Program allows high school dropouts to transition to college
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Camden County College will begin offering high school dropouts throughout the County the opportunity to earn a high school diploma and get a jump start on college through its new Transition to College Program beginning this fall. The expansion of the program was made to address and help students that want to gain their diploma and move on to college.
The Transition to College Program will be structured similarly to the year-old Gateway to College that the college offers on the Camden City Campus for city residents. The Countywide Transition program for students will be hosted at the Blackwood campus this coming year.
This new initiative is a commitment from the Freeholder Board and the college to support educational opportunities for kids that want to learn and want to pursue higher education. This program will not only give students the ability to get back on track by earning their diploma, it paves the way for a smooth transition into college.
Participating students must be between the ages of 16 and 20. They also must be eligible to enroll in a partnering high school within Camden County during their time in Transition to College. Tuition and the cost of classroom materials will be paid by the student’s home district. Transition to College will serve students who are either behind in credits or behind in grade level. While completing their diploma requirements, they will be able to earn college credits.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting reports 1.3 million teens drop out of high school annually, costing the nation more than $100 billion in lost wages and taxes, plus the increased social costs of crime and healthcare. High school graduates and dropouts, aged 16 to 19, are struggling the most during this prolonged economic environment. In May, the U.S. Labor Department reported, one in four are jobless. Without a high school diploma and a college education kids will have a much harder job finding a job in this economy.