DUBLIN – The Bladen Community College Career and College Promise Program continues to catapult high school students into university environments with up to two years of college credits and a sampling of college rigors.

Cierra Griffin, BCC College and High School Programs coordinator explains, “The College Transfer Pathway provides students with the opportunity to take college classes that will not only transfer to the high school as honors credit and can be applied to graduation requirements, but will also transfer to any of the 16 state universities and some private schools in North Carolina.”

In August, two Bladen County high school students will begin their university experience with two years of transferring college credits acquired at BCC while still in high school.

West Bladen High School graduate, Jeffrey Shipman, son of Jeffrey and Stephanie Shipman, remarks, “When I first enrolled in the program at BCC, I saw it as a way to become prepared for college. The program taught me how college classes may be at a university.”

East Bladen High School student and daughter of Walt and Willie Kay McDuffie, Grace McDuffie, agrees. “By my junior year in high school, I had completed most of my required classes for graduation. Enrolling in BCC has let me see the kind of work required in college without being overwhelmed.”

Under the guidance of Griffin, high school students work at their own pace. The college transfer program offers associate degrees in art and science. The general education classes offered within the program are required bachelor degree classes; therefore, every credit transfers.

With the growing availability of online classes, students have time management flexibility, allowing active high school students to maintain their extracurricular activities and personal interests.

“If you are taking an online class,” advises Shipman, “remember to check your email every day. You have to do the work.”

McDuffie was excited to garner both college credits and high school dual enrollment credits through Bladen Community College.

“All of the classes I had left to take,” she remarks, “except English 3 and 4, I could get dual credit for through BCC.” Dual enrollment classes are simultaneously applied toward high school and college graduation requirements.

She continues, “I think the BCC program has definitely helped prepare me for college. By taking classes at the college, I have been able to complete classes that will apply to my intended major at Wingate University.”

“The Career and College Promise Program is a fun program that is very helpful if you are going to college,” states Shipman.

Final registration is August 8th and 9th, 2016. Registration is ongoing between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., and 4 to 7 p.m., on both days.

For information about registration, call 910 879-5500, or visit the website at www.bladencc.edu. To discuss the Career and College Transfer Pathway for high school students, contact Cierra Griffin at 910-879-5570.

Cathy Kinlaw is the public information and marketing director for Bladen Community College.

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Cathy Kinlaw

Bladen Community College