Atlantic Cape Community College is proud to partner with local high schools to offer students the opportunity to earn college credit while still enrolled in high school. Through our Early College programming, students can access multiple pathways, including dual credit courses taught by credentialed high school faculty at partner schools, concurrent courses taught by Atlantic Cape faculty, articulation agreements, and structured pathways that allow students to earn an associate degree by the time they graduate from high school.
These options enable students to get a true head start on college—earning transferable credits, reducing the time and cost to achieve their academic goals, and beginning an associate degree at Atlantic Cape at a significantly reduced tuition rate.
Dual Credit Courses
Dual credit courses are taught at Atlantic and Cape May County high schools by high school teachers who meet college-level educational standards. These high school teachers work closely with Atlantic Cape faculty liaisons to ensure the academic rigor the students exhibit in their high school course is equivalent to Atlantic Cape’s college course. Upon dual credit course completion, the student receives a letter grade that is recorded on their high school transcript as well as their official Atlantic Cape Community College transcript.
High school dual enrollment programs require that students apply for admission to Atlantic Cape by completing the Early College application by the dual enrollment deadline specified for that academic year. Students pay a reduced tuition rate for dual-credit courses as approved annually by Atlantic Cape's Board of Trustees.
Concurrent Courses
Atlantic Cape also offers courses taught by Atlantic Cape faculty at the high school or remotely. These are referred to as “concurrent courses” and vary from semester to semester based on student demand. Concurrent courses are offered in a wide range of subject areas and allow high school students to explore potential areas of study, fulfill requirements toward an associate’s degree, or simply get a head start on college at a discounted tuition rate.
Students in concurrent courses are required to apply for admission to Atlantic Cape by completing the Early College application. Placement testing and course prerequisites must also be met. Students pay a reduced tuition rate for concurrent courses as approved annually by Atlantic Cape's Board of Trustees.
Articulation Agreements
Articulation agreements with area high schools are designed to provide students with a pathway to earn college credit through coursework taken at the high school. Interested students should contact their high school guidance counselors or other school representatives to verify an agreement has been established with Atlantic Cape. Students may earn credit for these courses once they have graduated from high school, applied for admission to Atlantic Cape, and completed the majority of their Atlantic Cape degree requirements. The courses and credits specified in these agreements are eligible as transfer credits at Atlantic Cape and will be applied to the student's academic record and appear on their college transcript upon their final semester at Atlantic Cape. Career programs that participate in articulation agreements include (but may not be limited to) Aviation Studies, Business Administration, Child Development/Child Care, Computer Information Systems, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Engineering, General Studies, Health Science, Hospitality Management and Media Studies.