“NEVER HAS CHALLENGING BEEN SO REWARDING”

Gracie Nelson shares her PSEO experiences at Oak Hills

High school students taking advantage of Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) have various reasons for entering college level courses during high school. While I enjoyed high school and had great friends, I also enjoy being challenged. I studied hard to get good grades and really liked the idea of getting a jump start on my college career so I decided to enroll in PSEO courses at Oak Hills Christian College my junior year of high school.

Before classes began I was nervous. I thought I was going to be so lost and was expecting people to treat me differently since I was still in high school. Boy was I wrong! I was immediately accepted by my classmates, faculty and staff at Oak Hills. My professors were so helpful and understanding about my situation. Any time I needed extra help or got overwhelmed I could go to their office and they really listened to me. The courses, challenging yet fun, gave me a big head start on my college career. Even though I lived off campus I still participated in many fun on-campus activities, and made some great friends.

As my first year of PSEO drew to a close, I discovered that my PSEO coursework would enable me to graduate high school a full year early! Never has challenging been so rewarding.

After I graduated high school, I knew that Oak Hills was the college I wanted to attend. It already felt like home. That fall I entered Oak Hills with sophomore status, lived in the dorms and absolutely loved it! I’ve made life long friends who have shared life with me, cried with me, prayed with me and laughed with me. At Oak Hills I’ve always felt supported and that is huge for me.

I am in the Applied Psychology program and would strongly recommend it. Professor Houle is an amazing instructor and I know the things that I’ve learned at Oak Hills will be applicable as I enter the psychology world. After graduation I hope to open a halfway house for victims of sexual abuse in Bemidji or near a bigger city. I want to teach them skills to get a job and help them through the recovery process and find hope.

Oak Hills has huge advantages being a small school, and I would recommend it to anyone -- PSEO or not. It's a place where I felt loved and accepted right away. Oak Hills was personal, yet gave me room to branch out and be my own person. I was never told what to believe, but was provided with biblical foundation, a worldview consistent with my Christian faith, and knowledge to decide what I wanted to believe. Oak Hills ended up being a great choice for me and I think it would be a great place for you too!