By Lucy Lawrence
While Skagit Valley College boasts hundreds of unique degrees, certificates and programs for anyone who wants to become more educated, they also have unique programs for high schoolers and equivalent degrees. Skagit has seven programs dedicated to giving a college education to those still in high school and those out of high school achieve either a high school diploma or equivalent. Skagit has a robust running start program that cooperates with many surrounding high schools to allow students to take classes at the college fulfilling both their high school requirements and earn college credit and potentially a degree. Similar to this, Skagit also partners with high schools to bring the College in the High School Program. Skagit also offers CTE Dual Credit classes that can be taken at high schools as well. The High School Completion Program is also available to some students as well as the Open Doors Program, HS21+, and GED testing.
The running start program allows current high school students in grades 11 and 12 to take college courses at Skagit. These students are able to put these classes towards high school requirements and college degree requirements. Skagit currently directly partners with 12 different high schools in the surrounding area to help students further their education. Running start allows students to advance their education quickly by taking a quarter-long five credit class that would amount to one high school credit and take a full traditional school year at their high school to complete. Through running start, Washington State high schools pay the base tuition for up to 15 credits for fall, winter and spring quarter. Students and their families only have to cover fees, books, transportation and any other charges. While this amount can add up quickly, Skagit offers scholarships to running start students that qualify for Free or Reduced-Priced Meal Program and have a college grade point average of 2.0 or better.
Students that begin running start in their junior year have the ability to earn an Associate’s Degree through Skagit and their high school diploma through their high school. Students have the option to participate in college classes and high school classes but are also able to only attend college classes. While the transition from high school to college may be difficult, Peter Schlegel, a recruitment specialist advises that running start students that are really successful are mature, disciplined, and have time management skills. Running start provides a great option for high school students who want to earn college credit and explore hundreds of different career pathways.
Similar to running start, both the CTE Dual Credit and College in the High School Programs allow students to earn college credits, but these allow to maintain their courses through their high school. Courses in both of these programs are taught by high school teachers that work closely with Skagit faculty mentors to create a curriculum that satisfies course objectives in line with Skagit’s equivalent courses. These programs allow students in all high school grades to earn college credits in an environment that is more familiar to them with teachers that may already be familiar as well. Students in these programs maintain dual enrollment in both their high school and Skagit which gives them access to all of Skagit’s resources. While College in the High School classes tend to be more centered around subjects like mathematics, science and English, CTE Dual Credits give students a leg up in earning technical and professional degrees or certificates. Either way, both of the programs give students an ability to further their education in an environment that is more familiar and may suit them better.
Skagit also offers the High School Completion program that generally consists of international students seeking an American degree that is recognized throughout the world. In order to be accepted into this program, potential students must submit an application to the school, a bank statement, application fee, letter of recommendation, transcripts, English placement test and have taken a few specific classes. Tuition for this degree is generally significantly lower than most other degrees at Skagit and students in this program are often able to qualify for further scholarships and federal assistance.
The HS21+ program, which is a high school diploma program, is specifically for adults 21 and older. This program not only relies on coursework, but also has the ability for students to utilize past experiences such as work, life and military service to achieve requirements for their high school diploma. This is a program for those that have not earned a high school diploma or a GED. A similar program that Skagit offers is the Open Doors Program. This is an extremely similar program but is designed for students ages 16-20 that have dropped out of high school or are at risking of doing so. Both of these programs also allow students to earn college credit while also earning a Washington State high school diploma and do so with a faculty that wants every student to succeed.
Skagit also offers GED testing. It is a certificate of high school equivalency for people who have not earned a high school diploma. The GED exam consists of tests in Social Studies, Science, Mathematical Reasoning, and Reasoning through Language Arts. Earning a GED is a great option for those who cannot complete high school or need a high school equivalent credential. Students who earn their GED also have the ability to earn their high school diploma through the
HS21+ program or the Open Doors Program at Skagit. According to Schlegel, those participating in the adult learning programs are often at Skagit to continue building either their career or education. Skagit provides several programs that are specifically tailored to meet different groups of needs.
