Since 2005, seniors with good grades at Meridian and Lauderdale County public schools have had the opportunity to get a jump start on their college education by attending dual enrollment courses at Meridian Community College.

On Thursday, MCC President Dr. Scott Elliott, Meridian Public Schools Superintendent Charlie Kent, and Lauderdale County Schools Superintendent Randy Hodges insured that area high school students will continue to have that opportunity for another year by signing a dual enrollment agreement.

Elliott said dual enrollment is beneficial for everyone involved - especially the students.

"We feel like there are numbers of high school students who have the readiness to begin their college experience and go ahead and earn credits," he said. "This dual enrollment program gives them the option for a head start... College is expensive enough as it is, and if you can go ahead and get a head start it's very helpful."

Helpful not only for students' future careers, but for their wallets, too - tuition is only $25 for each dual enrollment course.

For part-time in-state students, the normal fee for a three-credit-hour course is about $270, according to MCC's Web site. So students can save hundreds of dollars for each course they elect to take through the dual enrollment program.

However, not every student is eligible for dual enrollment. For academic courses, students must have a 3.0 G.P.A., an unconditional recommendation from their high school principal or guidance counselor, and must have completed one of the following: 14 core high school units or have a score of 30 on the ACT or the equivalent SAT score.

Students are eligible for dual enrollment technical courses if they are within 7 units of graduation (or 8 units for schools on a block schedule) and have an unconditional recommendation from their high school principal or guidance counselor. They must also participate in an interview with the course instructor.

The academic dual enrollment programs that will be offered for the Spring 2010 semester are: Anatomy and Physiology II with lab, Economics II, College Study Skills, College Algebra, American Federal Government, General Psychology, Introduction to Sociology, Drama Production I, Chorus, and Musical Theatre Workshop I.

In some cases, students who participate in school plays can earn college credit in drama and music.

Elliott said the dual enrollment doesn't just benefit the individual students who participate, but the community as a whole. He said part of the goal of the program is to encourage talented students to stay in Meridian for their college education.

"We're trying to create a culture of a true 4-year college experience in Meridian," he said. "We want to create a relationship with those students, and we want them to stay here in their hometown."

"Part of economic development is people staying here at home and the next generation growing this community," he added. "If you have people who leave our community and never come back, that's not economic development."