At Citrus College, GHS Students Earn College Credit

By Patricia A. Rasmussen, Ed.D.
Citrus College Governing Board Member

Over the years, dual enrollment has provided high school students from across California with an opportunity to take college classes on their own high school campus – free of charge.

By taking part in this program, which is also referred to as Early College, high school students can earn both high school and college credit. In Citrus College’s case, dual enrollment has benefited thousands of students at nine high schools in the San Gabriel Valley, including Glendora High School.

In order to participate, students must submit a college application and dual enrollment form, which requires approval from a parent/guardian, as well as a counselor or principal. After meeting all other requirements, students can start taking classes.

Currently, enrollment for 11th and 12th graders is limited to 11 units for fall and spring and five units for winter and summer. Students who have not completed 10th grade are limited to one course per term.

In Glendora, dual enrollment – via the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) partnership – has been a popular option for students. During the 2021-2022 academic year, the Glendora Unified School District offered five dual enrollment sections that enrolled nearly 100 students. This academic year, the district is expected to expand its dual enrollment offerings to 12.

Dr. Eric Rabitoy, dean of natural, physical and health sciences at Citrus College, has been instrumental in the success of dual enrollment. In 2011, Dr. Rabitoy designed the program for high school course offerings that gave students the ability to earn dual credit. A few years later, he helped build the college’s CCAP program.

“Dual enrollment is one of the most important programs we offer at Citrus College,” he said. “Students who participate in dual enrollment are making a wise investment in their future. In addition to helping students save time and money, dual enrollment gives students a preview of the rigors of college-level courses.”

Monique King, a Monrovia High School alumna whose dream is to earn a Ph.D. in psychology, has benefited from taking such courses. While in high school, King earned 60 college units.

Students who live outside the Citrus Community College District are also eligible to take college courses on the Citrus College campus through dual enrollment.

One recent success story involved Joaquin Perkins, an 18-year-old Whittier High School graduate who was accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Perkins, who plans to study mathematics, began taking college courses while he was in middle school. In all, he took a total of seven courses at Citrus College over a four-year span.

As the Glendora area’s representative on the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees, I am proud of what Citrus College has achieved by offering these opportunities to high school students. In the future, I hope even more students and their families will consider dual enrollment.