Solvay High School College Credit Success
The Solvay High School
Class of 2010 has excelled over last year's class by earning over 1,100
college credits. That calculates to an average of nearly 7 college
credits earned by each of the over 160 members of this class.
Thirty-three
students this year earned 15 or more college credits. This means they
will start college with the credits equivalent to a college sophomore.
Of the 33, 16 graduates earned 20 or more credits.
The college
credit-bearing courses are all taught by SHS teachers. They work in
conjunction with local colleges and universities who award credits for
course completion. For these courses, students pay college tuition (at a
reduced rate) and receive a college transcript.
SHS has offered
college credit-bearing courses for over seven years. The class of 2009
earned over 860 credits for an average of over 6 credits per student in a
class of 128 graduates.
Over half of Solvay's graduates complete at
least one or two college courses.
Recently Newsweek magazine
published its list of the top high schools in the U.S. Inclusion in this
list is determined by the number of Advanced Placement and
International Baccalaureate exams offered. "We are not on that list
because we have only one AP course," stated J. Francis Manning, Solvay
superintendent. "Instead, our students earn actual college credits. If a
student passes an AP exam, it is up to the college they will attend to
determine the number of credits awarded based on the student's exam
score."
Manning added, "Not only do these credits readily transfer
to other colleges and universities, they also reduce the overall costs
of a college education."
Eleven courses are offered through Onondaga
Community College. These courses include: pre-calculus, calculus,
physics, Spanish 4, desktop publishing, financial accounting, A+ and N+
certification, finite math, and computer aided design. The high school
also offers a course called Global Environment through SUNY ESF.
Students can also take the following courses through Syracuse
University's Project Advance program: biology, psychology, sociology,
and Italian 4.
Solvay students enrolled in these courses have access
to the services offered to students on campus including full library
privileges. In the case of OCC, they also have access to on campus
tutoring services.
All course content and materials are the same as
those used by college students enrolled in the same course at the
respective campuses.
