High school students in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Greensburg can earn college credits in their secondary classrooms at a discount and receive scholarships from three Catholic colleges under an agreement announced Thursday.
Students at Greensburg Central Catholic High School in Hempfield and Geibel Catholic Middle-High School in Connellsville will be able to take advantage of the programs beginning this year.
The diocese reached agreements with Seton Hill University in Greensburg, St. Vincent College in Unity and Mt. Aloysius College in Cresson, Cambria County, that would enable the students to complete their freshman year of college before setting foot on a campus.
"We now offer our students and families a seamless network of advanced Catholic education from 2 years of age through adulthood," said Trent Bocan, superintendent of Catholic schools for the diocese.
In addition, scholarships will be available to those students participating in the dual enrollment programs at each of the colleges.
Bocan said the agreements offer a potential savings of more than $50,000 for a graduate with the discounted tuition and scholarship offers.
"This is a tremendous benefit for all concerned -- for the high schools involved, for the colleges and institutions of higher education involved and also for our communities," said Bishop Lawrence J. Brandt.
Bocan said the programs are of tremendous benefit to students since all Central graduates and nearly all Geibel graduates are going on to college this year.
"This is our joint step to making Catholic education affordable for our parents, students and graduates," he said.
All of the colleges will review high school classes to see if they are equivalent to classes offered at their institutions. The classes would be similar to introductory classes at the colleges.
Students will pay discounted tuition for the courses they take for credit. Seton Hill's courses will cost $190. A three-credit class would normally cost $2,070. Students can take up to 24 credits through Seton Hill's program, although seniors graduating this school year will be limited to 12.
St. Vincent will charge $65 per credit as opposed to its full tuition of $770 per credit. There's no limit on the number of credits students can take.
Mt. Aloysius will charge $35 per credit instead of $450. Students can earn up to 15 credits through the dual-enrollment program.
And students enrolled in the program can earn scholarships.
Seton Hill will offer up to $6,000 per year in scholarships, depending on a student's grades and standardized test scores. St. Vincent is offering guaranteed aid of $5,000 per year for students who meet certain requirements.
Dual-enrollment students are guaranteed $1,000 per year at Mt. Aloysius, but the scholarships increase to as much as $40,000 over four years if they qualify.
School officials said the program will help students not only financially but academically as well.
Dr. Terrance E. DePasquale, dean of graduate and international programs at Seton Hill, said the agreements will "significantly increase the rigors of the high school experience and help students have a more meaningful transition (to college)."
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