The Post-Secondary Enrollment Option Program allows students ot enroll in college, university, or technical school while still in high school and receive high school and/or college credit. A student may attend a participating PSEO Institution full time or take a combination of courses at MHS and the PSEO Institution. Courses may be taken during the day or at night, depending upon availability at the PSEO Institution. Courses may be taken during the day or at night, depending upon availability at the PSEO Institution. Courses must be non-religious.
State Supported 2-year and 4-year institutions must participate in PSEO program, but private schools have the option of participating if they wish to participate and some do.
The following information is a summary of the rules and procedures that are required by state law and have been implemented for those Marysville High School students who elect to participate.
Program Eligibility
- In order to participate in the Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program, a student must have attained freshman status by the beginning of the school year.
- The student must apply to and be accepted by an accredited College, University, or Technical school in Ohio that participates in the PSEO Program.
- You must notify your counselor by March 30th if you intend to participate the next school year.
- Summer courses are not covered under the PSEO program.
- If you graduated early, you are no longer eligible for the PSEO program.
Granting credit for the Post Secondary Enrollment Option Program:
Students may elect one of the following options:
- Option A: Students may choose to receive college credit only. Under this option, the parent/student must pay tuition and fees as established by the PSEO Institution and must pay for textbooks and materials
- Option B: Students may choose to receive high school and college graduation credit. Under this option, the local school district will reimburse the PSEO Institution (as determined by a formula established by the State of Ohio) for tuition, fees, and materials. Textbooks are loaned to the student by the PSEO Institution and must be returned in reasonable condition or the student must pay the institution for the textbooks before the PSEO Institution will release grades.
- High School credit will be gran ted under Option B in the following ways:
- 7 1/2 quarter hours, 5 semester hours, or the equivalent will equal one high school unit of credit.
- Proportional credit will be granted for courses less than 7 1/2 quarter hours, 5 semester hours, or the equivalent as determined by Marysville Schools.
- MHS Student records will reflect: 1) evidence of successful or unsuccessful completion of each course and, 2) the high school credit awarded or attempted
Financial Information:
- If a student takes a course for college credit only (Option A), the parent/student shall pay all costs.
- If a student takes a course for high school and college credit (Option B), the school district will pay costs for all of the tuition, fees, and materials according to a pre-established formula provided by the State of Ohio. The parent/student will be responsible for all transportation costs. Textbooks are loaned to the student by the PSEO Institution and must be returned in reasonable condition or the student must pay the PSEO Institution for the textbooks before the PSEO will release grades.
- Failure to complete a college course, for any reason, may result in all financial obligations defaulting to parent/student.
Transportation:
The parents/student may apply to the Board of Education for full of partial reimbursement of transportation costs between Marysville High School and the college attended. Reimbursement for transportation shall be calculated based on provisions of the National School Lunch Act 42 U.S.C. 1758, and the income eligibility scale for Free or Reduced Price meals as per O.R.C. 3301-44-08. Contact the Marysville High School Guidance Office for additional information.
Support Services Available through the Marysville High School Guidance Office:
- Information for parents and students about the Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO)
- Applications are available in the MHS Guidance Office from those PSEO Institutions that provide them to MHS Guidance. If the PSEO Institution does not supply MHS Guidance with applications, the student will have to contact the PSEO Institution for an application.
- Career Information
- Parental counseling regarding PSEO
- Information about colleges/universities/technical schools. It will be the student's responsibility to contact the PSEO Institution to seek counseling regarding course availablity, course content, and requirements.
Scheduling:
- Scheduling for college courses is the responsibility of the student/parent
- Students who apply to an institution for PSEO, are not admitted, and who then wish to enroll in courses at Marysville High School, will be limited to available MHS course offerings (subject to class size limitations)
- Students participating in PSEO who are failing or have failed a course(s) at the PSEO Institution and who desire to return to Marysville High School to enroll at any time during the school year will be limited to available MHS course offerings (subject to class size limitations)
Academic Consequences of Failing or Withdrawing:
- A student who withdraws from or fails a course at the PSEO Institution and who then returns to Marysville High School and enrolls in a comparable course at any time during the year, will enter that course with the current PSEO Institution withdrawal grade. That grade will be averaged with grades earned in the remainder of the high school course.
- All grades earned under PSEO Option "B" will be reflected in the high school grade point average and noted on the student's transcript.
Graduation Requirements:
- A student enrolled in PSEO must meet all Marysville School District graduation requirements
- Students who have not completed college work required for graduation by the date of the MHS graduation ceremony must provide proof from the PSEO Institution that the course work is progressing toward completion with a passing grade. If the student does not supply this proof, the student will not be permitted to participate in MHS graduation ceremonies.
Academic and Social Responsibilities of Student/Parent:
- All academic and social obligations and adjustments encountered by the student while participating in the PSEO program at a PSEO Institution will be the responsibility of the student/parent and the PSEO Institution.
Availability of College Counseling Services:
- Information about whom to contact at the PSEO Institution regarding counseling services will be furnished to the student/parent by the Marysville High School Guidance Office upon request.
Deciding to Participate:
- Future Plans
- If you are considering any type of post high school education, PSEO can help you with career decisions, getting a "feel" for college, and exploring educational opportunities
- High School Graduation
- You must fulfill graduation requirements to earn a diploma
- If you are taking a college course to meet a graduation requirement, failure will mean you do not graduate
- Grades earned become part of your GPA and are not weighted
- Scheduling
- Attending part-time may be a problem because:
- High school and post-secondary institutions may have different calendars
- Classes you want to take at high school may be offered at the same time as those you want to take at the PSEO Institution
- Vacation schedules at the high school and PSEO Institution may not match so that you do not get a vacation from both at the same time
- College-Level Work
- College-level courses are more challenging than high school courses
- You will need to spend more time studying, work without supervision, and have more self-discipline to do what is required for success in college-level work
- Transportation
- You must provide your own transportation between the two schools. Be sure that you can make arrangements to get to class on time
- Extra-Curricular Activities
- You can participate in extra-curricular activities at the high school, assuming that you can arrange your schedules appropriately
- You must continue to meet OHSAA & MHS eligibility requirements
- You are not eligible to be a part of athletics at the PSEO institution
Program Advantages and Potential Risks and Consequences:
- Advantages
- You can take courses that are not offered at the high school
- You have the opportunity to experience college level work, as well as college life, while still in high school
- You can take classes that are more challenging and/or cover your area of interest
- You can take college classes and receive credit for both high school and college
- You can get some of your general studies courses for college out of the way, which will save you time and money in completing your degree
- Potential Risks and Consequences
- You have more responsibility for learning
- You have less time for employment and/or extra-curricular activities
- Increased financial costs will result from transportation
- You will have to factor in travel time to and from the PSEO Institution
- As the calendars of the two schools may be different, you may participate in graduation ceremonies only if you show progress toward successful completion of college courses that are required graduation credit
- The content of college courses may not prepare you for passage of required high school state graduation tests (Ohio Graduation Tests)
- There is no guarantee that you will get the courses you want either at MHS or the PSEO Institution
- You will be in college courses with older students, which may pose some social discomfort
- If you fail a college course you are taking to fulfill a graduation requirement, it will keep you from graduating
- Withdrawing from a college course(s) may result in your parents being charged the cost of the course(s)
- Student athletes must be sure to have enough credits between the PSEO Institution and high school for eligibility
Steps to Follow if you are Interested in Participating in the PSEO Program:
- Indicate at scheduling time that you intend to participate and make MHS course selections accordingly
- Student and parents meet with student's counselor by March 30th and obtain the statement of information form that must be signed by student's parents
- Complete the necessary PSEO admission and registration forms and send them to the PSEO Institution. If the PSEO Institution has not provided the forms to the MHS Guidance Office, you will have to contact the PSEO Institution for the forms
- If required by the PSEO Institution, make an appointment with their Admissions Office at that school
Thoughtful discussion should take place between the student & parents on the following items prior to PSEO participation:
- Discuss scheduling classes at the high school and the PSEO Institution
- Is the student able to work and function independently?
- Is the student socially and emotionally mature enough to handle college?
- What is the student's future career plan?
- Will the student have guaranteed, reliable transportation available?
- If a student is on an IEP, has a review taken place?
- Have issues of social interaction at both schools been discussed?
- If an athlete, will the student be taking enough courses to maintain athletic eligibility at MHS?
- How PSEO will affect the student's MHS GPA and Class Rank?
- What affect may PSEO participation have on college admission and/or scholarships?