Beginning this fall, high school seniors in Alamance County will have a new opportunity to get a head start on their college careers before graduation. Through Collegiate Start @Elon, eligible seniors may take up to two courses on campus each semester, and simultaneously earn both high school and college credit.
For years, Elon University’s Credit Bank program has afforded high school seniors the option of taking one course each semester as a way to earn college credit early, but the university decided to expand and rename the program to meet the needs of high-achieving students. Now, the Office of Education Outreach in the School of Education will work with the Alamance-Burlington School System to ensure all students in public, private and home schools are given the chance to prove themselves in several college-level courses.
“We’re finding that more and more high school seniors are finishing their required work early and really are not having the opportunity to take more challenging courses, so we’re offering them an opportunity to start their collegiate work earlier,” said Gerry Francis, Elon's executive vice president.
[quote] We are very excited offer this opportunity for their high-achieving students to being their college careers here at Elon. -Janelle Rouse, Director of Education Outreach at Elon [/quote]
The program has been expanded to include high school juniors, too. Eligible students may enroll in a writing seminar designed to strengthen basic writing skills and instill confidence in students preparing to take college entrance exams and compose college essays. The course will be offered for the first time in the spring.
The cost of enrollment will be split between students, the school system and the university. Both students and the school system must each pay $210 per course. Students are responsible for the purchase of textbooks.
So far, the program has been well received by students, parents and faculty in the school system, said Janelle Rouse, Director of Education Outreach at Elon. Sixty-five students are currently enrolled in fall semester courses.
“We’re in collaboration with the school districts, and we work directly with Alamance County principals to promote information about enhancing Credit Bank to Collegiate Start for the Alamance-Burlington community students and their families,” Rouse said. “We are very excited offer this opportunity for their high-achieving students to being their college careers here at Elon.”