HHS has 6 students enrolled into the Early College Program: Justin Pound(12), Rachelle Johnson(12), Amir Ugarak(11), Michelle Luong(11), Madison Brumit(11), and Chloe Naeger(11). This program is designed for students that are ahead in earning their credits in high school and want to get a head start in their college credits.

The requirements for this program are minimum 3.0 GPA and a mandatory informational meeting in the Spring.  Students need to complete an application with an essay included.  They take the Accuplacer assessment and must score high enough to be enrolled in college level classes without remedial classes attached.  Then students and parents must attend the remaining mandatory meetings at St. Louis Community College.  It is also important to remember that students must provide their own transportation.

“The Early College Program is an opportunity for students to have dual enrollment at St. Louis Community College while still being enrolled at HPHS.  Students have an opportunity to experience full college life while still participating in high school functions and activities,” Principal Dr. Shelly Vogler stated. “Students entering the program in their senior year will take transfer credits with them upon high school graduation. Students entering the program in their junior year have the opportunity to earn an Associate Degree at the same time as their high school diploma or they can take a lot of transfer credits with them upon high school graduation.”

Whether a student is a Junior or Senior, they still can benefit from this program in terms of credits or a college degree. There are plenty of other benefits associated with this program for the students.

“This program is beneficial by saving time and money for students knowing they are going to college. Also, obtaining a college degree in High School,” Guidance Counselor Ginger Steinhauff stated.

The students will be able to reduce stress from high school’s seven classes a day, due to college only taking a couple of classes per week. Not only will the students be able to graduate early from college, they won’t have to pay as much as if they were going to college after graduating high school.

“I am taking English 101, Chemistry 101, Math 160, History 101. None of them are really challenging for me but they can be at times. This program has turned out better than I expected and I’m glad I went through with it,” Amir Ugarak (11) stated.

The program has really turned out to be “pawtastic” for Juniors, due to the leniency in classes they take, as well as the ability to complete an Associate’s Degree by the time they graduate.

“The College Program is really nice. I have a lot of free time and the work is pretty simple as long as you put the effort in. I highly recommend lower classmen to apply for their junior and senior years,” Justin Pound(12) stated.

The program has really turned out better than the expectancy, and since this is the first year that HPHS is doing this, it has had a smooth sailing.