Can 10th graders do PSEO at Alexandria College?

Yes, with limits set by state law. Sophomores may enroll in one career and technical education course during their first semester, chosen from the college's approved CTE list. Earn a C or better and you can add more courses in the second semester.

Is there an application deadline for Alexandria College PSEO?

The college does not post a hard application deadline, but state law requires you to notify your high school by May 30 for a fall start or October 30 for a spring start. After those dates, your district has to agree to let you participate, so talk to your counselor early.

How do I submit my PSEO application documents?

Everything goes to one place: email your NOSR form, transcript, and any test documentation to pseo@alextech.edu, or mail it to the PSEO Department at 1601 Jefferson Street. Home school students also submit an immunization form and take the Accuplacer.

Can I take Alexandria College PSEO classes online?

Yes. Courses are offered both on the Alexandria campus and online, and many students mix the two. Online sections are covered by PSEO the same way on-campus ones are, including free textbooks through the book request form.

How do textbooks work for PSEO students at Alexandria College?

You request books through the PSEO Book Request Form before each semester starts, use them for free during the term, and return them to the PSEO Department when the semester ends. If you drop or add a class, email the PSEO office so your order gets adjusted.

Community & Technical College

Alexandria Technical and Community College

Alexandria, Minnesota

West-central Minnesota students looking for free college classes have a strong option in Alexandria Technical and Community College, usually called Alexandria College or ATCC. Through PSEO, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders take real college courses at the Alexandria campus or online with tuition and books fully covered. Full-time students who start junior year can finish high school with enough credits for an associate degree.

Start NOSR Application

GPA Requirements

Juniors (11th Grade)

3.0 GPA

OR≥ 250 Accuplacer Reading

OR≥ 21 ACT Composite

OR≥ 1047 10th Grade Reading MCA

Seniors (12th Grade)

2.8 GPA

OR≥ 250 Accuplacer Reading

OR≥ 21 ACT Composite

OR≥ 1047 10th Grade Reading MCA

Program Details

Accepts 10th GradersYes (CTE only)

CTE Courses AvailableYes

Term Systemsemester

About the PSEO program

What sets Alexandria College apart is how it handles students whose GPA falls short. If a junior is below the 3.0 line or a senior is below 2.8, the college accepts alternative evidence instead: an Accuplacer Reading score of 250, a qualifying ACT score, or a 1047 on the 10th grade MCA in reading. That flexibility keeps the door open for students whose test scores tell a better story than their transcript.

The application process is refreshingly simple. You apply online for free, complete the state NOSR form with your parent and high school, send your transcript, and email everything to the college's dedicated PSEO office. Acceptance decisions arrive by email, and the PSEO department in Room 113 handles questions directly rather than routing you through general admissions.

Why choose Alexandria Technical and Community College for PSEO

Multiple paths to qualify

Miss the GPA cutoff? Alexandria College accepts an Accuplacer Reading score of 250, a qualifying ACT score, or a 1047 on the 10th grade reading MCA as substitutes, so one number does not decide your eligibility.

A dedicated PSEO office

One team, one email inbox, one room on campus. The PSEO and Concurrent Enrollment department handles your application, your questions, and even your textbook orders, which means fewer things fall through the cracks.

10th grade entry through CTE

Sophomores who passed the 8th grade reading MCA (or scored 250 on the Accuplacer) can start with one career and technical course, and a C or better unlocks additional courses second semester.

Books handled for you

PSEO students request textbooks through a simple online form before each semester, and the college lends them at no cost. You return them at the end of the term instead of navigating a bookstore bill.

Online or on campus

Courses run both at the Alexandria campus on Jefferson Street and online, so students from surrounding districts can participate without a daily drive.

Programs & courses

Transferable general education
Writing, math, social science, and science courses that satisfy Minnesota Transfer Curriculum goal areas and count toward both high school graduation and a future degree.
Career and technical education courses
Alexandria College is a technical college at heart, and it publishes a specific list of CTE courses open to PSEO students, including the single course 10th graders may take their first semester.
Associate degree track
Full-time PSEO students who begin junior year can accumulate enough credits to complete an associate degree by high school graduation, a path the college explicitly supports.
Online coursework
A wide slice of the catalog runs online, letting students in rural districts around Douglas County take Alexandria College courses without leaving their high school schedule behind.

Campus & getting there

Alexandria College sits at 1601 Jefferson Street in Alexandria, a lakes-area city of about 15,000 along Interstate 94, roughly two hours northwest of the Twin Cities and an hour from St. Cloud. Students from Alexandria Area High School are close enough to split their day between buildings, and the college even publishes a separate PSEO planning guide for them. For everyone farther out, online courses make dual enrollment realistic without a long commute.

Will my credits transfer?

As a member of Minnesota State, Alexandria College builds its general education around the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum, so completed goal-area courses transfer to any Minnesota State college or university and to the University of Minnesota under established agreements. Students planning a bachelor's degree can also follow Transfer Pathway associate degrees designed to slot into specific majors. Technical course credits transfer more selectively, so check with the receiving college, and use tools like Transferology to preview how each course lands.

Alexandria Technical and Community College PSEO FAQ

Juniors need a 3.0 cumulative GPA and seniors need a 2.8. If you are below those lines, you can still qualify with an Accuplacer Reading score of 250, a qualifying ACT score, or a 1047 on the 10th grade reading MCA. Sophomores qualify by passing the 8th grade reading MCA or scoring 250 on the Accuplacer, and start with one CTE course.