IN Murrysville Winter 2018 | Page 38

Saving Families Money and Time 36 MURRYSVILLE Franklin Regional has dual-enrollment and CIHS partnerships with LaRoche College, the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University New Kensington, Point Park University, Westmoreland County Community College and Rochester Institute of Technology. “These partnerships allow our students to access rigorous and high-interest post-secondary opportunities”, said Dr. Gennaro R. Piraino, Jr., Superintendent of Schools. “Some students are even able to enroll in courses and programs directly aligned with their future majors. For instance, our newly formed partnership with Penn State New Kensington allows students to earn 12 college credits and attain a certificate in Entrepreneurial Studies from PSU. It is a unique and invaluable opportunity for those students who are willing to commit to the challenging coursework, while also providing families a way to save money on a post-secondary education.” According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees for the 2017–2018 school year was $34,740 at private colleges, $9,970 for state residents at public colleges, and $25,620 for out-of-state residents attending public universities. After calculating the average cost per credit hour for colleges across every sector (including private and public, for-profit and not- for-profit, two-year and four-year colleges), the typical cost of a college credit comes out to $594.46. Franklin Regional families have realized substantial savings