By Matt Barron

Dual Enrollment at Bay College allows high school students to earn college credit while completing their high school education. Early Middle College extends this, encompassing a fifth year where students earn both a high school diploma and college degree or certificate upon completion.

This is not new, Bay College has been providing opportunities for local high school (HS) students to earn college credit for decades, reducing college costs for students in the community. There are several options for earning free credits and jumpstarting college in a structured and comfortable environment.

• Articulated credit through Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at the local ISDs
• Dual enrollment in traditional Bay courses – online or on campus
• Direct college credit by leveraging qualified high school instructors

Over the past decade, dual enrollment has skyrocketed at Bay College. National movements have pushed our students to focus on college degrees, STEM, and technical trades, and partnerships with our local districts have become increasingly important. Currently, nearly 30% of Bay College’s enrollment is a result of dual enrollment (Figure 1). The emergence of early college programming  has further increased the access for students seeking a college certificate or degree.

Whichever pathway students are accessing college credits, Bay’s commitment to the quality of education and experience does not waiver. Partnerships between Bay College and surrounding high schools have been strong since the inception, a true community advantage. Whether a student chooses a technical program such as welding or plans to pursue a transfer degree such as engineering, Bay College and our local districts continue to provide students affordable options, and ease the transition into college.

Figure 1 – Dual Enrollment growth over past 5 years.

Ellie O’Neal, a fifth year student exemplifies the importance of this space, “HUB means the central part of a wheel, rotating on or with the axle, and from which the spokes radiate, that is a definition of a hub. I want to tell you it is true, it is the center of the school, this is where you can go to get help, get advice, support and direction. To form bonds with people you didn’t know you would even have a friendship with. I myself am a fifth year student, and the HUB has been vital to my survival, I come for tutoring, to heat up food, and for fellowship. I love all the wonderful options I have when it comes to tools, I can reserve a room to have a study group session, or meet at a white board table to write some ideas down. The HUB itself has been an extremely helpful part of my first year here at Bay College, it has been my place, and it’s where I feel most comfortable. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the HUB, but I can tell you it is why I have succeeded here at Bay, and will continue to succeed in the years to come.”