For high school seniors who can’t wait to get to college, there is hope: Dual Enrollment.

Dual Enrollment is a program where high school seniors take college courses for credit to get a jump-start on their college education. This can benefit students in many ways, since students can take courses at a cheaper cost and become immersed in the college experience.

This is an exciting opportunity and partnership between Stroudsburg High School and Northampton Community College (NCC).

NCC was founded in 1967, but Dual Enrollment wasn’t created until several years later. NCC created a Dual Enrollment program because they wanted to give students an inexpensive head start on their college education.  The program has succeeded with its goal, helping many students over the years.

There are many benefits to Dual Enrollment: it can offer students the opportunity to take college level classes if they were unable to take AP and Honors classes at their high school; it allows students to earn transferable credits before enrolling in a college or university, and students only pay tuition fees, meaning all associated fees outside of the credits you are taking are waived.

If students are worried about savings, NCC offers a reduce rate for students in the Dual Enrollment program. Students in the Northampton County are charged $100/per credit, while those in Monroe County are charged $150/per credit. These credit rates are far more cheaper than the cost of taking college classes at many other American universities and colleges

“I think it really gives students an idea of what college is like, and you can take courses towards your major, so overall, I think there are only benefits in doing dual enrollment,” said senior Dual Enrollment participant Taylor Miller.

However, there are some factors to take into consideration when registering for classes as a senior.

“It depends on how many credits you still need as a senior, and these courses make up for those credits” said SHS guidance counselor Ms. Theresa Onody.

If students are interested in signing up, there are many ways to do so.

“Students must apply by completing the Dual Enrollment application process which includes an online application, submitting a FERPA form with a few different signatures and a transcript,” said Sarah Lavra, College Connections Specialist at NCC. “Students should also speak with their student counselor to make sure this fits in their course schedule and if they qualify to take classes. Also, only seniors are eligible to take courses.”

Another important feature of Dual Enrollment is that it provides students the opportunity to explore a wide range of career opportunities.

“There are many classes to offer in Dual Enrollment,” said NCC admissions officer Mr. Jim McCarthy. “English and psychology are most popular.”

Dual Enrollment is the perfect opportunity for students to decide whether or not college is the right choice for them.

“I think the Dual Enrollment program serves a different purpose for everyone,” said senior Shavaughn Frank. “For me personally, I know that I want to go to college. I knew gaining more experience about what a college could be, would lessen the stress of my freshman year in college. You can also take a variety of classes in the dual enrollment program, and it’s especially helpful for students who don’t know what they want to do with their life, because they offer different classes than high school.”

Juniors, can sign up at any time, The fall semester begins on August 26, 2019.

For more information and if you wanna sign up, sign up here.