Why do NOSR forms get rejected at DCTC?

Because they arrive incomplete. DCTC states plainly that incomplete Notices of Student Registration are rejected and returned for completion. Missing signatures, blank fields, and skipped sections are the usual culprits, so review the entire form with your parent and counselor before submitting it to the admissions office.

When are the deadlines for DCTC PSEO?

July 1 for fall semester and December 1 for spring. Since a bounced NOSR can eat two or three weeks, aim to submit your complete packet well before those dates, and remember the May 30 and October 30 district notification deadlines that come first.

Can 10th graders take classes at DCTC?

Yes, under the state's sophomore CTE provision. With a passing 8th grade reading MCA, a sophomore can take one career and technical education course the first semester, and a grade of C or better opens the door to more.

Is DCTC only for students going into the trades?

No. DCTC teaches MNTC general education alongside its technical catalog, so you can build a transfer-focused schedule, a career-focused one, or a mix. The reason to choose DCTC over a community college is access to applied programs, but the gen eds are here too.

Where do I send my DCTC PSEO paperwork?

Application documents are emailed to the DCTC admissions office, and the college also has a dedicated PSEO coordinator who fields questions directly. Submit the NOSR, transcript, and any test documentation together as complete PDFs to avoid the rejection cycle.

Community & Technical College

Dakota County Technical College

Rosemount, Minnesota

Hands-on learning is the default at Dakota County Technical College, where PSEO students in the south metro can spend their high school years in labs, shops, and studios instead of waiting for graduation to start career training. Based in Rosemount, DCTC pairs its technical programs with transferable general education, all tuition-free through Minnesota's dual enrollment program.

Start NOSR Application

GPA Requirements

Juniors (11th Grade)

2.6 GPA

OR≥ 250 Accuplacer Reading

OR≥ Passing 10th Grade Reading MCA

OR≥ 21 ACT Composite

+1 more options

Seniors (12th Grade)

2.6 GPA

OR≥ 250 Accuplacer Reading

OR≥ Passing 10th Grade Reading MCA

OR≥ 21 ACT Composite

+1 more options

Program Details

Accepts 10th GradersYes (CTE only)

CTE Courses AvailableYes

Term Systemsemester

About the PSEO program

The eligibility structure is one of the most forgiving in the metro. Juniors and seniors qualify with a 2.6 GPA, and students in the 2.0 to 2.59 range still have a path: they can substitute an Accuplacer Reading score of 250 or higher, a passing 10th grade reading MCA, an ACT composite of 21, or qualifying SAT scores. Sophomores enter through the CTE route with a passing 8th grade reading MCA.

DCTC is blunt about its biggest failure point: incomplete Notices of Student Registration get rejected and sent back to students, a round trip that can cost weeks against the July 1 fall and December 1 spring deadlines. Triple-check every field and signature on your NOSR before it goes to the admissions office, and the rest of the process runs smoothly.

Why choose Dakota County Technical College for PSEO

Accessible entry at 2.6, with backup routes

The 2.6 GPA requirement is lower than most metro colleges, and students between 2.0 and 2.59 can qualify through Accuplacer, MCA, ACT, or SAT scores instead, so a rough stretch of grades does not end the conversation.

Career programs you cannot get at a liberal arts campus

DCTC's identity is applied, technical education with industry-standard equipment, giving PSEO students a head start on skilled careers while classmates sit in survey courses.

A named PSEO coordinator

DCTC publishes a dedicated PSEO coordinator with direct contact information, so your questions go to a person who owns the program rather than a general inbox queue.

South metro location

The Rosemount campus draws students from Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, Lakeville, Farmington, Hastings, and Burnsville districts, filling a technical education niche the south metro would otherwise lack.

Programs & courses

Transportation and mechanical trades
DCTC is known across the region for hands-on transportation and heavy equipment fields, the kind of high-demand technical training PSEO students can start sampling early.
Career and technical education courses
A broad CTE catalog anchors the sophomore pathway and gives juniors and seniors direct experience in applied fields from trades to technology.
General education and MNTC courses
Writing, math, and social science courses that carry Minnesota Transfer Curriculum credit, letting students blend transfer goals with technical interests.
Business and professional coursework
Applied business courses that pair naturally with DCTC's technical programs for students eyeing entrepreneurship or management in the trades.

Campus & getting there

DCTC's campus sits on 96 acres in Rosemount, along County Road 42 about 20 miles south of downtown St. Paul, with easy access from Highway 52 and Highway 3. Most students drive, and the campus is within half an hour of nearly every south and southeast metro district. DCTC shares leadership and systems with Inver Hills Community College up the road in Inver Grove Heights, and some students coordinate coursework across the two.

Will my credits transfer?

DCTC belongs to Minnesota State, so its general education courses count toward the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum and transfer across the system and to the University of Minnesota. Technical program credits behave differently: they transfer into related applied degrees, often through articulation agreements, rather than as generic credit. Students planning a bachelor's degree should weight MNTC courses in their schedule, while students headed for a technical career can stack credits toward a DCTC certificate, diploma, or AAS that finishes quickly after high school.

Dakota County Technical College PSEO FAQ

Juniors and seniors qualify with a 2.6 cumulative GPA. Below that, students in the 2.0 to 2.59 range can substitute an Accuplacer Reading score of 250 or higher, a passing 10th grade reading MCA, a 21 ACT composite, or SAT scores of roughly 530 math and 480 evidence-based reading and writing. For sophomores, the CTE route requires a passing 8th grade reading MCA of 850 or higher.