Admission Criteria for PSEO

1. Applicant must be a junior or senior in high school and of traditional high-school age.

2. Students must have a competitive academic record (generally top 10% of the class) in a strong curriculum including honors and Advanced Placement course work (if available).

3. Students must have competitive standardized test scores (PSAT, SAT, and/or ACT). If a student is a first semester Junior and has not yet taken the PSAT, PLAN, SAT or ACT, the student must submit two additional recommendations from teachers in the subject areas he or she plans to continue at Macalester through PSEO.

4. Students must have exhausted the curriculum available at their high school in the area they wish to pursue at Macalester. We will consider students who have exhausted the curriculum available at their high school in any one of these five areas: science, mathematics, social studies, English, and foreign language. For example, in order to take an international studies course at Macalester, students would have to exhaust all of the social studies classes available at their high school. In order to take a physics course at Macalester, students would have to exhaust all of the science (not just the physics) courses available at their high school.

5. Macalester is not able to provide coursework meant to supplement a student’s high school curriculum. We consider supplementary coursework to include classes in physical education, dramatic arts, dance, music, fine arts, and computer science. Again, we will consider applicants who are applying to courses in one of the five core subject areas previously listed.

6. Students must demonstrate college-level writing ability.

7. Juniors and first-time PSEO applicants are allowed to take only one course their first semester. Two courses may be approved for returning seniors.

8. Continuing Macalester PSEO students must have completed the previous Macalester course with a B or better and maintained solid academic performance at their high school.

9. Final approval for PSEO enrollment is on a “space-available” basis and is contingent upon the professor’s approval. Often, professors do not know if space is available until the first week of class. Please be aware that permission to enroll in a Macalester class will not be confirmed until the first week of class.

Where can I find a course schedule?

The Macalester College PSEO Application requires that applicants submit the course title, number, and section of the course(s) they intend to take. Please consult our Academic Course Schedule at http://www.macalester.edu/registrar.

How I do apply for PSEO at Macalester?

Please call our office at 651-696-6357 or 1-800-231-7974 to request a PSEO application.

Semester Term	Application deadline	Decision from Macalester
Spring 2012	December 1, 2011	January 4, 2012
Fall 2012	June 1, 2012	June 30, 2012