Can I really earn a full associate degree at Normandale while in high school?

Yes — about 180 students do it every year. Starting PSEO full time as a junior gives you four semesters, which is enough to complete an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science if you plan carefully with a Normandale advisor from your first term.

When are Normandale's PSEO application deadlines?

June 1 for fall semester and December 1 for spring semester. On top of that, public school students have a separate legal step: the district must be told by May 30 if you're starting in fall, or October 30 for spring.

Where do I go with PSEO questions on campus?

Normandale has a dedicated PSEO office in room C1180 that handles applications, NOSR paperwork, and program questions. Having a single staffed office is a real advantage over schools where PSEO runs through general admissions.

Does Normandale offer online classes for PSEO students?

Yes. Normandale runs both on-campus and online sections, and many PSEO students blend the two so college fits around their high school day. Availability varies each term, so check the schedule when you register.

How well do Normandale credits transfer to the U of M or Minnesota State universities?

Very well. MNTC-aligned general education transfers to all Minnesota public colleges and universities, and Transfer Pathway associate degrees guarantee junior standing at Minnesota State universities. Thousands of Normandale students transfer on this route — PSEO students ride the same rails.

Community & Technical College

Normandale Community College

Bloomington, Minnesota

Every year, about 180 students graduate from Normandale Community College with an associate degree the same year they receive their high school diploma. That single number explains why Normandale PSEO is one of the most popular dual enrollment programs in the Twin Cities: this Bloomington campus is set up not just for a class or two, but for students who want to finish two full years of college for free before they turn 18.

Apply Now Start NOSR Application

GPA Requirements

Juniors (11th Grade)

3.0 GPA

ORTop 33% Class

OR70th Percentile on nationally standardized test

Seniors (12th Grade)

2.6 GPA

ORTop 50% Class Rank

OR50th Percentile on nationally standardized test

Program Details

Accepts 10th GradersYes (CTE only)

CTE Courses AvailableYes

Term Systemsemester

About the PSEO program

Full disclosure: myPSEO exists partly because of this school. Our founder earned his Associate of Science in Computer Science at Normandale through PSEO before finishing high school, so we know the campus, the advising, and the paperwork from the student side. The program has a dedicated PSEO office in room C1180 that handles applications, NOSR forms, and questions — you are never guessing who to email.

Eligibility is achievable for most solid students: a 3.0 GPA for juniors or a 2.6 for seniors, with class-rank and test-score alternatives if your GPA is not there yet. Sophomores can even start with a qualifying Reading MCA score. Applications are due June 1 for fall and December 1 for spring.

Why choose Normandale Community College for PSEO

A proven associate-degree-in-high-school pipeline

Roughly 180 Normandale students per year earn an associate degree alongside their diploma, so advisors know exactly how to sequence two free years of college.

A dedicated PSEO office on campus

Room C1180 is staffed specifically for PSEO students — applications, forms, and advising questions all have a real home instead of a general inbox.

Multiple ways to qualify, starting in 10th grade

GPA, class rank, national test percentile, or MCA/Accuplacer reading scores can each get you in, and sophomores have a defined entry path.

South-metro location with online flexibility

The Bloomington campus is central for the south and west metro, and online sections let students fit college around a high school schedule.

Credits built to transfer

Normandale's transfer-focused catalog is aligned to the MNTC and Minnesota State Transfer Pathways, so PSEO credits keep their value at four-year schools.

Programs & courses

Computer Science (AS)
A full Associate of Science pathway that PSEO students can complete before graduation — it is the exact degree myPSEO's founder earned here through the program.
Minnesota Transfer Curriculum general education
Composition, math, sciences, and humanities courses covering all ten MNTC goal areas, the backbone of most PSEO schedules.
Associate of Arts (transfer degree)
The flexible two-year degree many PSEO students complete alongside their diploma before transferring to a university as a junior.
STEM and pre-health coursework
Lab sciences and advanced math sequences prepare students aiming at engineering, computer science, or health-care majors.

Campus & getting there

Normandale's campus is in Bloomington, just off the France Avenue and 98th Street area in the south metro, an easy drive from Edina, Richfield, Eden Prairie, Burnsville, and Minneapolis. Metro Transit bus service reaches campus for students without a car, and the campus itself — including its well-known Japanese Garden — is compact and easy to navigate between classes. Students who cannot commute daily can build schedules around Normandale's online course sections, and many PSEO students mix one or two campus days with remote coursework.

Will my credits transfer?

Transfer is Normandale's core business. Courses align to the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MNTC), so general education credits are honored at every Minnesota State university and the University of Minnesota. Completing an Associate of Arts or a Transfer Pathway degree through PSEO means you can enter a partner university with junior standing — two years of a bachelor's degree finished free. Private colleges in the metro also regularly accept Normandale coursework, though each evaluates transfers on its own terms.

Normandale Community College PSEO FAQ

Juniors need one of these: a 3.0 GPA, a spot in the top 33 percent of their class, or a 70th percentile result on a nationally standardized test. Seniors need a 2.6 GPA, a rank in the top half, or a 50th percentile national test result. Sophomores can qualify for CTE coursework with a Reading MCA of 850 or higher, or a 250 Accuplacer Reading score if they never took the MCA.