Local students are seeing a big impact from dual credit classes taken at Frontier Community College, Lincoln Trail College, Olney Central College, and Wabash Valley College. Dual credit classes allow high school students to take college-level classes and earn college credit while still in high school.
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges put together a report reviewing the last six academic years of dual credit students at each high school within the District. The report provides an overview of student demographics, enrollment, and course information.
Cisne:
Cisne High School saw 130 students participate in dual credit classes. Students saved $178,728.63 in college expenses with an average savings per student of $1,374.84 per student. The average amount of credit per student was 10.08. Of the students taking dual credit classes, 23 percent were first-generation college students.
Fairfield:
Fairfield High School saw 465 students participate in dual credit classes. Students saved $1,262,961.12 in college expenses with an average savings per student of $2,716.05 per student. The average amount of credit per student was 19.92. Of the students taking dual credit classes, 25 percent were first-generation college students.
Flora:
Flora High School saw 534 students participate in dual credit classes. Students saved $1,329,490.16 in college expenses with an average savings per student of $2,489.68 per student. The average amount of credit per student was 18.26. Of the students taking dual credit classes, 24 percent were first-generation college students.
Dual credit classes are available to students planning to pursue an associate degree and transfer to a four-year university or students planning on pursuing a degree or certification in career and technical education. Students intending to complete an associate degree and transfer to a four-year university can take advantage of IECC’s Three-to-Your Degree program, which can shorten the time to degree completion. Some CTE programs at IECC allow students to get a head start in their programs or complete a certificate program while still in high school.
Students should begin thinking about dual credit classes as they begin planning for their junior year of high school. Officials say that students should start by talking with their school counselor to discuss course planning and the selection of courses. Students wanting to enroll in a dual credit or dual enrollment course can speak with an advisor at any of the four colleges in IECC. Advisors can help guide students on course selection to lead to an academic program of study.
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is a network of four community colleges located in the southeastern region of Illinois. Committed to providing accessible, high-quality education, IECC offers a wide range of academic and career-focused programs to serve the diverse needs of its students and communities. For more information, please visit www.iecc.edu.
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