Policies

1. You must attend the first class meeting of every course in which you are registered, unless you obtain approval for your intended absence before the first meeting. Without this prior approval, you may lose your place in class to another student.

2. If you wish to remain in a class from which you have been absent the first day without prior approval, contact your instructor as soon as possible. Instructors have the right to deny you admission if the class is full.

3. You must officially cancel any class if you have been denied admission.

4. High school activities such as athletic events, band trips, performances, or other events are NOT automatically excused at the University of Minnesota, and any course absences must be discussed with the instructor prior to the event. Each instructor has their own absence policies that will be outlined in your course syllabus. See the University of Minnesota makeup work policy for additional information. 

NOTE: Starting Fall 2020, the Makeup Work for Legitimate Absences policy now states that "instructors may not penalize students for absence during the academic term due to the following unavoidable or legitimate circumstances:

4. 1. • taking college entrance exams (PSAT, ACT, SAT) for Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) students that are provided at their high school are considered. 

University of Minnesota's First-day attendance policy

University of Minnesota's Make-up work policies

Auditing Courses

PSEO students may not audit courses.

Enrollment Limits

• First-semester PSEO students who plan to be full-time should take no more than 12 credits and only one math or science course if that science course is math, physics, biology, or chemistry. Exceptions may be made for students with considerable prior college course work such as AP/IB or prior PSEO. Check with your PSEO advisor for more information.

• Students are restricted from taking more than 20 credits. To go over 20 credits, students must have at least one semester of successful grades in a rigorous schedule with at least 18-19 credits. If the 18-19 credits are currently in progress, your PSEO advisor may allow you to take more than 20 credits the following semester, but it will be contingent on the previous semester's final grades. Work with your PSEO advisor for this approval.

• Additional limits apply to STEM courses. View Course Planning Overview for more information.

May & Summer Term

PSEO funding is provided by the Minnesota Department of Education for fall and spring semesters only. PSEO does not cover summer term or May term courses. PSEO students have the option to pay out-of-pocket for courses during these terms. Information is sent to current PSEO students in the spring regarding summer registration. Contact your advisor if you have additional questions.

Repeating a Course

PSEO legislation only allows PSEO students to repeat courses with N, W, or F grades which is more restrictive than for U of M degree-seeking undergraduates. Additionally, the U of M has a course repeat policy that PSEO students must follow. Work with your PSEO advisor if you are considering a course repeat.

Grading Policies at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Grading and Transcripts FAQ

Obtaining Grades & Transcripts

The PSEO Office does not send grades directly to students. 

Students who want to access their grades can request an unofficial transcript for free at any time.

Students who want to send an official transcript must go through the One Stop Office.

Please be aware that neither our office nor the One Stop office can release grades to friends, parents, or other relatives unless they are your designated legal agent. Grades cannot be released to anyone but you, a designated legal agent, and your high school guidance counselor or other school official. We cannot release grades over the phone to anyone.

Dean's List

PSEO recognizes the academic excellence and notes the designation of Dean's List on your U of M transcript if you:

• complete a minimum of 12 credits on the A−F grading system

• achieve a semester grade-point average of 3.666 or better

• receive no N grades

Your name is also listed on this website. 

Grade Basis (S/N) 

S/N stands for "satisfactory/non-satisfactory." PSEO students should only take classes on an S/N basis if that is the only way the class is offered.

• Many high schools do not count S/N courses  towards high school requirements.

• Colleges look less favorably on S/N courses during the admissions process.

• Applying S/N courses towards future college degree requirements is difficult and risky.

PSEO advisors only approve an S/N grading basis (when A-F is offered) under rare and exceptional circumstances. Interested students should first check with their high school counselor about whether such a course will count for their graduation requirements and how it would appear on the high school transcript. Then, consult the PSEO advisor directly. 

The PSEO office evaluates S/N requests on a case-by-case basis.

Limits to Confidentiality

In the PSEO program, confidentiality is important to us, and most of your conversations (including email) with PSEO staff are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). As a result, these conversations are considered confidential, even from your parents or guardians, unless you're considered a dependent for tax purposes under IRS rules. Note: if students are experiencing a health or safety emergency, U of M staff may speak with parents and guardians without your consent. 

University policy, state, and federal laws place some limits on confidentiality and may require PSEO staff to release information, without your permission, to designated authorities. 

We are required to report if you:

• • Report a credible and imminent threat of danger to yourself or another person(s)

    • • In the case of threat of self-harm, PSEO staff would break confidentiality in order to consult with University counseling services (such as Student Counseling Service or Boynton Mental Health Clinic) or the police in order to prevent the person from harming him/herself.

      • If a credible threat to others has been made, PSEO staff members are required to consult immediately with the police, and we may be required to notify the person who has been threatened.

  • Report or describe, or we suspect, any physical abuse, neglect, mental injury, or sexual abuse of children within the last three years (this includes the occurrence of abuse or neglect to yourself if you were under age 18 at the time of the abuse)

    • • PSEO is required to report any physical abuse of a child or vulnerable adult to child or adult protection services. In these cases, PSEO might also consult with Student Counseling Service, Boynton Mental Health Clinic and/or the University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD). 

  • Report sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, relationship violence, and/or related retaliation. 

    • • In this case, a report will be made to the U of M Title IX Office, which will reach out to you to share resources for personal support and information about how to initiate an investigation process or other responsive action. 

If you have questions about PSEO’s limits of confidentiality, please contact the PSEO Office, at pseo@umn.edu. 

Overview - Read Carefully

PSEO is not for everyone. While our program attracts many gifted and talented students, many of the factors that determine success in PSEO are based on a student's personal responsibility and not on their academic skills. A PSEO student must be independent and highly motivated, assertive and adaptable. They must have strong time management and organizational skills, in addition to having confidence in their own abilities and the mindfulness to recognize when they need to ask for help.  

It's important to note that your U of M college GPA starts now! PSEO courses (along with U of M College in the Schools (CIS) and UMTYMP) are part of your U of M transcript, and will follow you well beyond this experience. There isn't a separate PSEO transcript. Your U of M transcript looks like any other undergraduate at the U of M. Even if you don't attend the U of M as a freshman, you will need to send your U of M transcript to other colleges and universities that you apply to. Furthermore, if you apply to a graduate program, MBA, or a professional program, like medical or law school, you will be required to send the school your U of M transcript. As a result, it's important to understand this PSEO experience can affect you well beyond high school!

The transition from high school to a college campus can be challenging even for an 18 year old freshman, so it is not surprising that a student who is going into their junior or senior year of high school may struggle to adjust to our on-campus learning environment. This transition's difficulties are why the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program has high expectations for its students.

Below is a copy of the PSEO Student Expectation Agreement that all PSEO students are held to during their time in the PSEO program at the U of M Twin Cities. If at any point a student feels that he or she is not able to meet the expectations outlined below, they should reconsider whether or not PSEO is the right place for them. Success in the PSEO program can help you forward your future undergraduate career, but poor performance in our program can have severe ramifications on future college admissions. 

PSEO Student Expectations Agreement

As a high school student registering in the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program, I understand that there are policies and expectations to which I must adhere in order to maintain my enrollment status. 

As a representative of the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program, which is funded by the Minnesota Department of Education, I recognize that this opportunity is a privilege, and my participation is contingent on my conduct while in the program and adherence to all policies related to the U of M Twin Cities PSEO participation. 

I UNDERSTAND:

• • In order to participate in PSEO, I must have a free period in my high school schedule if attending a public high school. (Note: this does not apply to private school or homeschooled students.)

  • I must adhere to the U of M Twin Cities PSEO academic policies and Student Conduct Code, including deadlines for registration, student account balance billing (for expenses not covered by PSEO), and course cancellation.

  • Participating in the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program means I will meet the same expectations as an admitted undergraduate college student; being a high school student is not an excuse for poor academic performance or conduct. Instructors will treat you like an adult.

  • The college environment presents students with concepts, lectures, and materials that are designed for adults and adult audiences. The course content, delivery, and assessments will not be altered due to the enrollment of underage students in the course. Students may be exposed to adult language, discussion, and/or themes in the classroom, regardless of the course delivery setting (in person or in an online course setting).

  • High school activities such as athletic events, band trips, performances, or other events are NOT automatically excused at the University of Minnesota, and any course absences must be discussed with the instructor prior to the event. PSAT, ACT, and SAT exams are considered excused absences. 

  • The U of M Twin Cities PSEO office sends semester grades to my high school each term I am enrolled. Some schools receive an unofficial copy of your U of M transcript, including your PSEO courses, College in the Schools, and UMTYMP courses.

  • I must take the initiative to seek assistance when needed. PSEO advisors do NOT have access to grades or academic performance. 

  • The PSEO office reserves the right to drop students from courses based on placement test results, required or recommended course prerequisites, or other factors that might put the student at risk of doing poorly.

  • I will adhere to all PSEO-specific policies and procedures as stated in the PSEO Handbook, especially those related to course selection, registration, and academic probation and dismissal.

  • It is my responsibility to know my high school graduation requirements and work with my high school counselor to confirm that my U of M Twin Cities PSEO courses will meet those requirements. PSEO advisors do not communicate about graduation requirements with high school staff.

  • I must consult with my PSEO advisor and high school counselor when making any registration changes that deviate from the course selections agreed upon at my pre-registration appointment.

  • I understand my enrollment in the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program does not guarantee me registration in courses I need to meet high school graduation requirements.  Given the timing of PSEO registration (after degree-seeking) students, course availability may be limited or closed.   

  • I must activate my U of M Twin Cities email account and check it regularly. 

  • My U of M Twin Cities email account is the University’s official method of communication. 

  • I will not share my U of M Twin Cities email account username and password with anyone, including parents/guardians.

  • I must return my textbooks to the U of M Twin Cities Coffman Memorial Union Bookstore Scholarship Desk at the end of every semester, on or before the stated deadline.

  • The textbook return deadline is the last day of final exams, and I may be billed for any textbooks I do not return by the deadline. 

  • Admission to the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program does not mean I am automatically admitted to the University of Minnesota as an undergraduate student. The PSEO admission decision has no relationship to my admissibility to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus; however, the grades I receive in PSEO (and other high school) courses will be considered as part of my college application and can affect my admissibility.  There is a separate application and review process for U of M Twin Cities freshman admission. 

  • Enrolling in the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program does not exempt me from any freshman orientation or Welcome Week events required of admitted U of M first-year students.

If under 18, parents/guardians agree to:

• U of M Twin Cities PSEO student information (course schedule, grades, advising notes, account balances) is protected by FERPA, a federal privacy law, regardless of age. Students must provide their parent or guardian access to this protected information using a form obtained by the student's PSEO advisor. More information on student records can be found on the U of M Twin Cities One Stop site: https://onestop.umn.edu/terms-and-conditions/student-records-privacy. 

• Additionally, as stated above, PSEO staff and advisors do not have access to a student's grades or academic performance. Therefore, students must be able to alert PSEO staff to any assistance they might need while in their courses.

• By enrolling in U of M Twin Cities PSEO courses, students are bound by the grade for that course. Students experiencing personal or health situations cannot have grades, withdrawals, or courses removed from their transcript due to these reasons. Again, students are treated like any other undergraduate student.

PSEO Satisfactory Academic Progress ("SAP")

The academic standards of the U of M Twin Cities PSEO program are rigorous due to the serious ramifications a poor PSEO performance can have on future college admissions prospects. The PSEO Office has a responsibility to you, high schools, the University of Minnesota, and the State of Minnesota to maintain high academic standards. The PSEO Scholastic Committee enforces these policies to help ensure that students do not jeopardize their college aspirations and assure that the PSEO program will be allowed to continue.

You are responsible for monitoring your grades. Any student who does not maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (as defined below) needs to contact the PSEO Office and their high school counselor as soon as possible. The grades you receive are part of a permanent University of Minnesota transcript and will also appear on your high school transcript once grades are awarded at the end of the semester.

In order to maintain SAP, PSEO students are expected to do all the following:

• maintain a cumulative AND term 3.000 GPA in their U of M Twin Cities courses (not including grades from College in the Schools or UMTYMP)

• earn a C or higher in each individual course

• limit “Ws” from courses dropped after week two

Responding to Students Below SAP

After the semester’s final grades are released, PSEO advisors review the records of students who have the individual records and coming semester’s enrollment for students who have not maintained SAP. The specific response varies significantly depending on the situation, all with the goal to put you in the best position to succeed.

Advisors will connect with students to suggest or require one or more of the following (not an exhaustive list):

• reduce maximum credit limit

• withdraw from specific classes

• limit enrollment in areas that gave particular problems last term (for example, math or writing)

• build academic skills through U of M coaching

• meet with their advisor to discuss and plan

All students who did not meet SAP are expected to check in regularly (3-4 times) with their PSEO advisor during the coming semester.

Dismissal

In rare circumstances, students who fall significantly below our Satisfactory Progress Requirements (particularly in multiple terms) may be dismissed from the program.

We do not come to these decisions lightly, and the purpose is never punitive. The goal here is still to put students in the best position to succeed, to protect their GPA from further harm, and to provide the best chance at making changes outside of the uniquely challenging university environment.

Appealing Dismissal and Credit Reduction Decisions

Students may appeal their Dismissal and Credit Reduction decisions. The PSEO Scholastic Committee will consider the appeal, but it is important that students understand that the PSEO Office has the right and responsibility to act in what they believe to be the student’s and the program’s best interests.  The appeals process and deadlines will be sent to students at the end of each semester. 

Consultation with Your High School Counselor

It is important for you to keep your high school counselors up-to-date on the status of your enrollment at the University. You should notify your high school counselor immediately if you are dismissed from the program or have an appeal pending.  

Revised January 2024

As a member of the University community you are expected to exhibit exceptional behavior in your classes, student organizations and other campus communities. As a result, all University of Minnesota students must adhere to the Student Conduct Code. 

Scholastic dishonesty includes cheating and plagiarism, which are treated as serious offenses at the University and may result in a sanction of an "F" grade in the course. Students may not withdraw from a class for any reason in order to avoid the consequence of a misconduct charge. 

Alleged conduct code violations will be investigated by the PSEO Office and/or the Office of Community Standards. Depending on the violation, disciplinary sanctions can range from a warning to dismissal from the PSEO program. In cases where laws have been broken, law enforcement officials will be alerted. Every effort is made to resolve a complaint during an informal hearing. However, a formal hearing may be required. Explanation of the discipline process can be found on the Office of Community Standards website.