered when appropriate • May take only one ODL course at a time • Treated like any other college freshman for all practical purposes • Covered by FERPA • Absences for high school activities are not considered excused absences

PSEO Students cont. • ≈ 70% part-time (1-11 crs) / 30% full-time (12-18 crs) • ≈ 70% high school seniors / 30% high school juniors • ≈ 60% female / 40% male • ≈ 95% of PSEO students who apply to U are admitted; of that, ≈ 50% choose to continue here • Majority of PSEO are TC students, but we have a small number that are outstate • ≈ 10-15 PSEO students live in the dorms each year (PSEO does not cover housing expenses)

Admission • Competitive Admission: 1000+ applications for 500 spots • Most students who apply could do well • Primary components • HS GPA • Types of classes • Writing sample • Secondary considerations • Test scores • Grade trends

Admission cont • No minimum GPA; average admitted GPA 3.7-3.8; able to review applications with lower GPAs and extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis • Apps holistically reviewed by at least 2 advisers • Other PSEO programs in Twin Cities, and though UMNTC tends to be most competitive, others still have high standards (e.g. 3.0 GPA)

Student Experience • Highly motivated academically • Parents are highly motivated also • Greatest areas of interest are health sciences and sciences • Most think they can “do it all,” and many actually can • May not understand concepts of asking for help

Student Experience cont. • Primarily filling high school requirements & disparity between these requirements and major requirements • Most common courses include math, political science, English, writing, history, economics, science • May participate in student groups on campus • Meet with adviser every semester before registration • Have a 36 hour window for registration during queue times

Student Experience cont • Not really flagged as PSEO—most other students/faculty/staff don’t know unless student self-identifies • May not drop classes without adviser approval—some high schools count a college “W” as a high school “F” • Follow same cancel/add deadlines as whole U • TT holds • Enter degree-seeking status as freshmen, register based on credits every other semester

Student Experience cont • Monitor letters • Common PSEO student troubles • Career center • PSEO students go through orientations, online senior information handouts • Annual “walk-through” for juniors and seniors • TT service indicators and related procedures

Questions: Some Talking Points • How can we as advisers as a whole help PSEO students transition into degree-seeking colleges? • The “PSEO Advantage”: opportunity for research, internships, study abroad, meaningful job experiences

PSEO: What Advisers Need to Know