Early college programs are a quick and cheap route to a degree
How early college programs work
In some cases, by the time they graduate from high school, students can pursue an associate’s degree, a type of dual enrollment known as “early college.”
not how Advanced PlacementAnother program in which high school students take courses and exams that could earn them college credit is dual enrollment, a state-run program that allows students to take college classes, often through a local community college, while they are still in high school school.
Unlike many AP classes, these programs are not limited to high school students on a specific — and often accelerated — academic path.
At least 35 states have policies that guarantee associate’s degree students can transfer to a four-year state school as a junior.
That saves two years on the cost of a bachelor’s degree and effectively cuts the bill in half, not to mention student loan debt.
Early college students are also more likely to enroll in college and earn degrees than their peers who were not enrolled in early college programs learn from the American Institutes for Research.
“Our research shows that early colleges are a powerful way to increase college enrollment and graduation rates, and that investing in these programs is beneficial for both the student and society at large,” he said Christina ZeiserPrincipal investigator of AIR.
Although there are up to 900 early college programs nationwide, according to Zeiser, many are still under the radar.
Hill Street Studios | Getty Images
“A 21st Century Approach” to Preparing Children for College
“Early college programs don’t try to make headlines,” said David Martinez, principal of Early College High School in Costa Mesa, California.
Early College High School is a Title I school in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, meaning there is a high percentage of low-income students. Funding is provided by the district and the state. “Parents don’t pay a dime,” Martinez said.
Students take a mix of high school and college-level courses, which reduces the time it takes to complete a high school diploma and one to two years of college courses.
Families need a 21st-century approach to preparing their children for college, and this is one of the ways to do it.
David Martinez
Principal of Early College High School in Costa Mesa, California
“Families need a 21st-century approach to preparing their children for college, and this is one of the ways to do that,” Martinez said.
According to a previous study, nearly two-thirds of dual-enrollment community college students nationally came from low- and middle-income families Graduated from Columbia University’s Teachers College.
88% of these students went on to college after high school, and most graduated within six years.
“It’s a very smart way to start higher education,” said Martha Parham, senior vice president of public relations at the American Association of Community Colleges.
Over a four-year period, early college programs cost about $3,800 more per student than traditional high school programs, according to another study learn by plane.
However, the estimated return on this investment is approximately $33,709 in increased lifetime earnings.
“A free associate’s degree can really set you down a path where everything seems more doable,” Zeiser said.
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/13/early-college-programs-are-a-quicker-cheaper-way-to-a-degree.html Early college programs are a quick and cheap route to a degree
