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Sidney High programs allow students to earn college credit

While spring only officially began last week, the thoughts of many students have likely begun to shift to summer – if more in the sense of the vacation than the season.

As the school year trudges away on its download slope toward freedom, senior high school students are making plans for the future.

For those headed to college next year, Sidney High School provides them with a head start – the ability to earn college credits while still in high school.

Through a couple of programs in conjunction with a handful of colleges and universities, Sidney High offers 63 dual credit or college credit opportunities.

Guidance counselor Tess Plummer said roughly 40 percent of the graduating class of 2015 will leave the school with at least nine college credits hours.

In an interview earlier this month, Sidney Public School District Superintendent Jay Ehler said in recent years, the high school has phased out Advanced Placement courses in favor of dual enrollment classes.

AP courses require a certain score on a test administered at the end of the semester to earn college credit; dual enrollment classes allow a student to earn high school and college credits simultaneously.

Jane Holechek teaches dual credit composition and British literature classes in conjunction with Nebraska Wesleyan University.

"We just teach our normal high school curriculum and the kids get college credit for it," she said. "The classes are part of the honors courses here at Sidney High, so they're a little bit more challenging than some of the other classes."

For a class to qualify as dual enrollment, the teacher must have a master's degree and a course syllabus must be submitted to the partner college or university.

"And then they decide if it's stringent enough to meet their guidelines," she added. "We don't have to do two different things in a classroom; the kids just get dual credit for doing the same thing that they would in a high school class."

Students can take the course as a normal high school class or elect to receive dual credit. To receive college credit, they must pay a reduced tuition.

Plummer said the tuition fee is roughly half of what it would cost to earn the credits on a college campus. Scholarships are available to students for whom the tuition is a hardship.

Holechek said during the 10 years she's taught the dual enrollment classes, she's noticed an increase in student interest.

"One of the reasons is some students will be able to graduate with 18 or 20 college credit hours from high school," she said. "And that's a good deal for them."

Compared to traditional high school classes, dual credit courses require more work of the students.

Based on comments from former students, Holechek said, the more demanding classes help prepare students for college academics.

"They always appreciate how much they were made to write because many times when they get to college, they have to write so much, and they're used to it," she said. "They're more used to it than many of the other freshmen."

Students can also earn college credits through the University of Nebraska Advanced Scholars program.

There are 20 class offerings, ranging from nutrition to psychology to sociology, Plummer said. All of the course work is completed online. Unlike dual enrollment classes, students taking advantage of the advanced scholars program only receive college credit.

Plummer said the dual credit and college credit courses offered at Sidney High remain generally consistent from year to year.

"I think for our school size and our location, being farther away from colleges, it's pretty good," Plummer said. "I would say we compare or probably have quite a few more options than some."

The combined opportunities for college credit help give students an idea of what college will look like, she added.

"It also gives them a jump start on college, and maybe makes it a little more realistic to go to a specific college they want because they have been able to take courses for such a low cost," she said. "And it just gives them, our upper-level students, a challenge."

 

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