Ivy Tech Community College has always been about access and affordability, offering higher education opportunities to students who might otherwise have none. Now, the Sellersburg campus of a system known for its low tuition rates is offering high school students in Indiana and Kentucky a chance to get a jump on college—for free.
The new free summer classes for high school students program at Ivy Tech Sellersburg allows students as young as rising high school freshmen to get an early start on their college goals and explore potential career interests all at no cost. The program is a system wide program available at all Ivy Tech campuses, including high school students in Southern Indiana as well as those in Jefferson, Bullitt, Meade and Oldham counties in Kentucky.
“This is definitely a huge cost savings,” says Chanda Rodski, Director of Admissions at Ivy Tech Sellersburg. “Our tuition is currently $149.55 per credit hour, so even if a student were to take advantage of just one free class over the summer, that’s going to save them almost $500. In addition to those savings, this program covers fees and textbooks as well. This could be a student’s head start on college and give them access to resources that will jump start a path for success.”
Free summer classes start June 5
Ivy Tech Sellersburg is already well known for its dual credit program, in which students can take college courses while still in high school. The Sellersburg campus has seen over 5,000 high school students take advantage of the dual credit program, Rodski says, with some graduating from Ivy Tech with a two-year associate degree or Technical Certificate even before they graduate from high school.
Offering free summer college classes for high school students was the natural next step. “Ivy Tech has opened up this opportunity to support our community,” Rodski says. “We have so many students who are already able to take advantage of the dual credit program, but there are also a lot of students who maybe missed out. Now is their chance to take advantage of an affordable and quality education that will change their life for the better.”
The application for the program is open, and high school students can apply by filling out an online form. Summer classes at Ivy Tech Sellersburg start June 5. High school students can use the free summer classes program to get a head start on the Indiana College Core courses that can transfer between public colleges and universities, earn an associate degree that allows them to transition quickly into the workforce, or explore career interests they may eventually carry with them from Ivy Tech to a four-year institution.
“The free summer classes initiative is for any high school student interested in going to college and saving money,” Rodski says. “The program benefits eighth graders moving into the ninth grade in this next academic year who want to take advantage of free courses over the summer, or for any current freshman, sophomore, junior, and graduating seniors in high school who want to take summer classes. This opens up so many opportunities.”
Morning or night, in person or online
With a reputation as the best college value in Indiana, Ivy Tech Community College serves everyone from high school students getting a jump on higher education to adult learners who are solidifying their place in the workforce. The system’s Ivy Cares program helps students with needs running the gamut from laptops to food insecurity, while the career coaches in the Career Link office walk students through the enrollment process and help them figure out a career path on the other side. High school students in the free summer classes program will have access to all those benefits, in addition to the flexibility of taking classes either in person or online, and during the morning, afternoon, or evening.
Filling out the online form is the first step toward high school students being able to take part in the more than 70 academic programs offered at Ivy Tech, some of which have more selective admission processes than others. For high school students, the free summer class program is a first step into an Ivy Tech system that’s comprised of 40 percent first-generation college students and has over 20 associate degrees that qualify for guaranteed admission to many four-year institutions in Indiana.
“We’re trying to make a difference and serve our community well,” Rodski says. “Maybe they want a short-term certification, and they want to start working tomorrow. Or they want to go a full two years, earn an associate degree, and start working from that degree. Or, of course, we can then help them transfer on to a four-year school. Each of those options is a success story for our students, and that’s our goal. It’s rewarding for us as the community’s college to make such an impact on people’s future”.
Interested in learning more about the free summer courses for high school students program available at Ivy Tech Sellersburg? Contact the admissions office by phone at (812) 246-3301, extension 4504, or by email at seladm@ivytech.edu, or visit their website at IvyTech.Edu for further information.
