Now in its third year, there are 13 high school students in dual-enrollment classes at SciotoTech, including Phillip Setser of Minford — studying criminal justice.
“I’m planning on going straight to college after high school and I thought it would be easier just to get my college credits in high school during my senior year than waiting until my freshman year (in college),” Setser said.
In college, Setser will major in natural resource law enforcement to work as a park ranger, watercrafts officer or game warden.
“I think it’s great. I wish there had been things like this when I was in school,” said Kristine Coriell, chemistry teacher for the SciotoTech Dual-Enrollment program.
Coriell said dual-enrollment students have all the college resources they need under one roof at SciotoTech and helps transition students to college classes. College instructors also appreciate getting students who already have some understanding of the subject.
“They can go in and start in sophomore-level classes that they know how to do, and they‘ve saved time and credits and money,” she said.
Her dual-enrollment students are asked to work a little harder than traditional students, but she said it’s better for them than spending a year repeating the work in college.
“It’s definitely a challenge, but I think it will be well worth it. You get college credit for it and that will be a big help later on,” said Patrick Arnett of Lucasville.
Arnett is a senior studying auto body at SciotoTech. He said he will go to college to study automotives for two years, specializing in BMW. He said the program at SciotoTech is excellent, and allows him to practice on specialized equipment for fabrication and paint.
“The kids that come back after they have taken those courses say that it was one of the toughest courses they’ve ever taken, but when they got to college it’s made that life easier,” SciotoTech Secondary Principal Kyle Copley said.
He said the program requires a student maintain a required grade point average and required classwork before they are admitted into the program. When they complete the program, they can transfer the credits to any college or university. The course credits are sponsored by Southern State Community College.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for kids, and this is one of the few locations they can do that in our county. Most high schools have AP courses where you have to pass an exam at the end to get your credit. In this program they don’t have to pass an exam, they simply have to pass the course,” he said.
Kirsten McNutt is a student in the medical office management class at SciotoTech. After graduation she will go to college with 40 credits (of 120) already complete, saving her about $5,000 in tuition and associated costs.
“It definitely is going to save a lot of time and money during college because college is very expensive,” McNutt said. “I’m not only getting college credit for my general academics, I’m also getting credit for my MMO Lab with my dual-enrollment through Southern State.”
McNutt will go to college to earn an associates degree in medical assisting. Coriell said all of the students she knows who have completed the program at SciotoTech have successfully gone to college.
High school students interested in participating in the Dual-Enrollment program should see their school guidance counselor. For more information about Scioto County Career Technical Center and its programs, visit www.sciototech.org.
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