Early Admit (EA) is a program offered through a partnership with the University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC). It allows students to take college level courses and earn credit towards high school graduation and for college.
This program is available to any student enrolled in 11th or 12th grade* who:
• Is under the age of 21
• Fulfills and complies with college campus requirements
• Completes admissions forms: UHCC admissions application and Early Admit Dual Credit Application
• Achieves appropriate math and English scores on EdReady placement assessments
• Maintains acceptable academic standing
• Pays college tuition, fees, and applicable textbooks and supplies
*Exceptions may be made for 10th grade students who demonstrate exceptional academic and personal responsibility and maturity, and who receive approval from both KCS and UHMC.
The decision to begin taking college courses early is an important one, and involves the student, the student’s advisor, his or her parents, school administration, and Maui College. Students who are successful in the Early Admit program are students who are self-motivated, responsible, organized, have good study skills, and do not have behavior/discipline issues.
Students earn one (1) high school credit for each Early Admit course they successfully complete.
UHMC offers one to two classes per semester on site in our high school facility, commonly referred to as “sheltered courses.” The number of sheltered courses offered depends on how many students successfully apply. English 100 is offered in the fall and a rotating line of social studies courses are offered in the spring. Introduction to Sociology will be offered in the spring of 2021, Introduction to Psychology in the spring of 2022, and World Religions in the spring of 2023.
Before taking non-sheltered Early Admit courses on the UHMC campus, students will show success in both the fall and spring sheltered courses by earning a C or higher. The following school year, the student may take up to six credits (~two classes) in the fall and up to nine credits (~three classes) in the spring. Exceptions to this general rule are made on a case-by-case basis, and after a meeting between the student, the student’s parents, and the Early Admit coordinator.
Early Admit classes are those that are 100-level or above. The school does not financially support non-Early Admit courses, except for when they are approved by the KCS Early Admit coordinator on the basis that it aligns with career track preparation (for example, courses taken within the construction or culinary arts departments that are below 100-level).
The GPA scale for Early Admit classes differs from the scale for regular KCS courses, and is as follows:
A - 5.0
B - 4.0
C - 3.0
D - 1.0
F - 0.0
It is not the expectation of either the school or college that students participating in the Early Admit program earn Ds—doing so indicates that the student may not be ready to participate in collegiate level courses. If a student receives a D in an Early Admit course, or their grades in KCS classes fall below expectations, the student’s continued participation in the Early Admit program will be reviewed.
If a student earns a D or below in a course, it is highly encouraged that the student not take college level courses the following semester. In the case that the student does choose to take college courses the semester after earning a D, they are required to cover the full cost of tuition for that course. The ability to take college courses after this semester-long probationary period will be based on the student’s current academic performance.
In an effort to make Early Admit available to all eligible students, KCS will cover 50% of the cost of tuition for all students, and 100% of the cost of tuition and fees for students who qualify for free/reduced lunch.
Early Admit also offers a limited number of GEAR UP scholarships for eligible low-income students to cover the costs of one course. In the case that a student receives the Gear Up scholarship and is taking more than one course, KCS will only reimburse for the courses that are not covered by the scholarship.
KCS will pay UHMC directly for tuition and fees once students have enrolled in their classes. Families will be invoiced directly by KCS for their amount owed after the last withdrawal date, usually around November and April for the fall and spring semester, respectively. Please be aware that any student with an excess of $20 in outstanding KCS lunch balance will have their tuition payments applied to their outstanding lunch balance first.
If a student drops a class during the semester, the student’s family will assume responsibility for the full cost of tuition for that class. KCS will invoice the family for the amount owed to the school.
The UCMC add/drop dates can be found at both http://maui.hawaii.edu/assets/PDF/Fall%202020%20Academic%20Calendar.pdf and http://mslindseykcs.weebly.com/early-admit-college-program.html
While students may choose to take Early Admit courses during the summer semester, KCS does not reimburse for these courses.
