Early College for High School Students – Parents

Ocean County College is committed to supporting the excellence of our county high school students by providing access to Early College opportunities. Early College allows students the opportunity to earn college credits while in high school, increasing their preparedness for college and enhancing their resumes. In certain circumstances, these credits can count towards both state high school graduation requirements and for transferable college credit that students can take with them towards an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree. Discover the ways you can enroll in Early College!

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Early College Programs

Courses on OCC’s Campus Courses at Your High School Early College Courses for Homeschooled Students College Academy Participating High Schools

Courses on OCC’s Campus

The Early College at OCC program allows high school students who are ready for college coursework the opportunity to take standard OCC college classes during the semester at any OCC location. High school students in all grade levels who wish to enroll as a college student may do so with the permission of their High School Counselor or Principal.

Once you have completed your self-registration on Ocean Connect, your parent/guardian is required to complete the Parental Consent Form. This form is required for all high school students to secure their OCC courses.

Courses at Your High School

The Early College at the High School program offers high school students the opportunity to earn credits during their regular high school day. These courses are set up through articulation agreements between OCC and individual school districts. Each course meets the standards and curricular requirements of a college class taught at OCC and are taught by high school teachers possessing academic credentials that meet college adjunct requirements.

Each participating district offers a different number of classes each year based on teacher eligibility and course content. Interested students can contact their school to find out if they are a partner, what classes are offered, and how to register.

Early College Courses for Homeschooled Students

The Early College at OCC program allows homeschooled high school students who are ready for college coursework the opportunity to take standard OCC college classes during the semester at any OCC location. High school students in all grade levels who wish to enroll as a college student may do so with the permission of their parent/guardian.

College Academy

College Academy is a set curriculum for high achieving students to earn an Associate’s Degree (60+ credits) while still in high school. Courses are offered both at the high school and at OCC. College Academy is restricted to specific partner school districts who have articulations with OCC. Interested students should contact their school to find out if their district is a partner and how to register.

Participating High Schools

Please click on your participating High School below, for a list of available courses.

FERPA & Student Proxy

Benefits of Early College

Many students are ready for college coursework prior to graduating high school. Students who take advantage of Early College opportunities benefit in a variety of ways. Early College coursework can:

Motivate students to attend college and ease into the transition from high school to college

Count toward both High School and College/University graduation requirements

Ensure on time or early college graduation by allowing students to accumulate credits before entering college

Save time and money toward earning your degree

Assist students with completing general education courses required at most colleges

Help students gain self-confidence by preparing them for their college career through completing college-level work

Allow students to explore different fields before declaring a major

Financing Early College

Financial Benefits Tuition and Fees Paying for Early College

Financial Benefits

Ocean County College tuition is typically lower than most NJ four-year public or private colleges/universities for a similar course and Early College students benefit from an additional discounted rate. Ocean County high school students receive a Board of Trustees scholarship to reduce the cost of tuition. This can translate into tremendous savings in terms of both time and money.

Taking advantage of the Early College opportunity at OCC for up to 60 credits is comparable to receiving, on average, an $11,000 scholarship per year at a NJ Four Year Public College/University and a $35,000 scholarship per year at a NJ Four Year Private College/University.

This represents huge savings in not only money but also time. Students that graduate from college faster and get employed earlier have more earning potential, higher lifetime earnings, and are able to save more.

Below is an average cost comparison of NJ Public and Private Colleges and Universities as of 2018:

	Early College at OCC	NJ Four Year Public	NJ Four Year Private
Tuition and Fees for 60 Credits (Cost of an Associate’s Degree – Half a Bachelors)	$6,000	$28,000	$76,000

Early College courses can save up to*:

$22,000 of the cost of tuition and fees for the first two-years at an NJ Four Year Public College/University
$70,000 of the cost of tuition and fees for the first two-years at an NJ Four Year Private College/University

*This estimate does not include room and board costs

Tuition and Fees

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For the latest information, please visit our Tuition Rates & Fees for Full-Time and Part-Time Students Page.

Paying for Early College

Ways to pay for your Early College courses:

Payments may be made online by visiting www.mycollegepaymentplan.com/Ocean
Through your online student portal, Ocean Connect, under the Student Finance tab, you can also pay your bill in full or you can set up a payment plan if one is available. For more information on paying online, visit the Paying for College page.

Apply for the Jump Start/Academy Grant to help pay for courses!

cost of attending OCC red bar graph $9,150

2 years at ocean + 2 years at public 4 year school red bar graph $37,180 save 34%

Start at OCC, graduate, transfer anywhere, & save thousands off the cost of your tuition!

2 years at OCC	2 years at OCC + 2 years at a 4-year public NJ college	4 years at a 4-year public NJ college	2 years at OCC + 2 years at a private NJ 4-year college	4 years at a private NJ 4-year college