"The program is designed to supplement educational resources in order to complement the high school preparatory curriculum," said Director of Undergraduate Admissions David Garcia.

The new guidelines open eligibility to all high school students regardless of their grade in school. Previous criteria required students to have a minimum of 10 high school credit units at the time of application.

Although younger students now may apply, these college-bound students may need to begin their preparation for higher education earlier than they had planned. Formerly, the program primarily used placement tests for admission. The new admission criteria will require submission of either an ACT or SAT score for consideration.

"This adjustment will objectify the process and align our admission criteria with other four-year public universities in Ohio," Garcia said, adding that most students benefit from taking the ACT or SAT multiple times during their high school careers.

Another change allows students interested in PSEOP the option of three application deadline dates that correspond with each quarter. The previous policy allowed students to apply only once per academic year, in May. Although this change may expand access to the program for some students, interested applicants should work closely with their high school guidance counselors to ensure that high school policies are followed.

Updated guidelines are effective for students applying for fall 2008 and beyond, and the revised requirements only pertain to students wishing to pursue post-secondary enrollment on the Athens campus. Students interested in the program at one of Ohio University's five regional campuses should contact the student services office at that location.

"Changing application guidelines in these ways will allow the Athens campus of Ohio University to expand the program, while aligning our PSEOP standards with our other admissions policies," Garcia said. "I'm hopeful that these changes will help us extend the educational opportunities for those students in our area who are academically prepared and socially mature." 

Details about deadlines and guidelines can be found on the PSEOP application form, available online at www.ohio.edu/admissions/forms.

The revised guidelines are separate from any that may be created for Gov. Ted Strickland's new "Seniors to Sophomores" initiative, which was announced last week. That plan would allow students who meet admissions standards to complete their final year of high school and their first year of college at the same time, with the state covering tuition.

A plan for exactly how the program will work are still under development, with the state offering incentive funding for a limited number of schools to create models of delivery that can be adopted across the state.