The Montgomery College (MC) dual enrollment program has allowed students to gain full admission into college while still attending high school. Through MC programs, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students can obtain a variety of college credits. Furthermore, enrolled students possess many options for programs and degree pathways.
These programs previously charged students and their families significantly. However, as of the 2023-2024 school year, MCPS students signing up for dual enrollment may do so for free. MCPS students and their families will not have to pay for tuition, fees, textbooks or other supplies. In addition, these programs are becoming increasingly popular. In May 2022, a monumental 265 dual enrollment students graduated from MC.
Sherwood High School sophomore Sarah Gona plans to attend MC next fall and major in computer science. She believes closing the economic gap was a vital step in the right direction.
“This is a great opportunity to get ahead in my own life and this is an extremely generous offer. It helps students advance earlier in their life without being restricted by their economic status,” Gona commented.
MC dual enrollment options include Jumpstart College, Middle College and Early College. Jumpstart College allows students to be admitted into several MC college courses to earn credits while attending high school. Alternatively, Middle College allows students to get a college degree and attend their local high school simultaneously. Early College enables students to receive a college degree and get a taste of college life on the MC campus. This specific program also offers an expansive range of degree pathways, including biological science, business, computer science, engineering and nursing.
Overall, success is evident for numerous former dual enrollment students of MC. Two students, Alan Gutierrez of Paint Branch High School and Emily Cho of Northwest High School, formerly attended MCPS schools and seized the opportunities offered to them. Gutierrez graduated from MC’s Early College program in 2021 and went on to Princeton University. He conveyed that the program gave him an advantage over other applicants at the University. Moreover, Cho went on to attend the University of Maryland and is now working as a hardware engineering program manager at Apple.
Cho said, “The Middle College program enabled me to take my time and participate in a lot of rewarding internships, which helped me find my passion… I would encourage anyone to participate in Middle College because it provides the most challenging experience for high school students.”
The stories of Gutierrez, Cho and many others inspired Sherwood High School junior Johanna Jagga. She is presently part of the dual enrollment program and attends the MC campus.
“It is a great opportunity. I am so lucky to be one of the students who is doing this program… college classes allow me to study and understand material on my own terms… I would highly recommend it to people looking to step up their education,” Jagga said.
Written by Nisha Khatri of Sherwood High School
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons