Through a collaboration with Craven County Schools, we offer two branches of our Early College program: Craven Early College (CEC) on our New Bern campus, Early College of Eastern Applied Sciences and Technology (EAST), or ECE, on our Havelock campus. This innovative, five-year program combines the high school and community college experience to bring students an accelerated learning environment. Graduates earn a high school diploma with an opportunity to earn an associate degree or several transferable college credits. This enables graduates to enter a four-year university as a junior, if desired.
The student-teacher ratio averages 17 to 1 at the two Early Colleges. This helps build relationships and confidence in the classroom and enables a more personalized experience. In addition, there is no cost for classes or textbooks while students are enrolled in the program. This is especially beneficial for students who may not have the opportunity to attend college without such assistance. Students also have access to many of our college resources, including free tutoring services and full access to the library.
For more information on the Early Colleges, visit their websites:
We also partner with Craven County Schools to offer the Career & College Promise program, which allows high school students to earn college and high school credit from the same class.