Discover College Early

On Course for College/Dual Enrollment is an early college experience for public/publicly-funded high school and home-schooled students who are ready to explore college or get an early start experience a college classroom, explore career options, and earn both high school and college credit at the same time! If you’ll be a publicly-funded high school student in the fall of 2020, you meet the criteria, below, and you’d like to enroll in one or more of our fall courses, please use this registration.

Benefits of On Course for College

• Earn up to 12 college credits per year from freshman to senior year at an approved public high school in Maine, or home school with letter of intent.
• Enhance your learning experience.
• Become familiar with the college environment.
• Publicly-funded high school and qualifying home-schooled students waived tuition at Washington Community College Community College; you pay only for textbooks–registration form.
• Take any college course offered through Washington Community College Community College as long as it meets the following requirements:
  • High school or home school official’s approval
  • Student has met course prerequisites (see College Catalog for course prerequisites)
  • Available space in the course
  • Not a remedial course; these courses do not result in college credit

The Aspirations (On Course for College) program is sponsored by the Maine Department of Education, which reimburses WCCC for the tuition portion of up to 12 credits per academic year. In an effort to promote affordability and access to college, Washington County Community College waives remaining course related fees making these courses free to the student.

Eligibility Requirements

Aspirations Program Eligibility

Maine public high school students (also referred to as secondary students) must meet the following requirements to be eligible to participate in the Aspirations Program. High School (Secondary), public school students and qualifying home-schooled students may be considered eligible to participate if they meet the following:

• Minimum high school grade point average of at least a 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0), or the equivalent of a “B” average or, in lieu of a 3.0, they are recommended for participation by a school unit’s administration (see exception statement below)
• The eligible institution has determined that the student has satisfactorily completed any course prerequisites;
• The school unit approves;
• The student’s parent or caregiver approves; and
• The eligible institution has space available for the secondary student

Students, who do not meet the above eligibility, may be eligible under the following criteria:

A secondary public school or home-schooled student who does not meet the grade point eligibility requirements, or is a first or second-year student (freshman or sophomore), is eligible to participate if:

• The student has received a recommendation to participate from the student’s school administration or teacher following an assessment of the student by the school administration; and
• The student has been approved for participation by an eligible institution.

Concurrent Enrollment is an early college experience taught at the high school. For more information for concurrent enrollment courses, contact your high school counselor.

Concurrent Enrollment is an early college experience taught at the high school. For more information for concurrent enrollment courses, contact your high school counselor.

EMBARK

The Embark program is designed to help high school students who are undecided about their future learn more about college. Students in this program start their junior year of high school and continue through their second year of community college.  Participants from over 80 Maine high schools receive academic support and guidance and are eligible to enroll in college classes while in high school. Participants are also eligible for scholarships of up to $2,000 to a Maine community college. This program allows individuals:

• The chance to take a free college course in the senior year of high school
• Help with applying to college and completing financial aid forms
• One-on-one support and advising in high school and college
• Scholarships to a Maine community college (up to $2,000 over 2 years)

To learn more about the Embark Program, visit the Embark page on the Maine Community College System website.