Without a question, the PSEO route is the way to go. I have served as my daughters academic advisor for over 2 years now. At the beginning of her Jr year she switched from BE Emerson Hockey Academy to a quasi home school/PSEO at Saint Paul College. This past year, she switched into the SPPS Highland Park Sr high, but continued taking pseo (college) classes full time at UMN, Hamline Univ and Saint Paul College. she has amassed 56 college credits that will transfer to any public university and most private colleges. This spring, the semester grades were sent to the home address, showing her 4 courses (15 credits worth) It was the equivalent to opening up a letter and finding a $25,000 check that I don’t have to write out in the future to OSU. Not bad. Over all, I calculated that by taking PSEO course, she has saved the family the equivalent of $110,000 in tuition, R&B and other costs equivalent to 2 years of college at a major university. So financially, its a no brainer … pseo over IB every time. Academically, the best indicator of how you are going to do in college is by how you do in college courses. So if your student is motivated and mature enough to take class at your local community college or university, THAT is what colleges look at with regard to your expected ability to handle a college class load, not ACT score nor IB grades at your high school. 40 years ago when I went to HS we could take classes at the local college, but we had to pay the tuition. Now states like Minnesota, Wisconsin and Wyoming have the PSEO/BOCES programs that pay the tuition for the high school student. Yes, it is possible to have your cake and eat it too.