August 28, 2015 -- High school students looking to get a jump on college credits can take advantage of Georgia’s Dual Enrollment/Dual Credit programs’ opportunities, which are available, while pursuing curriculum requirements toward graduation.
According to the Georgia Department of Education’s website, participation in Dual Enrollment/Dual Credit programs eases the transition from high school to college, provides students an early start to their college careers and offers meaningful and challenging academic experiences to qualified students, including those who might not otherwise have access to early college opportunities.
Some working within dual enrollment programs commented on the benefits and advantages high school students can gain in the various programs, which offer virtual and online classes toward a college degree.
James Robinson III, mentor/tutor, ExPand Program, gave an overview of one such virtual/online program in the local area.
“We work with the surrounding counties, mostly with Dougherty County students, who are early-enrolled students,” Robinson said. “They are students still in high school, but they want to take college classes. We heavily encourage enrolling in (a two-year college) because they can pick up a (college) degree before they actually graduate high school.
“I recently graduated from high school,” Robinson added. “I was actually in one of the first groups to go through the program. My sister was the first to go through on her own; then, I followed her and lots of other students in my grade wanted to go through it as well and our group continued to expand. So, we decided to form like a study group and naturally 'ExPand' came from that idea and that's how we got our name.”
Dr. Lillian Rambeau, administrator, Jayda Lives, Inc. and the ExPand Program, recently attributed her daughter, Jayda Robinson’s, academic success to the dual enrollment program.
“Jayda graduated from college, at the age of 17, with an associate's degree while still in high school and attending online classes,” Rambeau wrote in her ExPand brochure. “She recently graduated from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, with a Bachelor of Science degree at age 19.”
According to Rambeau, not only has she assisted her daughter and son through the early college online program, but also she has assisted other high school students through the process, boasting a 100-percent graduation rate.
For more information on eligibility and criteria for enrolling in college-level courses, while still in high school, contact MCLB Albany’s School Liaison Officer, Latreesa Perryman, at 229-639-7497 or visit the Georgia DOE website at:
https://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/CTAE/Documents/CollegeCreditNow-DE.pdf.