This past spring, Lowellville announced to students that they would be partnering with Easter Gateway
Community College to offer College Credit Plus, or CCP, classes. College Credit Plus is a program that gives students the opportunity to complete college level and high school courses at the same time. At Lowellville, we have students in English, History, Psychology, Biology, and Government. The administration encourages students to take these classes through Eastern Gateway since they partnered with them, but they may also do these classes through Youngstown State University. Since Lowellville is working with EGCC, they are able to be an advisor for the students' classes. This allows them to check grades, make sure the students are turning in their assignments, and staying on track.
There are quite a few advantages to taking CCP courses. Through these classes, students are able to earn college credits for free. Students will be able to complete many core classes needed for all majors. By doing so, students reduce the amount of money spent in college in the future and could possibly graduate college early. Also, students are able to complete almost all courses completely online, which means they can usually work at their own pace.
Although these advantages seem very nice, there are a few negative aspects to consider. CCP courses are at a much higher level of difficulty, seeing as they are college courses. If students struggle in their class and end up failing, students will have to reimburse the school for the amount of that class. Grades will affect high school and college transcripts. Also, it is important to consider that some colleges do not accept CCP credits.
In order to get a wide range of opinions on CCP in our school, I wanted to interview a variety of students and staff. Evan Alfano decided against taking CCP this year. When asked why, he said he wanted to have an easy senior year. He knows that the level of difficulty is higher when it comes to CCP and wanted to have as much of a stress free year as possible. “I think it might’ve been too much with the rest of my high school classes,” he stated. He also decided against it because he is able to learn better when having a teacher in person. He thinks that CCP is a great opportunity, but mostly for advanced students who can handle the workload. He said procrastination is a big issue for himself, and among many students, so that was another negative of taking CCP, as you are able to work at your own pace.
Olivia Lavernuick, a junior, dropped out of CCP Government. She said that she felt it was going to be very stressful for her. She also did not want to risk getting a B, as she hopes to become victorian. She thinks if you want to take CCP, you need to be dedicated to getting your assignments done as they should be taken very seriously. Olivia stated that she agreed with Evan about liking learning in person rather than online.
Averi Shumaker, a senior, is enrolled in English Composition 101 through Eastern Gateway. She said that she took CCP because of all of the benefits it had for college, including sometimes being able to graduate earlier. She said that CCP classes need to be the right fit depending on the student and their commitment to school. Averi said that she is more “of an in person type of learner, but since I am taking English Composition I, it’s fine.” She really enjoys the benefit of getting to work on her own time, with longer due dates.
Interviewing teachers on their thoughts about CCP is important since it affects how and who they teach. Dr. Hale is the only teacher at Lowellville teaching an in person CCP course. He believes that CCP “gives you a great taste of what college is like.” He also said that being able to take CCP (in person) allows the class to be able to complete more labs, which students really enjoy and are able to learn from well. While speaking with Mrs. Dent, she made it clear that CCP is not for everyone, and that you need to be a very organized student who enjoys working independently. When asked if she was/is worried about losing classes to some CCP courses, such as government (one of the classes she teaches). She said, “At the beginning of the year, I lost an entire period (to CCP classes)... It’s definitely a concern but it might also pave the way for us to teach more electives.”
When speaking to Mr. Sammartino, our assistant principal, discussed what he believes are the benefits of taking a CCP course. He responded, “The critical thinking, writing, and reading skills developed in CCP courses will prepare you for college and success. It also provides courses that allow students to explore their interests more in depth .” He thinks that CCP also gives students a “great competitive edge.” He believes it is a great opportunity for all kids, but students need to determine for themselves whether or not it will be beneficial to them.
Overall, the majority of people agree that taking CCP is a choice you need to make based on the type of student you are, and your future plans. There are a ton of pros and cons to consider. Think about your workload, if you like to work independently, and if you would like to earn college credits in order to help with cost and time. In the end, I believe CCP is a fantastic opportunity, but it may not be for everyone.