Dual Enrolled High Schoolers Get Jump on College
At age 15, while helping in her grandfather’s studio, Alyssa DeFranco of Brandywine knew she wanted to pursue photography in college. When she saw a poster for the CSM dual enrollment program at Thomas Stone High School in her junior year, she was ready to set her plan into motion. After submitting the required forms and paperwork, Ms. DeFranco was registered for courses as a college freshman during her senior year in high school.
By spending her senior year of high school attending classes at College of Southern Maryland’s La Plata Campus, Ms. DeFranco said, “I saved time and money, and I had the opportunity to explore different fields of study. The best part is that I was able to focus on moving ahead in college.”
The Dual Enrollment Program at CSM gives high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to simultaneously earn college credit—with up to a 50 percent reduction—that may also count as credit toward a high school diploma. Public, private and home-schooled high school students are eligible to participate.
High school juniors and seniors interested in CSM’s dual enrollment program for the fall semester have until July 15 to apply. The process begins with the student’s high school guidance counselor to learn if eligibility requirements for enrollment have been met. Students in the dual enrollment program can receive up to a 50 percent reduction in CSM tuition while in high school. For information, contact CSM enrollment advisor at 301-934-7765 or 301-934-2251 or visit the website linked above.
“High school students will have the opportunity to earn transferable credit and be that much closer to a college degree,” said CSM Admissions Director Brian Hammond. “Transferability of CSM courses to meet high school graduation requirements varies by county and students should confirm their eligibility through their high school guidance counselor.”
Dual enrolled students constitute a growing trend in education has more and more high school juniors and seniors moving to start their collegiate academic pursuits at their local community college. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 82 percent of U.S. public high schools reported that students were enrolled in a dual-credit course in the 2010-11 academic year which totals about 1.4 million students taking two million courses representing a 75 percent increase in students since 2002.
“For Southern Maryland students who have maintained a 2.50 grade point average, and who have completed the 10th grade, getting a head start on college is an option,” Mr. Hammond said. “Students can investigate new areas of interests, challenge their intellect, enhance their studies and earn college credit while they simultaneously complete high school.”
For information on admission options for high school students, visit here.
