For over 50 years, Santa Fe College (SF) has been giving students an opportunity to get an early start on their academic goals or careers by way of its High School Dual Enrollment (HSDE) program. 

The program, established in 1974 through an articulation agreement with SF College’s Board of Trustees and the School Board of Alachua County (SBAC), provides “qualified secondary students an opportunity to complete their high school credits and take classes at the college toward their academic and career goals,” according to the college’s website. 

This is at no cost to the qualified student and his or her family. 

“We’re one of the oldest [dual enrollment] programs in the country,” said Jen Homard, executive director of secondary programs at SF College. 

Homard said the HSDE program started with a small group of less than 150 career technical students. 

“It [the program] was very much focused on students who were really just trying to look into the future and determine what they wanted to do after high school,” she said.  

Fast forward more than 50 years later, and the HSDE program now serves 1,200 students annually from 12 surrounding public-school districts, 23 private schools and an adequate number of homeschool students, ranging from sixth through 12th grade. 

“It’s a very strong program,” Homard said.  

According to SF College’s website, HSDE students can choose whether to pursue their high school diploma, “take classes to prepare for college-level work,” begin working toward their Associate in Arts (A.A.) or Associate in Science (A.S.) degree, “or earn a certificate in one of SF College’s Career and Technical Education areas.” 

Homard said most qualified students choose to track toward an A.A.  

“It’s kind of a general track and so that means that the classes that they take at the college are also going to fulfill their requirements for high school,” she said. “So, if you think about it. A junior in dual enrollment also still needs two more years of high school English, right? Because they need freshman, sophomore, junior and senior English. If they come to us as a junior…we have to somehow fulfill those credit needs. And so, our ENC 1101 [course] is actually going to fulfill that credit requirement.” 

Homard said 70% of high school seniors will stay and finish their A.A. degree during HSDE before transferring to a university.  

“A lot of students are like, ‘you know what. We’re actually really comfortable with Santa Fe. We’ve gotten to know it. We’ve gotten to know the people. So, let’s just stay and finish the A.A.,’” Homard said.  

Homard added that SF College also has a successful transfer rate, especially when it comes to sending students to the University of Florida. 

According to SF College’s website, “SF sends more students to” UF “than any other college and has guaranteed transfer agreements with several state universities…” These institutions include Florida A&M University (FAMU), the University of North Florida (UNF), the University of South Florida (USF) and New College of Florida (NCF). 

In addition to a guaranteed pathway to a four-year, in-state university, students who complete their A.A. degree while in the HSDE program “will have saved $6-7,000 in college tuition and fees,” according to SF College’s website. 

The financial benefit of the HSDE program is something Robert Hu said he is thankful for. 

“It’s allowed a lot of students like me that maybe weren’t able to do the college classes to have that [opportunity], so it kind of levels the playing field,” said Hu, a 17-year-old senior at Santa Fe High School who has been in the HSDE program for two years. 

Hu said the main reason he decided to apply for the HSDE program was the opportunity to take college classes as a high school student and also experience the college environment. He is currently on track to finish his core classes this semester and will transfer to UF as a junior to major in electrical engineering. 

Hu is among the many Alachua County students in the HSDE program. In fact, Homard said of the 1,200 students that the HSDE program serves, roughly 700 reside in Alachua County. 

Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) is one of the 12 area public-school districts that SF College has agreements with, Homard said, with Bradford and Clay being among the others.  

“We have great relationships with everybody, but specifically Alachua County,” Homard said.  

ACPS also touched on the collaboration with SF College.  

“Our dual enrollment partnership with Santa Fe College is one of the longest-standing in the state,” Jackie Johnson, a spokesperson for the district, said in an email reply to Mainstreet. “The robust collaboration has given thousands of Alachua County Public School students the opportunity to get an amazing head start on their post-secondary education.” 

The HSDE application window for the fall semester is open now. More information about how to apply can be found here (https://www.sfcollege.edu/hsde/get-started.html).  

Hu encourages any student who is undecided about dual enrollment to go for it. 

“I know doing this might be nerve-racking…but it really challenges you and you have a lot of support,” he said. “So, you’ll make it through, and you’ll be better than you were before it.” 

Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.