Early College
Jefferson College’s Early College program gives you access to real college courses, a supportive learning environment, and a jumpstart toward achieving your goals, all while you’re still in high school. Earn college credit that saves you time and money, explore career interests, and develop valuable skills to succeed in your post-secondary education. Why wait?
Students attending public or private high schools and homeschooled students may apply. Tuition is greatly reduced in these programs, providing substantial savings for students and families seeking to keep college affordable.
The Early College program provides numerous benefits. Students will:
- encounter challenging learning opportunities that enhance and extend the high school curriculum.
- avoid unnecessary duplication in coursework when moving from high school to college.
- access academic and social support services and materials available to college students, including advising, library, and tutoring services.
- increase college readiness, easing the transition from high school to college.
- complete degree programs in a shorter time period.
- participate in college activities.
- save money.
Jefferson College is a postsecondary institutional member of NACEP, the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships, Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dual Credit: Qualified high school students can take general education courses through Jefferson College in partnership with Jefferson County public school districts. These dual credit courses are taught at the student's high school by high school teachers who meet Jefferson College faculty standards. Students earn high school and college credit simultaneously, allowing them to experience college-level coursework in a familiar environment without commuting and to save time on their path to their degree. Dual credit courses maintain the same rigor and content as those offered on campus, helping students build confidence and prepare for the challenges of college. Tuition is offered at a reduced rate, and some schools share costs, making this an affordable way to earn college credit. Students should discuss availability of dual credit courses at their high school with their high school counselor. 2024-2025 dual credit options are listed here.
Dual Enrollment: High schools are limited in what they can offer as dual credit, as they must have staff at the school who are qualified to teach the courses. If students are interested in a greater selection of courses, they should consider dual enrollment. Dual enrollment refers to students concurrently enrolling at a high school and Jefferson College. Many students choose to enroll in online courses, enabling them to remain active in their high school activities while completing college coursework at times most convenient for them. Students may also choose to enroll in courses held at a Jefferson College location. Additionally, Jefferson College has agreements with several local school districts that allow students to earn the Missouri Core42 block of general education or even an associate degree using a combination of dual credit and dual enrollment. Students who are interested in dual enrollment and/or wish to count dual enrollment courses towards high school credit should speak with their high school counselor. Current course offerings can be found on the class schedule, and course descriptions are listed in the College Catalog.
Students interested in career-specific training should look into offerings through the Area Technical School.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses are similar to dual credit in that college credit can be earned from both. In an AP course, credit is awarded if the student earns a particular score on a national exam at the conclusion of the course. Scores required to earn credit can vary among institutions, and if the student does not earn the required score, no college credit is earned. Dual credit courses evaluate a student’s entire performance in the course, awarding credit for successful completion of all coursework rather than relying on a standardized exam.
The Missouri Higher Education Core Curriculum Transfer Act (SB 997) guarantees that courses with a MOTR designation (denoted with the MOTR symbol in the Jefferson College Catalog and the online Jefferson College class schedule) will transfer to any public college or university in Missouri. Jefferson College course options are listed on our MOTR page. A core curriculum consisting of a 42 credit hour block will transfer as a whole to all public institutions of higher education in the state. No additional general education courses are necessary upon completion of a Core42 block. Many private and out-of-state institutions accept transfer credit from community colleges, including dual credit. Students should always check with the institution they plan to attend after high school graduation in order to determine how many, and which, courses transfer to that particular institution.
Early college courses are offered at a significantly reduced rate, but students taking courses through the Early College program are not eligible for financial aid through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). However, students can apply for a Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship through the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. Additionally, some area high schools participate in a ⅓ tuition partnership agreement for early college students in which Jefferson College waives ⅓ of tuition, the high school covers ⅓ of tuition, and the student is responsible only for the remaining ⅓ of tuition. Students should check with their high school counselor to learn more about the ⅓ program.
Students should be advised that poor grades in college courses can affect future eligibility for financial aid after high school graduation, including the A+ scholarship.
Private and public school students interested in early college courses should contact their high school counselor to discuss options and eligibility. Early college students must meet the same requirements for placement into courses as those required of regular college-level students and will be required to complete an application/registration form to be enrolled. Homeschooled high school students interested in early college should complete the Dual Enrolled Homeschool Student Application for Admission and complete the steps listed on the form to be admitted for dual enrollment.
Please note, students classified as early college students are not considered regular first-time college students at Jefferson College until they meet regular admission requirements, which includes high school completion.
Information for High Schools
Jefferson College welcomes the opportunity to work with well-qualified high school teachers who wish to teach dual credit courses at their high school. Dual credit instructors are required to meet the same minimum qualifications to teach dual credit courses as are required for instructors teaching the course on the college campus. Instructors are required to have a master’s degree with a minimum of 18 graduate hours in the academic subject in which they are teaching. In addition, dual credit faculty are required to participate in regular evaluations, orientation, and ongoing professional development through Jefferson College to continue to be an adjunct member of the Jefferson College faculty. For questions regarding a specific course or discipline, contact the appropriate dual credit faculty liaison.
| Biology | Simon Bade | sbade@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3248 |
| Business | Kathy Johnson | kjohns23@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3428 |
| Chemistry | Wesley Whitfield | wwhitfie@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3274 |
| College Studies | Jason Johnson | jjohns82@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3343 |
| Computer Information | Douglas Hale | dhale1@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3417 |
| Education | Dr. Ken Boning | kboning@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3344 |
| English | Amy Call | acall@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3320 |
| History | Joseph Thurman | jthurma1@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3346 |
| Mathematics | Imran Shah | ishah@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3275 |
| Physics | Dr. Bob Brazzle | rbrazzle@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3305 |
| Spanish | Melissa Stephens | mstephe7@jeffco.edu | 636-481-3309 |
Additional Questions?
For additional information or questions not addressed here, please contact Jess Bartlett, Early Colelge Coordinator, at earlycollege@jeffco.edu or 636-481-3245 or review the Early College Handbook.
Jefferson College’s Annual Security & Fire Safety Report is available online at www.jeffco.edu/clery-asfsr/. The report contains campus crime statistics as well as information regarding campus safety and security for the Jefferson College Hillsboro and Arnold Campuses, including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (timely warnings and emergency notifications); programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking; the procedures the College will follow when one of these crimes is reported; crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years, and other matters of importance related to campus safety. The report also contains fire safety policies and procedures as well as fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility on the Hillsboro campus. A paper copy of the report will be provided upon request. To request a paper copy, visit the Jefferson College Police Department Office (Hillsboro Campus) at 800 Mel Carnahan Drive, Hillsboro, MO 63050, call 636-481-3500 or email dparchim@jeffco.edu.
