Early College opportunities

ExplorEC is the University of Maine System's Early College program.

 

Starting in Fall 2020, students are able to take up to 12 credits (usually 4 classes) per year through the University of Maine System for FREE. The only cost that students & families will be responsible for is books - which can normally be purchased low-cost through Amazon. That is a savings of between $500-$1000 PER CLASS! This is an amazing opportunity for our students. Students should speak with their School Counselor if they are interested in taking an Early College class.

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Other pieces to consider:

• Courses can be taken in person at USM, or online through any of the UMaine campuses (Fort Kent, Machias, Orono, etc.).

• You must meet the prerequisite for any course you are interested in.

  • ***Some courses in math and the sciences requires minimum test scores from AP/SAT/PSAT/ACT tests to fulfill prerequisites.***

• When looking at the prerequisites, Early Study participants can overlook the Entry Year Experience (EYE) requirement, which we can override during the registration process.

• Early College classes do NOT count towards the Portland High School GPA. Therefore, although you have the option to add this class to your high school transcript, the grade that you receive in the course will not raise or lower your GPA.

• Students should be advised that the transcript for any early college classes they take WILL follow them in the future - to colleges and workplaces. Therefore, students should be committed to doing well in the Early College course.

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Additional Information for Students & Parents

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If you would like to search or register for classes,

please click here to make an account on the EXPLOREC website.

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Southern Maine Community College runs a similar early college program, called On Course For College. Students are able to take up to 12 credits per year for free through Southern Maine Community College (SMCC). 

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CLICK HERE to read more!

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To sign up for Early College classes through SMCC, fill out THIS REGISTRATION FORM and THIS ENROLLMENT FORM and return these to your School Counselor.

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Search for classes HERE

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Here are three examples of classes offered at SMCC this fall. The following courses do not have any prerequisities and are held in-person, after 2pm on SMCC's South Portland campus:

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ARAB101 Beginning Arabic

This course will focus on mastering the Arabic alphabet, pronouncing sounds correctly, and using commonly-used Arabic phrases and sentence structures. Attention will then turn to conversations, grammar development, and vocabulary building at the introductory level so that by the end of the course, the student will be able to have simple conversations and write simple sentences that express basic information about him- or herself. Cr 4.

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ARTS170 Photography I

This class will introduce and explore the technical, historical, and contemporary concerns of photography as a form of artistic expression. Much of the work will be done in the digital environment, but projects will include other forms of making photographs. Students will gain a working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop as it relates to more traditional modes of image making. The central goal of the class is for students to learn and expand the vocabulary and grammar of the medium and find their own way of using it creatively to express original visual ideas and unique perspectives. Discussions will focus on gaining an understanding of the contemporary and historical contexts from which we work. Class time will be devoted to lectures, demonstrations, critiques, slide talks, and visits to galleries and museums. Students should have their own camera or access to a camera for the duration of the course. Cr 3.

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CJUS106 Intro to Homeland Security

An introduction to the public and private sector dimensions of the theory and practice of homeland security at the national, regional, state, and local level. An overview of the administrative, legislative, and operational elements of homeland security programs and processes including a review of homeland security history, policies, and programs is provided. Topics include the threat of terrorism and countermeasures, including intelligence, investigation, and policy that support U.S. homeland security objectives. Cr 3.

Students also have the opportunity to take free, online Advanced Placement courses through the University of Maine Fort Kent's Rural U program. 

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The online, Advanced Placement courses offered for the 2020-2021 school year are:

• Art History

• Biology

• Calculus BC

• Computer Science A

• English Language & Composition

• Environmental Science

• European History

• Macroeconomics

• Music Theory

• Physics I

• Psychology

• Spanish Language & Culture

• Statistics

• US Government & Politics

• US History

• World History

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If you are interested in AP4ME, please speak with your School Counselor and then register for the course by clicking HERE.

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