FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JUSTIN HILL SAYS DUAL

ENROLLMENT OFFERS BENEFITS

Justin Hill

            DANVILLE, VA, September 15, 2006 -- Justin Hill of Halifax is known for being early to appointments or on time. So, it is no surprise that he began his college education early and will graduate early, as well.

“I am taking classes at Danville Community College this fall, and will graduate with two associate degrees a year later in May of 2007,” says Hill, who is 17 years old.

            A 2006 Halifax County High School graduate, Hill is one of the 800 area students from Danville, Pittsylvania County, and Halifax County who took dual enrollment courses in high school last year. This program allows students to simultaneously earn both high school and transferable college credits. He entered DCC last month with 54 college credits from DCC and Southside Virginia Community College.  He plans a double major in the Information Systems Technology program, enrolling in Computer Programming and Microcomputer Specializations.

            “I chose the Computer Programming specialization because I want to work computer software, as oppose to the hardware,” Hill explains. “Also, I chose the Mircocomputer specialization because its additional focus on computer software will broaden my job outlook.”

            Later, Hill plans to transfer to a four-year university to seek a baccalaureate degree in computer science.

            Cheryl Hill, Justin’s mother, simply smiles with pride as she discusses her son’s accomplishments. She says he has always been a good student and has maintained a perfect grade point average.

The Dual Enrollment program is a good idea according to Cheryl Hill because it helps students prepare for college by saving time and money.  DCC also offers this as a free service for parents and students.

“We like to showcase what this partnership between DCC and Halifax (County High School) can do,” says Cheryl Hill, who also works in DCC’s Financial Aid Office.. “Students have the chance to earn college credit while they are in high school and it costs the parents nothing!”

The Virginia Plan for Dual Enrollment was approved by the Secretary of Education, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System in 1988 according to Cathy Pulliam, Assistant Coordinator of Recruitment and Enrollment Management at DCC. She says DCC has dual enrollment contracts with Halifax County, Pittsylvania County and the Danville Public School Systems.

            “The dual enrollment program has been a thriving force in our school for the last few years,” says Debbie Griles, Assistant Principal of Halifax County High School. “With the academy approach, the focus on career interest has increased among both students and parents.”

            The majority of HCHS juniors and seniors are taking at least one dual enrollment course, estimates Shawn Haws, Coordinator of Dual Enrollment at HCHS.

            He adds the partnership between DCC and HCHS includes a certificate program in first year studies, in which a high school student can earn up to 30 credits.

            “We had at least 26 juniors and seniors who earned the First Year Studies certificate from DCC,” explains Haws. “They even participated at DCC’s graduation.

            The purpose of the dual enrollment program is to encourage students to plan paths toward career goals, not to just plan the path toward graduation, agrees Haws.

            “I think we are getting there!” exclaims Haws.

Pulliam explains that DCC and Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) share the Halifax County service region because the county is so large.

“DCC and SVCC work together for the success of the HCHS student body and its community,” says Pulliam. “DCC is not in competition with SVCC for dual enrollment students.”

However, students have a choice between dual enrollment courses and Advanced Placement (AP) classes, Pulliam emphasizes.

            “There is a difference between the dual enrollment and AP classes,” Pulliam says. “AP classes are nationally recognized, but the students must take a test after the course. Depending on their test grade, it is decided whether or not the student will receive college credit for the AP class. The scale is from 1-4 and most colleges accept either a 4 or a 5.”

            Unlike the AP courses, the dual enrollment course credit is not determined by a single test grade at the end of the academic semester or year, but the comprehensive grade at the end of the grading period, explains Pulliam.

Also, Pulliam says that the college credits do not have to be transferred to the community college contracted with the school districts. She states college transfer courses, such as English, Mathematics, Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, Pre-Calculus, and Statistics may transfer to four-year colleges with the grade of a “C” or better.

Although the dual enrollment courses are free for students, the school systems pay the tuition for the students and are later partially reimbursed by the community college, says Pulliam.

            “It is important to understand that the community colleges partially reimburse the school systems, which helps financially support teacher salaries and the school system’s facilities,” Pulliam explains. “Also, this region is very fortunate to have DCC, where the dual enrollment courses are free, because other community colleges, including some in Virginia, charge the high school students the cost of tuition.”

            Yet, dual enrollment classes that are geared to a more technical program may only offer a “jumpstart” with the community college’s corresponding program, Pulliam says.

“It all depends on the classes, the programs, and ultimately the college,” explains Pulliam. “That is why we try to target information to ninth graders; so they will know what type of path they should take to achieve their goals.”

Parents should encourage their children to seek help from their high school guidance counselors so they will be aware of the requirements for the program, Pulliam recommends.

“It may be too late for juniors and seniors who have not prepared for the dual enrollment courses to take advantage of this opportunity,” says Pulliam. Interested students must complete a DCC Admission Application, take the COMPASS test and secure scores which exempt the student from remedial courses in writing, reading and mathematics which may be a prerequisite for that course.

            Pulliam says “Justin’s example is an exceptional case.”

While many students accrue credits toward college during their high school careers, Pulliam says many students usually have only 30-40 college credits because they take the dual enrollment courses as juniors and seniors.

            “The dual enrollment courses are geared toward juniors and seniors because students have to satisfy prerequisites before enrolling in the courses,” explains Pulliam. “Justin had taken the prerequisites for the classes, so he was able to begin accumulating his college credit when he was a 10th grader.”

            Justin Hill explains that many of his classes were general education and computer courses that he took between the tenth grade and his senior year of high school. Some of the dual enrollment courses were Web Page, Advanced Web Page, Computer Information Systems, Advanced Computer Information Systems, Business Management, and Biology, Hill adds.

Justin Hill says HCHS’s staff and faculty regularly encourage students to take advantage of the dual enrollment program’s benefits. He had an average of 15 students in most of his dual enrollment courses, which made it easy to communicate with the teacher and other classmates and to identify any problem areas.

“The dual enrollment courses were more difficult than the regular high school courses, especially the Biology course,” says Justin Hill. “I had to clamp down and study every night. But it was worth it”

 For more information about DCC’s Dual Enrollment programs in area high schools, please contact your school’s guidance counselor, or Cathy Pulliam at DCC: (434) 797-8542.