PROFILE: UC Engineering Major Gets An Early Jump On College

When Princeton High School graduate Mads Almassalkhi of Glendale entered UC as a freshman last fall, he had a good idea of how to find his classes, where to buy his books and the good spots to grab lunch. That’s because the electrical engineering/math major had already earned 15 hours of UC credit when he was still in high school.

During his senior year at Princeton, Mads earned UC credit, free of charge, through the Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program (PSEOP). To qualify, high school students must carry at least a 3.0 grade point average and place at the college level on the university’s math and English essay placement tests. There are presently 41 high school students who are taking classes on the UC campus this year. While Mads was finishing up his senior year at Princeton, he was taking two calculus classes and a differential equations class at UC. He found out about PSEOP through his high school counselor and math teacher.

Mads felt PSEOP would help him be successful in his plan to double major in math and engineering. “Without the courses I took at UC my senior year in high school, I would not feel as comfortable signing up for a second major due to the copious amount of work related to engineering.” He adds that his early look at college was appealing with “less restrictions, more intense learning and better in-depth teaching.”

It was also his experience in PSEOP that made him decide that UC was where he wanted to complete his college education. He says PSEOP requires a special dedication on the part of the high school student – perhaps giving up some social life and work hours – but he says he’d definitely recommend the experience. “You can’t lose, and it really gives you a big head start in college, educationally as well as mentally.”

Barbara Bucey, director of UC’s Post Secondary Options Enrollment Program, says future high school students interested in enrolling in PSEOP must notify their school by March 31 and submit their application packet to UC by April 15. For more information, contact Bucey at 513-556-2967 or check the PSEOP web site.