Last Updated on August 28, 2018 by cassnetwork
KOKOMO, Ind. – Thanks to dual credit courses offered by area high schools through Ivy Tech Community College, families in the College’s Kokomo Service Area saved $1,665,358 for credits awarded to their children in the 2017-18 academic year.
The dual credit courses offered at participating high schools, which include college-level mathematics, English, and science, along with many more offerings at some schools, are offered at no cost to students. Throughout the service area, which includes Howard, Tipton, Miami, Cass and Fulton counties, the College awarded 11,761 dual credits during the last school year.
“With dual credit courses, students save both time and money,” said Chancellor Dean McCurdy. “Students can move those credits they earned while in high school directly to Ivy Tech. Those credits will put them well on their way to earning short-term certificates to move into the workforce or associate degrees that can transfer on to four-year institutions.”
Ethan Heicher, interim vice chancellor of Academic Affairs for Ivy Tech’s Kokomo Service Area, said, “We are working together with the schools to provide courses that will benefit students at each corporation. Last year, the Kokomo Service Area awarded 23 high school students green cords to wear in their respective graduation ceremonies, symbolizing the students’ completion of the General Education Transfer (GETC) Technical Certificate from Ivy Tech.
“That means the students earned at least 30 credit hours of general education courses while in high school – either through dual credit or direct Ivy Tech classes,” Heicher continued, “and they will enter college with the equivalent of one year of college coursework completed.”
Beth Chaney, coordinator of Ivy Tech Kokomo’s ASAP program, which allows qualified and motivated high school graduates to complete a two-year associate degree in 11 months, said a number of ASAP students and their families have benefited from dual credit opportunities. One prime example, she said, is the Wade family of Peru and daughters Sheila and Morgan, who graduated from Peru High School in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
Sheila entered ASAP in June 2016 with 17 dual credit hours earned during high school. She received her GETC in December 2016 and her associate of science in liberal arts degree in May 2017, graduating cum laude with a 3.708 GPA. Younger sister Morgan entered ASAP in June 2017 with 16 dual credit hours earned during high school and received her GETC and associate degree in May 2018, graduating magna cum laude with a 3.952 GPA. Multiplying the 33 hours of dual credit earned by the Wade sisters by the $141 per credit hour value, thanks to dual credit opportunities, the Wade family earned $4,653 worth of college credit and those credits provided a jumpstart for both of them to earn associate degrees in just one year.
To explore dual credit options or to learn more about course offerings, please contact Mary Craig at 765-460-9213 or mcraig@ivytech.edu .
SOURCE: News release from Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Region