Our Maine Street's Aroostook Issue 2 : Fall 2010 | Page 64

NMCC Strengthens the Bridge
Between High School & College

It comes as no surprise that those
holding a college degree will earn more in
their lifetime than those without one. While
Aroostook County has very respectable high
school graduation rates, the number of those
students who then choose to continue on to
college needs improvement. One avenue
in which Northern Maine Community
College is striving to do just that is by
offering early college opportunities for
students that allow them to earn college
Amy Wh
ite teach
es NMC
credit while still in high school.
C
to Com ’s Introduction
ecame
puters a

“Going to college is never easy, but these opportunities
uest b
t
t PIRCTC
tney R e student a
.
Cour ll-tim
fall.
help ease the challenges of transition and in many cases,
this
a fu
NMCC
reaffirm that college, and sometimes even a particular major,
is the correct path for a student,” said Elizabeth Crawford, Frenchville, Van Buren District Secondary School, Caribou
coordinator of the On Course for College efforts at NMCC. Regional Technology Center, Region Two School of Applied
“Students who take advantage of early college opportunities are Technology in Houlton, Northern Penobscot Tech Region
more likely to persist in their college experience to graduation, Three in Lincoln, United Technology Center in Bangor, and
generally have a higher GPA than their peers, and seem better Westbrook Regional Vocational Center.
able to adjust to the college environment.”

In addition to taking a class at their own school,

Through dual enrollment, high school students may qualifying high school juniors and seniors can have tuition
complete college-level coursework while in high school, waived for up to six credits a semester under the High School
typically through a course taught in their own school by an Aspirations program. They can take classes at NMCC’s main
instructor affiliated with the College, using the College’s campus in Presque Isle, or at its outreach centers in Houlton
course syllabus. Students may earn both high school and or the St. John Valley. Students from any high school in the
college credit for their work. For example, there are currently State, as well as home-schooled students, may be eligible to
five NMCC courses being offered at Presque Isle Regional take part in the High School Aspirations program.
Career and Technical Center (PIRCTC): Introduction to
“Whether a student has exhausted a school’s options in a
Business, Entrepreneurship, Personal Finance, Accounting, given subject, is looking for a different classroom environment,
and Introduction to Computer Applications.
or just wants to test the college waters, Aspirations meets those

“Our partnership with the Community College opens needs,” said Crawford.
opportunities for our students to continue their education
“Taking a class at NMCC helped me meet new people,
more easily,” said Amy White of PIRCTC, who teaches three learn how college instructors teach the class, and discover if I
of the courses. Often, students take these classes, which are needed to change my study habits for college,” said Ruest, who
electives toward high school graduation, because they have an also took two night classes at NMCC before she graduated
interest in earning a business degree. Others may take a class from PIHS.
simply because they know it may help them in the future.

The early steps Ruest took through NMCC helped

“The cost savings to our students is obviously a huge to firmly put her on the path to continuing her education.
benefit, but being able to take the class spread out over the full With 10 college credits already in hand, she entered NMCC’s
academic year, rather than compressed into one semester, is Liberal Studies program this fall. After earning her associate
also a great benefit. Students aren’t so rushed, and oftentimes degree, she plans to transfer on to a four year college.
they are able to take part in additional projects that they
With more schools entering into dual enrollment
otherwise wouldn’t have been able to,” said White.
agreements with NMCC each year and more local high school

Courtney Ruest, a 2009 Presque Isle High School students taking advantage of the Aspirations program, College
graduate who earned NMCC credit for an accounting course officials are hoping to see a growing number of students like
she took at PIRCTC, agrees. “It really made a big difference Ruest successfully bridge the step from high school to college.
to me to be able to take accounting spread out over the whole Interested students and parents can talk to their local guidance
year. It was at a slower pace and with people I know.”
department to determine which opportunities would best suit

Other schools taking part in dual enrollment with them. Crawford can also be contacted for more information
NMCC are:
St. John Valley Technology Center in at Northern Maine Community College.
62 Higher Education SUMMER & FALL 09