SVCC Dual Enrollment Credits Even Transfer To Private, Out Of State College
Mary Catherine Thompson believes the Southside Virginia Community College Dual Enrollment Program at Halifax County High School helped to prepare her for college.  A 2001 graduate of Halifax, she transferred 27 college credits from high school to Meredith College. Chartered in 1891, Meredith College in North Carolina is one of the largest independent private women’s colleges in the United States.
Area high school students are eligible to save money and receive college credit free through the Dual Enrollment Program offered by Southside Virginia Community College. This program provides high schools students a unique opportunity to jump-start their college career at no cost to their parents.
Dual enrollment courses are college courses and carry credit at both the high school and college level. Classes are paid for by the local public schools (and some private schools) so this saves tuition money for parents. Credit for dual enrollment courses is generally accepted at all Virginia private and public colleges, courses are taught by full or part-time faculty who meet Virginia Community College System and the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools credentialing requirements.
“Having credits to transfer to start my college career afforded me two great benefits. One, I was able to double major in Business and Spanish and also, it gave me the chance to spend a semester studying abroad in Spain,” Thompson said.
Thompson notes that she enjoyed the smaller setting of classes at her high school. She also took Dual Enrollment Spanish classes which allowed her to test at a higher level for Spanish at Meredith. She was able to transfer history and government classes and did not have to take these at Meredith. Other classes accepted by Meredith included English and Public Speaking.
Thompson said she took one AP course in high school which was a fun class but her test score did not meet the requirements for transfer to Meredith.
Thompson graduated from Meredith College in 2005 and she resides in Raleigh, North Carolina. She currently works in the area of payroll and taxation for a staffing agency.
Those interested in getting a headstart on college should contact the guidance department at their local high school. Southside has the largest dual enrollment program in the state of Virginia and many successful transfer credits at schools throughout the country.
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