Early College Info

EARLY COLLEGE PROGRAM

The Public Schools of Calumet, Laurium & Keweenaw Schools and Gogebic Community College have joined their efforts to offer an early college program for Calumet High School students. By taking a combination of high school classes and college courses, high school students have the opportunity to graduate from CLK’s Early College High School after five years with both a high school diploma and an Associates Degree. The college credits earned in the program may also be transferable towards an undergraduate degree from a four-year college or university. Students who take college courses and are full time students at CHS, including 5th year students, will have no fees associated with the college courses taken.

The Michigan Department of Education requires all students in early/middle college programs to complete their requirements for high school graduation and one of the following; an associate degree, or sixty (60) transferable college credits, or a MEMCA Technical Certificate.

For students who are unable to earn an associate degree or who earn fewer than sixty credits, a MEMCA Technical Certificate will be awarded along with the high school diploma once a student has completed:

  • The state of Michigan High School Merit Curriculum

  • A minimum of 15 college credit hours in a combination of 100-level general education and technical training courses with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.

  • 100 hours of verified community service or a minimum of 40 hours of verified career exploration, internship, job shadowing, or clinical experience.

A school district must charge a student if the student does not successfully complete a course under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act (PA 160 of 1996). Students and parents should understand that following the last day of the official registration period of a semester, typically the end of the first week of class, the student and parent are responsible to repay all costs associated with the courses the student is enrolled in and does not successfully complete. This includes any courses a student drops after the official registration period or does not earn a passing grade in.

Students must be enrolled in an early/middle college program by their 11th grade year and must take at least one college level class before completing their 4th year of high school. Students will be required to meet the Gogebic Community College admittance requirements. Minimum test score requirements have been set by the Michigan Department of Education to enroll in college classes while in high school. To enter the English Language Arts or Social Studies courses students will need a 480 on the Critical Reading Section of the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing SAT test or a 460 on the Critical Reading Section of the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing PSAT9 or PSAT10 test. To enter the Mathematics courses students will need a 530 on the Mathematics SAT test or a 510 on the Mathematics PSAT9 or PSAT10 test. Students may retake the SAT on their own or take the Accuplacer test with GCC to qualify if they do not meet the minimum score requirements set by the State. Students not qualifying can take CHS courses to improve their skills and knowledge and retake the entrance tests in the future. Students may also enroll in the College Readiness course.