2025 Early College Summit

This session delves into the Early College Application Support Model developed at Wake Young Men’s Leadership Academy, which was specifically designed to increase First-Generation College Students' (FGCS) completion rates of early college applications.  Participants will gain insight into the structured, hands-on approach that addresses common barriers such as lack of awareness, insufficient guidance, and limited resources.  The model leverages strategic interventions, including one-on-one mentorship and application workshops to create a pathway for success.  Through interactive discussions and practical tools, attendees will leave equipped to implement a tailored support system for FGCS in their own schools or districts.

Approximately 13% of NC’s early college students leave in 9th or 10th grade (ranging from 3% to 38%).  The Early College Research Center looked at the impact of the early college on students who leave in 9th or 10th grade and students who stay through 11th grade.  Our research suggests negative impacts for early college leavers and positive impacts for stayers —particularly for low-income students and students who are members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.  This session will look at the research; participants will discuss the implications for student selection and strategies for keeping students in the early college.

This session will present findings from comprehensive analyses on the Early College High School model, highlighting extracurricular participation and academic rigor outcomes.  Using data from a longitudinal study conducted by SERVE Center at UNC-G, RTI International, and RAND, we will explore the unique impacts of ECHS programs on students' extracurricular engagement, classroom experiences, and homework.  Participants will engage with the research findings through interactive discussions.  These discussions will focus on understanding the differences between early colleges and traditional high school in these areas and the implications for program implementation and equity.

This session will share results related to academic college readiness and rigorous instruction gained from research and evaluation of early colleges in seven states, conducted by the Early College Research Center team.  The session will start with participants’ discussion of what it means for instruction to be rigorous.  The presentation will focus on the outcomes of implementing rigorous instruction in the early college classrooms in different states.  Participants will also discuss the role of rigorous instruction and additional strategies in academic preparation of students for the college level courses they take while in high school and in their post-secondary institutions.