Dunnington is vice president of academic affairs at Prince George’s Community College. PGCC will be opening Maryland’s first middle college high school. What is a middle college?
A middle college is a high school that is part of the public school system that is located on a college campus. The students who attend that school receive their requirements to complete high school, as well as some portion of college credit that will go toward a degree either at that institution or another.
Will students receive an associate degree by the time they get their high school diploma?
That may be possible, although this particular middle college is called the Academy of Health Sciences at Prince George’s Community College. The students might be able to receive sufficient courses and credits for a general studies degree, but they would not have enough to complete one of the health science degrees. We do anticipate that they will have the opportunity to earn 53 to 60 college credits.
When will the Academy of Health Sciences open?
There will be 100 ninth-grade students who will start in July. There is a summer bridge program to help them make the transition because the studies will be rigorous. They will come in for a three-week period for that transition program.
What are the community benefits of having a middle college in Prince George’s County?
We know from all of the national statistics that many of the students in the middle college never saw college in their future, so it provides more educated citizenry for the community. The success rates in the schools are extremely high. It gives students another option for high school that, all around the country, has proved to be very successful.
Note: PGCC is accepting applications for the 2011-2012 school year. For information about the application progress, contact Diane Kanu at 301-618-7320.
Erica Redmond
