Go To College For Free in High School, Without Scholarships, Grants or Fees

Perhaps this is something you've heard of. Perhaps I was the only one in the dark. Then again, I like to think I'm a pretty alert person and if I didn't know this was available, perhaps neither did you. The Post Secondary Education Options Program (PSEOP) may be the key to not only obtaining free college, but perhaps open doors to better colleges, scholarships, and college grants for my children and yours after high school. We're not talking about scholarships and grants here though. The program I'm speaking of is offered in the state of Ohio through 2 options, but I can only imagine that similar programs might exist throughout the nation. If you're in the same boat as I am, please read on. This might be the single most important program your high school student ever gets involved in.

PSEOP is a program created by the State of Ohio and funded through the Ohio Department of Education that offers your high schooler a college education while enrolled in high school. Basically, they can attend college courses in place of their regular high school courses and receive credit for both. They must still meet the criteria of the high school requirements to graduate but can do so by taking college classes and earning college credit at the same time. And did I mention that it's FREE!?

Of the colleges I've researched in my area, the only cost to the the student is that of the application, SAT and ACT test fees, orientation and parking permits. No tuition, no books, no coursework fees, and most importantly....NO HOAX!

Option "A" - This option requires the student to pay all the costs associated with college and only receive college credit. I didn't do a whole lot of research on this option because it was sort of the opposite of what I was in search of but assume it's for those who feel that their student could attend college full time, receive a degree at a much younger age, and not be concerned with receiving their high school diploma. Again, this is my assumption.
Option "B" (and focus of this Hub) - The student would not be required to pay tuition and would receive credit for both high school and college. Some do not even require fees for books or coursework. Just the application, SAT/ACT test, orientation fees, and parking permit if needed.
NOTE: Participants are not usually eligible for financial aid or work-study programs.

Each college and high school will have slightly different requirements for students to participate in the PSEO program. I've found the following ranges in my area to be "par" for a junior or senior hoping to enter the program. (Minimum requirements seem to be a bit higher for a freshman or sophomore.)

- Intent to Participate Form (Provided to high school by March of preceeding year)
- Consent from your high school counselor or principal
- Parental Consent
- ACT score ranging from 23 to 26
- Combined SAT score ranging from 1070 to 1110
- Cumulative GPA of 3.0 - 4.0
- Admission Application and Fee (Deadlines may vary depending on whether they're applying for summer, fall, or spring courses and it seems that a first come first serve basis is used for funding.)

PSEOP may not be for everyone. Of course whether or not your student meets the requirements is the first consideration but there is much beyond that. These ARE college level courses with college age students in a college, not high school. No special accommodations are made for the PSEOP high school student in the college classroom. They are expected to put forth the same effort as any other college student and behave as a mature young adult. If the student fails a college course, they too then fail the high school course and are required to repay the fees associated with the course to their local school district.

Transportation is to be provided for the student by the student or student's family, not the local school or college. Depending on how many credit hours are taken, the student may be solely in college courses or splitting their day between college and high school courses. This can also impact their participation in high school activities such as sports, band, etc... It also plays a big part in why most students in the program are juniors and seniors. Freshman and sophomore age students may also be overcome by the workload and subject to topics and conversations geared toward the older college student, not the public school system.

Did I mention it was free? Okay, I know it's getting cliched but really...this is roughly the equivalent of 2 years of college at little cost to you or your child. In today's terms, that's somewhere in the range of $15,000 - $30,000 in savings depending on the college. No loans, no interest, no grants or scholarships, just straight savings.

There are other benefits too that can't be forgotten. Perhaps your child would like to attend a more prestigeous college after high school...I'd have to believe successful participation in PSEOP would only improve their chances of acceptance. Regardless of the college, they will complete their post secondary education at a younger age and be more acclimated to the college workload once leaving high school. To me, the list just goes on.

I agree, this just sounds too good but I assure you, it's not. This is a real program with real benefits that could potentially change your child's life. I strongly encourage you to talk with your child's high school guidance counselor to get the information packets, forms, and details about this program or one similar through their school. Talk with them about what requirements your child has to meet for high school graduation and how the college courses you choose must fit their curriculum. They can also provide guidance on how the college credits they accumulate in the PSEOP can transfer to other colleges later, though this is more decided by the college they will transfer to.