ISSUED: 17 February 2017
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Shepherd University is hosting an open house for Jefferson County high school students and their parents who are interested in learning about the new dual enrollment program where students can take college classes and earn credit for both high school and college. The open house will take place on Tuesday, February 28, at 6:30 p.m. in Erma Ora Byrd Hall.
Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, juniors and seniors at Jefferson and Washington high schools can sign up for the college classes if they complete a high school dual enrollment application; have a letter of recommendation from a principal, guidance counselor, or homeschool evaluator; have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher; meet required standards on the ACT or SAT college entrance exam; and have a signed approval form from their parents. Dual enrollment students will pay a discounted rate of $84 per credit hour for the courses. Dual enrollment courses are also available to home school and private school students who meet the eligibility requirements.
“The majority of the classes will be held right here on campus,” said Dr. Virginia Hicks, assistant provost for academic community outreach. “So the students will have the opportunity to get a feel for a wonderful academic setting, they can take classes with our great professors, they can mingle with the students, and it’s a great opportunity to get their feet wet and have an understanding of what it’s like to be on campus.”
Hicks says Shepherd has agreed to offer at least one dual enrollment class at each of the high schools for students who aren’t able to come to campus.
Shepherd is offering more than 60 dual enrollment classes covering a wide range of topics, including math, political science, art, engineering, foreign languages, and science. The enrollment deadline is April 1 for the fall semester and October 15 for the spring semester. Hicks said by taking dual credit courses, students will benefit when they attend college.
“They can get a jump start on college or university life,” Hicks said. “When they graduate from high school they could potentially have almost a semester completed before they even start college.”
During the open house, light refreshments will be served beginning at 6:30 p.m. and a meeting to discuss the dual enrollment classes will run from 7-8 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.shepherd.edu/admissions/high-school-students.
Listen to the interview HERE.
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