High School Programs

High School Initiatives

High School initiatives allow qualified students to maximize their education and training time by beginning college while they are still in high school. Qualified students may earn credit at the college only, or they may earn credit concurrently at both the college and high school.

Dual Enrollment – HOPE

The Dual Enrollment program is a collaborative effort between the Georgia Department of Education (DOE) and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).The purpose of the Dual Enrollment program is to offer additional educational opportunities for high school (secondary) students and allows them to earn credit from their high school and Georgia Northwestern Technical College while they are still in high school. The student may receive high school Carnegie unit credit as well as postsecondary credit hours from Georgia Northwestern for the same course. Dual and Joint students are offered the same status on the Georgia Northwestern Technical College campus as any other student, including eligibility for academic honors and participation in student activities. Contact your High School Counselor or the High School Initiative Coordinator at Georgia Northwestern for courses that qualify.

The student must adhere to the following admission regulations:
1) Be at least 16 years of age.
2) Complete a Georgia Northwestern Technical College Application for Admission.
3) Complete a Hope Grant application (GSFAPPS) application through www.gacollege411.org.
3) Meet all testing requirements for Regular Admission status in chosen program.
4) Complete a parental agreement form.
Note: Dual Enrolled students are eligible to apply for the HOPE Grant.

Dual Enrollment – ACCEL

The purpose of the ACCEL program is to provide Georgia high school junior and senior students with the opportunity to earn associate degree-level credit hours as they simultaneously meet their high school graduation requirements. In order to be eligible for Dual Enrollment – ACCEL, the high school student must be enrolled in associate degree level (core graduation requirements for college preparatory) English, math, social studies, or science. If a high school junior or senior believes he/she may be eligible for this program, the student will need to contact his/her high school guidance counselor for the application and any additional information needed. This application has to be completed every quarter prior to the student’s enrollment in the class. Dual enrolled students are offered the same status on the Georgia Northwestern Technical College campus as any other student, including eligibility for academic honors and participation in student activities.

Joint Enrollment

The Joint Enrollment program allows high school students to take courses at Georgia Northwestern Technical College and receive college credit only, while still enrolled as a high school student. This is an opportunity to begin a college program while still a student in high school. Jointly enrolled students are offered the same status on the Georgia Northwestern Technical College campus as any other student, including eligibility for academic honors and participation in student activities. For more information on joint enrollment, high school students should contact their high school counselor or the High School Initiative Coordinator at Georgia Northwestern Technical College.

Early College Program

The Early College Program at Georgia Northwestern Technical College is designed for current high school students. Students accepted into this program must be recommended by high school staff and must meet grade and high school credit requirements. Georgia Northwestern currently works with high schools in Catoosa County which includes Heritage, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe, and Ringgold. Early College students have the opportunity to complete their academic high school coursework while working toward a certificate, diploma, or associate degree. Students choose from any Georgia Northwestern program within the health, industrial, personal/public service, or business technology fields. All classes in the Early College Program take place on the Walker County Campus of Georgia Northwestern Technical College. The goal of the Early College program is to assist students in taking and passing the necessary courses to graduate with their class.

Advanced Technical College Credit (Articulated Credit)

Recent high school graduates may be eligible to receive advanced technical college credit based upon an articulation agreement signed by the school system superintendent and the Georgia Northwestern Technical College President. Local articulation and curriculum alignment agreements are in place to meet the needs of the community. These agreements serve students by facilitating the smooth transition of students from secondary to postsecondary technical colleges, encouraging postsecondary education, and elimination of undue entrance delays, duplication of course content, and/or loss of credit. High school graduates may receive advanced technical college course credit by passing an exemption exam for each course of attempted credit. High school graduates with a "B" grade or better in a high school articulated class are eligible to take an exemption exam. The following stipulations apply:

The applicant must meet regular admission status in order to be eligible to receive advanced technical credit college credit (articulated credit).
The student must enroll at Georgia Northwestern Technical College within 24 months of their high school graduation date.
A score of 80 must be achieved in order to receive credit for the course. For more information on the requirements to earn advanced technical college credit, high school students should contact their high school counselor or the High School Initiative Coordinator at Georgia Northwestern Technical College.