Episode 7 - Dual Credit & Early College.png

Whitney Trump is the guest.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Welcome to Pirates Perspectives, the official podcast of North Central Missouri College. Each month, we'll share stories, insights, and conversations that highlight the people, traditions, and the future of the MCMC Pirate Community. Today we have Whitney Trump, our Director of Regional Programs, which takes care of our Dual Credit Not High School programs. Welcome, Whitney. Thank you for joining us today. So let's start with just a little bit about you. Like what brought you to work here at MCMC? How long have you been here? And what led you to work with Dual Credit? Sure.

SPEAKER_00 0:36

So I have been here for 17 years. I am also a proud alumni of NCMC. I have been in the dual credit coordinator role for the last 15 years. So I love it so much. I haven't changed. I I love working with the high school students, and it's just it's just so fulfilling to be able to help guide them from high school to college.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

So, what would you say your favorite part about working with the high school students and their families is? What's your best?

SPEAKER_00 1:08

I think when they come to me, they're usually pretty lost on what they want to do. Uh they they're very intimidated with the idea of college. And so I always tell my dual credit students, like, hey, I'm your safety net. I am the person that's gonna walk you through all of this. You're never allowed to feel lost on my watch. Um I'm just here to guide you so that you feel like you're getting your questions answered and you're not just lost trying to figure it all out all on your own. So seeing them figure things out like that and and feel that have that confidence to be successful and and then in turn being successful in those classes, that's that's the best part.

SPEAKER_01 1:48

And that seems to translate over to when they start actual college, you know we call it. I see those dual credit students come out just a little bit more prepared. Sure. Uh so for listeners who might be more new to the concept of dual credit, could you explain what dual credit is and how it benefits high school students?

SPEAKER_00 2:06

Yeah, so it's exactly what it says dual credit. You're getting both college credit and high school credit at the same time. Um that's yeah, that's pretty well it in a nutshell. So it's it's giving those high school students a head start on earning college credit before they even graduate.

SPEAKER_01 2:23

So we have a few different terms around here. Uh so could you explain the difference between dual credit, early college, and then other high school college pathways that we may have?

SPEAKER_00 2:34

Yep. So there's three main pathways for any high school student that wants to take college credit. So you have dual credit, which is like the traditional model that you think of of there's a high school student in, I'm sorry, high school instructor in the high school that's credentialed to teach the class for college credit. Uh, then you have what I call online dual. So those are reserved section, online sections of courses that only high school students can register for. Those two options have the same reduced tuition rate, and I actually pay for all the ebooks for all those students. Um, and then the third option is early college. So early college is when a high school student is enrolling in any of our regular college sections that our college students are in. So whether that's on campus here, on campus in Savannah, or um an online class that isn't on that reserved online dual list, uh, that's what early college is. Still half the price on the tuition for those classes compared to what a traditional college student would be paying. Um, but those are typically students that are either wanting to come to campus during the day to take a class or maybe get something done in the summer, or they're needing an online class for a career program they're going into.

unknown 3:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:48

Um, and I will say I have actually seen students between dual credit and early colleges graduate from college the same time they graduate high school. Yeah, yeah. Um, we don't see it every year, but I'd say more often than people would think. So it is possible for these students to be doing all this work successfully. Um so how does the enrollment process work for students and the schools? Like what's the timeline families should know? Sure.

SPEAKER_00 4:15

So for dual credit and online dual, it is a paper registration form. But the first semester that they want to sign up for dual credit, they have to fill out an online application that's free. Um, and then they fill out a paper registration form, they sign it, their parent signs it, the school signs it, and this counselor sends it to me. Um for early college, they have a free online application, but then they actually um meet with me and I help them register online for those classes.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Uh so the trying to think there it it is to seem like a much easier process than I think people would think. Yes. So they're still getting that advising model, they're still having that help. So, you know, we're not throwing them to the wolves here. Right. A little bit, little bit more help than a traditional college student might get.

SPEAKER_00 5:08

Yeah, yeah. So the registration timeline for early college for fall and summer is they meet with me in April usually, and then for fall and year-long dual credit, those students register by June, and then um spring dual credit is in December.

unknown 5:26

All right.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

So, what about um eligibility requirements? What are the eligibility requirements for any students that might want to participate?

SPEAKER_00 5:34

So juniors and seniors have to have at least a cumulative high school GPA of a 2.5, and then sophomores can have a 3.0. Um, freshmen are allowed to take dual credit, it's not really recommended, and plus the entry requirement is pretty significant. They have to score in the 90th percentile on the ACT in order to even be eligible. So that rarely, if at all, happens with freshmen. Usually it's some sophomores, but predominantly juniors and seniors. And then, of course, some of our courses, not all of them, have placement score requirements that they also have to meet.

SPEAKER_01 6:11

And then when it comes to placement testing, most people are probably right familiar with the ACT, so they can take the ACT, but we actually have a test that we offer as well. Yes. And that can be done through their high schools a lot of the time, correct?

SPEAKER_00 6:23

Yes, that's right. Yep. Majority of my high schools, uh, the counselors are credentialed and they are able to give the acuplacer there at the school, which is nice for the students. That's somewhere they're already comfortable being. Um, but if that's not an option for them, they can come to the training campus or Savannah campus to get that accuplacer testing. And the other nice thing about acuplacer is they know their score that day when they complete. Um, they're not waiting for the scores in the mail like you do for ACT.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

And it's not like uh the ACT all the time when you have to take the entire thing at once. Exactly. They can take, I mean, I did that for my own son. Yeah, my children are uh juniors and they are currently taking dual credit, which you mentioned earlier you're there to guide the family so they feel lost. Even me, who has been an advisor for years, I didn't know what to do with a dual credit, so Whitney was very helpful. Um, and I had one son who uh didn't get to go to his ACT because he didn't upload his ID. So we were able to get him the acuplacer for math, and no harm, no foul worked out great. He's still gonna take the ACT at some point for the rest of his scores, but that was very helpful.

SPEAKER_00 7:31

Yeah, it is. Or students that maybe they got all the scores they needed on the ACT, but maybe their math was too low or their English was too low, they can go and take just that piece on the acuplacer and get that score instead of having to take the whole thing over again.

SPEAKER_01 7:46

Absolutely. So, do you have any advice for students who might be nervous about taking college-level classes while they're still in high school?

SPEAKER_00 7:54

Yeah, um, I always tell them, you know, you're you're capable of more than you think you are. And I think at least taking one class gives you that confidence that you can do it, and um, you have that safety net of being in the high school, you know, with people that you're comfortable with. You have me there to support you. We give you all the tools to be successful, and it's it's just such a great accomplishment for students to have that college credit, see that they passed the class, that they could do it, that it was attainable. I know I've had a handful of students that didn't even know if college was going to be for them, they didn't think they were gonna be successful in college, and they took and passed a dual credit class, and they're like, hey, I I think I could do this. Like, I I think I I got this. So that's always great to see.

SPEAKER_01 8:46

And we see that a lot with students coming in, especially through summer orientations, or like, okay, I took some dual credit. So this is sounding kind of familiar. Yeah, it does give them a nice jumping off point. So, what kind of classes can students take? Uh, like, is it mostly general education? Are there some career focus options? Yeah, what's out there?

SPEAKER_00 9:04

So, it's predominantly Gen Ed, since that's like the core of what most students are needing. Um, so we have a lot of the Gen Ed core in that, but then also um several of our career programs and as well as our education program, uh, they have all put out like their intro course for their degree programs, so it kind of gives students an opportunity to kind of you know test the waters of what that degree area might be like and see if that's something that they're interested in. So I think that's been a great um starting point for a lot of students that are entering those programs because they've been able to kind of preview that with the intro course to see if that's somewhere they want to go.

SPEAKER_01 9:47

That's a really great idea. Yes. A lot of times we have students doing that when they get here, right? And being able to know ahead of time is pretty helpful. Yeah. So that definitely is a good one. Um, so you did mention that you had students who got a little bit more confident about college through dual credit. Are there any, is there a specific success story you could maybe share with us about a student who participated and how that helped them?

SPEAKER_00 10:10

There's just there's so many, but I I would say kind of maybe not a specific student, but just broad area. Um, I've really enjoyed seeing students, you know, get all their prereqs done in order to go into the nursing program with us and seeing a picture of them excelling in that or running into them at the doctor's office knowing that that's how they were working on prereqs with me to hopefully get into that program and now they're in it, they're in that career field and they're thriving. Um, I've also really enjoyed helping our homeschool student population. Um, a lot of those students are actually coming to campus, so it's been really fun to have high school age students on campus that I'm able to interact with regularly, and they are absolutely killing it in the classroom. So it's that's been really fun to see. And I've had a couple of them actually finish their associate's degree um by the time they graduated, and and then others we've I've just it's just been awesome to see them just completely thrive in that environment.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

It's really encouraging, I think, for people out there to hear.

SPEAKER_00 11:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

Um, so obviously everything comes with a bit of a cost. So, are there scholarships that are connected directly to dual credit? Um, and how can students maybe take advantage of those?

SPEAKER_00 11:29

Yeah, so I tell students all the time it is a great time to be a dual credit student because the state currently actually has a scholarship program based on your financial need that they will actually pay for a hundred percent of your dual credit tuition. All you have to do is fill out the application. So students will fill they have to fill it out by sometime in October for the fall semester, and then they fill it out by February for the spring semester. But if you get it in the fall semester, it's almost a guarantee you're gonna have it for the spring semester, is how they've laid it out. So that has been a tremendous help to so many dual credit students. So I tell every dual credit student, everyone apply. You know, the worst they're gonna tell you is no, but I think some have been surprised that they've actually been eligible and got that tuition. And that own that not only includes dual credit, but it's also if they're taking early college classes, which is huge. Um, and then the other we our foundation has a dual credit scholarship, it's an essay contest that they do every spring semester, and we just awarded those last week.

SPEAKER_01 12:36

So I saw that press release. Yeah. So would you say that since they've had these scholarships that that has increased some students' chance of actually participating? Because I'm sure sometimes they're like, well, I'd like to, but yeah, if I can afford it.

SPEAKER_00 12:49

I I have loved it because it's it's been nice to give access to these classes to more students. Um, that maybe, like you said, they thought, well, I'd love to do that, but I just don't think financially we can afford to do that. It gives all students the opportunity that that want to have that opportunity.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

So getting in something just maybe a little bit more fun. Okay. Um do you have a really like funny or memorable interaction, maybe that you have with a dual credit student? Oh yes.

SPEAKER_00 13:18

So uh Nicole knows me well enough to know I kind of am a goofy personality at times, and I have no problem making a fool out of myself. So I think my favorite um memories is um anytime I'm allowed, I'll say allowed instead of you know going, but um allowed to go to our college and career fairs, I will do everything in my power to talk to every single high school student there. So I've been known to um sing and rap and do whatever I can and make cheesy rhymes to get students to come over and talk to me at my dual credit table. So I will tell you, I will make a fool of myself. But do you know what? I still have students that will call me that next week and be like, hey, I'm Lebee from the college fair. I kind of want to talk more about dual credit. So I'm not saying judge me if you want, but if it apparently works.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

If it works, it works. That's right, that's right. Are there any other perks of dual credit that students might not know about?

SPEAKER_00 14:19

Absolutely. Um, we try to inform them, but I I still think it's underused. So our library um is fantastic and they will do whatever they can to help students with um learning to use our research databases. They're accessible online or in person. Uh, so really utilizing our library, another is our tutoring center. Um, I have lectured every dual credit student that has come to campus that no one is above the tutoring center. Everyone should go to the tutoring center. It's accessible online, it's accessible at Trenton and Savannah campuses. Um, if you're taking a dual credit math class, our math instructors will actually give you extra credit for purely going into the tutoring center and working on your homework. Um, if you're taking English, history, any class that has a pay-per-do, you know, they'll review those with you. Um so it's a no-brainer to me that everyone should be utilizing the tutoring center for that. Um, and then something that I I'm very passionate about that I try to put out there, but I don't have a lot of students take advantage of it is I am happy to advise them. Any kind of college planning, any um advisement they need on what will transfer to where they're wanting to go. I always tell students we would love for you to be a pirate after high school, but if your sights are set on going somewhere else, that is not gonna deter me from helping you. So, whatever I can do to make sure you're not taking any dual credit classes that aren't in your degree area, I'm gonna ensure that you know we're doing the right courses that you're gonna need to be successful after after high school.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

Uh, just to back you up on the tutoring center, um, so my two sons are currently in college algebra and speech, and speech is the one that I hear a lot of questions about. And I mentioned the tutoring center the other day, and one of my boys goes, What's the tutoring center? I said, No way. You don't I said, It's available to you as a dual credit student. I said, if I have to take you up there myself, I will. So next year, when they're both taking English, you can I'm going to say, Oh, you think you need help? We're going to the tutoring center. So it was shocking to me that they don't push that more in the high schools because yeah, here's mine. I felt like a failure as an employee.

SPEAKER_00 16:36

Yeah. And I think I think they just think, oh, well, that's the last resort. That's where I go for the last resort. But I'm like, no, this is your study buddy. This is who you need to have with you the whole way through. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

Tutoring has nothing to do with if you're having trouble or not. It's just a point.

SPEAKER_00 16:51

And it's not a time constraint either. You know, I have students that think, oh, well, you have to do that within the school day, and I don't have time on my schedule. No, no, no. I have a dual credit student that was a football player this fall. He would go to practice and then he would come home, eat something, and he would hop on it with a math tutor at seven o'clock at night. So they will meet you where you are. They are.

SPEAKER_01 17:10

They're very accommodating. So never think you can't use the tutoring center. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 17:16

So is there a myth about dual credit that you just wish would go away? Yes. Um, mainly this is when my schools that uh like have traditional dual credit where they have a teacher teaching it. I want every student to hear me clearly when I say just because it's offered doesn't mean you have to take it. Um I really want to make sure that if there's effort being done to complete a college class, that it is a college class that is necessary for your degree program that you're going in post-high school. So I think sometimes it makes it really easy at high schools that have the opportunity to have dual credit instructors there, which is so awesome. But it's really easy for students to just say, well, I'm just gonna sign up for everything offered because I know that teacher and I want to take it. But to a certain extent, you know, no, you don't need three math classes most of the time. You know, there's different things like that that I want to make sure students know just because it's offered does not mean you always have to take it.

SPEAKER_01 18:18

That is a really good thing to bring up, and I will say, from an advising standpoint, when we have students coming in, I see that sometimes the ones that have taken pretty much everything they can, and then they get maybe a little frustrated that they don't have enough room in their electives to take those classes of interest. Yes. So that that can be a thing. So that's why I hope students are coming to you to ask those questions. Exactly. Because I'm sure you get the question, because I certainly get the question during college visits of you know, if I'm gonna take dual credit, what should I take? Absolutely, every day. And from our side, what we're usually saying is, well, you know, you can't go wrong with the basic genets. Get your English, get your math, maybe your civics, something like that, um, or a class that you know is going to serve you well. Yes. Is that pretty similar to what you're telling them?

SPEAKER_00 19:02

Absolutely. Yep. We talk a lot about too about the Missouri transfer agreement and show explaining that to them so they know how their classes will transfer when they go on to another college or university. But yeah, it's it's really important to me that they I told them sometimes is like I'm probably gonna talk you out of things more than I'm gonna talk you into things because I don't want them filling up their schedule with um classes that is not gonna serve them in the degree area that they're going into.

SPEAKER_01 19:30

So a little different for you than what we do once they get post-high is you work a lot more with the actual families. Yes. So, what is your best piece of advice for parents that are trying to support their students through this dual credit credit process?

SPEAKER_00 19:45

Um, so number one, and I'm a parent, so I feel like I'm allowed to say this, is let them try to be independent in this. Um this is such a good time to tr to help them be independent because they're still under your your your wing there, they're still at home, they're still at high school, but let them kind of venture out and have to be um the one in charge of it. And um, I I will say I'm very fortunate. I've got to meet and talk to so many great parents that are helping their students succeed, and I'm so thankful that we have so many students that have parents that are involved and care for the success of their students. But um that would be the one thing is you know, kind of make them communicate with me, make them the one that has to call and make the appointment, make them the one that has to talk when you guys do a phone call with me. Um, it gives them a little bit more confidence in what they're able to do, and it and I think it's a good transition from when they go to high school to college, if maybe they're going somewhere else to college, it's like they're not gonna be right there with you. You know, it's this is a good practice point of trying to help them gain that independence.

SPEAKER_01 20:56

I would absolutely agree, and that's kind of the role that I have tried to take, and I I see the benefit of it, it really does give them a lot more confidence. I mean, I remember the big eyes the first time I said, Well, you're gonna make that phone call because that's for you. Yeah, and it it does, it helps, and you can definitely tell the difference students that have already tried, yeah, started doing those things versus those who are just have no idea. Right, but we're always here to help. Absolutely. So no matter what, whether you have a head start or not, you're gonna get taken care of.

SPEAKER_00 21:25

And our faculty are really good about encouraging that independence too. You know, if a student's struggling and a and and mom calls to say the the instructor's like, hey, I really appreciate your call, but I would really love to have a conversation with the student if you don't mind having them reach out to me. So it's okay. So usually they do. Yeah, we do great.

SPEAKER_01 21:45

So obviously, there's a lot of communication you have with high school counselors and teachers. Um, so how can they, the counselors, the teachers, the schools, how can they work with MCMT to make dual credit much smoother and more accessible for the students?

SPEAKER_00 22:00

I'm biased, but we have the best counselors and teachers. I've just I we literally just had our dual credit counselor meeting yesterday, and they all do such an amazing job. I can't imagine the number of hats they wear and trying to take on responsibilities of registration for dual credit and things like that. It's a lot, and so um, you know, I just always tell them, you know, when in doubt, call me. I'm here to help support them however I can. Same with the instructors. I want them to feel like they have all the tools they need to be successful. We just had our training with them the day after President's Day, and they were able to be here with all of our instructional staff and get additional training. We're excited to announce that this this year we're in currently is the first year I've been able to actually pay dual credit instructors to teach for us. So that has been really exciting to offer them. Um, so we try to give everybody the tools they need to be successful, but I always tell them, you know, I'm here, this is my job. However, I can help support you and make this easier, you know, that's what I'm here to do.

SPEAKER_01 23:06

I thought of something. Are there any additional perks for students who have done dual credit with MCMC once they are ready to transition into post-high coming here to MCMC?

SPEAKER_00 23:19

Yeah. So if if they're applying as a first-time freshman, obviously we have an application fee, but not was it start tomorrow? I think the no fee application is a very simple thing. Yeah. Um, but for dual credit students, if you're applying to NCMC as a freshman, the application is always free for you. So there when you go to our website and you click apply, instead of clicking the first-time freshman application, there's one that says former or current dual credit student. And so you can use that one and actually has no fee. Now I will tell you if you're listening and you're not a dual credit student and you try that, they do figure that out. It's not a free-for-all, like they have checks and balances to make sure you are actually taking dual credit, but it is a great incentive for students. And then I've been working with uh Chris in admissions, and we now have some um little fun surprises for students that come and do a campus tour that is a current dual credit student, kind of give them a little extra VIP stuff since they're already currently a pirate. Uh, that it's kind of exciting to have that out there too. That's great.

SPEAKER_01 24:24

Um so what is one thing that you'd like every single high school student to know about dual credit? It's not scary.

SPEAKER_00 24:35

And you can totally do it. And I know I keep repeating myself saying safety net, but that's truly what it is. This is the best time to try college. And I like a marketing campaign. I know, right? But it's the truth. I just think, you know, if you're you're thinking college, but you're still a little intimidated by the idea, this is a great way to just test the waters and see how you do. And um I can give you person after person that I've seen come through and be nervous about starting college, try a dual credit class. And I had one student that literally came to campus on the first day and she was in tears. She was so scared about taking college classes, and she was doing an online class, and I sat with her for half a day, like reassuring her that she could do this. And and the next year she was thriving. She was taking multiple dual credit classes. She was uh she got the foundation scholarship, she was absolutely killing it. So I think all you need is have people around you like myself, like your parents, like your school, um, just believing in you and telling you that you can do it, and you just jump out and try it. And it it's just it's I'm so proud of our students.

SPEAKER_01 25:51

I think that's great advice, and I think that MCMC has really taken our dual credit someplace else in the last several years. I mean, I'm a Triton alumni, and I remember I'm not gonna say how many years ago, but I remember dual credit was a thing even back then, and it wasn't pushed the way it is now. Like I took classes that could have been dual credit that I did not take for dual credit because I didn't think I was ready for college right away. And then here I am several years later completing a degree, and I realized if I had only taken those classes for dual credit, even here, you know, 15 years later, I could have had that credit. Right. Because that credit doesn't go away. Yeah. So even those students who aren't sure if they're ready right away, if you took those little credit classes, those are yours. Right. That's your college credit. Absolutely. So it's so awesome how much more it is made clear these days. And you really do see those kids taking advantage of it.

SPEAKER_00 26:48

Yeah. And then you think of your students that maybe they're thinking pre-med or some degree area that's you know, they're gonna be in college for the next seven, ten years, you know. Like it's a great way for them to like get a head start. And I mean, literally, you could be saving a student a year of college, you know, but maybe it's just one class that you take and you just get that experience of what it's like to be a college student, what it's like to have um, you know, we use bright space here for our learning management system, but what it's like to take an online course and what that looks like. So it just it's kind of a good way to get your feet wet too. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

Looking ahead, what is something exciting on the horizon for MCMC's high school programs? Anything you'd like to share?

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Yeah, I mean, we obviously, as you know, we're transitioning to a new student information system, and there are some bells and whistles in there that I'm excited about, and um I I'm hoping with the new system that we have and utilizing the software that we are currently trying to master that I can start giving more personalized degree plans by specific high school. So knowing what this high school offers on traditional dual credit online, um, kind of set out degree plans for these students so they can have an idea with what's offered to me at this high school or what's offered to me online through NCMC, what's a track that I could follow to put me ahead? Um, just I want to do as much personalized advising as I can. So anything that can help me get that better, it would be awesome. Set them up for success in that transition. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

And that would be, yeah, that sounds pretty cool. Yeah, I know. I'm pretty excited about it. We'll have a minute, we'll have a good time. Um is there anything else that you'd like to share or any parting words?

SPEAKER_00 28:43

I still say this, I'm a broken record, but you know, that advising component is so important, and I have over 600 current dual credit students, and I would say I probably only have probably 150 of them fully taking advantage of any kind of advising help. And so I'm here, I'm available to help students with that. I think sometimes students are just taking so much time just to find the information, and if I can help with that in any way, I would like to, but I absolutely love my job. Um, I I wouldn't do anything else than what I'm doing. I never this wasn't, you know, something you're you know, a little girl and you think, oh, I'm gonna be adult credit coordinator or something, but I absolutely love it because I see myself and every student that I help. That was me. I was the lost student that had no idea what to take, where I was gonna go with it, and so um being able to help students and guide them and help them through that planning period where they're transitioning from high school to college, it's it's it's given me a very fulfilled life for sure.

SPEAKER_01 29:57

I can definitely say, as both a dual credit parent myself and an employee, we are definitely lucky to have Whitney coming to do all of this stuff because it could be a scary process, and I hope that more students hear this and know that they can do it, you know, a lot easier than you think. Yes, they can. Well, I think that's all I've got. So really appreciate you sitting down to talk with us, and we hope that everyone gets something out of this episode. So thank you for being here for Pirates Perspectives. We'll see you next month. Thank you for joining us for this episode of Pirates' Perspectives. We'll be back each month with more stories and conversations from around the pirate community. So be sure to subscribe and share this podcast with your fellow pirates, both past and present. That's it for this voyage. Join us next month for more Pirates' Perspectives.