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What's New
High
school students get a head start on
college
Many families worry about how
to pay for college once their
children graduate from high
school. However, more and more
motivated high school students
are ‘starting college
early’ and doing it all
tuition free while still in
high school. These students
have saved thousands of dollars
in college expenses. They have
done this by enrolling in Southwestern
Community College’s Current
Enrollment Program.
According to Linda Dyke, SCC
concurrent enrollment director,
there are over 400 students
from Jackson, Macon and Swain
counties and the Qualla Boundary
currently participating in concurrent
enrollment at the college. Many
eligible students take college-level
courses as part of their high
school day. Others will dual-enroll
at SCC, taking classes after
school, in the evening, on weekends
or online.
"Most of our concurrent
enrollment students take college/university
transfer courses they can carry
with them to the 16 UNC public
universities,” Dyke said.
“Most see this as a way
to complement their achievements
while in high school and get
a head start on college. We
also have students enroll in
cosmetology, computer and information
systems, outdoor leadership
and other programs here at SCC.
There’s really something
for everyone.”
Tiphany White, a 2006 graduate
of Swain County High School,
is currently pursuing a bachelor’s
degree at Lee University. While
enrolled at Swain County High
School she took advantage of
all the cooperative programs
that SCC and SCHS have. She
actually earned a two-year associate
degree concurrent with her high
school graduation. “Tiffany
participated in two graduation
ceremonies last spring,”
said Dyke.
White says her transfer experience
was pretty seamless. “The
folks at Lee were very accommodating
about my transfer. They treated
me as a freshman student for
admission and scholarship purposes,
but accepted all of my transfer
credits and enrolled me as a
junior,” said White. She
plans to earn a master’s
degree immediately after completing
her bachelor’s degree.
“Completing my associate’s
degree while enrolled at Swain
County High School allowed me
the flexibility to pick and
choose courses here at Lee and
start on my major classes right
away. I really saved a lot of
time and money,” she said.
The 2007 graduation season brought
dual high school and college
graduation celebrations for
three concurrent enrollment
students. Andrew McAllister,
Kailey Ryan, and Rivers Woodward,
all home school students from
Macon County, achieved this
honor in May. McAllister and
Rivers will both be attending
UNC-Chapel Hill as junior students
this fall. Ryan, the youngest
graduate at the SCC commencement
ceremony this spring, is balancing
a demanding gymnastics training
schedule with academics, and
hopes to complete at the NCAA
level at a major university
this fall.
"All the students who achieve
this distinction are unified
by their focus, determination
and drive. I know that these
unique young people will be
successful in many ways,”
Dyke said.
For more information about SCC
Concurrent Enrollment, phone
586.4091 or 800.447.4091, ext.
394 or visit the SCC website
at www.southwesterncc.edu/collconn/concurrent.
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