High School Guest Student Quick Reference Guide

About High School Guest Students

• A State of Michigan law, passed in 1996, states that school districts must provide students an opportunity to earn college credit while in high school. The law was updated in 2012 to include students in 9th and 10th grades (the original law was limited to students in 11th and 12th grades).
• Districts are required to comply with state law. A few highlights of the law include:
  • Schools must send information to all students in grades 8–12 notifying them of the high school guest option;
  • The law provides for payment from the school district’s state aid to pay for college tuition/fees, and in some cases, books;
  • Eligible college classes must follow guidelines set by the student’s high school and must lead toward post-secondary credit, accreditation, certification and/or licensing. (Therefore, courses that are hobby, craft, recreational, or in the areas of physical education, theology, divinity or religious education are not eligible.)
• Students are considered to be SC4 students and able to participate in most activities on campus. Notable exceptions are intercollegiate athletics (the student generally still has high school eligibility available) and student housing (due to age restrictions).

High School Guest Student Categories at SC4

Traditional High School Guest student

• Primarily a 11th or 12th grader enrolled in a college class while still in high school.
  • Students generally take one class each semester.
  • All costs for tuition/fees/books are paid by the student and/or their family.

Dual Enrolled student

• Primarily a 11th and 12th grader enrolled in a college class while still in high school.
  • Students generally take one – two class(es) per semester.
  • Costs for tuition/fees/books are paid by the school district, up to the limit approved by the high school principal (also referred to as the school’s “cap” amount).
  • Costs above the school’s cap are paid by the student and/or their family.

Early and Middle College students (BWMCA/CTMC/CL5)

• Students enrolled in a three-year program that starts in the student’s 11th grade year which leads to an associate degree or a significant number of transferrable credits.
• Students attend earn both high school and college credit during their 11th and 12th grade years, and then an additional 5th year of high school (referred to as the “13th” year) in which they are the same age as other traditional college freshmen but have typically completed 30 or more credit hours of college already.
• BWMCA students graduate from the Academy, not their local high school, after the 13th year. In most cases, they are allowed to participate in high school sports and activities, including graduation, though they are not actually a graduate of their local high school.
• Costs for tuition/fees/books are paid by the early/middle college program, as approved by its program director or principal.

SC4’s Enrollment Process for High School Guests

• SC4 is an open-admissions college, providing all students an opportunity for higher education
• Complete the following pre-enrollment steps:
  • Complete the Early Admission Application and authorization form (the authorization form is required each semester for both traditional high school guests and dual enrolled students).
  • Provide SAT or ACT scores or take the free, on- campus Accuplacer exams to determine course placement in English, math, and some science courses if required or necessary.
  • (Optional) Meet with an academic advisor.
• In addition, high school guest students often receive extra support and guidance from their respective high school counseling offices and administration.

Protecting Student Rights and Privacy – FERPA

The FERPA law protects the rights of all SC4 students, regardless of age. High school guest students are not treated differently. A few highlights of the law include:

• Information related to the student should not be shared with anyone, including parents, friends, and relatives, without permission of the student. FERPA waiver forms are available and are filed in the Enrollment Services office.
• Student information may be shared with SC4 college officials, as well as officials of the student’s high school. FERPA law allows for sharing of information with individuals who have a “legitimate educational interest” in the requested information. Students also provide permission to high school officials via a signed consent on their application for dual enrollment, BWMCA, the CL5 program, or CTMC.
• If you are in doubt of how to respond to a request for student information, please direct questions to Carrie Bearss, SC4 Registrar, at (810) 989-5501 or cbearss@sc4.edu.

Facts About High School Guest Students at SC4

• Around 1000 high school guest students typically enroll in classes at SC4 each fall semester, making up between 25 and 30 percent of all SC4 students.
• High school guest students have a slightly higher level of achievement than the overall student population at SC4 (typical fall semester results):
  • Students who achieved at least a C (2.0 on a 4-point scale) in a class (this is the “success rate”):
    • High school guest students: 82%
    • Total SC4 student population: 80%
  • Students who achieved at least a passing grade (D-) in a class (this is the “completion rate”):
    • High school guest students: 90%
    • Total SC4 student population: 86%