Programs for High School Students

High school students are offered the opportunity to enroll in Wiregrass Georgia Technical College courses. Enrolling in college early provides Georgia high school students with the ability to take college-level courses and earn concurrent credit toward a high school diploma and a college degree. Participation in dual enrollment eases the transition from high school to college, provides students an early start on their college careers, and offers meaningful and challenging academic experiences to qualified students, including those who might not otherwise have access to early college opportunities. Early college enrollment can help increase the number of high school graduates who are both college and career ready.

Enrollment Options for High School Students

Dual Enrollment

Dual Enrollment is a program that allows qualified high school students to maximize their education and career training by taking courses that earn college and high school credit at the same time.

Some students may choose to enroll fully into a degree, diploma or technical certificate of credit program, or they may choose to just take a few courses. Participating in the Dual Enrollment program is a great incentive for high school students to get ahead on their college coursework.

Dual Enrollment Application Process

All high school students who meet Wiregrass admissions requirements are eligible for Dual Enrollment. Financial Aid is available to pay for students who qualify. High school students wishing to enroll in the Dual Enrollment program must first meet with their high school counselor. Next, students should complete the Dual Enrollment Funding Application on the GA Futures website. Students should then complete the Wiregrass Dual Enrollment Application packet which will include all the required forms needed to participate in the program and then meet with the Wiregrass High School Coordinator to register for classes.

Financial Aid Options for Dual Enrollment

Financial Aid is available for Dual Enrollment students who meet certain requirements. Students who are not eligible for Financial Aid to cover their Dual Enrollment courses are responsible for paying all tuition and any required fees.

Dual Enrollment Funding

Dual Enrollment Funding is available to any 10-12th grader in occupational/CTAE courses; and any 11-12th grader in academic core courses. Additionally, 2020-2021 10th graders are eligible for any core or occupational courses if they were enrolled in Dual Enrollment during the 2019-2020 school year.

9th graders are not eligible for Dual Enrollment funding but can self-pay or have their tuition paid by their school system or another partner. Students are limited to a total of 30 Dual Enrollment Funding hours starting Summer of 2020, with a limit of 15 hours per semester. This includes all attempted hours at all colleges and universities where Dual Enrollment Funding was used, not just those hours taken at Wiregrass. Students who have taken 18 or fewer hours prior to Summer of 2020 are eligible for 12 additional hours of Dual Enrollment Funding. Students who have taken 19 or more hours prior to the Summer of 2020, are eligible for 12 additional Dual Enrollment funded hours (regardless of how many they have already taken). Starting with Summer 2020, students with 2 or more withdrawals become ineligible for Dual Enrollment Funding.

HOPE Grant and HOPE Career Grant Bridge Funding

The HOPE Grant and HOPE Career Grant Bridge Funding can be used to fund additional courses for regular Dual Enrollment students after the student has exhausted their 30 Dual Enrollment Funded hours. Students wishing to use the HOPE Grant/HOPE Career Grant must choose from a HOPE Career Grant program. Students who use the HOPE Grant/HOPE Career Grant must meet HOPE residency requirements. Any HOPE Career Grant or HOPE Grant hours used will count against HOPE and Zell Miller caps.

Self-Pay

Any student not eligible for Financial Aid to cover their Dual Enrollment courses must self pay all tuition and any required fees.

Coursework

Occupational and core courses approved for the Dual Enrollment program can be found on the GA Futures website. Courses may be taught face-to-face on the college campus, the high school campus, online, hybrid, or via distance education. Students can enroll in Wiregrass courses during Fall, Spring, or Summer Semesters.

Concurrent Enrollment

Concurrent Enrollment (CE) provides high school students the opportunity to take college-credit courses through Dual Enrollment that are taught by high school teachers. The high school teacher is also a credentialed Wiregrass college instructor. CE instructors are approved through the college’s Academic Affairs department. CE courses are taught on the high school campus during the regular school day. Many CE credits will transfer to a student’s future postsecondary institution. Students wishing to enroll in the program should follow the Dual Enrollment Application Process.

Joint Enrollment

Another enrollment option for high school students is called Joint Enrollment. Joint Enrollment provides high school students the opportunity to take courses at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and receive college credit ONLY for the courses that they take at the college. Joint Enrollment students usually attend college classes in the afternoon or evening after they have attended high school an entire school day. Joint Enrollment students are allowed to take academic core and occupational program courses for any technical certificate or diploma program in which they are eligible. A portion of the tuition will be paid by the HOPE Grant for Georgia residents. Wiregrass will exempt other tuition and fees. Hours taken through Joint Enrollment count against a student’s Georgia Grant and Scholarship caps.

High School Graduation Option B (SB2)

High School Graduation Option B (SB2) offers an alternate path to high school graduation for public school students who have completed certain requirements at their high school. In order to participate in High School Graduation Option B (SB2), students must have completed the 10th grade and successfully completed the two required English, Math, Science, and Social Studies courses as well as one Health/PE course in addition to all associated test requirements. High school counselors will provide guidance about which specific English, math, science, and social studies courses are required. After completion of these courses, students must then complete ONE of the following:

· Any Wiregrass Associate Degree program

· Any Wiregrass Diploma program

· 2 of the Wiregrass Dual Enrollment Technical Certificates of Credit that are approved for High School Graduation Option B (SB2)

Financial Aid is available to High School Graduation Option B (SB2) students. Eligibility for Financial Aid is the same as eligibility for Dual Enrollment. Students wishing to pursue this option should ensure they have the Financial Aid required to complete their program, or be prepared to pay for any courses not covered by Financial Aid. Students interested in pursuing the Alternate Diploma Path option should contact their High School Guidance Counselor or the Wiregrass Technical College High School Coordinator.

Articulated Course Credit

Locally signed articulation agreements are in place between Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and local service area high schools for the purpose of allowing high school graduates to receive advanced technical college course credit for certain high school classes completed that were taken while they were in high school, taught by a high school teacher. Articulated course credit creates a “seamless” transition for high school students to bridge over to technical college programs of study while reducing duplication of work. Within 24 months of the student’s high school graduation date, the student must meet all the college admissions requirements, including submission of an official high school transcript for articulated course evaluation. Students will also have to score 85 or higher on a subject test or assessment to receive technical college course credit. The type of subject test is determined through agreements between the WGTC faculty and high school teachers. Credit by articulation will appear on a student’s college transcript as a grade of “AC.” It will count toward college graduation requirements, but will not be calculated into the student’s institutional GPA and may not transfer to other colleges/universities should the student decide to later transfer from Wiregrass

Graduation Information

High School students who complete a program while still enrolled in high school can be awarded a college credential prior to high school graduation. Upon graduating from high school, all Dual Enrollment students are encouraged to present official sealed high school transcripts for review for additional awards.