SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE DUAL2DEGREE & EARLY COLLEGE ORIENTATION 2016

WHAT IS AN EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL? South Texas College supports 26 Early College High Schools. Each ECHS is an independent public high school designed to create a seamless transition between high school and college. By design, ECHS are small, innovative high schools that allow students least likely to attend college, an opportunity to earn a high school diploma and two years of college credit. More importantly, the transition from high school to college is eased by blending high school and college curriculum into a organized unit.

WHAT IS DUAL 2 DEGREE?  Dual credit courses that are offered to qualifying students free of charge.  Dual enrollment students are considered college students.  Students are taught by regular high school instructors or STC professors at their High School or a South Texas College campus.

BENEFITS OF DUAL ENROLLMENT Save Time- Shorten the amount of courses needed to complete college degrees. Save Money- Save hundreds/thousands of dollars in tuition and fee-related expenses. Be College Ready- Be academically prepared for the rigor of a college-level education.

STEPS TO ADMISSION, REGISTRATION & ELIGIBILITY  Submit STC admission application via  Achieve minimum passing TSI/EOC scores  Provide HS transcript  Submit qualifying test scores

WHAT COURSES ARE OFFERED? ACADEMIC: Liberal Arts: Arts, Music, Speech, Spanish, History, English, Literature Social Sciences: Sociology, Psychology, Government, Education, Criminal Justice Science & Math: Computer Science, Algebra, Pre-calculus, Biology, Chemistry

WHAT COURSES ARE OFFERED? Business & Technology:  Accounting  Automotive Tech  Business Admin.  Banking  Business Computer Systems  Computer Drafting & Design  Heating/Ventilation Tech  Precision Manufacturing Technology Nursing & Allied Health:  Child Development  Medical Terminology  Medical Assistant Technology  Sign Language WORKFORCE EDUCATION COURSES:

REGISTER INDEPENDENTLY AT STC  ECHS students may register for courses independently at STC.  Students will not be charged for tuition.  Interested students must meet with ECHS counselor  Students may register online via JagNet

QUALIFYING FOR DUAL CREDIT COURSES Students may qualify for dual credit courses by meeting the minimum TSI requirements: TSI SCORES SectionMinimum Passing Score Reading351 WritingEssay Score of 5 OR Essay Score of 4 & Multiple Choice of 363 Math350

QUALIFYING FOR ACADEMIC COURSES EOC SCORES Note: Students may no longer qualify for dual credit courses by meeting the minimum TSI requirements- as the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board recommends changes that could take effect as early as Fall Section- Level 2 EOCMinimum Passing Score English II4000 Algebra I C in Algebra II HS Course

THECB EXEMPTIONS Students may also be exempt by meeting Coordinating Board exemptions with ACT/SAT/PLAN.

LIMITATIONS Students may not enroll in more than 15 credit hours per semester without principle’s approval.

CONSEQUENCES FOR NOT PASSING DUAL CREDIT COURSES Failing/dropping your dual credit courses may:  Affect your college GPA  Affect your financial aid eligibility before graduating from high school  Affect your admission into a college/university or scholarship eligibility

ACADEMIC STANDING IS IMPORTANT Students may be placed on Academic Probation or Suspension if their cumulative GPA is below a 2.0 Students placed on suspension will not be allowed to register for courses during a regular academic semester unless they visit with a STC counselor.

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) All students, including dual enrollment students, must adhere to the SAP policy for financial aid as entering freshmen at STC. Students must meet three requirements: 1.Complete 67% of courses attempted per semester 2.Maintain overall GPA at Graduate within Maximum Time Frame MTF – Required hours to graduate x 150%

COMPLETE 67% OF ATTEMPTED COURSES Completion Involves: Attendance: attend entire length of course (not dropping course) Passing: Receive a letter grade “A,” “B,” “C,” and “D”.

MAINTAIN GPA OF 2.0 OR BETTER GPA Equivalent to receiving a C letter grade for every course the student attempts. 67% Rule v. GPA If a student is in a situation where he/she is doing poorly in a course, sometimes the better option is to drop the course rather remain in the course and have their GPA suffer.

FINANCIAL AID STATUS Good Warning Suspension Students in Good Standing are meeting SAP Student is in a “probationary” status, financial aid may still be awarded to a student in warning; however, they must ensure to meet SAP Student’s financial aid award will be suspended until student is able to meet SAP requirements or has successfully appealed

AVOID FAILING/DROPPING COURSES To formally withdraw, students must submit a STC “Drop Form” by the Drop Deadline to their HS counselor. Failure to drop the course by the deadline may result in the student receiving a failing grade in a dual credit course.

USE COLLEGE RESOURCES! As a dual enrollment student, you are entitled to utilize the College’s academic and student resources:  Library  Computer Labs  Tutoring Centers  Counseling & Advisement Centers

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:  Know your STC ID number “A#”  Log on to JagNet  Use South Texas College resources and services  Allow enough time to study each week  Arrive to class early  Keep healthy communication with your instructor

GRADUATION PROGRESS METER

WELCOME TO SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE!