White Mountains Community College News
eStart Courses Allow High School Student to Learn On-Line
White Mountains Community College and the Community College System as a whole strive to find ways to engage high school students in higher education. Running Start and Early College are two initiatives available to North Country students through the efforts of WMCC/CCSNH. Both options allow high school students to earn college credit, which can be transferred to colleges within the CCSNH, as well as other institutions of higher education.
An announcement was made recently about yet another opportunity for high schoolers. The Community College System of New Hampshire is more than doubling the number of online courses high school students can take to earn concurrent college and high school credit. Students can choose from thirteen college courses in the semester that begins on January 12, 2009. Registration opened Nov. 1 and can be accessed at www.vlacs.org.
The program, eStart, is an extension of CCSNH's popular and successful Running Start program, a partnership between participating high schools and the community colleges that allows high school students to take college-level classes in their high schools at a reduced rate of only $100 per course. Credits earned through eStart are granted by New Hampshire's community colleges as well as other colleges and universities, in and out of New Hampshire.
Students taking courses through eStart earn both high school and college credit. eStart is a collaboration between the college system and the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS), a fully approved online high school based in Exeter, NH. Tuition for each eStart course is $100, plus the cost of books. The courses are taught by college faculty, using the college grading system.
"With eStart, we're giving high school students a jump on their college education in an on-line format, providing yet another option as students in high school chart an affordable course to a college degree," said CCSNH Chancellor Dr. Richard Gustafson
"eStart has provided even greater access to college level classes and builds on the important work begun by Project Running Start. With the expansion of eStart, we are opening the door to college for more and more New Hampshire young people," Gov. John Lynch said.
Gustafson noted that eStart further extends the online availability of New Hampshire's community colleges, which offer nearly 200 courses in a 100% online format.
Starting in January, high school students can take the following college courses on-line through eStart: Psychology and Foundations of Education offered by WMCC; College Composition, offered by River Valley Community College; Intro to Business, Art History, and Biology I, offered by Great Bay Community College; American Government, offered by Manchester Community College; Principals of Marketing, offered by Nashua Community College; Software Applications, offered by Lakes Region Community College; Intro to Literature, Calculus I, Statistics and Medical Terminology, offered by NHTI, Concord’s Community College.
High school students interested in taking an eStart course can start by enrolling on the VLACS website at www.vlacs.org.
"We're very excited about the eStart program and the partnership with CCSNH. We believe that the courses offered through this program will become very popular with high school students in New Hampshire, and more importantly, will provide all high school students with access to rigorous college level instruction," said Steve Kossakoski, CEO of the Virtual Learning Academy Charter School.
Back to News List11/15/2008
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