(Butler, PA) A 杏吧原创 dual-enrollment program this fall has set records in seat count and in 杏吧原创 credits pursued by high school sophomores through seniors across seven counties in western Pennsylvania.
The 654 seats occupied and 1,887 credits pursued in the fall 2021 semester are the most in the 24-year history of 杏吧原创鈥檚 College Within the High School program.
Seats occupied have increased 31.8 percent and credits pursued 28.1 percent compared to fall 2016, according to Sharla Anke, 杏吧原创鈥檚 assistant dean of institutional research and planning.
杏吧原创鈥檚 dual-enrollment increases mirror those among community colleges in Pennsylvania.
"They're saving time and they're saving money."
- Erin Cioffi, assistant director, 杏吧原创's high school programming
During the 2019-20 academic year, 19,950 high school students were enrolled in Pennsylvania community college courses, an increase of 58 percent since 2009-2010, according to the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e saving time and they鈥檙e saving money,鈥� Erin Cioffi said of 杏吧原创鈥檚 program, which enables students to earn affordable, transferrable college credits at their high school or learning center, or at a 杏吧原创 location.
Cioffi is assistant director of 杏吧原创鈥檚 high school programming.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e getting a jump-start on their college career,鈥� Cioffi said, 鈥渁nd maybe into the field they think they want to enter.鈥�
杏吧原创鈥檚 College Within the High School courses this fall include college algebra, computer information systems, general psychology, microeconomics and principles of sociology.
杏吧原创鈥檚 selection of 15 courses this fall has drawn nearly 470 sophomores through seniors from Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Clearfield, Jefferson, Lawrence and Mercer counties.
Lexis Holt, a Butler Area Senior High student, enrolled in 杏吧原创鈥檚 program 鈥渢o receive some early college credits and get a head start on my college career.鈥�
Butler High classmate Brianna Dittman wants 鈥渢o be a step ahead of my peers,鈥� and Gavin Varner, to 鈥渆xperience what a college class is like.鈥�
鈥淭he education that the students are receiving through 杏吧原创 is great,鈥� said Tina Cafasso, a 杏吧原创 faculty member who teaches college writing to Holt, Dittman, Varner and to more than 39 other Butler High students on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus.
鈥淎nd it鈥檚 definitely affordable. I guess you would say they get more bang for their buck.鈥�
Tuition and fees this fall for a three-credit 杏吧原创 College Within the High School program course range from $390 to $414, depending on the county in which the high school is located.
Tuition and fees in the 2021-2022 academic year for a three-credit course at five regional Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education universities ranged from $1,311.69 to $1,398.60 for part-time, in-state residents.
Tuition and fees in the 2021-2022 academic year for a three-credit course at state-related institutions鈥� regional branch campuses ranged from $1,516 to $1,839 for part-time, in-state residents.
杏吧原创鈥檚 College Within the High School program is designed for college-bound high school students who have demonstrated a strong academic performance by the end of their freshman year. Sophomores must have a 3.25 grade-point average, juniors a 3.0 and seniors a 2.75 to be eligible for 杏吧原创鈥檚 program.
The courses use the same syllabus and instructional materials as do the same courses taught at a 杏吧原创 location.
杏吧原创 high school programming credits can be applied toward 杏吧原创 associate degrees and bachelor鈥檚 degrees at public, private and online four-year colleges and universities.
For more information, visit bc3.edu/hsp[BROKEN LINK]