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When I began my career in high education, the students on
college campuses all had high school diplomas.
Not true today. A growing percentage of students here at
UW-Marshfield/Wood County, and at college campuses nation
wide, are still in high school. Here at The Wood, we call
this dual-enrollment program “Youth Options.” It’s a
program that allows high school students to enroll in
college courses and earn college credits. Originally
designed for high-performance students, programs like Youth
Options are becoming an integral in the post-secondary
preparation of average-achieving high school students.
Unlike Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered at some high
schools, Youth Options students take actual college courses
with a college syllabus and college professors. These are
not college-level courses designed for high-school
students. They are actual college courses. Offered during
the fall, spring and summer semesters, these courses are a
great way for students to discover what college is really
like. Anecdotally, I have heard from many parents that the
Youth Options classes sparked increased performance and
motivation with their sons/daughters in high school classes
as well.
According to a recent study by the Community College
Research Center, students enrolled in programs like Youth
Options are:
● More likely to earn a high school diploma.
● More likely to enroll in college after high school.
● More likely to enroll in college full-time.
● More likely to persist in college to a second semester.
● More likely to earn higher college GPAs.
● More likely to be enrolled in college for two-plus years
after following graduation.
Students attending area high schools that do not have a
Youth Options agreement with UW-M/WC can still take
advantage of dual enrollment here. Students can enroll for
specific courses as “Special” students, using our online
application, found at
www.marshfield.uwc.edu. It’s a great opportunity for
students to get a head start on college credits.
For more information, please contact our Student Services
office at 715-389-6530 or
msfadmit@uwc.edu.
Dr. Andrew Keogh is the dean and campus executive officer
of UW-Marshfield/Wood County, a freshmen-sophomore campus of
the University of Wisconsin.
