Iredell-Statesville Schools School & Family Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 10

Is Early College Right for You?
Three Early College Options for You!
The cost of college ranges from $3,000 to $70,000 per year. An Early College provides two years of college
coursework for FREE! The only cost to attend an Iredell-Statesville Early College is the annual $50 laptop
usage fee.
Early College allows you to complete both a high school diploma and an Associate
degree in five years. It takes six years to complete the equivalent in a traditional setting.
If you graduate with your Associate in Arts or Associate in Science degree from an Early College, you are
guaranteed acceptance into one of the UNC system universities. By making at least Cs in your courses,
the full associate degree fulfills your general education college requirements, and will then classify you as a
Junior at the public university.
All three early colleges have honors-level high school courses, including accelerated English and Math high
school courses. Rigorous early college instructional strategies are incorporated into all high school classes.
Students begin taking college courses their freshman year. By their junior year, many students have two or
more college courses each semester and by the last year, students are taking all college courses.
Transportation:
The early colleges share buses. But, students are only picked up at shuttle stop locations around the
county. Students are dropped off by 7:50 on the college campus for CCTL, and by 8:00 at Crossroads. A
separate transportation system is being developed for students attending the Agriculture & Science Early
College.
Calendar :
The Early College school calendar is different from the traditional school calendar. Early Colleges begin
classes the first week of August. Thus, the Early Colleges get out three weeks earlier, typically in mid-May.
Iredell-Statesville Schools will have three Early Colleges in August 2017.
First, CCTL (Collaborative College for Technology and Leadership):
CCTL is located on the Mitchell Community College campus. Lunch is served in a cafeteria like a traditional
school. Students return to their district high school to participate in sports. Transportation for sports is the
student’s responsibility. A variety of typical clubs are available at CCTL.
“Technology” in the name does not mean that students have to focus only on technology; however, all
students take two technology classes as freshmen. No technology courses are required after the first year.
Students are allowed to pursue the typical Associate in Arts, or Associate in Science, or other applied
science degrees offered at Mitchell Community College.
Second, Crossroads Arts & Science Early College:
Crossroads is located on the third floor of Statesville High School. A shuttle bus is provided between
Crossroads and Mitchell Community College all day long, so students can take both high school and college
classes on the same day easily. Lunch is served in the SHS cafeteria, but Crossroads has a separate lunch
time. Students participate in sports, clubs, and Arts within Crossroads and SHS.
8 Iredell-Statesville School & Family