Admission Criteria

Liberal Arts and Sciences

Below are the minimum qualifications high school juniors and seniors must meet in order to enroll in Liberal Arts and Sciences courses (often referred to as “generals”) at Ridgewater College:

Juniors:

• High school class rank in the upper 1/3 of their class
• OR HS cumulative GPA of 3.0
• And placement into college-level reading based on GPA or Accuplacer, ACT or SAT scores 
  • Juniors will automatically meet the reading placement criteria due to 3.0 GPA requirement

Seniors:

• High school class rank – upper 1/2 of their class,
• OR HS cumulative GPA of 2.5
• And placement into college-level reading based on GPA or Accuplacer, ACT or SAT scores
  • High school seniors with a cumulative GPA below 3.0 will need to take the reading portion of the Accuplacer assessment and meet minimum scores OR meet the ACT/SAT scores noted below. 
    • ACT Reading scores of 19 or higher
    • SAT Reading score of 440-449 or ERW 480 or higher

In addition, juniors and seniors wishing to take college-level math or chemistry courses may need to take the math portion of the Accuplacer. Students will be notified if the Accuplacer assessment is required.

Technical Education

High school juniors and seniors applying for technical coursework must demonstrate the ability to successfully complete college coursework at a C or higher. Students are admitted based on a review of coursework taken in high school, GPA, class rank, and the Accuplacer assessment. 

Sophomores

High school sophomores may enroll in one select career or technical education course at Ridgewater College from this list of courses. High school sophomores are not eligible to enroll in Liberal Arts & Sciences courses. To enroll, Sophomores must meet the following requirements:

• Attained a reading score of 850 or higher on the 8th grade Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA).
  • If a student does not have an MCA score, they are eligible to take the Accuplacer reading assessment.  A score of 220 or higher is required.
• Meet any other course prerequisites or course enrollment standards established by the College. including assessment test scores, program admission, or other requirements.
• If a student receives a grade of C or better in the course, the student can take additional courses in subsequent terms, including Liberal Arts & Sciences courses, so long as pre-requisites for the course(s) are met.
• Sophomores who wish to continue their PSEO experience in their Junior/Senior year should contact the Admissions Office, as additional requirements must be met. This includes submitting an updated high school transcript, Credit Balance Form, and a new Program Notice of Student Registration Form. Accuplacer testing may also be required.
• Sophomores must also submit a 2026-2027 Application Supplement Form. This is required for sophomores only.

Determine your eligibility for admission by consulting with your high school counselor. Discuss whether PSEO is appropriate for your academic plan and individual circumstances (extra-curricular activities and/or jobs, study skills, maturity level, support system, etc.).

You may also choose to meet with a Ridgewater PSEO representative by contacting [email protected].

Parents/guardians and high school counselors are required to sign-off on paperwork included in the application process. As you work with your high school counselor, create a list of courses you still need to complete to meet high school graduation requirements. High school graduation is the priority for PSEO students, and continuous contact with your high school counselor is important.

Whether you intend to start during the Fall or Spring Semester, Minnesota State requires public school students to inform the district by May 30 prior to the start of the school year.

Complete and submit the Ridgewater College Online Application. Refer to our application deadlines on when the application opens each semester.

You will create a StarID and password to access the online application. Make note of your StarID and password.

Complete and Gather Additional Documentation

Once you complete your online application, you will receive a link by email to submit the required forms and documentation through an online form.  Your application will not be considered complete or reviewed until you submit this documentation:

• Credit Balance Supplement Form – to be completed by a school counselor or other contact. Required for juniors and seniors.
  • Credit Balance Form (Juniors and Seniors) [PDF] 
• Program Notice of Student Registration (NOSR) Form – required for all PSEO students.
  • 2026-2027 Notice of Student Registration (NOSR) [PDF]
  • This form is also available in alternative formats.  
• Application Supplement Form – required for sophomores only.
  • 2026-2027 Application Supplement Form (Sophomores) [PDF]
• Official High School Transcript
• Accuplacer Testing – Students may be required to complete the Accuplacer Test to determine placement into college-level English or Math courses.

You can submit any of the following ways:

Email to: [email protected]
 
Mail to:
Ridgewater College – PSEO
2101 15th Ave NW
Willmar, MN 56201
 
In person: Place in drop box outside front entrance or bring to front desk staff inside. 

Once your online application and additional documentation are received, admittance to the program will be determined and you will be notified via email of your admission status and next steps.

Students applying for technical course work who meet admission requirements will be accepted after October 1st for Spring Semester and February 1st for Fall Semester on a space available basis.

New PSEO students are required to complete an online PSEO orientation prior to their first semester. Information on orientation is included in the acceptance letter.

PSEO students are required to meet with their PSEO academic advisor to select courses prior to registering. Students will be advised on the credit balance sheet submitted with their PSEO application and must confirm with their high school counselor that their Ridgewater courses meet their high school graduation requirements.

Students participating in the program must maintain a cumulative Ridgewater GPA of 2.0 or better to remain active in the program. Students who fail to meet the 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement will be suspended from the program and must plan to return to their high school.