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In the past, the most common timeline for an individual pursuing education would be elementary, middle school or junior high, high school, and then college. Recent years have brought changes to speed up this timeline by allowing high school students to work on their college degrees before they even throw their graduation cap.

"I have 35.5 credits, at the end of my sophomore year. 48 are required for me to graduate," said high school and DMACC student Patrick Christianson. "I hope to start off using these credits and then transfer to ISU after I graduate from high school."

Courses offered to post-secondary students vary in order to achieve a license or certificate in vocational or trade careers, as well as transferable credits to college degrees.

"I did American history because it was a good way to get extra history credits. I am taking my IT class because I hope to have a job in that industry, said Christianson.

The DMACC Boone Campus currently has close to 40 postsecondary students registered, while all six DMACC campuses have a combined total of about 520, according to fall 2009 enrollment information said Student Service Specialist Nancy Moeller.

The Career Advantage Program is a partnership between DMACC and local high schools that allows juniors and seniors to earn college credits at their school, on the DMACC campus, or online. The section dedicated to high school students on the DMACC website explains Career Advantage courses supplement high school courses and are the same quality as the courses taught on the college campus.

While post-secondary enrollment is intended to give students a start on their college degrees, but not to breeze through their high school careers. The PSEO require students to comply with DMACC policies and know dual-credit grades will be reflected on their transcripts. Students can only enroll in courses if something comparable isn't available at their high school, and then must complete prerequisite coursework assigned to the class with a grade of C or higher.

One of the most common driving forces to post-secondary students enrolling in college courses is the lower cost. In most cases, tuition, fees and textbooks are free to the participating students, according to DMACC's Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) under Iowa's Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act.

Tara Tonsfeldt, first semester student on the Boone Campus, took 32 credits through Iowa Central Community College while in high school, and 22 of them transferred to DMACC. "I'm grateful I took them in high school and got ahead of the race in college. Plus I saved a bucket-load!" said Tonsfeldt.

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