Early College in Washington???

[JMB1990]

Originally Posted by asilas29

I am curious to know if Washington offers any sort of Early College for high schoolers. In North Carolina, (where we currently live) they have Early College and you start your freshman year and continue through your senior year and when you graduate you have a 2 year degree and xfer into a University with several college credits. I understand there is the IB program, but from what I have read up on it, it is a foreign exchange program. If anyone can help me with this, I would be forever grateful!

I did "Running Start" in highschool (Graduated '08.) It's a great program. I did it through YVCC (Yakima Valley Community College.)

[asilas29]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

For the average public schooled kid, I would say 9th grade is pretty risky to enter college (from the perspective of other college students / profs / continuity of course work).


Running Start students are frequently of the social and educational caliber to not hinder the college program, and to make good successful transition of RS student. (they are fully integrated into college system)

Many of the RS students will complete their 2 yrs with a minimum of 72 Qtr hours or 48 semester hrs. I know may who have finished with 30% more hrs than that (RS tuition is free to student regardless of course load, which CAN BE greater than 12 cr hrs / qtr or sem). Both of mine completed their AA and entered University as full jrs. (this is important to meet minimum requirements at U and not to have to take the 'basic' U intro stuff (which will cost extra and extend another yr of U, more tuition revenue for U). Girls are often more probable to complete their AA / full transfer program to U, while RS students. BE SURE to know, and meet the entry requirements for your specific program at U. There are many PNW colleges in WA, OR, ID, and MT that will extend full jr status to RS 'contract' students.

One of my kids planned to take the ''short-cut" and go to U early (with RS classmates who were a yr ahead). Upon applying at U, He was gonna have to take 10 additional COURSES at U to fulfill minimum req for JR status for his major (1 additional scholastic yr of time and expense @ U). He was advised to return to RS community college and take an additional 12 CREDITS (achieve AA), and show up a qtr later. It only cost him an apartment lease he had signed. (a good lesson to learn early in life)

I didn't realize that they xfered in as Juniors. I hate to continue to bring up the way it is in North Carolina, but that is all that I am familiar with. But, here they still xfer in as freshman. They decided to do that so they would still get all of the benifits that freshmen get. To me, it doesn't matter what they xfer in at, as long as they get those credits.

Thank you so much for the inside info. It really help!

[asilas29]

Thank you to everyone for the insight! These are all very helpful in our decisions.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by asilas29

I didn't realize that they xfered in as Juniors. ... To me, it doesn't matter what they xfer in at, as long as they get those credits.

As you digest this info, think about this...

1) Transfer in as freshman = 4 yrs of HIGH tuition, 2 less yrs in workforce (those early years are really critical to Life-Long income and experience.)

2) Transfer in as Jr = 2 yrs of HIGH tuition and 2 additional yrs earning potential.

The lost opportunity costs are very huge!!!
Roughly; 2x $20k for school expenses PLUS 2X $40k+ in lost wages, MINUS 2 yrs of working experience . = $120,000 + the earning potential from additional work experience. (I would guess total 'opportunity loss' to be in excess of $150k, BEFORE age 24. That is a HUGE hit.)

it doesn't matter what they xfer in at

Your kids must have A LOT more 'free cash flow' than my kids had at age 18.