Students in Robertson County Schools have a growing list of
opportunities to develop skills, increase learning opportunities, and earn certifications
as a result of Early Post-Secondary Opportunities, (EPSO) in district high
schools.
These early opportunities provide for college level classes
at Austin Peay State University and Vol-State Community College, and advanced
trade education and certification at Tennessee College of Applied
Technology. The APSU collaborative
learning EPSO path can actually provide for a graduating RCS high school senior
to concurrently earn an associate’s degree from the university.
According to the Tennessee Department of Education, early post-secondary
opportunities allow students to achieve the following:
·
Earn post-secondary credits in high school.
·
Become familiar with post-secondary learning
expectations and requirements.
·
Develop confidence and study skills necessary
for success in post-secondary coursework.
·
Make more informed decisions about post-secondary
plans and career goals.
·
Decrease the time and cost of completing a
certificate/degree
Recent RCS graduates have participated in, and benefitted
from, the enrollment opportunities offered.
Oliver Head is currently working on a bachelor’s degree in
Electrical Engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO, and
graduated high school with an associate’s degree from APSU. He said the program offered him multiple
advantages.
“From a practical standpoint, receiving my Associate's at
the time I graduated was beneficial in providing me with several credit hours
in electives and MAPS (Minimum Academic Preparation Standards) so I wouldn't
need to take them at CU Boulder,” he said. “For me though, the district
collaborative program aided me the most by showing me the kind of discipline
and structure that is expected from college level courses. The opportunity of taking college level
courses in high school improves almost every aspect of the skills you need to
be successful in post-secondary education. I now have much better writing
skills, email etiquette, and social skills.”
Lillian Mays echoed Head’s comments with her own reflections
from taking advantage of EPSO.
“This prepared me by allowing me to jump right into classes
that will steer me toward my major,” she said. “I was able to skip many
prerequisite classes that won’t necessarily benefit me in pursuit of the career
that I would like.” She said the
opportunity also enabled her to prepare for the demands and work-load of college.
“I think the opportunities are well worth it,” she said. “It
is a great opportunity to get ahead in your academic career, especially when
you are planning on being in school for a long time. It helped to prepare me
for the academic independence that college brings, you really have to learn how
to manage your time and your work load. It helped to keep me responsible.
“It also helped me to build community and meet students that
had similar goals and passions for school and this motivated me going forward
that I was not alone in my pursuits. I believe this opportunity is an excellent
one and would recommend it to any student wishing to get ahead and that has the
drive to achieve the goals they set ahead of them.”
To find out additional information be sure to contact your
child's school counselor. Schedule requests for high school students will
begin soon. Make sure you and your
student know about the different opportunities available to jumpstart your
child's post-secondary plans.