The JumpStart partnership started in 2018 and now, with adjustments made by the Maryland State Department of Education in October 2022 to Maryland\u2019s Blueprint for the Future <\/a>legislation, dual enrollment is now offered at no cost to students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJumpStart Dual Enrollment is a great option for students to enhance and supplement their high school learning,\u201d says LaRee Siddiqui, JumpStart coordinator. \u201cStudents can take advantage of the unique opportunities that HCC offers and gain an authentic college experience in the process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within JumpStart, students have options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n High school students can choose to take a class for college credit at their own school. These high school-based classes are taught by HCPSS faculty who are accredited by HCC. Unlike a semester-long HCC-based course, the high school-based courses take place over the entire school year, allowing teachers to dive deeper into the materials over a longer period of time. The expectations are still the same, with students taking midterms, finals and completing term papers, but this gives students the opportunity to earn college credit in a familiar environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe JumpStart program is giving me my first in-depth college experience in a comfortable high school environment.”<\/p>\nJohanna Shin, a student at Wilde Lake High School (WLHS).<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n HCPSS juniors and seniors who want a college campus-based experience can enroll in semester-long classes held at HCC. This experience can be more rigorous\u2014the length of the course is condensed and much of the student\u2019s work takes place outside of the classroom. Juniors and seniors in a structured program may have the option to enroll at HCC as a full-time student.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJumpStart has helped me get a head start in my life after high school, starting from freshman year at Oakland Mills. I have been able to get college credits every year in high school and will get to go to the HCC campus next year to take most of my classes,\u201d<\/p>\nOakland Mills High School (OMHS) student Fisayo Sule<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n For students who are committed to earning even more college credit, there are options for rising ninth and\/or 10th grade students to participate in a more structured program and earn 30\u201360 college credits and an Associate of Arts (AA) degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of where students choose to take a dual enrollment course, they must register as an HCC student and, as such, gain access to HCC\u2019s campus-based resources, which include free tutoring in the course content area, access to writing and math labs, athletic facilities, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students considering taking courses for college credit should always start by having a conversation with their families and school counselor to determine which, if any, option is best for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy goal is to help each student create a plan that best fits their needs. I love seeing students who are nervous about college take a dual enrollment course and see that they [can] be successful at the college level,\u201d says Donna Ueckermann, school counselor at OMHS. \u201cThis opportunity has afforded many students the ability to not only get a head start on college credits but help them learn valuable organization, time management and study skills to help them be successful in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While some dual enrollment students have a clear vision of what their future looks like, JumpStart is still an option for those who don\u2019t. Taking dual enrollment classes at HCC is a great way to dip a toe into the college while still having the supportive environment offered by HCPSS. Students do not need to be certain they\u2019ll attend college after high school either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJumpStart is really helpful to me because it helps prepare me for college while in high school. It shows me what college classes are like and gives me resources to help me through them.\u201d<\/p>\nMasud Mustefa, a student at OMHS<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Students who do plan to attend college after high school do not need to know what they\u2019ll major in before registering for dual enrollment. Many students use dual enrollment to tackle General Education requirements. Other students use HCC classes to explore a subject they are passionate about or are considering pursuing as a major to see if it\u2019s the right fit for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJumpStart courses give me the opportunity to explore my passions in computer science. The online classes I\u2019ve taken have had wonderful teachers that were very willing to work with me.\u201d<\/p>\nWLHS student Laurel Sands<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n From the start, HCPSS and HCC have staff and advisors available to help guide every student along the right path. In high schools, students can turn to their school counselors. On HCC\u2019s campus, the college has staff dedicated to supporting HCPSS students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With HCC fall registration opening on March 21, students should reach out to their counselor, if they haven\u2019t already, to start the conversation about dual enrollment and determine if these options are right for them. All HCPSS high schools are hosting application sessions with virtual sessions<\/a> being held monthly through May to help students and families register.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs students consider dual enrollment, they need to keep in mind that they are applying to college and signing up for the whole experience\u2014college-level content, work and expectations,\u201d says Siddiqui. \u201cAnd they should be realistic and intentional about their choices. But in the end, students can receive college credit and no matter where their path takes them after high school, they will benefit from this opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n More information about the JumpStart Dual Enrollment program<\/a>, including how to register, is available online. Get more insight into dual enrollment by listening to episode 3 of the Inside HCPSS podcast<\/a> where Siddiqui and River Hill High School teacher Sarah Tokar join HCPSS Superintendent Michael Martirano to discuss the JumpStart program and how it benefits students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"WLHS](\"https:\/\/news.hcpss.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Johanna-Shin-WLHS.jpg\")
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