Are you the parent of a high school student who is thinking about attending college? Does the cost of college tuition make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up? Did you know that your student can earn college credits concurrently with his or her high school credits at a significantly discounted cost as compared to regular tuition? It would be nice to pay less for a college education, wouldn't it? Your local New Hampshire Community College partners with local high schools to make that possible.
In 1999, the New Hampshire Community Technical College System, now known as the Community College System of NH, introduced Project Running Start into seven NH high schools. Today, almost 70 high schools in NH, as well as a few in Maine and Vermont, offer Project Running Start courses. While a typical three credit course at NHCC costs $525, a Project Running Start course costs only $100* (*plus the cost of books). That's as much as an 85% savings compared to the regular tuition cost.
Each high school faculty member who teaches an NHCC Project Running Start course is partnered with a Community College faculty member, and meets or exceeds the NHCC faculty qualifications. The two instructors work together to make sure the course curriculum meets the NHCC criteria. Each Project Running Start course enables high school students, typically juniors and seniors, to enroll in NHCC courses, taught by their high school instructors, right in their high school classrooms during their regular school day. Students who complete these Running Start courses earn credit toward their high school graduation as well as credit toward their college education.
Twelve North Country high schools currently participate in Project Running Start. Last year, 396 high school students were enrolled in Running Start courses. Last year, one North Country student had earned 12 college credits by the time she graduated from high school. That is nearly an entire semester of college! If this student had waited until after high school to take these courses in college, it would have cost her $2,100. Because she took the courses through Project Running Start at her high school, it cost her only $400*. That is an amazing savings! And more savings are possible. New this year is the Running Start Scholarship, funded by the Legislature at the urging of Governor John Lynch. The scholarship is based upon financial need or hardship as determined by school officials where the applicant resides. Also available to students is the Running Start NASA Scholarship, which is awarded only to students in science, math, and technology courses, without regard to financial need.
Once a student who completes a Project Running Start course graduates from high school, he or she may request an official transcript from NHCC. If the student received a grade of “C” or better, the Running Start course will transfer to any of the NHCC colleges as well as many other colleges and universities across the country.
Project Running Start courses range from general studies to career-specific courses and are offered at local high schools, including Berlin High School, Gorham High School, Littleton High School and the Hugh J. Gallen Career Vocational Center, Kennett High School, Telstar High School, Woodsville High School, White Mountains Regional High School, and Colebrook Academy.
Project Running Start is a great opportunity for parents and students alike to save money on a college education while earning dual credit. With tuition costs rising every year, a college education is becoming less and less affordable. If you would like to learn more about Project Running Start and which courses may be offered at your local high school, please contact your high school guidance office. You may also visit the NHCC-Berlin website at www.berlin.ccsnh.edu/academics/runstart.html , the CCSNH website at http://www.ccsnh.edu/prs/index.html, or contact Bob Corrigan, NHCC-Berlin's Project Running Start coordinator at 603-752-1113 or e-mail at bcorrigan@ccsnh.edu.
If you have questions, thoughts, or comments about this article, please e-mail keneguess@ccsnh.edu.
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