ISU

PSEO

FALL 2025 COURSE REGISTRATION

We are preparing for the Spring 2025 semester and will start accepting application and registration forms today, October 4th, 2024. The PSEO website will give you all of the information you need; however, please find some important information below to assist you in registration for Spring 2025.

New students will need to submit:

- - - Iowa State University Non-degree Student Application
    - PSEO Registration Form
    - PSEO Agreement Form
    - High School transcripts from an Iowa High School and any post-secondary colleges (email your homeschool transcript).

Returning Students will need to submit:

- - - PSEO Registration Form

Key Registration Dates for Fall 2025:

Dates of note:
- Beginning Monday, March 31, 2025: Application and registration forms accepted for Fall 2025.
- Mid-July 2025: Course registration for PSEO students begins for Fall 2025.
- Friday, August 15, 2025: Last day for NEW and Returning PSEO students to submit application forms.
- Monday, August 25, 2025 is the first day of Fall classes

DIRECTIONS: Please email the above forms to Gina North, the AHS Registrar. Please copy Sonia Harold on your email to Gina.

Students: Courses can fill up, so it is important to have a backup plan in place. If in doubt, register for an extra class which you can drop before the drop deadline.

Dan Rice, the Transfer Relations Coordinator and Outreach Advisor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, offers advice to high school counselors regarding which courses a PSEO student should take:

"My general advice for HS students is to not take too many college level classes prior to high school graduation. 10-18 credits has been shown to be optimal for academic success once in college. More than that and they can run into curriculum and developmental challenges once they start at a 4 year college or university."

"Many times, I have found that PSEO students are eager to take courses in their intended major. Usually, there are pre-requisite requirements and those classes are limited to majors only. Students should try to take courses in the 100 and/or 200 level."

WHAT IS PSEO?

First established in 1987, the PSEO program is intended to promote rigorous academic pursuits and to provide a wider variety of options to high school students. The program allows eleventh and twelfth grade students, as well as ninth and tenth grade students identified as gifted and talented by their local district, to enroll in college courses. Through the program, individual students may enroll in an eligible postsecondary course if a comparable course is not offered at their school. Successful completion of the course also generates high school credit and applies toward district subject area and graduation requirements. The school district pays the eligible postsecondary institution for the cost of the course or $250, whichever is lower. If the student successfully completes the course, it is provided free to the student (except possible equipment purchases). If a student fails to complete the course and is not eligible for a waiver, the student or the student’s parent or guardian may be required to reimburse the district’s cost (this applies strictly to PSEO, i.e. university level courses. It does not apply to concurrent enrollment, which is access at the community college level).

Students are responsible for their own transportation and still must meet the requirements for graduation from Ames High School. A student who drops or fails a course taken under the PSEO assumes the financial responsibility that the institution charges for the course. Grades earned on courses carrying three or more credits are calculated into the Ames High School GPA.
Registration for these courses is not done through Infinite Campus.

COURSES NOT ALLOWED FOR PSEO

First, find what ISU courses your student is interested in enrolling in here. Please consider the following when selecting courses:

A student may not register for a PSEO course if a comparable course is offered at AHS or if that comprable course is offered through concurrent enrollment at DMACC or other community college (the course must be taken through concurrent enrollment (this means at the community college level). If the comparable course isn't on the approved courses to take at DMACC then a course can be taken at ISU. Find AHS course offerings in the AHS Registration Book.

For any student requesting an upper-division course (300 or 400 level - where there's not a placement exam or not continuing on a series),the PSEO Academic Adviser (Dan Rice) must review prior to registering a student in the course.

Exceptions where Registrar's office will not need Dan's approval include:
- ENGL 150 and ENGL 250: not available for PSEO students due to high enrollment demands on these courses from our degree-seeking students.
- A M D courses: are not allowed for PSEO students.
- Chemistry courses: Students will need to take ALEKS and have high enough ACT or SAT scores to register.
- Engineering courses (orientation courses): can register the week before classes start. PSEO Registrar Coordinator will get approval before registering students.
- Honors seminar/courses: PSEO Registrar Coordinator will contact Honors Program Office before registering students.
- Mathematics: The ALEKS placement exam is required before student takes first math course at ISU. http://www.math.iastate.edu/ALEKS/what.html.
  - If the student wants Math 166 or 265, they have to take the blackboard exam too.
- Music classes (not lesson - illegal according to PSEO handbook): can register students the first week of classes. (Music lessons are not allowed as a part of PSEO).
  - Music Theory (MUSIC 224) - can't register until first week and must be approved via slip by the instructor.
- Orientation courses: check with the college. May be appropriate if coming to ISU the following term. Cannot be R credit - according to PSEO laws.
- Restricted to certain majors: must have department approval.
- WLC courses (Spanish, etc.): Placement exams required for entry into first WLC course (Spanish,etc.) taken at Iowa State unless it is the beginners course (101).
- If a student would like to take an upper-division course (300 or 400 level) they must have permission from the PSEO Academic Advisor, Dan Rice, drice@iastate.edu.

HERE ARE THE FORMS YOU WILL NEED:

ISU PSEO Information Agreement Form Fall 2023.pdf

Important PSEO Registration Information

ISU Nondegree Student Application.pdf

1st TIME PSEO APPLICATION

PSEO fillable application.pdf

PSEO REGISTRATION to be completed by everyone

PSEO Agreement Form.pdf

PSEO Agreement Form

Important Registration Dates for Fall

Admission forms and registration forms accepted: around March 5
Registration for admitted students and returning student registration forms received begins: July 20

Last day for Returning PSEO students to submit registration form: Friday before classes begin (around August 20)
Last day for New PSEO students to submit application and registration forms: about 10 days before classes begin on a Friday (around August 13)

Important Registration Dates for Spring

Admission forms and registration forms accepted: early October
Registration for admitted students and returning student registration forms received begins: mid December.

Last day for Returning PSEO students to submit registration form: Friday before classes begin (around January 14)
Last day for New PSEO students to submit application and registration forms: about 10 days before classes begin on a Friday (around January 7).

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