Early College Program

The Early College Program at the Virtual Academy gives high school students the opportunity to get a jump start on their college goals. We work closely with students and their families to help them make a smooth, successful transition into college-level classes.

Every interested student meets with our Program Specialist for a one-on-one conversation about their goals and how we can best support their individual path. This helps us get to know each student and understand how we can help them succeed.

Our Collaborative Review

This meeting is a chance for us to explore your academic journey together, including:

• Academic History: We review past and current classes to see how students have grown over time.
• Assessment Insights: We review testing history to identify each student's strengths.
• Communication Skills: We review current writing skills to help students feel confident and ready for college-level assignments.

Planning for Student Success

Our goal is to find out which support systems and resources will help each student succeed. We focus on each student's potential and readiness to take this next step.

We use the following as helpful benchmarks, but we know that every student's path is different:

• Current Enrollment: Active status at the Virtual Academy.
• Steady Progress: A consistent record in current classes, usually a 2.0 GPA or higher.
• A Personalized Approach: We know that numbers do not tell the whole story. Our College and Career Team considers each student's unique circumstances and determination and grants exceptions to these guidelines on a case-by-case basis.

Let’s Connect!

If you are ready to start your college journey while still in high school, our team is here to help. Please contact the Virtual Academy office at (909) 888-0763 to schedule an introductory meeting.

Here's how the process works to ensure support for students with IEPs:

• Requesting Accommodations: To request accommodations, students need to submit a copy of their IEP to the Student Accessibility Services department at SBVC.

• IEP Review and Accommodation Coordination: The Student Accessibility department at Valley College will then review the IEP and coordinate appropriate accommodations directly with the student.

• Virtual Academy Support: Virtual Academy will actively support the student throughout this entire process to facilitate the coordination of accommodations.

We understand that taking college courses through our Early College Program can be a significant transition for students. If a course proves to be too challenging, we work closely with families to help students adjust their schedules as needed. During registration, we make sure students and families are aware of each course’s drop date. If a course is dropped by the deadline, it will not appear on the student’s transcript. Our counseling team is available to help students select another high school course to ensure they stay on track with their credits.

At Virtual Academy, we offer a variety of supports to help students succeed throughout their academic journey, beyond just making course changes:

• Academic Support: All students enrolled in college courses are scheduled into an Academic Support class as part of their high school program. This class is designed to help students build the skills they need for college success.
• Tutoring: We offer content-specific tutoring to support students as needed, and we help students schedule additional sessions with SBVC tutors. Our district also provides access to Brainfuse, a 24-hour online tutoring service available through SBLink. Many students take advantage of SBVC workshops or meet with our Dual Enrollment intern for even more personalized support.
• Counseling: Our students meet regularly with both high school and college counselors for academic planning, advice, check-ins, and ongoing support.

If a student encounters more significant challenges, we offer intensive support, which may include mental health counseling or a temporary break from classes. If a student’s grade falls below a C-, we may withdraw them from the course to protect their transcript, and our program specialist will meet with the student to discuss next steps and ensure they have a plan moving forward.

Dual enrollment courses allow high school students to earn college credit while still in high school. Unlike other programs, you do not need to take an extra test to get college credit. If you pass the course, you earn the credit, just like in a regular college class. These courses are taught by college professors, so students get to experience what a real college class is like and learn about college-level expectations.

AP courses work a little differently. At the end of the course, students take an AP exam, and college credit is awarded based on the exam score. AP classes are usually taught by high school teachers who have special training in the AP curriculum.

The IB program offers a challenging, well-rounded education at schools designated as IB World Schools. To earn an IB Diploma, students take a set group of courses and exams during their junior and senior years. Like AP, students may be able to earn college credit for IB courses, depending on their exam results.

The Early College Program gives students access to college-level courses while still in high school. These classes are taught by college professors, who select the content, assignments, and discussions just as they would for any college student. Because of this, students may encounter mature topics and conversations, including subjects like race, gender, sexuality, and social, cultural, or political values. Some courses may also include art or media with nudity, strong language, or other mature content, depending on the subject being studied. This is part of the academic freedom that is central to higher education.

Our goal is to provide a respectful and supportive learning environment where students can think deeply and discuss these important topics together. By engaging with challenging material, students build the skills they will need for success in college and beyond. These conversations help students develop critical thinking, learn to listen to different viewpoints, and understand the world around them.

In college-level courses, students are expected to take responsibility for their own learning and communication. For this reason, parents and family members should not contact professors about course materials. This helps students build independence and prepares them for the expectations they will encounter in higher education.

Students enrolled in college-level courses are encouraged to take on greater independence and responsibility, as these classes are designed for learners who are ready for more mature expectations.

Parents play an important role in supporting their child’s success by helping with time management, tracking important dates, and offering advice when needed. While you are welcome to help your student draft emails or prepare questions, all communication with SBVC and professors must come directly from the student. This helps students build confidence and self-advocacy skills, and also follows college policies about student privacy.

Virtual Academy staff are here to guide students as they navigate the college experience. This includes helping students learn how to write effective emails to professors and providing support when reaching out to different college departments.

If a student receives a grade below a C-, it will be considered not passing, and the following steps will be taken:

• The student will not have the grade on their high school transcript because it does not meet A-G requirements. However, all grades will be reflected on their college transcripts.
• The student will meet with the Program Lead, with input from the Champion and family, to determine if the student should continue into the next session of the ECP.
• If the student continues in the ECP, they will be placed on Tiered 3 interventions and will need to retake the course that was not passed.
• There may be a cooling-off period during which the student takes a session off from the ECP and returns with Tiered 2 or Tiered 3 interventions. This decision will be based on the team's considerations, taking into account the input of the student and parent.

Participating in the Early College Program can significantly strengthen a student's profile for university admissions.

Here's why Early College participation is so impactful:

• Demonstrated Academic Preparedness: Students who have successfully navigated and excelled in actual college courses while still in high school provide strong evidence of their readiness for a rigorous university environment. This experience demonstrates their capability to handle college-level academics.
• Showcased Maturity and Responsibility: Engaging in an Early College program requires a higher level of independence, organization, and self-discipline. Students in these programs often exhibit exceptional maturity and responsibility, qualities that universities seek in incoming students, indicating their readiness for independent college life.
• Clear Commitment to Higher Education: Undertaking college coursework while in high school unequivocally signals a student's serious commitment to pursuing higher education. It shows universities that students are proactive, goal-oriented, and genuinely invested in their academic and professional futures.

The Early College Program not only equips students with college credits but also builds a compelling narrative of readiness, maturity, and aspiration that resonates positively with university admissions committees.

Yes, college courses within our planned sequence are transferable to California universities and Cal State schools. We strategically recommend courses to students that align with the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC).

Cal-GETC is the singular general education pathway for California Community College (CCC) students to fulfill lower-division general education requirements for transfer to both the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems. By following the Cal-GETC pattern, students can minimize the need to take additional lower-division general education courses after they transfer.

While Cal-GETC is not always a strict admission requirement, it is strongly recommended for the majority of students planning to transfer. All CSUs and most UC campuses and programs will accept certified Cal-GETC completion as satisfying lower-division general education requirements. Completion of Cal-GETC requires all courses to be completed with a grade of "C" or better (a "C-" is not acceptable).

Our goal is to ensure that the college coursework your student completes through the Early College Program maximizes their transferability and provides a seamless transition to their desired four-year university. Students are encouraged to work with their Virtual Academy counselor to ensure their selected courses align with their transfer goals and major requirements.