5 Reasons Doing PSEO Was One of the Best Decisions I've Ever Made

1. Escape from high school

Having to ask to go to the bathroom, being forced to get up at 6:30 a.m., only having one choice for lunch, getting in trouble with your parents if you skip class, and riding the bus with thirteen year olds. That's high school, not college. In college you can usually get up and leave class no questions asked, you can sleep in until 30 minutes before the earliest class you scheduled for yourself, there is a multitude of lunch options, you could never go to class and your parents would never be called, and seeing people under the age of 18 at school is very rare. There are so many freedoms available in college that it makes high school look like prison. (Read my post about reasons college is better than high school.) And if your 4 year sentence could be lifted 2 years early then why not take it?

2. Exposure to college atmosphere

Not only do you get to escape the boredom of high school, but you get the rare opportunity to see what college is like before you are thrown into it with no idea what you are doing. PSEO provides a more gentle transition. You get to see what college professors are like, get your textbooks, experience daytime college life, roam a college campus, do college level work, and meet college students. But at the same time you don't have to worry about paying for it all, you don't have roommate troubles (unless you live on campus), you can take a reduced load without risking not graduating on time, you can keep your ties to your high school friends, and you have your parents to help you along the way. Then when the time comes for you to actually go off the college you may very well be a pro (especially if you end up going to the college you took PSEO classes at).

3. Money, money, money

Sticker price, tuition at my school (University of Northwestern - St. Paul) is $28,390. Look, I don't have that kind of money in my change jar or even in my savings account (17 years of birthday money, 1 year of PCA work, and 2 years of tutoring people in math don't get you that much). Multiply that by the 5 years it'll take me to get my bachelor's in pastoral ministry and my master's of  divinity degree and you'll get... a heart attack. That's not even including room and board, meal plans, parking permits, dorm furnishings, or textbooks. College is expensive. This isn't news. Getting in anywhere from a semester to a year of free college can save you tons of money. Also, if it convinces you to do PSEO you can make yourself your parent's new favorite child (I know I am #1 now. That's a joke - anyone who knows me knows I am an only child.). Put it into perspective... even $30,000 saved in tuition is huge. With that money you could buy a brand new Dodge Challenger or 42 Samsung 1080p HD LED 50" Smart TVs or over 6 thousand venti White Chocolate Mochas from Starbucks or 25,000 tacos from Taco Bell or sponsor 3 children (from the time they are born to the time they become adults) through Compassion and give them nearly $100 every Christmas. I'm telling you PSEO can save you SO much money.

4. Chance to start working towards your future

If you are anything like you me you hate the idea of wasting your valuable time learning calculus. I am an impatient person and I'll bet you are too. Personally, I want to go out into the world and start a church. I want to lead people to Christ and I want to do it now. I need to educated and prepared but that doesn't have to wait until I am almost 19. I am doing it all now so I will have a master's degree and be ready to start proclaiming the name of Jesus for a living when I am 21. Whatever your dream is, you can start working towards it up to 2 years sooner by doing PSEO.

5. Ability to test the waters of a certain college

If there is a certain college you want to go to, doing PSEO there will give you a good idea if it is truly the place for you. Before you move in and start paying tuition for something you may not like, PSEO gives you the opportunity to try a college out with only a semester commitment. If it isn't for you, then move on to another college.



Note to those who have been scared of PSEO because of their schools...
A majority of schools see you as money. You are worth several thousand dollars of funding. If you choose to do PSEO, they get very little money for you. This is why so many teachers and administrators try to scare students away from PSEO. They want their money. Sure, some students do best in high school but if you have the support of your parents, you are informed, and you are willing to work then don't let anyone try and stop you from saving yourself that cash, testing out those waters, fleeing high school, entering college life, and working towards your dreams!