High school seniors earn college credit
Students at Westwood High School have the opportunity to take college courses and earn credit before they even get to campus in the fall.
Since last August, Westwood seniors have had the option to dual-enroll at NMU, where they can take a college course, allowing them to enter college with credits already on their transcript. The program is still in the early stages, but this semester, students can experience what it’s like to be in a college-level English class.
“The course is basically a composition course at the college level. It’s similar to a lot of courses that we have here and a lot of the skills that we teach here,” Westwood High School English teacher B.G. Bradley said.
While some students may be reluctant to take a college course due the higher expectations and a larger workload, others see the benefits that a class like this offers.
“I took a lot of interest in the English one because I want to be an English major, so having this class underneath my belt will help me go places at Northern,” Westwood High School senior Miranda Roose said. “I will be definitely ahead of the incoming freshmen.”
Students in the program are technically enrolled at NMU, but the classes are taught from the high school.
Looking ahead, NICE Community Schools Superintendent Bryan DeAugustine sees the school offering a college class in the four main areas of study: mathematics, English, science, and social studies.
He said he’s excited to use this first class as an example for future classes to build interest and involvement.