About Early College and College Access

The Division of Access and Transition at MWCC manages programs for middle and high school students in partnership with K-12 schools. These programs, College Access, Dual Enrollment, and Early College, offer various services such as counseling, tutoring, mentoring, college tours, workshops, and activities. The services are often part of targeted grant initiatives, and many are free of charge.

College Access Programs

College Access programs focus on exposing students in middle and high school to college through college tours, career advising and college preparation. College Access programs include North Central Mass Talent Search, Education Talent Search, Gear Up, and Upward Bound Math and Science. These programs are grant-funded and targeted at specific school districts and age groups.

Benefits of College Access Programs

  • College Focused Workshops including enhanced study strategies, preparing for PSAT/SAT, admissions, and financial aid.
  • Career Assessment and Exploration.
  • College Tour Field Trips.
  • Homework support and academic counseling.

Getting a Head Start on College

High school juniors and seniors (16 or older) can enroll in MWCC classes before graduating high school. These courses may transfer to most two and four-year institutions, fulfilling both high school and college requirements. Participants are MWCC students with the same benefits and responsibilities, they can engage in college activities, join the Honors Program, access academic support, and more. Enrollment can be part-time or full-time, and students follow the catalog year they start taking dual enrollment courses.

Early College Programs

Early College programs have grown exponentially in the last decade and show significant promise for students and the communities they serve. Programs enable high school students to take college courses for credit while still attending their high school or be fully immersed early in college by attending MWCC full time, earning their high school diploma and college credit – often receiving their associate degree in addition to their high school diploma.

Benefits of Dual Enrollment and Early College

  • Early exposure to college-level coursework.
  • Extra help to prepare for and pass MCAS.
  • Career exposure and counseling.
  • Tutorials, workshops, and activities prepare students for life and careers.

Dual Enrollment Program

Dual Enrollment courses at MWCC allow high school juniors and seniors to earn credit toward a high school/homeschool diploma and college degree simultaneously, saving you time and money toward your college degree.

Dual Enrollment offers a unique true-to-life academic college experience, allowing the student to focus on courses that will be transferable to most two-year and four-year public and private institutions, while simultaneously completing their high school graduation requirements.

Selected students are enrolled in either a part-time or full-time college-level course load depending on their program and course needs. Dual Enrollment students are considered MWCC students and as such will be awarded the same academic support privileges as other MWCC students.

Dual Enrollment courses are limited and applicants from local high schools are given priority. The program is competitive and not all applicants will be admitted. The average applicant has a 3.2 high school GPA. Dual enrollment students pay all college tuition and fees and are ineligible for financial aid while they are enrolled in high school.

Benefits of Dual Enrollment

  • Earn college credits while enrolled in high school.
  • Early exposure to college-level coursework.
  • Broader course selection than available in high school.