Vermont Business Magazine The Community College of Vermont (CCV) has accepted 119 high school seniors into its Early College program for the 2016-2017 academic year, a nearly twofold increase over last year. Enrollment in the program has grown steadily since its inception in 2014. This year, 11 CCV academic centers will host students representing 39 Vermont high schools and the state’s home-schooled population. “The Early College program offers students an exceptional advantage as they prepare for their future,” said CCV President Joyce Judy. “We are committed to expanding access to college for all Vermonters , and the strong enrollment in Early College this fall is a promising indication of progress toward that end. We are proud to provide Vermont’s high school seniors with a cost-effective, accelerated path to earning a college degree.”
Early College allows rising high school seniors the opportunity to enroll full-time at any of CCV’s 12 academic centers, earning one year of tuition-free college credit. Additionally, Early College students are able to remain participants of their school’s extracurricular activities while studying at CCV. “I absolutely loved the option of Early College,” says Sydney Baskind, a recent graduate of the program who plans to start college as a sophomore at the University of Vermont. “[It] gave me the unique opportunity to transition from high school into college in a safe and supportive environment. It's so easy to schedule classes around sports or theater or whatever you want to do after school. I think it is the perfect alternative to senior year!”
Early College is one of several programs made possible by Vermont’s Act 77, known as the Flexible Pathways Initiative, which was signed by Governor Peter Shumlin in June of 2013.