E a rly
`
C o lle
ge
Program Review
Fall 2008-Spring 2009
A p a rtn e rs h ip b e tw e e n
V o lu s ia C o u n ty S c h o o ls a n d D a y to n a B e a c h C o m m u n ity C o lle g e
Enrollment
The Early College Program is in its fourth year of operation at the Daytona State
College DeLand campus. The program serves juniors and seniors from DeLand,
Deltona, and Pine Ridge high schools. 183 total students were enrolled in the
program for the 2008-09 school year, an increase of 22 students from the
previous school year.
2007-08 Enrollment by High School:
DeLand High School
65
Deltona High School
57
Pine Ridge High School
39
2008-09 Enrollment by High School:
DeLand High School
113
Deltona High School
49
Pine Ridge High School
21
The program continues to attract juniors who are interested in working toward
earning their entire Associate of Arts degree prior to graduating from high school.
There was a definite shift from the program having mostly seniors to a more even
split between the numbers of juniors and seniors enrolled.

92 seniors attended the program

91 juniors attended the program
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2
In comparison, 34 seniors returned for the 2nd year of the program. These
students were working toward completing their AA Degrees. The number of
juniors who will be returning to complete their AA Degrees in the 2009-2010
school year has jumped to 87, a 39% increase.
The trend continued that more than double the number of females enrolled as
compared to male students. There were 129 female students versus 54 male
students. Overall, 19% of the enrolled students came from minority populations
as reported through VCS records.
Over the course of the school year, 5 students returned to their home school, 1
transferred to Storefront West , 1 student was withdrawn for medical reasons,
and 4 students moved out of the district. In addition, 2 students chose to
graduate early from their home high school. The start of the spring semester
brought 18 new students into the program.
Enrollment Changes
Back to HS
5
Moved
Early Grad
4
Other
2
New Students for Spring
2
18
Student Performance
In 2008-09, students had to maintain a 2.5 cumulative unweighted high school
GPA to remain in the program. This GPA requirement reflected a change from
the previous 3.0 requirement. However, the average high school GPA was much
higher than the 2.5 minimum.
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
3
79% of enrolled students have a 3.0 or higher high school unweighted
GPA.

11% of students were admitted with a 2.5 – 2.99 high school GPA.
Students who entered with a 2.5 – 2.99 high school GPA performed well as a
group when looking at their DSC cumulative GPA’s.

46% of these students finished with a 3.0 or higher DSC cumulative GPA.

33% earned a 2.5 – 2.99 final DSC GPA.
Students’ academic performance at the college level for the fall semester was
quite impressive.
25 students earned the DSC President’s List recognition (3.8-4.0 GPA):

16 students earned a 4.0

9 students earned 3.8 – 3.99
65 students earned Dean’s List honors (3.2 – 3.79 GPA)
For the spring semester, students made increases in their overall academic
performances.
33 students earned President’s List recognition (3.8-4.0 GPA):

20 students earned a 4.0

13 students earned a 3.8-3.99 spring semester GPA
57 students earned Dean’s List honors (3.2-3.79 GPA)
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72% of students completed the school year with a cumulative DSC GPA of 3.0 or
higher.
2008-09 AA Degree Graduates
Tennille Bevill
Matthew Calkins
Samantha Cavanaugh
Jordyn Chubb
*Andrew Comeens
*Sergio Cosma
Lauren Gould
*Jeffrey Gould
*Tiffany Hanus
Jayna James
*Joshua Knox
*Chase Long
Lindsey Smith
*Hunter Snyder
Kimberly Brigandi
Elisa Bucholz
Kiersten Cucura
Christina Goodin
*Amanda James
*Christopher Johnson
Cailin Kellmann
Anthony Aguanno
*Hailey Pindilli
*Anthony Lozito
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
DeLand High
Deltona High
Deltona High
Deltona High
Deltona High
Deltona High
Deltona High
Deltona High
Pine Ridge High
Pine Ridge High
Pine Ridge High
Honors
High Honors
Honors
Honors
Honors
Honors
Honors
Honors
High Honors
Honors
High Honors
High Honors
Honors
*Notes summer grads.
AA Graduation Stats for EC Students

24 out of 34 returning Early College students were eligible to walk in the
May 11 graduation for DSC. This ceremony honored both spring and
summer grads for 2009.
o 14 students were from DeLand, 9 were from Deltona, and 3 were
from Pine Ridge.
EC Program Review
o The 10 additional students who did not complete their AA degrees
in either spring or summer will be returning in the fall 2009
semester as paying students.
o 11 out of 24 AA grads earned a final DSC cumulative GPA of 3.2 –
3.99 (46%)
o 2 students had perfect 4.0 final DSC cumulative GPA’s (8%)
o 5 students earned a 3.0 – 3.19 final college GPA (21%)
o 6 students earned a 2.5-2.9 final college GPA (25%)
High Honors and Honors Designation
Honors: DSC Cumulative GPA of 3.2 - 3.79
High Honors: DSC Cumulative GPA of 3.8 – 4.0

4 students graduated with High Honors
o 1 from DeLand and 3 from Deltona

9 students graduated with Honors
o 6 from DeLand, 2 from Deltona, and 1 from Pine Ridge
Summer Enrollment
Since the majority of 1st year students took only 4 college courses per semester
in 2008-09, they were counseled to take an additional 2 courses over the
summer to get them up to 30 credits. This change has resulted in high summer
enrollment.

79 EC students are currently enrolled for either summer A or B courses.
Projected AA Graduates for 2009-2010
87 students are on track to return as senior and graduate in spring 2009.

This represents a 39% increase from the 2008-09 school year.
5
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Course Offerings
Core courses offered in the fall of the year included: English Composition (ENC
1101), College Algebra (MAC 1105), Macro Economics (ECO 2013),
Intermediate Algebra (MAT 1033), General Psychology (PSY 1012), and Student
Success (SLS 1122). In addition to the core offerings, four elective courses were
added to allow second year students to have the flexibility to take another
traditional Early College course. Two sections of World Geography (GEO 2000),
American History (AMH 2010 & AMH 2020), and Developmental Psychology
(DEP 2004) were available for students to take.
In the spring semester, core offerings included English Literature (ENC 1102),
Speech (SPC 2600), Statistics (STA 2023), College Algebra (MAC 1105),
Intermediate Algebra (MAT 1033), Humanities (HUM 2210), and American
Federal Government (POS 2041). During the spring semester, two sections of
Psychology of Adjustment (CLP 2001) were available for second year students to
take. An additional section of Statistics was added to accommodate the need for
higher level math.
Since second year students are out on the regular campus completing their AA
degree requirements, many of them could not take a traditional Early College
course. However, offerings that were available through Early College were filled
both semesters.
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Instructors
Eight college instructors returned to teach Early College courses during 2008-09.
The choice of professors to return to teach EC students shows that they support
the program and generally enjoy teaching EC students. Instructors continued to
work with the coordinator when there were student concerns. Attendance issues,
as well as academic issues, were regular topics of discussion to help keep
students on track.
The move to a shorter 14 week spring semester did pose some issues for
instructors. In particular, EC students did miss an additional week of classroom
instruction for the VCS spring break. This loss of class time meant that
instructors had to assign more off -site work and shifted more work onto
students. In general, instructors made this situation work, but they did have to
adjust their curriculum to account for both the change in semester length and the
additional time EC students had off.
Many instructors voiced their concerns over the media carts available in building
8 classrooms. The college’s IT personnel and the Help Desk were contacted by
both instructors and the program coordinator to assist instructors when
necessary. The need for updated software and hardware was discussed and
upgrades were installed as requested. Building 8 is indeed on the list for DSC
technology renovations which would include more permanent bunkers and ceiling
EC Program Review
mounted projectors. However, it is unclear what the timeline will be for these
upgrades.
Academic Advising
All EC students went to see a DSC Academic Adviser prior to registering for
courses. Academic Checkdown sheets and AA requirements were discussed.
This process helped to keep students and parents well informed regarding what
courses students should be registering for, as well as answering additional
questions regarding transferring to the university level. Academic advisers
worked closely with the program coordinator to assist students in completing the
registration process.
Calendar Conflicts
Courses held in the Early College building followed the VCS calendar. All
students and instructors were given calendars at the beginning of the semester.
Instructors were very flexible and accommodating with the calendar conflicts.
Home assignments were given to students to account for the missed class time.
Second year students who had classes out on the regular campus followed the
DSC calendar.
Transportation
Bus transportation was eliminated for the 2008-09 school year. However, this
change did not have a large impact on enrollment numbers. Five students who
8
EC Program Review
9
were accepted to attend in the fall opted to not attend in light of the change. In
addition, two students who could not attend in the fall found transportation and
attended the spring semester.
Free and Reduced Lunch
It was not apparent that students who qualified for free and reduced lunch
actually brought bagged lunches from their respective high schools. This option
was still available to students. However, it did not appear to be utilized by
students overall.
Program Review
The move to the 7 period day schedule did not pose any specific challenges for
overall student enrollment or participation in the program. There was
approximately the same number of new students enrolling mid-year as in
previous school years. Students who opted to enroll mid-year did have additional
scheduling issues to overcome. However, the coordinator and high school
counselors worked together to make students’ transitions as smooth as possible.
Recruitment continues to grow based on word-of-mouth recommendations from
current and recently graduated Early College students. In addition, the
coordinator is available for any recruiting events that high schools request. Since
this approach appears to work well for all three high schools, it will continue to be
utilized. The coordinator will continue to attend DSC Open House events at the
EC Program Review 10
DeLand campus and the VCS High School Showcase along with daytime and
evening recruiting sessions at individual high schools.
The move away from Friday college classes has allowed the coordinator to use
Fridays for working with students individually, for recruitment efforts and for
registration appointments. In addition, Friday study groups will also be instituted
in the fall semester. Students are encouraged to utilize the campus facilities on
Fridays, so they are maximizing their overall study time. In general, students
enjoyed the changes to the semester scheduling that were instituted in the
spring.
Due to budget cuts for both VCS and DSC, there will be no additional course
offerings added to Early College for the 2009-2010 school year. Current
enrollment numbers are strong with 87 returning students and 92 new students.
Every effort will be made to accommodate students who want to enter Early
College. All EC courses will be filled to capacity. When necessary, students will
be placed in regular dual enrollment courses if EC courses are filled.
EC Program Review 11
Student Survey Results
*28 Seniors and 64 Juniors responded.
1. How would you rate your experience in the Early College Program?
_____Poor__1%___Satisfactory__4%___Good__34%___Very
Good__61%___Excellent
2. How would you rate the level of education that you’ve received?
_____Poor __2%___Satisfactory __4%___Good __49%___Very Good
__45%__Excellent
3. How prepared were you to take college classes?
___4%__Not prepared __58%___Somewhat prepared __38%___Very prepared
4. How would you rate your academic success in Early College?
_____Poor __4%___Satisfactory __21%___Good __51%___Very Good
__24%___Excellent
5. How confident do you feel about taking more college courses?
__1%___Not confident __22%___Somewhat confident __77%___Very confident
6. How would you rate the help that was offered by the program coordinator?
_____Poor __2%___Satisfactory __9%___Good __23%___Very Good
__66%___Excellent
7. How would you rate the Early College building and facilities?
_____Poor __2%___Satisfactory __10%___Good __35%___Very Good
__53%___Excellent
9. How would you rate the instructors in the program?
_____Poor ___11%__Satisfactory __23%___Good __52%___Very Good
__14%___Excellent
EC Program Review 12
10. How would you rate your experience on the college campus?
_____Poor __4%___Satisfactory __11%___Good __45%___Very Good
__40%___Excellent
11. Would you recommend the Early College Program to other students?
__1%___No __7%___Maybe __92%___Definitely
Please explain your answer.

Great chance to get ahead and to experience new things.

Great program to get a head start on your future.

It’s a good program that saves you a lot of time and money.

I love it here. It’s such a great experience. I love all the freedom and I’ve
gotten a lot of knowledge.

It’s a good transition to college.

If you can’t afford college, you can at least get your AA degree.

Early College is the best choice you can make. If you don’t you are
missing out on so much.

It is a good experience and a good head start on life.

I will recommend Early College to anyone who wants a good education.
It’s a fantastic program.

I’ve told many people about the program. I told them they should do it!

It’s a great opportunity to get college experience, with help and not on
your own.

It is definitely worth the trouble.

If students are dedicated, then it’s a great way to get ahead.
EC Program Review 13

If they have the self discipline to do work on their own time without being
reminded daily (like a high school class), then this is a great program. It
allows you to get a step ahead of all the rest of the kids.

I think being enrolled in the Early College program has prepared me
greatly for what is coming at a university, and I would want my friends to
experience that too.

I’ve already told people that it is an excellent way to get a head start in
college.

It’s a great experience and it’s the best decision I’ve made during high
school.

I’d only recommend it if they were really up to the challenge.

I would explain to them that being in the program can be very difficult
sometimes and requires responsibility. Some people may not be able to
handle this.

I would only recommend it to my friends who I know do their work and
could handle it.

It’s a great experience and opportunity. I hope it is kept, because in my
opinion, it’s awesome!

They treat you like adults working on your own schedule.

I’ve felt like my experience is better than a high school experience. It’s
prepared me for college better.

I would tell them about the positive environment and the growing up that
being enrolled in this program allows anyone to do.
EC Program Review 14

Most students are not prepared for this type of commitment.

It’s fun!

It’s cool because it makes you more independent and it makes you feel
more grown up.

It’s a very relaxed and mature environment.

I mentor four kids, and I’ve recommended it to all of them.

Early College is far more advanced than the “equivalent” high school
classes. Students are give more freedom and are better prepared to take
on further college.

It’s just not for some people.

It was a wonderful experience.

It helps so students who are more willing to move up in the world can
accomplish more because they will be done with preliminary classes.

The experience is priceless.
12. What do you think was the biggest advantage to attending Early College?
Give examples.

Experiencing college and being prepared for a university.

Getting my AA degree before I graduate from high school.

Meeting new people who were more mature.

Better overall environment.

Saves time and money for college in the future.

The students are good students, not troublemakers that disrupt class.

Having more free time.
EC Program Review 15

It’s really hard to get into a university and taking these courses gives us all
such a big advantage.

Learning ways to study in college.

I felt independent.

Free college credits and a better learning environment.

You’re given more freedom than in high school, you receive a more
advanced education, and you are provided with far more connections on
campus.

Being treated like an adult, getting used to what to expect from college,
and great connections.

It’s such a jump start!

Actual college experience.

We learn more than other kids and we’re two years ahead.

There’s no busy work.

I now know that I can’t slack in my classes.

It helped me choose a major.

I got away from high school.

I feel as though I got so much more out of the classes than I ever did in a
high school class. Whether it’s the teaching style or the teachers
themselves, I feel like I received much more valuable information here.
The Economics and Government classes are great, and English was also.

I learned from mistakes…like knowing how to schedule time to work on
assignments.
EC Program Review 16

Even the Algebra class was good. I understood things a lot better here
than I ever did in high school.

Learning different professors’ teaching styles.

The biggest advantage in attending Early College is that I learned how to
work efficiently and on time, plus I got college and high school credit.

My family doesn’t have much money and this program will prevent me
from taking out bigger loans later on.

I have time before and after classes when I can work on homework and
study. I also have the advantage of being able to use the DSC library
which has a large amount of resources for research.

I learned about time management while attending Early College.

I was trusted more. I was given more responsibility.

No school on Fridays.

I am now more prepared for the college experience and I know how to
cope with some of the difficult classes, such as English.

The biggest advantage is that the over achieving students get the chance
to challenge themselves because many are bored in high school classes.
Also, most of the advanced students want to have a job that requires
many years of schooling so they can accomplish their dreams sooner.

I’m being challenged.
EC Program Review 17

I got a lot of my senior classes over with and was then able to get in most
of my general classes needed for my AA degree. The time schedule was
also really nice because I was able to get my classes out of the way in the
morning and I had free time later on.

I met students who were on my level of maturity, and I became so
confident in my education.
13. How did you get to college campus? Check all that apply.
__59%___Drove___30%___Rides with Friends ___11%___Parents or Family
Members
14. I recommend the following changes to improve the program. Please be
specific.

I like it just the way it is.

Get instructors who are nicer and enjoy what they’re teaching.

There’s nothing that I can think of.

Bring back the buses! Enlarge the kitchen area.

Shorter classes.

Nothing! It’s great. Mrs. Amy is the best, but the speech teacher was not.

Make teachers not assign things in-class instead of on-line.

I have not had any problems.

Get some new professors.

Just keep it!

Organized study groups.

Don’t end it!

It would be very helpful if transportation was reinstated.
EC Program Review 18

I think the program is fantastic as it is.

I wouldn’t change anything…I love the freedom.

Bigger cafeteria.

We need wi-fi capability in building 8.

Food vending machines in the kitchen.

I know many people who don’t consider Early College because they do
not have a ride. Bring back the bus please!

Keep the program here.

The program itself is fine just the way it is. I just wish there was more
parking near the facilities.

It seems like many EC teachers treat us like kids. They tend to care more
about attendance. They treat us differently than students out on the
regular campus.

More classes in Early College so that you don’t have to take regular
campus classes.

A sofa in the student lounge.

I like taking more courses out on the regular campus.

8/10 of the teachers are excellent…it could be 10/10.

Some teachers don’t appear to be ready to teach high school students.
15. Do you plan to complete your Associate of Arts degree at DBCC and then
transfer to a university? __90%___Yes __10%___No
EC Program Review 19
16. Even though the Early College Program was not completely integrated with
adult students, I still felt I was part of the community college group.
__2%___Strongly disagree __2%___Somewhat disagree ___6%__Disagree
__8%___No Opinion __33%___Somewhat agree __36%___Agree
__13%___Strongly agree
17. Do you feel that you received a better education at Early College than you
would have or have had at your home high school?
__5%___Strongly disagree __1%___Somewhat disagree _____Disagree
__3%___No Opinion __3%___Somewhat agree __22%___Agree
__66%___Strongly agree
18. How would you rate your time management skills after being a part of Early
College?
__2%___Poor __10%___Satisfactory __31%___Good __44%___Very Good
__13%___Excellent
19. How would you rate your stress level during the Early College Program?
__25%___No more than high school __51%___More than high school
_24%____ Much more than high school
20. How much did you utilize the college facilities to complete assignments? (ie.
ASC or library)
__8%___Never __31%___Sometimes __41%___ Frequently __20%___All the
time
21. How well did you interact with your peers in Early College?
__7%___I kept to myself and didn’t make many friends
__26%___I met some friends, but mainly I hung out with people I already knew
__67%___I met people from different high schools, and I made new friends
22. How would you rate the help you received from Academic Advising?
__4%___Not helpful __51%___Somewhat helpful __45%___Very helpful
23. What advice would you have for a student entering the program?

Don’t slack off or procrastinate.

Be ready to work hard.
EC Program Review 20

It’s not like high school at all, and it’s a lot of work. You have to stay on
top of it.

Stay organized and check your syllabus daily!

You have a lot of free time…use it wisely.

Be very self-disciplined. Always check the internet for assignments, and
use the Academic Support Center.

Pay attention in class.

Manage your time.

Do your assignments. Make friends and enjoy yourself.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Make sure you know when your assignments are due.

Do not put things off until the last minute.

Don’t do it if you aren’t serious. You won’t be able to slack.

Try to relax and have fun…don’t let the pressure get to you.

Work hard, apply yourself, and you’ll do well.

If you’re not planning on doing your part to succeed, then this is not the
program for you.

This is college and your future is up to you now. It’s a fresh start, so don’t
let yourself slack. Stay motivated, stay focused, and get involved.

If you need help, get it.

Use your free time to work ahead.

Don’t ever fall behind.

I would tell them to not enter with a high school mentality, because they
EC Program Review 21
are truly nothing alike. To succeed in Early College one needs a lot more
personal willpower. It’s not like high school where teachers will do
unusual things like changing the curriculum or allowing students extracredit to guarantee a passing grade.

Stay on top of your reading assignments. Reading the textbook does
make a difference.

Be prepared for any kind of professor. There are some weirdos and
creepers, but there are some cool ones too. You have to be flexible and
adjust to their teaching style because they won’t adjust to yours.

Be prepared to study.

Don’t stress over a low grade, it will help you advance in the long run.

Make sure it’s what you really want.

Don’t cheat yourself from a good education. If you don’t want to do the
work that’s expected of you, then don’t be in the program.

Don’t write research papers the day before they are due!

Make friends with the smarter students.

Communicate with your professors.

Go in strong and believe in yourself.

Be prepared to read your heart out, and be ready to sacrifice some
hobbies and fun activities to get your work done.

Take advantage of every class.