PSEO: Life at the University of Minnesota
October 5, 2009 • written by Emily Beaver
The freedom and responsibility of college + the connections and community of high school = PSEO.
So what exactly is PSEO?
PSEO is similar to taking AP courses, except you are taking the class in the college setting and the grade you receive for the class determines if you earn the credit or not. There is no giant high-stakes test at the end of the year.
Why the U?
Personally, I was considering the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities as a potential college option, so I thought what better way to decide if it is the correct college for me than attending it for a year?
What about high school?
It is true that as a full time PSEO student I don’t have time to visit the high school or see as many people as I would like, but it all depends on your preferences. How often you see other people also depends on the effort you make to get together with friends.
So how is PSEO different from high school?
Well, for one my classes are laid out differently. I have a biology lecture and a separate biology lab. I have a math lecture and a separate math discussion. I have a different classes on different days with different free periods in between. I use my free time to eat lunch, do homework, and talk to a couple of friends. The expectations are also a little different, most of the time the professors won’t notice or care if you don’t show up to class, you just won’t do well if you don’t.
What is PSEO life like?
Well, here is where it gets interesting. There are various activities going on at the U and most of them occur outside of the Student Union where I hang out. For example, during the second week of school an anti-abortion group planted themselves on the lawn in front of the Student Union with comment boards, speakers, and graphic pictures. They set up their protest everyday for three days and by the third day a small group of picketers had formed to protest against the protesters. Who ever said politics couldn’t be interesting?
One of my favorite days would have to be the day of U-Fest. During the second week of school (after the anti-abortionists) tents began to pop up on the lawn in front of Coffman Student Union. As the day progressed the lawn filled with students standing in line for free food from local restaurants, to climb the rock wall the army recruiters put up, to gather the free coupons from local businesses and to enter in drawings to earn prizes. It was crowded but the excitement was akin to a miniature fair.
During the third week of school an art fair was held outside of Coffman. Some art businesses and individuals gathered to sell their artistic wares. Everything from paintings to magnets, jewelry to photographs were available for purchase.
The largest activity that I have witnessed so far was the fall clothing sale. The official U of M bookstore that sells clothing, textbooks, laptops, and just about anything else, set up tables outside covered in boxes of clothing. The sale went on for a little over a week, selling shirts, sweatshirts, books, hats, and odds and ends for a discounted price. The Coffman lawn became an outdoor mall until the rain and wind set in.
The University of Minnesota campus is always alive with some sort of activity, whether it is free sample day, a massive clothing sale, or just the man who preaches his own version of christianity. Next week the energy level is going to rise to a whole new level as the campus prepares for homecoming. So stick around for the next installment where I will relate the unofficial do’s and don’ts for a PSEO student at the U, explain Gophers after Dark, and relate all the excitement and activities leading up to the big homecoming game.
Filed Under Arts and Academics
Tagged: PSEO, University of Minnesota
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I am applying to do pseo next year at the university of minnesota, and I found this article informational and interesting.
Where can I find the follow-up article?
If click on viewpoints at the top of the wolfpack press page then click on PSEO most of the articles I have written regarding life as a PSEO student will be there.
If you have any questions or a topic that you would like to know more about just let me know.
Emily Beaver