A Middle College is a program between a local high school and community college where high school students both continue their high school education towards a high school diploma whilst taking college classes for combined high school and college credit. Generally, middle college programs are only availible to juniors and seniors.
Middle College generally appeals to those who:
- Do not enjoy highschool because high school is horrible
- Wish for more challening/varied classes
- Wish to get ahead in their education by gaining college credits while still in high school, cutting the amount of time they need to spend in school. I know someone who's graduating high school as a college junior.
- Wish to save money. Middle College programs typically pay for college enrollment in books (score!) This means you have to pay for fewer semesters of college.
- Want to hang out with interesting people
- May be underperforming in a normal high school environment
As an example, in the program I currently attend we have an extremely small staff of two teachers, one secretary, and one part time counseler and about 60 students. We take (typically three) college classes during the mornings, then take three high school classes in the afternoon.
How do I like it? It's great. While, unfortunately, it has failed to curb my somewhat self destructive academic tendencies (tommorow I talk about possibly getting kicked out of said middle college program), it is nonetheless a great program. It's better than the hell that was normal high school, and there are plenty of intelligent and interesting people around. The college classes are much better. The staff is excellent and intelligent. And I'm pretty sure there aren't many US History classes that use The People's History of the United States as a textbook.