First College, First Class

New First College program is a unique dual enrollment partnership between FMU and the Florence 1 school district.

Francis Marion University and Florence 1 Schools have partnered yet again to offer students an opportunity to get a head start on college. First College, a new dual enrollment partnership program, allows students to take university-level courses while continuing their high school education. Students from South Florence, West Florence, and Wilson High schools are eligible for this program. 

While the university has long had dual enrollment programs for students throughout the Pee Dee, First College offers something new: Students accepted into First College choose their area of study – business, education, engineering, or pre-nursing – at the start of the program. Each track has its own plan of courses that follow a specific sequence, and roll right into a major field of study at FMU.

In their junior year in high school, the majority of students enrolled will take two dual enrollment courses per semester. During their senior year, students are considered “full-time college students” and take four classes each semester, says Dr. John Rowan, Vice President of Enrollment Management at FMU.

“In the past, and currently, students who are qualified may enroll in college-level courses in various disciplines, but those are selected one course at a time,” says Rowan. “First College is unique in that it takes into account which discipline the students selects and lays out a plan of study of courses during the junior and senior years of high school. Students in this program will finish well on their way to completing a major in college. This program is more intentional, focused, and prescribed than the traditional dual enrollment program.”

The program, which began this fall, is already off to a successful start. 

Fifteen to 20 students are enrolled in First College. Francis Marion and Florence 1 leaders expect to expand the program in the future.

Florence 1 is the largest school district in the Pee Dee, with slightly more than 16,000 students enrolled.

Rowan says Florence One gets credit for the way the district enhances the education of their students both academically and financially. 

First College students will also have the opportunity to earn a scholarship to Francis Marion. Rowan says many dual enrollment students already qualify for significant scholarships because of their academic achievement, but First College students who matriculate to FMU will receive an additional $2,500 scholarship for their freshman year on top of other scholarships and aid. It’s an additional incentive to continue moving on the track they started in high school.

“First College is a wonderful opportunity to help bridge the change from high school to college,” says Rowan. “Traditionally, that transition has been very sudden. This initiative makes it much more seamless.”

Students enrolling in First College focus on a specific discipline during their junior year of high school. That allows them to learn more about that area by the time they graduate high school, giving them a good sense of which specialties they may want to pursue in those disciplines. In addition, it gives students a head start on determining whether they enjoy a specific discipline. 

Students who complete First College will be ahead of schedule with regards to their collegiate matriculation, too. Most will graduate from college within three years as their senior year of high school essentially becomes their first full year of college.

“This program is extremely beneficial to juniors and seniors in high school due to its intentional framework and focus on a specific area,” says Rowan. “It also provides college courses at no cost to the student.” 

Rowan is excited for the future of First College and its possible expansion.

“I would like to see it expanded to other school districts in the Pee Dee region,” he says. “We have a fair number of first generation students who would be the first in their families to go to college and to graduate. Often, a program like First College can help these students to clarify college and career plans in a financially savvy way.”

Francis Marion currently has 17 different dual enrollment partnerships including one homeschool association, five private schools, and 11 public schools.

Dual Enrollment at FMU

Francis Marion University’s innovative dual enrollment program gives area high school students the opportunity to earn college course credits while still in high school by taking college-level courses their junior and senior year. The students also receive course credit towards their high school degree, hence, they are “dual enrolled” — in high school and college at the same time.

 Students may take up to four dual enrollment courses per semester, allowing them to pile up a year’s worth of college credit before they set foot on FMU’s campus as a full-fledged college student. For students able to handle this level of work, that’s a real benefit. They reduce the time it takes to earn a college degree and save money on tuition and other college costs.

FMU offers a variety of classes that fulfill general education requirements needed for all FMU degrees.

 Dual enrollment courses are offered at a number of locations including The Continuum in Lake City and online.

 Students wishing to participate in FMU’s Dual Enrollment Program should be enrolled in a partnering high school, have a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA, be juniors or seniors, and receive school permission to participate in the courses.

 All that’s needed to enroll is a copy of an up-to-date high school transcript, including current class schedule, proof of US citizenship (copy of South Carolina driver’s license, birth certificate, or passport), and a  Dual Enrollment Application which can be accessed at https://www.fmarion.edu/dualenrollment/.