Early College

The Maine Department of Education’s Early College Aspirations Program ensures that high school students in grades 10 - 12 have opportunities to explore or begin a post-secondary degree or certificate while still in high school. High school students who enroll in early college courses are more likely to enroll in college, have higher grades, and have a better chance of earning a college degree. Students enroll in courses that take place on a college campus or online along with other college students.  To be eligible, students must be a publicly funded student or a registered home instruction student and meet certain general and academic requirements. The participating institutions must have course space available and may require prerequisite courses for enrollment. 

Enrollment and Eligibility:

• Enrollments must be processed through the ExplorEC / OnCourse portal in order to be Aspirations-eligible.

• All subsequent course management (e.g., drops, withdrawals, roster verification) must happen through the portal in order to keep students, colleges, schools and Maine DOE informed of student activity.

• Students must obtain a parent’s signature on the SHS Early College Contract and return this contract to their school counselor.

• Students have access to 18 credits of Aspirations eligibility while in high school.

• Career and Technical Education students in approved career pathways are eligible for an additional 6 credits in their pathway courses at MCCS, for a total of 24 credits.

• Once a student exceeds the Aspirations credit limit, the student, parent/guardian, and school will be informed prior to registration and then the student will be billed accordingly.

Course/Credit Limits:

• Course limits per semester (totals within and across systems):

  • Summer: 2 courses, cannot meet during the same shortened session

  • Fall: 3 courses

  • Spring: 3 courses

  • Year-long concurrent enrollment courses may be counted in either fall or spring semester with campus approval, but students will still register in the fall.

• UMS/MCCS has the right to deny enrollment to a student based upon their prior academic history. 

• Early College courses should not be relied on to meet high school graduation requirements.  The primary goal of the early college program is to provide additional opportunities to students, not to replace the high school curriculum.

Students may contact their school counselor for more information.