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photo by Steve VanGunda
Vidalia High School seniors, from front to back, Lauren Sproles, Emily Cavin and Sydney Guidroz will be participating in a college credit dual enrollment program offered through the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Eleven VHS students sign up for dual enrollment
Published Thursday, August 21, 2008
Vidalia — For a select group of students at Vidalia High School college life will likely be a little easier — because they’ll be starting their college careers before they even graduate from high school.
Cynthia Smith, the school’s guidance counselor, said 11 students from the junior and senior classes have applied for dual enrollment at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
That means that while the students are taking their mandatory high school classes, they’ll also be taking college classes online and earning credits before they even finish high school.
This school year also marks the first year of dual enrollment between the high school and the university.
“It’s an excellent opportunity for the students,” Smith said.
Smith said while the students have only just applied for the program, the stringent application requirements all but guarantee their acceptance.
“There is no reason they should not be accepted,” she said.
Once in the program, students will have an opportunity to take classes in math, English, psychology and communications.
Emily Cavin, 17, said she’s especially excited to start a psychology course she’ll be working on in conjunction with her normal school work.
“I thought I might as well get a jump on it while I can,” she said of her class work. “It’ll help to lighten the load later on.”
Cavin said one her favorite aspects about the dual enrollment is the fact that she’ll have the opportunity to take the classes online and work at her own pace.
In fact, Cavin and fellow program participants Lauren Sproles and Sydney Guidroz said if the courses were not offered online they might not have taken the classes at all.
The three girls said their already hectic school schedules, combined with work schedules, would make the class very difficult to make time for if it were not offered online.
“Having the class online makes it a lot easier,” Sproles said.
ULM’s coordinator of outreach programs, Marilyn McIntosh, said the university intentionally used online classes to make the program accessible to more students.
In the 2007–2008 school year more than 600 students participated in the dual enrollment program statewide.
Smith said the program is also particularly useful for high school juniors.
If a junior takes full advantage of the program it’s possible for that student to take an entire semester’s worth of classes before they even finish high school Smith said — and all for just a $20 application fee.
Smith said while she was pleased to have 11 participants in the first year of the program, she is hoping for more in the future.
But VHS students about to enter the program are already excited.
Sproles just gives it a thumbs up.
Comments
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 7:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think this is a wonderful opportunity. I remember being in a trig class at Co-Lin with a girl from NHS. She came over in the mornings because all she had left as far as high school credits were some afternoon classes. I thought it was impressive for a teenager to have that kind of motivation to begin their college careers, and I am just as impressed with these VHS students who are trying to get ahead as well. Good luck!
Posted by saywhat (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you ULM for helping these kids get a head start.
It's really ashamed that Co-Lin doesn't work with Vidalia High in their dual enrollment program. You have to pay full price for classes AND pay out of state tuition.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Out of state tuition should be waved by Co-Lin for students who live in Vidalia. However, they may have a scholarship there which covers out of state tuition. I think that ULM may have a scholarship for out of state tuition .
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Swapmeet, I noticed a comment that you posted a few days ago, and I meant to reply back to you, but I got side tracked. Since you've had a change in your life which has affected your income, you should check with the financial aid office at your school to see if you qualify for financial aid. And now that you are a single parent, there may be a scholarship available that could assist you.
Good luck with your education.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good luck Vidalia students with the jump-start on your education.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a great idea! This may encourage students, who would otherwise skip college, to make the better choice and earn a degree.
Posted by Swapmeet (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 12:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
(Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Swapmeet, I noticed a comment that you posted a few days ago, and I meant to reply back to you, but I got side tracked. Since you've had a change in your life which has affected your income, you should check with the financial aid office at your school to see if you qualify for financial aid. And now that you are a single parent, there may be a scholarship available that could assist you.
Good luck with your education.)
Thanks Peace007. I'm sure that I have to go on our 2007 tax filings. My wife made too much money for me to qualify. Even though she left, I still have to go off of that even though I have no income. I substitute teach but I have to do that around my classes. Three of my classes have field experience so I can't work too much. I'm just trying to support me and my daughter off my loans which I'll get at the end of Sept. Fortunately, I have an academic scholarship to actually pay for my tuition and books.
As far as Co-Lin cutting Vidalia students a break on out-of-state tuition, it's just unfortunate circumstances. You have to draw the state boundaries somewhere. That's why Natchez people can't send their kids to VHS. People north of Crosby, MS have to send their kids to Woodville (Wilkinson County) instead of Meadville (Franklin County) even though FCHS is closer and a better school. It's just the way it is. Besides, most Vidalia students who come to Co-Lin don't pay out-of-state because they give a Natchez address to avoid the extra money.
Posted by jack (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 1:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
go kids sounds good for all of us
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry to hear that you're going through a bad time Swap. Do you have your daughter full time, or equally shared custody? Do you have to pay for childcare? AJFC used to help with childcare. You could probably get food stamps. That might help, and maybe even Medicaid for you and/or your daughter...if there is no other insurance coverage. It might be worth a try. Congratulations on the academic scholarship. Hang in there, it'll be worth it the sacrifice for a while longer.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 2:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Food stamps and Medicaid goes by your last monthly income, not last years income. It's just a hassle to fill out the questionaire booklet, lol, and go to all the appointments that you can't miss.
What gets me is when a single female under 23 still living at home gets pregnant, she becomes elligible for assistance and pell grants, regardless of her parents income...even if that's a million dollars, while a female that doesn't get pregnant has to claim her parents income, which can disqualify her from even a pell grant...if her parents income is only around $30-35,000. That is not fair and rewards pregnancy out of wedlock while penalizing abstinance or birth control. A male under 23 has the same problem unless he gets married.
Posted by JunkyardDawg (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 11:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
All high school graduates no matter what their family income should be rewarded with pell grants for 4 years. And 18 year olds should be allowed to purchase alcohol, they have to sign up for the draft at 18, and they go fight in wars at 18.
Posted by vilou09 (anonymous) on August 22, 2008 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good point junkyard;
If you call this number [16034134131], it'll ask you to press 1 if you think 18 year olds should be allowed to buy alcohol, and THAT'S it!
I thought it was pretty neat, and it goes right along with what you're saying.
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