Early College High Schools

Top Tip for Middle School Parents: Early-College High School


As a parent, you want the best for your child, including the best education possible. However, with the rising cost of tuition, it can be a struggle to find an affordable way for your child to earn a degree. 


There is an option that many parents have yet to discover, which can cut the cost of a four-year degree by as much as 50%: Early College High School, often also call dual-enrollment. Early College High School is an option ONLY if you know about it in time to enroll your teenager by the start of 9th grade. Meaning, this is a four-year program and in the vast majority of states you can only participate if you enroll prior to starting high school.


So what is an Early College High School?


Early college high school programs are typically structured as a partnership between a local school district and community college, and they allow high school students to be dual-enrolled in an Associate’s degree program. Essentially, your high school student takes a mix of high school and dual-enrollment college-level courses, to earn college credits while still in high school. By the time they graduate, they can have both a high school diploma and an associates degree, which is usually worth two years of college applied toward a bachelor’s degree. 


I say ‘usually’, because it does depend on what four-year programs you are targeting for the bachelor’s degree. For example, in Texas, all the public colleges have pre-committed to, at a minimum, allow students who earn the full associates degree from an Early College program in Texas to then skip the 42-credit core curriculum that is required to graduate from all Texas public universities. But some of the remaining 18 credits earned may only apply as electives or not at all, depending on the rigor of courses chosen to complete the Associates degree, as well as the requirements of the chosen major at the four-year college. Therefore, even for the student that plans their dual-credit high school journey with a specific future university in mind, it is likely that most, but not all, of the credits will apply toward their desired 120 hour bachelor’s degree. 


Still, student completing an Early College High School in Texas can expect to complete a degree from a popular public school like UT Austin, Texas A&M, or Texas Tech in just 2-3 years, instead of the usual 4-6 years that most students take to complete college. This can save your family tens of thousands of dollars in tuition and fees, and students following this path enter college with established college-level study skills, and a solid understanding of what it will take to succeed and graduate on time. 


While this can vary depending where you live, in some states, like Texas, Early College High School Is offered at no additional cost to the student. Meaning, the college courses and all associated expenses (such as textbooks) are paid for by the local district or the state. These savings make Early College High Schools the absolutely lowest cost option for earning college credits during high school.


Another financial savings tip: If your student is interested in a particular four-year college, do a deep dive into how scholarships and financial aid work for both first-time freshmen AND for transfer students. Because your Early College graduate can apply as either a new student or transfer student, and each school will have different ($) incentive buckets for attracting students. So don’t assume one path or the other makes the most sense in your student’s situation without asking specific questions. 


Specific Example: Grapevine-Colleyville Collegiate Academy


One example of an early college high school program is the Grapevine-Colleyville Collegiate Academy in Texas. I can share firsthand about how this program is intended to work, since my son is an incoming freshman. This program is offered in partnership with Tarrant County College Northeast Campus, and co-located on that college campus in a building that is on the edge of the overall campus. Students can earn up to 60 credits, which is equivalent to an associates degree, while still in high school, but it ramps up gradually. For example, Freshmen earn a total of 7 credits, and in all cases these credits are in classrooms with their high school peers. Sophomores are pre-planned to earn 15 credits, and 9 or more of those credits are with high school peers, meaning that even in year two, only a few of those college credits are in classrooms with college-aged learners. Once students hit their Junior and Senior years, they have the ability to complete mostly courses for college credit at Tarrant County College, provided that they have met academic and developmental milestones In the first two years. Meaning, students that are progressing at an appropriate pace will be able to complete an Associate's degree, while those who have experienced challenges along the way are nurtured through high school completion and take only the college credits that fit their future interests and current level of aptitude. 


That might sound like more learning differentiation than you might have expected from a public school program, and that is actually a good thing. Early College High Schools are more heavily resourced with academic supports and counseling, to ensure that every student can reach their potential. So it is accurate to say that Early College High Schools are not just beneficial from a financial standpoint, but they also provide several academic advantages for their students. Research shows that, due to the support structures built into these programs, students often have better grades, higher college acceptance rates, and increased motivation for academics. 


One way that incentive structure plays out at Grapevine-Colleyville Collegiate Academy, for example, is that there is the potential for a flexible schedule Junior and Senior years, but that flexibility is something a student earns by demonstrating solid habits in the areas of attendance, conduct, grades, and communication with their professors. In a sense, the program Is building Into students a lot of the skills that most other students will learn by trial-and-error as college freshmen.  Much of the effort to instill these values in students at Grapevine-Colleyville Collegiate Academy happens in a ‘Pathways’ course that runs all four years, and provides equipping in areas such as time-management, study-skills and goal-setting. 


Can an Early College High School Help with 4-Year College Acceptance?


While high-GPA students can certainly distinguish themselves on future college applications by earning straight A’s in their dual-enrollment coursework, participation in an Early College program will also make an academically ‘average’ student much more attractive to colleges and universities. By showing that they have taken and successfully passed multiple college-level courses, students demonstrate that they are ready for the demands of higher education. This can increase their chances of acceptance to their top choice colleges and universities.


Is an Early College High School a Good Fit for Your Student?


I should note that like anything else, early college programs are not for everyone. Here are a few factors to consider:



Final Thoughts


In conclusion, early college programs are an affordable and beneficial option for high school students and their parents. By participating in these programs, students can gain valuable academic experience and save money on college tuition. These programs also provide opportunities for students to challenge themselves academically, increase their chances of college acceptance, and prepare them for success in college and beyond. 


We looked at the Grapevine-Colleyville Collegiate Academy, which is just one example of a program that is making college education more accessible to students across Texas. There are many more programs like this available across the country, all with their unique benefits and academic opportunities. I encourage all parents of middle schoolers to at least look into if any Early College High Schools exist in your area, and weigh the pros and cons with your student. This really can be one of the best ways to reduce college costs (or debt!) for your family, as well slashing time to degree completion for your student.