Start College Now
Description: Start College Now (SCN) offers eligible students an opportunity to receive technical college credit - at no out-of-pocket cost to the student or the student's family - before graduating from high school. Participants receive both high school and college credit for successfully completed courses (.25 high school credits for each college credit earned).
Audience: Grades 11 through 12
Participating Institutions: Wisconsin technical colleges
Course Formats: On-campus or online (availability will vary between institutions)
Costs: Tuition, fees, and book/material costs will be deducted from each participant's BVA allotment. While tuition and fees vary, each average SCN credit costs approx. $175 to $200 (not including textbooks/materials).
Application Deadlines: March 1 for fall classes; October 1 for spring classes. Summer classes are not allowed under Start College Now.
Helpful Links:
Start College Application: Note that some technical colleges have their own application forms so it's always a good idea to check their specific Start Colleges Now sites for instructions (see College Links tab above).
If interested in Waukesha County Technical College or Nicolet College, email Ms. Westphal for more information - they have specific application forms to complete.
To Apply:
1. Click on the "College Links" tab and research opportunities available at colleges of interest. Courses and semester schedules are often found under "Academics."
Important: If a course schedule is not available, you may need to look at a prior semester's schedule (try to look for the same season i.e. fall or spring). Most colleges are fairly consistent from year-to-year in lower-level course offerings. You may also directly contact the college(s) for guidance.
If appropriate class options are available and all parties (student, parent/s, and BVA advisor) agree Start College Now participation is in the student's best academic interest, then...
2. Submit the SCN application to Jessica.Westphal@bvaedu.org. Complete a separate application form for each institution/campus you are interested in attending. PLEASE BE SURE TO SIGN THE APPLICATION. Also, please write "MERRILL AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS" as the district where the student resides (this refers to which district will be paying). The application form must be received by Bridges Virtual Academy by the deadline; a postmark is not sufficient. Late applications will not be accepted. Important: Courses may not be added to the application after the deadline, so be sure to include all classes you are interested in taking. Some courses may require a placement test to determine eligibility prior to enrollment.
3. After the request has been reviewed, the student will be notified regarding the decision. If the request has been approved the student will be guided through the next steps in the application process (including contacting the college, applying for the course(s) with the college, etc.). College students have priority over Start College Now participants and BVA students may not know if they will be enrolled in the class(es) until a week or so prior to the start of the course.
Restrictions:
If a comparable course is offered through BVA, the request will be denied.
A maximum of 18 credits total may be earned through dual enrollment programs during a student's high school career.
A student may not be enrolled in both the Early College Credit Program and Start College Now during the same semester.
Summer courses are not eligible under Start College Now.
Only nonsectarian courses will be approved.
Students may not take remedial college courses.
The student/parent will be required to reimburse BVA/Merrill Area Public Schools in a timely manner for all associated tuition, fees, books, and material costs if the student fails (or fails to complete) the course, does not maintain full-time enrollment status at BVA, and/or does not earn college credit for the course.
Participation may be denied if the student has a record of disciplinary or academic problems.
Students/parents are responsible for providing transportation to/from class(es), although there may be funding assistance available through DPI for qualified families. Please contact Ms. Westphal if you would like more information.
Self-Pay: A student may choose to self-pay for a college course outside of Start College Now. However, any college credits earned under self-pay will not be transferred to the student's BVA transcript and allotment funds may not be used for associated course costs (tuition, fees, books, materials, etc.).