Beyond its valued partnerships with high schools as well as career and technical education
centers, Ferris State University’s concurrent enrollment program serves an important
purpose of giving students a head start toward finishing a college degree while taking
college classes during their regular high school class schedule.
In 2013, 170 students were enrolled during the pilot year of concurrent enrollment. Of that group, 91 were seniors and eight enrolled at Ferris during the Fall 2013 semester. Last fall, 156 high school students were concurrently enrolled. The concurrent enrollment initiative is founded on partnerships Ferris has built with Careerline Tech Center, of Holland; Kent Career Technical Center, of Grand Rapids; Kent ISD Health Sciences Early College Academy, of Byron Center; Rockford High School, in Rockford; and Traverse Bay Area ISD Career Tech Center, of Traverse City.
Concurrent enrollment courses are taught at the participating career and technical education centers and high schools. The courses are true Ferris courses that are designed to mirror the classes that are taught at any of Ferris’ locations throughout Michigan. Instructors at the career and technical education centers and high schools are trained and approved by Ferris faculty to teach the courses that are offered during the normal high school day. The students are registered, assessed and receive grades on a college transcript just as students on one of the university’s campuses would receive them.