Dual Enrollment Opens Doors for High School Students in Edgefield County
Edgefield County – Imagine earning college credit while still in high school, and discovering newfound confidence and skills along the way. That’s exactly what Madison Anderson, a recent graduate of Strom Thurmond High School, experienced thanks to the Dual Enrollment program through Piedmont Technical College (PTC).
“It’s given me a lot of confidence and new skills,” Anderson said about her time in the program. “It helped me as a student as well as a person.”
The Dual Enrollment program is designed for high school juniors and seniors who are looking to get a head start on their college education. It offers students the flexibility to take classes online, at their high school, or on a PTC campus. Whether students are preparing for advanced degrees or looking for a credential that will allow them to start a professional career right after high school, Dual Enrollment offers a range of options to fit their needs.
This fall, Anderson will earn her associate degree in diversified agriculture. She already has a job set up at a ranch in Wyoming and has big plans for her future. “I would love to start my own horse-training business, or maybe manage a ranch,” said Anderson, who also worked as a horse-training assistant in Aiken during her high school years.
Anderson’s journey with Dual Enrollment began in the second semester of her junior year. Having already met her high school graduation requirements, she was encouraged by her former agriculture teacher, Jeremy Brooks, to try the Dual Enrollment program. “She’s very hard working and very academic minded,” Brooks said. “She’s very dedicated to whatever we’re working on, and she likes helping other students.”
Four Ways to Participate in Dual Enrollment at PTC:
- Traditional Dual Enrollment: Courses taken at the student’s high school with their high school instructors.
- OnDECK classes: Offered on a PTC campus, allowing students to earn both high school units and college credits.
- Middle College: A partnership with some school districts that allows juniors and seniors to earn 48-plus college credit hours.
- Early admission: For students looking to earn credit through PTC, but not through their high school.
Anderson chose the Middle College option, starting with online classes before moving on to agriculture courses at PTC’s Saluda County Campus. “I absolutely loved it. I loved how hands-on it was,” she said.
PTC offers more than 80 courses that are approved to transfer to any senior public institution in the state, as per the S.C. Commission of Higher Education. Course offerings are based on the student’s area of study. For Anderson, that meant classes in animal science, landscaping, welding, and general education.
What sets PTC’s Dual Enrollment apart is that students earn both high school and college credit. Unlike other programs where college credits depend on high-stakes testing, Dual Enrollment ensures that a student’s hard work will count toward their college studies. “I would get credit for my Dual Enrollment classes, and I was acing them, so it’s definitely a GPA booster,” Anderson said. “My family thought it was pretty cool that I would almost have my associate finished before I graduated high school.”
South Carolina residents can attend Dual Enrollment tuition-free if they take at least 6 credit hours per semester. This makes the program accessible to all students, offering a jump-start on their college education at an affordable price. Additionally, Anderson noted that taking college courses in high school has helped her stand out to admissions officers and secure scholarships. “Now I’m getting scholarship offers because I have the credits,” she shared.
The Dual Enrollment program is available at high schools throughout the PTC footprint. For those interested, it’s recommended to discuss the possibility with a high school guidance counselor or visit www.ptc.edu/dual for more information. Alternatively, the PTC Dual Enrollment Office can be reached at (864) 941-8315 for any inquiries.
