What is College Experience?

• The College Experience Program at CPCC provides Charlotte Mecklenburg School System high school students with a head start on a college education, advanced vocational preparation and personal enrichment opportunities.
• Bonuses:
  • Tuition and fees are waived!
  • (Some courses carry a mandatory student accident insurance fee that cannot be waived).
  • You are building a real college transcript.
  • Under the statewide comprehensive articulation agreement (CAA), specified general education core courses will transfer to the 16 universities in the UNC system and some private colleges and universities.
  • Your required textbooks are paid for by CMS.**
    • At a designated time in August, the College Experience student can go to a CPCC Bookstore and pick up their textbooks. Remember to tell the Cashier that you are a College Experience student
    • At the end of the semester, the College Experience students must return textbooks to the College Bookstore.

** 3/31/2009 - Updates regarding the purchase of textbooks for College Experience students will be posted as an official decision by CMS becomes available.  Please check later for any updates.

What courses can I take as a College Experience student and where do I take them?

• Approved CPCC courses may be taken by students during their senior year as part of the school day. For a list of the approved courses, go to: CMS HS Planning Guide for 2007-08
  (see pages 45-48 in CMS HS Planning Guide for College Experience courses. Because of the size of the document, this may take a minute or more to load)
• Courses can be taken on any CPCC campus where the courses are offered.
• Students should take courses for both Fall and Spring semesters.

How do I know what the courses are about?

• Course descriptions can be found in the CPCC catalog. You can purchase a copy at any CPCC Campus or you may access an electronic copy.  The following link will also provide you with course descriptions: http://www.cpcc.edu/course_descriptions

What kind of credit do I earn?

• CPCC awards college credits only. The receiving high school system determines whether high school credit is awarded, and if so, how much credit is awarded.

I want to see what it’s like to go to take classes at a college. Will I be treated like a high school student?

• College Experience students are regarded by CPCC as any other college students and receive identical treatment.
• Because of the CMS-CPCC Cooperative Agreement, grade reports are made available to students and to the high school following the close of each semester. Students may access their grade reports through their CPCC Login accounts.

How do I enroll in the College Experience Program?

• Students must get approval from their CMS high school Career Development Coordinator (CDC) and their parents to enroll. Only the CDC can provide the required permission form.
• CMS requires that students be juniors or seniors to participate. CMS does not provide transportation.
• At the beginning of the academic year, each College Experience student will be provided with a College Experience Handbook and attend a College Experience Orientation at their high school. This Handbook and Orientation will provide detailed information about the program and expectations of students.

Who is my Career Development Coordinator (CDC)?

• For contact information about your CDC, Click for CMS CDC listing.

If I have questions about College Experience and want to learn if I’m eligible to participate, who do I contact?

• All College Experience students must work through their high school CDC. See the link above for how to contact your CDC.

Is there an Orientation I can attend to learn more about expectations of “college life”?

• There are both in-person and online Orientations that will help you transition from high school to CPCC.
• For more information about Counseling and Advisement resources, go to: ICAN ( Integrated Counseling and Advisement Network)

Once I earn college credits, how do I get an official copy of my CPCC college transcript?

• Copies of student's transcripts are available through the Office of Student Records.
• For more information, go to Office of Student Records website.