Early Colleges Offer Educational Alternatives
Earning College Credit While Still in High School
One of the many positive changes taking place in high schools across the nation is the proliferation of Early Colleges. Associated with college or university institutions and located on their campuses, Early Colleges allow selected high school students to take college courses, earning them college credit while still in high school. The benefits to early colleges are many, for students as well as parents.
Giving Potentially “At Risk” Students an Alternative
Early Colleges are not just for high school students that excel. Many Early College students are first generation college students, particularly in rural areas. In August 2009, North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue visited the Early College at Surry Community College in Dobson, NC. “This is what it’s all about,” she said. “You give kids who really want a chance a real shot…” Surry County has a high unemployment rate, suffering from the demise of the North Carolina textile industry.
Early Colleges are funded by state education funds. In the case of Surry Community College’s Early College program, part of the revenue support comes from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. There is no tuition and books are free. Students can complete their high school diploma, earn up to 24 credits of college work toward an Associates Degree, and even transfer that credit to senior, four-year institutions. Over 300 students are enrolled at Surry.
Students that might be lost in the traditional high school structure find the demanding requirements an incentive. At the same time, students that might otherwise be attending non-public institutions like private religious schools or day schools experience the same – if not better, levels of instruction without paying tuition, fees, and buying books.
Advantages of Early Colleges
Parents considering the Early College option should consider the advantages of the program:
- No tuition or other costs
- Small class sizes
- Instructors with Masters Degrees that are on the college faculty
- Personalized instruction
- Ability of students to earn transferable college credit
Level and Quality of Instruction
Because Early Colleges are part of college and university institutions while still tied to the local public school systems, instructors of classes offering college credit must have an MA degree in the field they are teaching. This reflects a high degree of subject expertise usually only found in private schools.
Textbooks used for the college courses are the same as any used in a standard college freshman survey course. Student assessments tend to demonstrate higher levels of academic accountability and subject competency. With smaller student-teacher ratios, a higher degree of personalized instruction is possible, enabling every student to succeed.
Caveats and Criticisms
Because Early Colleges are geared to high school students, the inevitable questions of maturity, organizational skills, and intellectual ability are frequently raised by critics of the program. It has been well demonstrated and documented, however, that students in traditional high schools, even in the lower grade levels, can succeed in advanced classes such as Advanced Placement or IB courses.
During the 1990s, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro pioneered a program called “Fast Forward” that allowed students on high school campuses, both public and non-public, to take university courses for bona fide credit. The program worked and was only discontinued when all such courses became a part of an on-line program called “I-School,” replacing the traditional face-to-face classes.
Early Colleges Represent the Future of Education
The economic recession has decisively affected education, prompting reforms on all levels as well as promoting evaluations of programs that were considered status quo operations. Out of the educational reform movement will emerge new methodologies of high school and university level educational programs. The Early College promises to be one of the most profitable for students, enabling many to earn the credits necessary in preparing for newly emerging careers.
Sources:
WGHP – Greensboro, August 18, 2009 interview with Governor Perdue
Forsyth Community College Early College
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