THE RAATZ ROUNDUP
Submitted for use on Sept. 26, 2022
Word Count: 363
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) reported an additional 57 Indiana high schools and eight post-secondary education institutions are offering the Indiana College Core (the Core) to high school students.
With this addition, more than one in four high schools are supporting their students' college readiness through the Core – a 68% increase. Indiana University Bloomington, all five IU regional campuses, Purdue University Northwest and Purdue University Fort Wayne are joining Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University as post-secondary providers of the Core.
The Core is 30 credit hours worth of college-level coursework transferred between public colleges and universities that can be applied to a student's college curriculum come enrollment. Credits can be earned through a combination of dual enrollment and dual credit courses, Advanced Placement (AP) courses, etc.
By completing the Core, students can focus on major-specific courses and pursue graduate school ahead of their peers. Additionally, they are more likely to receive their bachelor's degree on time or early.
Since 2012, about 10,233 students have earned close to a full year worth of college credit for little to no cost by completing the Core in high school. These students have saved an average of $22,000 (the average one-year cost of attending a public institution), totaling nearly $225 million for Hoosier students statewide.
Seniors can save additional money from Sept. 26 - 30 by submitting applications to select colleges and universities for free during National College Application Week.
Thirty-three Indiana colleges report free applications year-round, but six additional schools will waive their application fees this week. A list of participating schools can be found at resources.learnmoreindiana.org/collegego.
According to the CHE, Indiana's college-going rate fell to 53% for the class of 2020, which is the lowest in at least a generation. Students acquiring college credit during high school, along with having financial constraints temporarily removed from the application process, helps them see post-secondary education as valuable and attainable. I hope to see the Core continue to expand its access to Hoosiers, so more students can advance their future and pursue higher education.
If you have any questions or concerns on these or other topics, feel free to contact me at Senator.Raatz@iga.in.gov or 317-233-0930.
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