Counselor’s Corner
Kathy Arendt, College and Career Counselor
Juniors and seniors may start earning college credit before graduating from high school. Austin Community College enrolls eligible high school students through the Early College Start program, allowing them to take up to two college courses per semester while in high school.
ECS students who take ACC courses at an ACC campus will be charged a $40 per course fee. Many courses scheduled on the Hays CISD high school campuses in the fall and spring offer free tuition. High school students taking the ACC courses at area high schools during the school day are only responsible for the textbook expenses and fees.
There are many registration steps for enrollment in ACC courses while in high school. Students are asked to see their counselors for assistance. Marquis Williams is the Hays CISD ACC representative. He travels to the high schools and assists the students with Early College Start program Advising and Registration procedures.
Having students utilize the ECS program can be very beneficial for families. Numerous college credits may be earned while still in high school for an extremely reduced rate. Students are eligible to take classes after the tenth grade year is complete.
They may have to take a placement test to prove their Texas Success Initiative (TSI) status with suitable scores in reading, writing and math to be eligible. The application process, testing, advising and registration steps for ECS ACC enrollment are scheduled each fall and spring at the high school through the Career Center.
If you would like to learn more about the Early College Start program, ACC has an informational meeting scheduled on April 8, 2010 at Highland Business Center, located at 5930 Middle Fiskville Road, Rm 201, Austin.
