The number of high school students earning college credits at College of Western Idaho (CWI) continues to rise, as enrollment from the 2014-15 academic year experienced an increase across the board. CWI saw a rise in Dual Credit enrollment as a whole, as well as participation in its program aimed specifically at alternative high schools.
The College saw its total enrollment count for Dual Credit grow to 3,920 students; up from 2,703 in 2013-14. Those students completed an astounding 18,621 credits which is a 33 percent increase from the previous year.
CWI has also seen continued growth in participation in its College Readiness Project, which focuses specifically on alternative high schools in the area. In 2014-15, CWI helped 449 students from 10 alternative schools enroll in Dual Credit. Those students completed 1,963 college credits with a 93 percent success rate.
The College Readiness Project has also experienced a great deal of success helping transition students to college. Of all College Readiness students in 2013-14, 33 percent enrolled in college this past year. One participating school, Canyon Springs High School, has seen even stronger numbers with 85 percent of its graduates this spring applying to CWI.
In addition to earning college credits through traditional classroom delivery, the College Readiness Project has also provided opportunities for students through a creative initiative. In 2014, CWI started helping alternative school students earn college credits by paying for them to take the Spanish Language CLEP exam. CLEP provides an opportunity to earn college credit through proficiency testing. This past year, 123 students took the CLEP exam and received 1,342 college credits thanks to the CWI initiative.