<p>I currently go to the Paulding County Academy of Science, Research, and Medicine (science and medicine magnet) enrolled in the 9th grade with the exception of my math class, where I jumped one year ahead and have been placed on the 10th grade CCGPS ACC Analy Geom B / Advanced Algebra. I received a 25 on the ACT in 7th grade through Duke TIP, attended their summer camp for Mathematical Problem Solving, have a 4.0 unweighted GPA (96.33%), am taking an AP Class (AP Human Geography), and am ranked 3rd out of 541 in my class. </p>
<p>GA currently offers programs such as Dual Enrollment (part time high school part time college), Move On When Ready (full time college earning both high school and college credit), and Early Admission (skip 12th grade and go directly to college, although you don’t “graduate from high school” and aren’t allowed to be supported through HOPE).</p>
<p>I have a few questions regarding some of GA’s offered early advancement programs for current high school juniors and seniors (11th & 12th):</p>
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<li><p>I’m currently leaning toward attempting MOWR, but Early Admission is the recommended way to get college credits according to GA Tech. Which program do you feel would be more beneficial down the road?</p></li>
<li><p>I plan on sending out requests to the local colleges in my area, Kennesaw State University and Georgia Tech. I’m hoping for enrollment through Tech, but KSU will definitely be greatly appreciated. This requires me to have an ACT score of around 30 (29 per section) to be in the pool for GA Tech. Do you feel this is a viable option based on my earlier education?</p></li>
<li><p>After “High school”, I plan on sending Applications to Cal Tech, GA Tech, MIT, pretty much any decent tech school. I hope to attend Cal Tech: will doing something like the programs above give me a better shot at getting into these colleges? </p></li>
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<p>Even though I’m still a year out from even being able to apply for these programs, I feel getting a leg up on them will allow for me to have a higher chance of acceptance (hopefully)</p>
<p>It is my strong belief that dual enrollment, not early college, is the better option for most students. The good news about MOWR and ACCEL is there is no need to decide between them until you actually sign up for classes that semester. Both are just different funding sources for the dual enrollment program at KSU and Georgia Tech - when you decide which classes to enroll in you choose a funding source. You can evens switch form one to the other each semester. THe hours you take determines which one pays more MOWR also funds a greater variety of classes. </p>
<p>Since all the KSU and GT programs both have highs school students fully integrated with college students at the college campuses, there is no difference between what you receive - this is not college material being taken at your high school. </p>
<p>Reasons my kids decided on dual enroll instead of graduating early:
- Funding ACCEL and MOWR funding is way better than HOPE. At least for KSU one semester costs for a full load ACCEL ~$300, freshman with HOPE ~$1400.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Earliest registration times of anyone on campus, including athletes and college honors students. Classes with good times/professors fill very quickly at KSU.</p></li>
<li><p>Builds a very strong application colleges. Also allows prep time to significantly raise SAT/ACT scores. This is important for getting into top schools or increasing merit-based scholarships at mid-tier schools.</p></li>
<li><p>ACCEL/MOWR hours don’t count against the 127 hours allowed by HOPE/Zell miller scholarships. If you change major or dual major all the classes taken prior to graduation won’t be counted in the 127 hour limit. (This is a change as of 2 years ago)</p></li>
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<p>5.Still able to live at home with advice/emotional support from parents and be involved with high school friends and activities through graduation. Learn the nuances of college classes/grades while still in a familiar environment. This makes the transition to living in dorms after graduation more about adjusting socially and less about big academic adjustments.</p>
<p>Biggest potential academic downside is the classes/grades count for both high school and college. Great if you do well, really bad if you do poorly. The grades will be on your high school transcript and used to calculate HOPE/Zell miller eligibility. Also any schools you end up at those grades will be part of your permanent record there as well.
For my kids the expectation was all/mostly all “A”'s. TO be safe they took a lighter load first semester to give them time to adjust</p>
<p>For my kids dual enrollment has been a wonderful financial and academic experience. Socially it has been great as well, a little by experiences at college, but mostly by allowing them to continue their high school friendships/EC’s. My 4th one begins her junior (high school) year this fall at KSU!</p>