Dual Enrollment Opportunities at RBC

BY ABIGAIL HOLMES

High schools partner with Richard Bland College to dually enroll students in classes, allowing them to complete up to two degrees by the time they finish high school. 

Opportunities to ‘Seize Your Potential’ are open to college and high school students at Richard Bland College. Students can earn college credits while working towards their high school diploma through dual enrollment. Typically, dual enrollment is open to 11th and 12th graders, but the program is flexible, and exceptions can be made. 

Dual enrollment is offered in the following ways: credentialed high school teachers instruct college classes in high schools, RBC professors travel to high schools to teach, students take asynchronous classes online, and students take courses on RBC’s campus. 

The Director of Dual Enrollment and High School Programs, Christie Clarke, says, “It gives students an opportunity to experience a college course and explore different content while thinking about long-term goals.” 

RBC partners with 21 high schools in Virginia and accepts all high schoolers and homeschoolers upon agreement from parents and schools for them to participate in the program. Some school divisions have as many as 500 students dual enrolled at RBC. The college regularly holds informational luncheons with local school superintendents to discuss the benefits of jumpstarting students’ college careers. 

In 2021, Hopewell High School partnered with RBC to create the Early College Academy, where Hopewell students take RBC classes taught by credentialed Hopewell teachers. Any college courses not available at Hopewell are supplemented online and taught by RBC’s instructors. So, Hopewell students can complete an associate’s without leaving high school. 

In addition, RBC partnered with the Homeschoolers Education Association of Virginia (HEAV) last year to make the program more accessible to homeschool students. The flexibility in courses and schedules offered to students is also available to homeschoolers. 

Students working towards an associate’s degree usually take a full load of classes, while others take about 3-6 credits combined with their high school work. Each student has a different goal, and their high school guidance counselor and RBC Learner Mentor work together to help them achieve it. 

Julia Wright, a Millwood School student says, “Attending RBC as a dual enrolled student has allowed me to transition into college life while I am still in high school. I was dreading going off to college and being away from home but being able to take classes at RBC reduces that stress.” 

Earning a high school diploma is a priority, so students need to begin planning out their classes early on to make sure they will be able to meet the requirements for both degrees. Clarke says, “The earlier on a student can plan, the easier it will be to create a workable course plan and meet their graduation requirements.” 

All high school students may apply to the dual enrollment program by going to rbc.edu and clicking “Apply.” 

“Students can earn college credits while also in high school.” 

– Christie Clarke