Running Start Making the right choice for you.

Running Start - What is It? A State program created to give qualified students the option to pursue their final 1-2 years of high school education at a community or technical college (CTC) at no tuition cost.

1. High school students attend a CTC and earn college credit toward both high school and college degree requirements. 2. Students earn double-transcribed credit and grades on both the high school and community college transcripts. 3. The school district pays the Tuition, You pay all the rest and transport yourself. Credit in two places

Schedule Options Full time o 15 college credits in one quarter = 3-4 college classes and no high school classes Part time o Two-three high school classes and two-three college classes o Four-five high school classes and 1 college class

Are you Eligible? You will be in the 11th or 12th grade. These are students with 10 or more credits by the start of the school year they will participate in running start. You are currently enrolled in a public high school. You place in college level English through the COMPASS assessment. Students must qualify for college level Writing, English 101 and college level reading, English 106 or higher. There is a separate math assessment for students interested in math courses. You meet program application deadlines.

Advantages vs. Disadvantages For some this option can be a huge advantage and for others this experience is not something they are ready for.

Advantages of the Program Free Tuition! Students can earn up to two years of tuition-free college credit while finishing high school. The high school pays the tuition. A maximum of 18 credits are funded per quarter. Get a "Running Start" on College Education. Students have the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. Advanced Coursework. Students have the opportunity to take advanced courses and a greater variety of courses than those available at their local high schools. Adult Educational Setting. Students whose academic interests are not being met at a traditional high school often flourish in a different educational setting. Flexibility in Scheduling Classes. Classes are available from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., also on the weekends, and online. Faster Pace. Students will cover about the same amount of material in an 11 week course that they would cover all year in high school. As a result, a 5 credit college course is equal to 1 credit at the high school ( at high school 1.0 credit is earned for a full year, and 0.5 for a semester)

Potential Disadvantages of the Program for those unprepared Maturity is Essential. In addition to academic readiness, students must have the personal discipline and responsibility to handle independence and the fast pace of college classes. College classes require an average of at least 2 hours of homework for each hour of class, so a five credit class requires at least 10 hours of homework time a week. Subject matter is adult level and participation is required. Students Pay for Books & Lab Fees. Books can range from $40 to $110 each; lab fees run from$2.50 to $40 per class. Transportation is the Student's Responsibility. A dependable means of transportation is necessary; travel time and parking time should be considered when scheduling classes. College Credit Does Not Transfer to All Schools. BCC college credit transfers to virtually all public institutions and most private colleges in the State of Washington; outside of the State of Washington transfer credit is awarded on a college-by-college basis. Socialization Can Be an Issue. The college is an adult environment in which there is great age diversity; students range in age from high school age to the age of student's parents and grandparents. Students will attend classes away from the high school social network found at their high school. Extracurricular Activities can be an interference. Students that plan to work a lot and students that participate in high school activities may find it difficult to have the time for these activities and their college classes.

Important considerations

Student GPA can be a participation guideline. Students with average and above high school gpa’s are recommended to participate. Students with lower than average gpa’s should consider that the level of academic challenge will be greater. Students must maintain a minimum gpa of 2.0 in college classes. Grades are part of a student’s Permanent Record. Grades are posted to both the college and high school transcripts, and both transcripts must be disclosed when applying to another college.

College Differs from High School College is a choice, maturity is essential Pace is much faster, demands much higher, due dates very firm, no re-do’s … you alone control your study habits, grades and attendance Greater Diversity – you attend college classes as a college student with people of all ages from all places The student is entirely responsible for everything, no other person may help you satisfy expectations and you receive no reminders or warnings if problems occur Very few high stakes grades determine your entire final grade (example: 3 major tests can make the entire course grade) You must be organized and use effective study skills

Unacceptable behaviors include: Poor attendance habits Talking / doing other things in class Being unprepared / neglecting work Disputing instructor’s policies / decisions Failing or missing a test or paper Late work Inability to study, take notes, communicate, plan ahead

Registration and Enrollment

Admission Follow the Steps To Enroll onlineSteps To Enroll Meet the deadlines Included in the application process is the COMPASS or ASSET test Meet deadlines, pass the test(s) and you’re in.

Registration Wait for your registration material in the mail in May, then see your counselor. Students will need to see their high school counselor at least once per quarter while attending the community/technical college. Some classes are required, but this is based mostly on individual need Most classes you pick yourself so have a plan

Greater responsibility You have to juggle the college class schedule yourself o Get into requirements as soon as possible to avoid later space problems o we have no way to monitor your choices Scheduling and completion of all required classes is the duty of the student.

Priority one: High School The college course schedule cannot interfere with the student’s high school schedule. o Part time students will learn how hard this is o Don’t register for a RS class which conflicts with HS schedule and expect that we will change your HS schedule mid-semester Students must meet all high school graduation requirements as their first scheduling priority. Students must still meet all graduation requirements: HSPE, culminating project