Try high school and college at the same time

Samantha Luther managed to be at two places and do two things at once. She's not a multi-tasker but rather a recent graduate of the dual credit program at Lambton College in Sarnia, Ontario.

School boards and colleges all over the country have formed partnerships to help students gain high school and college credits at the same time. These dual credit programs most often happen when the student is in grade 12 and looking forward to post-secondary education.

In Ontario, applicants are chosen by their high school to apply for the program. If their application is successful, they can choose from many courses, from academic to skill-based, according to Don Hart, who heads up the school-to-college work initiative for Lambton College.

"Dual credits provide an opportunity for high school students, most often in grade 12, to experience college learning in a college environment. This is an adult world and it will make the transition from high school to college easier," he says.

In 2002 when a few boards in Ontario launched pilot projects, Hart estimates that around 70 students participated. For the 2010-2011 school year, there were over 10,000 students in dual credit programs in the province.

British Columbia has experienced similar success with its dual credits programming. Norm Bradley, director of instruction and responsible for career/life programs for School District No. 23 (Central Okanagan), says that 150 to 200 students in that district attended dual credit programs at Okanagan College last year.

Most students there seek credits in the trades and some dual credit programs are conducted at a high school, instead of at a college. Such is the case for the BC Institute of Technology, where five programs are eligible for dual credits: Electricity and Industrial Electronics, Power Equipment Mechanic, Motorcycle Technician, Computer System Service Technician and Diesel Engine Technician.

There is no cost to students, as the Ministry of Education pays most of the freight, while the Ministry of Colleges and Training picks up the remainder in Ontario. In British Columbia, the Industry Training Authority picks up the tab. Transportation is often provided as well.

Dual credit programs have a high rate of success. "Our success rate is 90%. Once they enter the program, they usually stay in and finish," says Bradley. He credits this success with the application process in which screening and interviews help ensure students with the appropriate commitment level access programs.

Likewise, Hart says that Lambton College's dual credit program sees an 85% success rate, though he says the dropout rate is higher within the first few weeks of the semester. "The dropout rate is higher at the beginning because of the differences between college and high school. Some students are just overwhelmed."

School District No. 23 is looking to expand the dual credit concept and have students go right to college in grade 11 or even earlier in their high school career. "This works for some students when high school just doesn't. Sometimes they are first-generation college-goers, whose parents never went to college," says Bradley.

Many students, including Samantha Luther, have had great success with dual credit programs helping them finish high school, while gaining credits toward their future years in college. In Luther's case, it also helped gel her career plans. "I didn't know what I wanted to do, but I took Intro to Business and just loved it, so I'm going to start a three-year business administration program at Lambton (College) in September."

"I wish I'd known about it sooner. More people should know about this as an option. It was such a good experience. There's nothing I would change," enthuses Luther.

For more information, check with your local school board office or check out gotocollege.ca.

Where are the dual courses?

College of the Rockies

British Columbia Institute of Technology

Industry Training Authority

Alberta

Government of Alberta - Education

Calgary Board of Education

Edmonton Public Schools

Manitoba:

Manitoba Advanced Training and Education

The Collegiate High School at University