A Great Place to Start: LCCTC's DE Classes
by Riley Leonard, RT senior
You can hear the slogan, “A Great Place to Start,” on the campus of Butler County Community College (BC3), but because of the Dual Enrollment courses, you can hear it at LCCTC — in an even bigger way, as well!
Earning a few college credits while still in high school sounds like a dream to many, but LCCTC offers a few more than a few. In fact, they have added an additional course offering! Sophomores, juniors, and seniors who meet GPA eligibility could now graduate with a total of 12 college credits helping students who continue on to college or a university the ability to lighten the course load of each semester or graduate ahead of the game!
The rigor found in Intermediate Algebra and the new course — College Algebra, History, and Speech may challenge, but because LCCTC students are taught with the opportunity to be college and career ready, success in these BC3 courses is well within reach.
What many Dual Enrollment students enjoy most about the courses offered at LCCTC is the challenge of it. For example, senior COT student, Jaden Locke, states, “These courses help us get a head-start on our college careers while in the comfort of our own classrooms with teachers who already know how to help us succeed.” Having a familiar classroom atmosphere is appealing.
It is also wonderful to begin a college education with familiar classmates. Senior RT student, Jessalyn Kray, states, “I love the pace of the lessons; it’s a little faster than my friends and I are used to, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.” Each DE student has a common goal — to succeed in college — so they work hard and help each other whenever necessary.
Both students and parents can agree that the discounted cost of DE classes, when compared to taking the same course after high school graduation — is well-worth it! While the costs change from year to year, it is only a fraction of what a student might pay at main campus at BC3 or at any neighboring university during their college freshman year.
Samantha Reich was in the very first dual enrollment classes offered at LCCTC back in 2012. She has put her education to good use: Once a painfully-shy student, she shares that taking “dual enrollment speech helped her learn how to speak to people,” and being able to fill her basic block courses with a DE History helped her lighten the load at Youngstown State University, allowing her to focus more on her core classes. She felt well-prepared to succeed in college -- even before graduating from high school! Samantha has earned her Bachelor’s degree of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering and is currently employed as an Electrical Engineer.
It is clear to see that the DE courses offered at LCCTC allows students a jump-start toward their future. With the many challenges throughout the courses, the payoff is worth it! LCCTC’s DE students truly appreciate the opportunity to prepare for the big, bright world of college.
