By Holly Desrosier
Craven Community College (Craven CC) is currently accepting applications for its Career & College Promise (CCP) program, which allows high school students to take college classes that are completely tuition free.
“Students that enroll in CCP have the opportunity to get a huge jump start on their college and/or career goals at absolutely no cost,” said Austin Dixon, CCP advisor on the New Bern campus.
All high school juniors and seniors that reside in Craven County are eligible for the CCP program, including public, private and home-schooled students. Upon graduating high school, CCP students are then able to apply college credits toward accelerating the completion of a college certificate, diploma or associate degree. College credits are also transferrable to four-year universities.
“Not many high school students get to take part in a program like this,” said Dixon. “By the time a CCP student graduates from high school, they generally will have completed a few courses or up to a year’s worth of college (or more) while others may complete a Career and Technical Education certificate, making them more marketable and workforce ready.”
CCP students can select from either the Career-Technical Pathway or the College Transfer Pathway. The Career-Technical Pathway is ideal for students currently in a career cluster program at their school, allowing them to enroll in a Craven CC certificate program that aligns with their current goals. Available certificates include, but are not limited to, Automotive, Computer-Aided Drafting, Criminal Justice, Electronic Engineering Tech, Health Information Tech, Information Technology, Machining Tech, Medical Assisting, Small Business Accounting and Welding.
The College Transfer Pathway is a good choice for students who plan to enroll in a transfer program to attend a four-year university, allowing them to complete many of the core general education classes required during the first two years of a four-year degree. These degree programs include Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Engineering (AE), Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) – Music, Associate in Fine Arts (AFA) – Visual Arts, Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) and Associate in Science (AS).
Students who complete the AA or AS and meet established guidelines are guaranteed admission into one of the 16 public institutions in the UNC System and many of the independent colleges within North Carolina. Students who complete the AE, AFA-Visual Arts or AFA-Music are highly qualified to transfer to a university program in these fields.
“CCP is so much more than a transition,” said Dixon. “It provides students with full immersion into college life at the community college right in their backyard. Our students get to take classes with actual college students and instructors, engage in campus events, join clubs on campus and utilize the array of resources we have available.”
Students interested in the CCP program can get started right away by reviewing pathway information at cravencc.edu/careercollegepromise, applying to Craven CC and then completing a CCP enrollment form. The college application may be filled out and submitted online, and the enrollment form is accessible online. Upon completing those steps, students can then contact the CCP Advisor or schedule an appointment online. In addition to the completed CCP application, students will need to bring their official high school transcript to the appointment.
Students with an unweighted grade point average (GPA) of 2.8 or higher automatically qualify for the CCP program. If a student does not hold a GPA of 2.8, they may be considered through other eligibility benchmarks that demonstrate college readiness.
New students must attend a mandatory orientation session. During orientation, students will have the opportunity to discover campus resources and understand academic expectations and what it takes to be a successful student. They will also learn to navigate and set up student email, Moodle and WebAdvisor accounts.
“I want students and families to understand that CCP is an awesome opportunity,” added Dixon. “With that, we want them to know that this program and its courses are an addition to high school coursework rather than in place of them. Students have the power to view the world through the lens of a college student, but with great power also comes great responsibility. Our priority is the same as our students, which is holistic student success and most importantly, completion of high school.”
Students can apply to enroll for the late start summer term through June 1. Summer classes begin June 15 and fall classes will begin Aug. 19. For more information, visit cravencc.edu/careercollegepromise or contact Dixon at 252-638-7242 or ccp@cravencc.edu.
This article was originally published in the New Bern Sun Journal on April 22, 2020.