Friday, Sep. 05, 2008

Program gives high school students a jump start on college

As a senior in high school, Kelsie Hanson already knows she probably has a lot of school ahead of her. The Olathe South High School student is thinking about a career in the medical field. Right now she is enrolled in three high school courses that also will eventually give her college credit.

“Basically I’m taking them to get a jump start on college,” Hanson said.

About 1,106 students in the Olathe school district made the same decision last year. The “College Now” program offered through Johnson County Community College allows college credit to be earned if the course is completed successfully and tuition is paid. A course through College Now costs Johnson County students $65 a credit hour, a factor Hanson said her parents were happy about.

“It’s cheaper than paying for it my freshman year of college,” Hanson said.

According to the University of Central Missouri Web site (Hanson’s University of choice) an undergraduate credit hour costs $195.30. For an out-of-state resident the cost is $390.60.

College-equivalent courses taken in high school are an option that more high school students in the United States might follow as college tuition rates continue to increase. In the 2007-2008 school year, students and parents across the United States paid from $95 to $1,404 on average more than the year prior for tuition and fees, according to a report released by the College Board. College Now is even more of a bargain if one considers the cost of room and board increasing each year, Loralee Stevens, community outreach for credit instruction for Johnson County Community College, said.

“This is a way to get credit hours before writing that check for tuition,” said Stevens. “We encourage people to take advantage of what they can before each extra year.”

The College Now program allows students to get a bit of “cushion” on their transcript before setting foot on a campus, Stevens said. That “cushion” goes beyond padding one’s wallet. Students gain more room if they want to drop a class, study abroad or take on a double-major. Previously-earned credit provides a better chance of graduating on time, she said.

“Once those credits are on your transcript, no one can take that away,” Stevens said. “Even if you change your degree or chose to go back to school, you will still have these credits.”

Before enrollment, it is important students look at college credit in terms of how it will benefit them in their future degree — make sure it fits in with future plans, said Larry Moeder, director of admissions and student financial assistance for Kansas State University.

“It can be good preparation for a student,” Moeder said. “It just depends on the type of course. If a student wants to jump on it and just get credit out of the way that is not always the best approach. But, if a student wants to gain experience and additional knowledge I do think there is a benefit to taking college credit early.”

Hanson, taking advice from older peers, will take Spanish, biology and algebra at the college level– all classes she said would likely challenge her.

“I think it will probably more difficult than just the average class,” Hanson said. “The expectations will be harder and I will have to prioritze– give me a feel of study habits in college.”

To ensure College Credits will challenge students appropriately, Johnson County Community College is part of the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships. The NACEP first accredited Johnson County in 2006, making it one of the first 20 schools in the nation to gain accreditation, Stevens said.

College Now is an option parents and students often choose over advanced placement courses offered by Olathe high schools, said Ron Darst, counselor at Olathe East High School. The cost of an AP course is about $85, he said. But, students only gain credit from an AP course once they pass a final exam.

“It is somewhat of a gamble,” Darst said.

Debbie Stewart’s son took college-credit courses at an Olathe high school last year and transferred them to a private university this year. Her son’s decision ended up saving the family hundreds of dollars, she said. But, they didn’t fill out enrollment forms for College Now until they made sure all hours would transfer.

Students at Olathe High Schools have more than 30 College Now courses to chose from ranging from Elementary Chinese to a Composition I class, but not every course transfers to every university.

Usually all it takes is a phone call to make sure classes transfer, Lisa Downs, assistant director of admissions at MidAmerica Nazarene University, said.

“Sometimes college credit does help a student graduate earlier but make sure your hours transfer,” Downs said. “Most schools will check that for students.”

Stewart’s son entered college with most of his science requirements taken care of.

“The university accepted them,” Stewart said. “It was good practice. It gave him a little bit of perspective that it is going to be tougher than a high school experience.”

Because of the advanced education experience, “regardless of what the dollar figure is,” Luann Hermreck, director of curriculum and instruction for Olathe district schools said she hopes students would consider taking college credit. “I would want students to value every opportunity they are provided,” Hermreck said. “I want students to think in terms of ‘how can I take an opportunity and spend the rest of my life applying myself.”

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