Photo courtesy of: Neeley AllenDr. John Fisher, Director of Student Services, presenting CC+ information
The Recruitment Office at Ohio University Chillicothe hosted its first annual CC+ Info Night on March 6, 2018. Over 125 students and their parents attended from local area high schools – Huntington, Zane Trace, Paint Valley, Chillicothe, Unioto, Southeastern and Waverly.
The information session began with a welcome from the Dean and words of encouragement. Chillicothe Campus Dean, Dr. Martin Tuck, shared, “The College Credit Plus Program is a wonderful opportunity for students who are college bound. It takes discipline, responsibility, and motivation to succeed – and that is what is expected of you.”
The rest of the session was presented by John Fisher, director of student services, and Beth Barnes, academic advisor. Topics included the fundamentals of the CC+ program as set forth by the state, admission guidelines and procedures established by the University, and a list of the pros and cons of participating in the program.
While the program offers free college for eligible students in grades 7-12, there are many risk factors that students and their parents should consider before deciding to participate in the program. Some of the cons to participating in the program include not being prepared to pass state tests needed for high school graduation, the potential for social discomfort as some students do not adjust well to the college environment, and the expectation to spend more time on academics which reduces the time available for extracurricular activities.
Fisher shares, “Students interested need to realize the amount of work that is ahead of them. The typical college student takes 15 credit hours per semester. Over the years, it has been determined that for a student to be successful they need to spend an additional 2-3 hours per credit hour the student is enrolled in preparing for their classes. So, if a student is taking that kind of a course load, they should be spending about 30-45 hours each week working on their classes and completing assignments.”
Students interested in participating in the CC+ program should first speak to their school counselor about the risks with the program as well as the specific requirements needed by each school. Once approved to take courses by their school counselor, students must submit their application and official high school transcript or most recent grade card if the student is in middle school.
OUC applications and transcripts must be received or postmarked by April 1 for summer admission, May 1 for fall admission, and Nov. 1 for spring admission. To be admitted to the program, students must test college-ready on either the campus placement exam or with qualifying ACT/SAT scores. Students will be notified of testing deadlines once applications are submitted. Specific information regarding academic eligibility or other program details may be found here.
Inquiries about the program can be made by contacting the Recruitment Office at 740.774.7240 or OUC-StudentServices@ohio.edu.