Dual Enrollment is a program through which high school students take classes through eligible public or private colleges/universities while still enrolled at the local high school and earn credit at both the high school and college.
3-5 college semester hours = 1 high school credit
Advantages of Dual Enrollment
There are numerous benefits associated with participating in dual enrollment programs:
- Offsets some college expenses
- Shortens the time to get a degree
- Allows qualified students to reduce their course load when they attend college full time
- Avoids duplication in course content
- Offers more challenging curricula for good students
- Eases the transition from high school to college
- Student more likely to go on to get a degree
Coastal Pines Technical College (formerly OTC) and South Georgia State College , (Waycross campus) are both eligible institutions for qualified Ware County High School students.
To be eligible for Dual Enrollment, a student must:
- Be classified as a high school junior or senior
- Be accepted by Coastal Pines Technical School (CPTC) or South Georgia State College (SCSC)
- Take approved courses (approved by high school and college)
- Be a legal Georgia resident
- Be reported on the high school's FTE report during the preceding October and March counts
- Maintain satisfactory academic performance at both schools.
ACCEL Program is a non-need based grant intended for Dual Enrollment students . The ACCEL program covers full tuition to public colleges only. Students who plan to attend a private college receive an amount based on the number of hours they take. Hours taken and paid for by the ACCEL program beginning in Fall 2011 will not be counted in the combined paid hours limit for the HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant or the ZELL MILLER Scholarship.
BE AWARE: Dual Enrollment opportunities are awesome! However, students who fail or drop classes at the college/university level can severely damage their academic record and future scholarship possibilities. In order to be successful in Dual Enrollment opportunities, students must be responsible regarding class attendance and academic achievement.
It is possible to lose eligibility to graduate from high school on time by dropping, changing or failing Dual Enrollment courses.
The ACCEL Program
Recipients must meet all of these requirements:
- Be classified as a high school junior or senior
- Be accepted by CPTC or SGSC, Waycross campus
- Take approved courses (approved by high school and college)
- Be a legal resident of Georgia
- Be reported on the high schools FTE report during the preceding October and March counts
- Maintain satisfactory academic performance at both schools
- Meet US citizenship requirements
- Be registered with the Selective Service, if required
- Not be in default or owe a refund on any student financial aid program
- Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Act of 1990
Dual Enrollment Opportunities
Juniors and seniors can attend a Georgia college or university full-time. The credit students earn at the college campus counts towards both college and high school requirements. Students can save money on future college costs because most expenses are paid by a funding mechanism established by the Georgia Legislature. The funding covers 12 hours per semester. Tuition, materials fees and possibly books may be paid through dual enrollment funding. Food, transportation and other costs are the responsibility of the student. Interested students and parents meet with the high school counselor
Requirements include:
- Meeting the college / university entrance requirements
- Complete the college application form
- Meet Dual Enrollment requirements as set by the GA DOE and the Ware County BOE
- Select approved courses that meet high school graduation requirements.