By Deidra Wheeler
Motlow Buzz Reporter
SMYRNA,
Tenn.—The Dual Enrollment program at Motlow State Community College will
experience an unprecedented growth in fall 2017, providing numerous courses on
a variety of subjects to high school students in the state of Tennessee.
Dual Enrollment allows high school
students to gain college credits while still attending their own high school
classes every day. By completing the program, students are one step ahead of
regular students when they enter their first year of college. If a high school
student is using the Dual Enrollment grant, then the program is completely paid
for.
MSCC’s Dual Enrollment students
come from all Rutherford County schools, homeschool associations, and even
surrounding areas.
According to newly hired High
School Representative for Rutherford County and the High School Programs &
Digital Learning Coordinator at MSCC Mary Kay Bell, the college is expected to
expand the program even more next fall. There will over 100 students attending
classes on campus alone.
“Those taking Dual Enrollment
classes throughout Rutherford County will be more than 300 students,” said
Bell.
 |
| Mary Kay Bell |
Maggie Bollinger, 16, a junior who
is homeschooled in Nolensville, Tennessee, enrolled in Motlow’s dual enrollment
program in the fall of 2016. Bollinger took a sociology course in the fall. She
is now finishing a psychology course. Bollinger plans to double major in
psychology and physical therapy after finishing her homeschool classes in
Nolensville.
Bollinger has one sister and two
older brothers who have dual enrolled at MSCC, and she has a few friends who
are planning to dual enroll in the future.
“Being in this program is a great
opportunity of learning on the college level,” said Bollinger. “It helps to
know what the classes are really like, and what it is like to have a college
schedule.”
Jeremy Wright, 17, a senior at Riverdale
High School, enrolled in a college dual enrollment program in the fall of 2016.
The dual enrollment program offered an advanced class for Wright that was not
available on the Riverdale campus. He wanted to get into the dual enrollment
program to be ahead in college in the fall of 2017.
He is planning to major in Spanish
after high school to become an interpreter. Wright appreciates the fact that
the dual enrollment program offered an advanced Spanish class that was going to
put college credits toward his college career.
“Don’t hesitate,” said Jeremy. “Take
the advantage of not having to wait until the time is necessary to take a
college course.”
Meagan Pack, 18, also a senior at
Riverdale, was enrolled in a college dual enrollment program in the fall of
2016, taking an English 1010 course. She plans to take the advantage of the
Tennessee Promise Scholarship in the fall of 2017 at Volunteer State Community
College. With that said, Volunteer State only accepts dual enrollment credits
through its campus.
Pack wants to continue learning
after high school in the veterinary science program with a goal to earn her doctorate
in veterinary medicine. She plans to attend the University of Tennessee
Knoxville after completing the Tennessee Promise program. Her goal is to open
her own veterinary practice to help all kinds of animals.
“I was raised on the farm,” said
Meagan. “This is what I wanted to do from the start.”
 |
| Left to Right: Jeremy Wright, Meagan Pack |
Bell explains that the dual
enrollment program is a great benefit for anyone who is planning to further
their education on a post-secondary level.
“We have a strong enrollment with LaVergne
High School, Oakland High School, and Smyrna High School,” said Bell.
A Dual Enrollment student can
participate in any regular course that is offered through MSCC. As with any
student, all prerequisites must be met. A student must have a 3.0 GPA; must
have completed the 10th grade; have a sub-score of 19 or greater on
Math, 19 or greater on Reading, and 18 or greater on English on the ACT.
If a student does not meet the ACT
requirements, they can challenge their scores by taking the COMPASS test at any
MSCC campus.
Another good factor about being a
Dual Enrollment student is that there are three convenient options for someone
to take a course. He or she can either take the course at you’re their zoned
high school, online, or on a MSCC campus.
MSCC has 48 students from LaVergne
High School who come to the Smyrna campus for either biology and chemistry each
day. Another 50 or so come from a variety of other schools and homeschool programs
around Rutherford County. The numbers will substantially increase in the fall of
2017.
Students who are interested in the
Dual Enrollment program can apply online at http://www.mscc.edu/dualjoint/ or call Mary Kay Bell directly at (615)-220-7814.
There is no fee to apply, and the process is quick and easy.
With the help of the dual
enrollment program, these students are taking the advantage of getting the help
they need to further their education. They see this program as a way that
benefits them in the future to reach their personal goals.
###
No comments:
Post a Comment