It's All About Credits

By Ishan M. Shah

A position paper explaining everything you need to know about credits!

For those who aren't very familiar with the way Ohlone operates, it helps to think of credits as points. A certain number of points coming from a certain batch of classes allows the person who earned them to redeem them for a degree, or transfer out. For example: an individual who intends to transfer out of Ohlone College is typically advised to follow a curriculum outlined by the IGETC. But, there are separate plans within the IGETC itself. Plan A outlines a path to a degree from Ohlone itself, while plans B & C outline what it takes to transfer to a State or UC campus respectively. View Plan C http://www.ohlone.edu/org/currguides/current/docs/20092010geplanchart-c.pdf. The typical minimum transfer requirement is 60 credits. The IGETC plan will get you there in 2 years if you are taking full course- loads. Students can transfer out even faster, should they have built up credits while they were in high school. But, most credits that students come in with are gleaned through their participation in the AP (advanced placement) program. This is a program run by an actual company that has been implemented into most public high schools across the United States. Students take rigorous, college level courses through the duration of their school year. They are then expected to pay for the opportunity to take an AP Examination in the subject area of the course they have just spent all year completing. These tests are scored on a scale of 1-5. Most UC/State/Private universities only grant credit for 4/5′s. Only 20.8% of the class of 2009 scored 3 or above on AP exams.

That brings me to the topic of discussion here: How can we fairly help students build up their credit totals even prior to entering a post-secondary institution? The answer is through Dual Enrollment (aka concurrent enrollment) for Special Admissions.

Now remember: Dual Enrollment applies primarily to cases of what are known as Special Admissions. Since most of the individuals who attend California Community Colleges are either 18 years of age or older OR high school graduates (or equivalent), enrollment of individuals who meet neither criteria are identified as "Special Admission" students. Yes, that includes students who take courses at the college during summer semesters while their K-12 schools are out of session.

Ohlone has 5 dual enrollment strategies currently in place. They are:

1. Dual Enrollment Using High School Teachers- High school students get college credit for classes they are taking at their high school (very limited, primarily language courses.)

2. Dual Enrollment Using Ohlone Faculty- An Ohlone Professor goes to a high school to instruct a course he or she would typically be teaching at the college.

3. Dual Enrollment Using High School Teachers (non-apportionment)- same as #1, however enrollment data via a contractual education approach is not submitted to the state for apportionment (thus the schools involved have more local control over the program).

4. 2+2 Articulation and Career Pathway Development- Think of this approach as a "complete now, get rewarded later" sort of approach. Under the 2+2 strategy, students are not automatically awarded college credit for particular ROP courses. However, they can apply for said credit upon enrollment in the college.

5. College Connection Program- This program is extremely unique and is quite different from the other strategies. It started in 2006 with the guinea pig class being from Newark Memorial High School. School district teachers are given office space and classrooms on the Ohlone campus. Their students take their classes there in the mornings. They're afternoon schedule is then augmented by actual credit-earning Ohlone classes taken on campus.

By expanding strategy 1 beyond just language courses, students get college credit for taking and passing classes at their high schools. The exact same thing as the AP exam, but sans having to pay for an additional exam administered by a private company looking to make a buck.

Until now, the practice in place at the college has been responding only to interests expressed by high schools. Ohlone hasn't been the one to step forward. At recent meetings, Trustee Bonnacorsi has pushed for joint sessions with the Fremont Unified School District, Newark Unified School District, and New Haven Unified School District. Those meetings would be the perfect mediums through which Ohlone College could take the lead on expanding concurrent enrollment.

As times change, programs must adapt. The reality of the situation is that Ohlone has been unofficially serving a bigger base than just folks over the age of 18 and high school grads(or equivalent) for quite some time now. By spearheading an active initiative to expand Strategy 1: Dual Enrollment Using High School Teachers, the college will benefit in a number of ways. Those include everything from an improved public image for its outreach to a better financial situation through apportionment for its new student base.

Sources:

Dr. Jim Wright- VP of Instruction at Ohlone College Ohlone College-Description of High School Dual Enrollment Strategies (Fall 2010 update) The League of California Community Colleges The College Board's Report to the Nation