High school students, faculty, staff, administrators and family members interested in learning more about Dual Enrollment opportunities available at Montgomery County Community College are invited to attend a virtual information session.

The College will host “Your DE Journey,” Wednesday, Dec. 7 with two, one-hour online sessions scheduled at noon and 6 p.m. This event will include information about Early College opportunities, including Dual Enrollment classes at the College and dual credit courses at the high school. The session will include a preview of what the journey can look like after graduation. Additionally, it will feature a parent/student panel discussion about their journey through Dual Enrollment.

The online event is free and open to the public. Visit the landing page to register for the event.

“This is something we started last spring,” said Christine Morris, Administrative Director of Educational Partnerships. “This event is a great opportunity to share information about Dual Enrollment and what the journey looks like for students. We’ll highlight the various Dual Enrollment pathways, dual credit in high school, the process of transferring to a four-year institution or staying at Montco to complete a certificate program or earn an associate’s degree.”

There will also be information for students in charter, technical or cyber charter schools about what dual enrollment classes are available for a certificate or associate’s degree at the College, she said.

Students 15 years old or older, can take campus-based or online college classes and earn undergraduate credits from MCCC. These credits can be transferred to a four-year college or university; however, students should contact their intended college's Admissions Office to ensure that their credits transfer completely.

Dual Enrollment classes are offered in the evenings, on weekends and during the summer. For daytime classes, students should check with their high school to see if they can adjust their schedule to fit in a college course.

There are several benefits to the Dual Enrollment program. Dual Enrollment gives high school students early exposure, preparation and access to college level courses that are transferable to other colleges and universities. In addition, by earning an associate’s degree from MCCC, students can save as much as $30,000 in tuition before transferring to a four-year institution.

Similarly, according to a study by the American Institutes for Research, college enrollment rates after graduation for Early College students were significantly higher at 63.5 percent versus 24.3 percent for traditional students. Early College enrolled students positively impact college degree attainment, indicating 24.9 percent of the Early College group earned degrees versus 4.7 percent of traditional students studied. Dual Enrollment students perform as well or better on state assessments than their traditional high school counterparts. The studies also show similar effects on socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

For more information on Dual Enrollment and the Your DE Journey event, contact the Dual Enrollment team.