Three Tiers of Early College Access:
In addition to a number of PLTW and AP courses at CHS where students can earn college credit, we offer three tiers of early college access based on the interests of students:1 credit courses, Dual Enrollment, and an Associates Degree Path.
One Credit Courses
To support initial preparedness for high school and college coursework, all Grade 9 students may register for an online, self-paced one-credit course, Career and College Exploration I, which aligns to MCC IDS 101. Sophomores who have completed the first course may register for Career and College Exploration II, the second self-paced course, which aligns with MCC IDS 106. Students will not incur any costs for these 1 credit courses as they are funded through a grant provided by Middlesex Community College.
Dual Enrollment
Eligible CHS students can register for Dual Enrollment courses approved by a local partnering college while they are still attending Chelmsford High School. Credit for these courses applies both to Chelmsford High School and Middlesex Community College transcripts. Since our initial offerings in SY2019, Dual Enrollment programming at CHS has grown considerably and we now offer over 30 different courses for DE credit for students in grades 9-12. Students will request these courses during the CHS scheduling process and will register with MCC once the semester of enrollment begins. Students are responsible for the cost of college credits, which is offered at a significantly discounted rate. For more information about Dual Enrollment benefits, eligibility and requirements, please review our Dual Enrollment FAQ on the CHS website. Look for the MCC icon next to the course descriptions throughout the Program of Studies of already approved courses. On a yearly basis, we look to add more courses to our DE program and more may become available as MCC approves them.
Associates Degree Path
Due to the number of course offerings at CHS, students have the opportunity to complete the majority of their coursework (60 credits) towards a Liberal Arts and Sciences Associates’ Degree. Students will need to work closely with their guidance counselor and the Career and College Readiness Facilitator to follow a prescribed path of courses that allows for completion of the required courses by the end of Senior year. Students/families are responsible for the cost of each of the dual enrollment courses towards the degree.
