Early to College, Early to Rise

As a senior at Trinity Christian School, located in the Forest Hills suburb of Pittsburgh, Abby Hall (history major) heard good things about Geneva College from teachers who were Geneva alumni. But she didn't know that she would be a Geneva Early College student while still in high school until she needed to complete electives to graduate.

Abby, a native of the Shadyside neighborhood, took advantage of Geneva's dual enrollment program to take college curriculum offered at Trinity Christian. She studied Old Testament and New Testament Bible, meeting her high school requirements and earning six college credits at Geneva during her senior year.

Abby says, “It was a lot different than the regular high school courses. In some ways it was more difficult, but in other ways it was easier because I had more time to explore the assignments and complete them.”

“ Taking a college course in high school has really helped me transition to college life; I was able to see how a college class worked, the structure, the homework. ”
― Abby Hall

The Early College program enables high school students to take Geneva courses taught by Geneva professors for a fraction of the cost. There are three ways to participate: 1) online, 2) on-campus, or 3) in select Christian schools. Abby is one of 11 incoming Geneva students this fall who had participated in Early College program while in high school.

Online and on-campus courses typically include first-year student material that meets general education or core requirements. They cover areas of study in natural sciences, humanities, English, philosophy, math, Spanish, and psychology and other social sciences. Additional courses may also be taken with the permission of Crossroads: Geneva’s Center for Enriched Learning.

Abby took Geneva courses in her high school with teachers deemed qualified by Geneva. Other partner schools where students can also take classes are Beaver County Christian School (Beaver Falls, PA), Hampton Christian Academy (Hampton, VA), Hillcrest Christian Academy (Bethel Park, PA), and Abby’s alma mater, Trinity Christian School (Pittsburgh, PA).

Dr. Jeffrey Cole, Director of Crossroads, notes several benefits that parents and high school students should consider when thinking about Early College, like helping students get a headstart on college and reduced tuition for credits. He adds, “Unlike Advanced Placement or AP courses, college credit is guaranteed with Early College credits. In fact, all credits earned in the Early College program count one-for-one toward a bachelor’s degree at Geneva.” Early College students get a transcript from Geneva noting the credits. Course credit may also be transferred to other colleges and universities depending on the policies of that school.

After meeting admissions requirements, students can take courses during any of Geneva’s regular semesters, May term or summer sessions, with both day and evening courses available.

“ Unlike Advanced Placement or AP courses, college credit is guaranteed with Early College credits. In fact, all credits earned in the Early College program count one-for-one toward a bachelor’s degree at Geneva.”
― Dr. Jeffrey Cole, Director of Crossroads: Geneva's Center for Enriched Learning

The opportunity to get an early taste of college helped Abby when she matriculated to Geneva in August. She says, “Taking a college course in high school has really helped me transition to college life; I was able to see how a college class worked, the structure, the homework. It helped with my confidence that I could do well at Geneva.”

Abby recommends the Early College program to high school students interested in going to college. “Early college is a good idea, especially if you like the subject of the course,” she says. “It’s worth the money spent because you get a really good experience.”

Parents and students interested in learning more about Geneva’s Early College program can visit Geneva.edu/earlycollege for details or contact Crossroads at crossroads@geneva.edu or 724-847-6891.

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