Pre-College Programs & Opportunities
What is Pre-College?
“Pre-college” is quickly becoming a regular part of the college exploration/decision process. It’s also very new and can be confusing! Colleges that have these programs have varied requirements and advantages. As families explore these programs, there are some very important questions to ask as you research.
What is the cost of the program?
- Many times the structure of the program (see explanation below) determines this, but this can be an important consideration as the college savings can be significant.
What is the particular structure of the program?
- Is this a summer program in which courses are only offered on campus?
- Is this a dual enrollment program in which the students take classes online and earn college credit while in high school?
- Is there some other kind of structure that is different than the above options?
What are the requirements of the program?
- What is the minimum GPA/test score for a student to be admitted?
- What must one get in the course in order to receive credit?
- What must one get in the course (and how many courses must be taken) in order to receive the “advantage” (if any) of this particular program?
What are the advantages, if any, of the program?
- For instance, a popular pre-college program is Auburn First, in which one gets automatic admission to Auburn if one meets the requirements for passing the courses, while maintaining a 3.3 GPA. (Note: students must also pass a math evaluation, and they tweak all requirements periodically). This is an incredible advantage for students who have a strong work ethic but do not shine on standardized tests.
What year can students begin the program?
- Some allow students to enroll as early as 8th grade, others only allow it after the end of sophomore year.
Will credits transfer to other schools?
- Some pre-college programs offer college credit, some do not and are simply instructional and experiential in nature (although they will offer certificates of completion that students can use on a résumé).
Aside from answering those questions, I want to define a few terms that tend to get used synonymously but can mean very different things depending upon the context.
Pre-college – the general name given for college programs that are open to students in middle school or high school. They may or may not offer actual college credit for the course(s).
Dual enrollment – the general name given to actual college courses offered to students who are in high school. It simply means that you are in high school and college simultaneously. Dual enrollment courses often have a particular “path” or goal that students are moving toward (like an associate’s degree at half the cost or automatic admission, etc). Sometimes called “Early College”.
Dual credit – the name given to college courses that simultaneously give high school and college credit. This obviously involves a participating high school. (At this time McT is not a dual credit institution).
***“Dual Enrollment” designation usually means the college course is taught by the college prof, while “Dual Credit” is usually taught by the high school teacher***
Below is a list of programs that have been sent to the Guidance Office through email correspondence. If there are other schools you are interested in, do some research to find out whether those schools offer pre-college programs!
Summer programs may have December and January deadlines, so if you are interested, go ahead and look through! Financial aid is available for many programs!