24 S G M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 1 7 - 2 0 1 8 is essential to the success of the dual enrollment program. She also addressed the dual enrollment program benefits by saving students time and money in getting them to their career goals. “The popularity of technical and certificate programs varies from area to area,” Wallace said. “For example, in Tift County it is mechatronics, in Colquitt County it is construction, while in Thomas County welding is popular among high school students.” Wallace added that the healthcare programs are popular throughout the region. “The healthcare programs are highly sought after with all of our students and in several of our high schools,” Wallace said. “We also have several hundred students in the degree level core courses that students will hopefully use to continue into courses at SRTC; however, these courses will transfer to any college in the state of Georgia.” Providing Support to Succeed Jamie Bird, the dual enrollment coordinator at Valdosta State University, said with recent changes in the state’s dual enrollment program it has become an attractive option for highly motivated and talented high school students. “The number one goal of our students is to still graduate from high school,” Bird said, “but if they can complete courses as part of being dual enrolled and receive credits at both institutions, then that just helps them move forward in a variety of ways that enhance their educational opportunities.” During the past three years, Valdosta State has established a Dual Enrollment Honors Academy to help students have an academically challenging and successful dual enrollment experience. Bird said while the state does pay the tuition associated with dual enrollment courses, Valdosta State wants to make sure students are properly advised. “We work with each high school counselor making sure students take the specific courses that meet their educational needs and not just take courses for the sake of getting something free,” Bird said. Valdosta State’s fall 2017 dual enrollment was 184 students taking more than 600 courses. “While courses are transferable to most Georgia institutions, we like to remind our students that the ultimate goal is to take courses that lead them to a degree,” Bird said. “Again, this is where the advising piece is so important. We utilize the help of our Centralized Advising Center as well as other departments, professors, etc. for their advice when working with our students. For us, this is huge in making sure our students are in the right classes that will help them in the future.” Bird said Valdosta State works to build relationships with its dual enrollment students so that after high school graduation the university will remain high on their list of potential schools. Cynthia Hall, director of Honors and Dual Enrollment at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), said it is about having a good fit and being academically ready. Cynthia Hall Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College We require our dual enrollment students to score higher on the ACT and SAT than a regularly admitted freshman. They also must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in high school. We want our students to do their best, and we don’t want to set them up for failure. - Cynthia Hall Hall advises each of ABAC’s dual enrollment students and emphasizes the importance of making sure they are academically and socially ready to take college classes. “We want to do what is best for all of our students, and there are some pressures for them to start college early,” Hall said, “so we want to make sure they are ready.” With 196 dual enrollment students for fall 2017, Hall said the numbers have been increasing. “We want to help each student prepare for their future,” Hall said. “We hope they will want to stay at ABAC, but we are preparing them to go on to other schools and be successful. We want them to be well prepared wherever they go.” Hall said it is important to provide a positive college experience and to prepare each student to succeed academically, whether they remain at ABAC or transfer to another institution.