A Minnesota student used the state’s Post‑Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program to earn an associate degree before finishing high school, demonstrating a pathway that saved time and tuition while boosting civic engagement and leadership opportunities. The student credited transferable credits, the ability to take enough coursework each term, and limited out‑of‑pocket cost as the program’s key strengths. Policymakers looking to scale dual‑enrollment models may study Minnesota’s approach — especially credit transfer guarantees, flexible course caps, and funding structures that minimize student cost — to expand affordable degree pathways and shorten time‑to‑credential for underserved students.