Early College of Forsyth

Early College of Forsyth is a joint program of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and Forsyth Technical Community College. It is a four-year high school that gives students the opportunity to complete the requirements for a North Carolina high school diploma and at the same time earn a two-year college degree tuition free. If you’re entering ninth grade, choose Early College of Forsyth and in four years you can graduate with enough college credits to enter a two- or four-year college as a sophomore. Or stay for a fifth year, earn your AA or AS degree and enter a four-year college as a junior. You can earn a two-year college degree and pay no tuition!

Early College Mission Statement

We will offer a smaller learner-centered community that prepares students for a challenging program of study by developing academic rigor, providing relevant coursework, and building school and community relationships for students' success in the global economy.

WS/FCS Early College Web Site

How Early College Is Different from a Traditional High School

• College Setting. Classes are held on the main campus of Forsyth Tech.
• Small Classes. Early College enrollment is limited to just 80 - 100 students per grade level from Grade 9 to Grade 13.
• First Two Years of College Tuition-Free. Early College is designed as a four-year program with an optional fifth year to allow students to complete all high school requirements and also complete the two-year associate’s degree. Students who complete the program will receive their high school diploma in four years and can obtain an Associate’s degree in the fifth year. With the associate’s degree they will be eligible to transfer to UNC system universities as juniors. These graduates will have completed their first two years of college with no tuition fees. Students who choose to leave the Early College program after four years instead of five will earn a high school diploma and a College Transfer diploma, which will allow them to enter a university as sophomores.

Degrees Available to Early College Students

Early College students have three options. They may earn an Associate in Art degree, an Associate in Science degree, or an Associate in Applied Science degree.

• Associate in Arts degree. Students who choose this degree program will select elective courses in any of 11 pre-majors, including Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Elementary, Middle Grades or Special Education, English, History, Nursing, Physical Education, Psychology, Social Work, and Sociology.
• Associate in Science degree. The five pre-majors in this program are Biology and Biology Education, Chemistry and Chemistry Education, Engineering, Mathematics, and Mathematics Education, and students may choose electives from those disciplines.
• Associate in Applied Science degree. This program is intended to prepare students to go directly into the workforce.

The Early College Curriculum

Early College is for students who are academically able to complete an aggressive, rigorous course of study, and who are able to be successful in college-level courses from Grade 9 forward.

• First and second year students will be enrolled in both high school courses and community college courses.
• Students take dual enrollment classes—courses that earn both high school and college credit—each year.
• In the third and fourth years, they will take more college courses that earn college credit and are not typically offered in high schools.
• Students will be able to receive a College Transfer diploma, which is new to the N.C. Community College system, at the end of their fourth year of high school, or receive an associate’s degree at the end of the fifth year.

The Early College Application Process

Students interested in applying to Early College must:

• Demonstrate grade-level proficiency on End of Course (EOC) and End of Grade (EOG) tests
• Take the College Placement Test and demonstrate readiness for college-level work
• Have an acceptable school attendance and discipline history
• Complete an application with a writing sample and submit an academic transcript. Grades will be reviewed to determine ability to succeed in college level coursework
• Be interviewed by a committee consisting of the Early College Principal, the Forsyth Tech Liaison and teachers
• Submit three recommendations, one each from a:

• School counselor
• Teacher and
• Community representative (not a relative).

Information to Submit

1. Early College Application
2. Writing Sample
3. Transcripts from grades 6, 7, and 8*
4. Attendance Profile*
5. Discipline Profile*
6. Standardized Test and EOG Test scores, percentile and level submitted on a Counselor Required Form.*

*You can obtain this information from your child’s middle school counselor.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Susan Q. Phelps
Director of Educational Partnerships, Forsyth Tech
336.734.7236
sphelps@forsythtech.edu

Ms. Patty Reid
Secretary, Educational Partnerships, Forsyth Tech
336.734.7466
preid@forsythtech.edu

Dr. Paul Puryear
Asst. Superintendent,WS/FCS
336-727-2145
ppuryear@wsfcs.k12.nc.us