Messiah College Dual Enrollment & Cohort Program Northern High School 2016-2017 School Year

What is Dual Enrollment? Dual enrollment is an option for high school juniors and seniors to enroll in college courses for credit prior to high school graduation.

Why dual enrollment? Why not?! Get a feel for college level courses and expectations while still in the comfort of your home and high school Develop stronger independence, confidence, and soft skills (i.e., time management, balancing responsibilities, etc.) Get a head start on first year courses to lighten your load for the Fall Semester 2017! Enjoy significant tuition reductions Learn how to navigate a college environment Immerse yourself in a campus to better identify what you may want in a post-secondary institution Tackle some college general education requirements while ALSO meeting high school graduation requirements

Let’s Talk Cost Messiah College Dual Enrollment $150 per credit + textbook costs Transportation expenses Example: 3 credit course = $450 Payment will be made directly to Messiah through the student’s online account Questions to ask yourself: How many classes do I want to take per semester? Will I take a college class in the fall AND the spring?

Let’s Talk Credits A 3-4 credit course at Messiah College is equal to 1 credit at Northern. A 1 credit Physical Education course is equal to .33 credit at Northern. The student earns college credit AND high school credit simultaneously. Students can take a course at Messiah that can count as meeting a graduation requirement for NHS OR they can select an elective, which will count as an elective credit for Northern. Example: Students could take a Composition 101 course at Messiah, which would count as an English credit at NHS.

NHS Graduation Requirements

More on Credits… Per our school board policy, students who are doing dual enrollment must be enrolled in at least 4.83 credits over the course of the year. Many students will take classes at Northern and supplement their educational program with college courses for a total of at least 4.83. Students NOT enrolled in dual enrollment, must enroll in at least 6.33 credits at NHS.

Are college courses calculated into the GPA? Yes! For the Class of 2017, they are calculated into the GPA. Important Note: For the Class of 2018 and beyond, college classes will NOT be calculated into the GPA. College classes are weighted at an honors level, which is 1.1 College courses will not appear on report cards, but they will appear on the transcript at the end of the first semester (Q1/Q2) and at the end of the second semester (Q3/Q4).

A Word About Transcripts… Dual enrolled students are required to provide Mrs. DePalmer with their end-of-semester college grades in order to receive credit and a grade. Your high school transcript will simply read “College Classes,” so any admissions officer reading your transcript will see that you are taking dual enrollment courses. Not until Mrs. DePalmer receives end-of-semester transcripts from you will the label “College Classes” change to the actual course(s) you took. When students are applying to colleges, they will be required to send a Northern High School transcript AND a Messiah College transcript to verify the courses taken.

PIAA Eligibility Per our school board policy, students must be passing 4.33 credits to be eligible to participate in any sport or extra-curricular activity that is school-sponsored. Therefore, be SURE that if this applies to you that you are enrolled in at least 4.33 credits during the season of participation.

How will we check your college grade for eligibility? At Northern, we monitor eligibility on a weekly basis every Friday. At Messiah, we do not have any access to your grades. Therefore, students who participate in sports or any other extra-curricular activity will be provided with a mini paper notepad that s/he will with carry with him/her. Each week, you will need to ask your professor to initial the slip of paper to verify that you are passing the course for the week. These will be provided by the school. It is your responsibility to present this verification slip to the professor and to then drop it off at the Athletic Office by Friday each week. If you do not verify your eligibility each week, you will become ineligible to participate in any activity for one week.

How does this all work with a student’s schedule? Students need at least 3 class periods blocked out of their day to ensure adequate travel time, parking time, walking time, class time, and the reverse. The creation of dual enrollment students’ high school schedules will be complete by the time they register for Messiah classes in July. Mrs. DePalmer is going to assume that the student wants to do afternoon college classes unless you tell her otherwise. The second half of the student’s day will be designated to college classes, while the first half will be reserved for NHS classes. Tip: Think ahead to sports seasons! On days when the students are not reporting to the college class, they are not required to report to NHS until their schedule requires them to. After you have registered for classes, please make Mrs. DePalmer aware of what classes you are taking.

How do I know what classes to take at Messiah? Please see Mrs. DePalmer, if you haven’t already. She can help you in the planning process to make sure you select classes that will meet your graduation requirements. Specific questions about course offerings, descriptions, registering, enrollment, etc. will need to be channeled through the Dual Enrollment Admissions Office at Messiah College. You can easily find their contact information on their website. http://www.messiah.edu/info/20102/dual_enrollment Do your homework, and browse Messiah’s Course Catalog to see what classes they offer: http://www.messiah.edu/academics/catalog/Current/course-catalog.pdf

New! Messiah College Cohort! What is the Messiah College Cohort? It is another option for dual enrollment. This program is designed to give high school senior students an opportunity to engage in college level courses through a cohort approach. Typical course completion will lead to 12 credits with Messiah College. The courses offered in the fall of 2016 are Psychology 101 and Communications 105. The spring courses for 2017 are still being determined. Students are not obligated to sign up for all four courses. For example, a student could sign up for one Messiah College Cohort Program course.

What’s the difference between dual enrollment & the cohort? Cohort Program Cost $150/credit + textbooks Class Composition Mostly College Students All High School Students from Northern H.S. & Mechanicsburg H.S. Location of Class Messiah College Campus Time-Of-Day Offered No designated time Periods 1-3 # of Days Reporting to Campus 2-3 days per week per class 1 day per class with additional material to be completed online Classes Offered Wide Open; Flexible 4 Courses; Prescribed Class Registration On Your Own Taken Care Of

Cohort Considerations: Why It May Be a Good Option for You It is offered Periods 1-3, so it is good for athletes who may have to leave school early for afternoon games. You’re in it with other high school peers for added familiarity and support (i.e., study groups). The classes that are offered are common dual enrollment courses that have high likelihood of transferring as general education requirements (i.e., Psychology 101, Intro to Oral Communications). You’re only reporting to campus one-two days each week, and the rest is completed online. Must be self-directed!

For More Information… For more information on the Messiah College Cohort Program, please view the Dual Enrollment website on the Guidance Department’s webpage. There, you will find a link to a document that provides answers to FAQ’s regarding the cohort program.

“I want to do dual enrollment at Messiah College. How do I sign up?” First, be sure that you are eligible to apply for dual enrollment by looking at their website. http://www.messiah.edu/info/21138/eligibility Then, follow the steps to apply. http://www.messiah.edu/info/20102/dual_enrollment/1798/apply Mrs. DePalmer will complete the Recommendation Form, and the Guidance Office will send out your transcript, so you must let us know when you have sent your application so that we can complete your registration. Then, wait for your acceptance letter to arrive! Registration for classes will occur July 6th, 2016. Deadline for applying is July 22nd, 2016.

“I want to join the MC Cohort Program. What do I do?” Follow the same procedures as a dual enrollment student to apply to Messiah College. Then, let Mrs. DePalmer know of your intent to join the cohort prior to May 27, 2016.

Important Dates Deadline for Admission to the Cohort: May 27th Class Registration Begins: July 6th Deadline for Admission in Dual Enrollment: July 22nd Dual Enrollment Orientation: August 19th First day of Fall Semester: August 30th Last day of Classes: December 9th Fall Semester Exams: December 12th-15th Winter break: December 16th – January 29th **Note: Mrs. DePalmer will be in the office on July 5th & 6th to help field questions and concerns regarding dual enrollment registration.

If you have any remaining questions, please contact Thanks! If you have any remaining questions, please contact Mrs. DePalmer at 717-432-8691 x2006 or sdepalmer@nycsd.k12.pa.us