(Omaha, NE) -- Metropolitan Community College is offering Nebraska high school students who want to get a jumpstart on their college education free tuition this summer.
MCC says during the summer quarter, high school students can take college classes for credit at MCC at no cost. Jordan Pirtle, director of Secondary Partnerships and Gateway to College, says the no-cost offering made a dramatic impact in CollegeNOW! enrollment last summer. CollegeNOW! is an MCC open enrollment program for high school-aged students. More than 1,600 high school students were served by the program last year.
This summer, high school students residing in Nebraska and graduating 2022 through 2025 qualify to participate in CollegeNOW! at no cost. The program regularly offers college credit at half price. Registration is currently open, with courses starting June 6. “MCC strives to eliminate barriers to college education whenever possible and is pleased to be able to impact our community by making college credit courses more accessible to Nebraska high school students,” Pirtle said.
“Due to the pandemic, many students fell behind. CollegeNOW! offers an opportunity for students to get ahead and overcome challenges they’ve encountered with COVID-19 by pursuing their academic and career goals through dual enrollment and explore fields of study for college,” Pirtle said.
College credits earned through CollegeNOW! will appear on a student’s MCC transcript, giving them a head start on their associate degree while they continue their high school education. MCC credits may transfer to other colleges or universities, and can potentially save students thousands when they complete high school with college credits in-hand. According to the Education Data Initiative, the average cost per credit hour of any four-year institution in 2022 is $636, meaning taking one 4.5-hour CollegeNOW! course with MCC this summer could amount to an average savings greater than $1,900 per course in a semester-based academic year.
Funding is provided through the Board of Governors’ approval of a resolution in April 2021 to use federal Higher Education Emergency Rescue Funds. For more information on CollegeNOW!, click here or call 531-MCC-2400.