Students at North Montgomery High School will soon have expanded opportunities to begin their college journey before they ever graduate high school.
Beginning next school year, the school is launching the Early College Academy, an initiative designed to give students greater access to dual credit courses, increased college readiness skills, and the opportunity to complete the Indiana College Core while still enrolled at NMHS.
The Early College Academy will allow any student to earn college credits through rigorous coursework taught at North Montgomery High School by credentialed instructors. These courses meet college-level standards and provide students with the chance to experience the expectations and pace of college academics in a supportive high school environment.
Through the program, students will also have the opportunity to work toward the Indiana College Core, a 30-credit block of general education courses that transfers among many public colleges and universities across Indiana. Completing these courses while in high school can significantly reduce the time and cost required to earn a college degree, saving a student over $5,000.
“Embracing college readiness is an important part of North Montgomery’s future because we want to save students and their families time and money, while also setting them up for success. At North Montgomery, college means anything after high school, not just a four-year institution. Military service, trade school, Ivy Tech, Wabash College and Purdue University are all examples of “college” that we are preparing students for,” said NMHS Principal Jon Guthrie. “We want students to envision themselves in those arenas and we want them prepared. That requires their school to educate them on the possibilities and prepare them for the environment. You’ll likely see the rigor increase to prepare students for this, but when you expect more, you support more, and North Montgomery is thrilled to support its students towards realizing a vision for themselves that allows them to make their future communities better for their presence in them.”
Many of the dual credit courses offered at North Montgomery are aligned with programs at institutions such as Ivy Tech Community College, helping students ensure that their hard-earned credits can continue to serve them after graduation.
In addition to college credit, the academy emphasizes college readiness skills such as critical thinking, writing, research, and time management — skills that help students transition successfully into higher education.
School officials say the goal of The Early College Academy is not only to help students earn college credit but also to build a strong culture of academic ambition and preparation throughout the school, as well as exposure to the many opportunities that exist after high school.
“Challenging yourself in high school helps open doors you don’t even know exist for your future self,” dual credit math instructor Amanda Boyd said. “Putting in hard work now makes life easier for your future self.”
Families and students will have opportunities throughout the year to learn more about the academy, including informational sessions, social media spotlights and hearing from past and present students.
For many students, the Early College Academy represents a powerful step forward, providing a chance to graduate with more than a diploma, but with a head start on the preparedness to confidently embark on life after high school.
