by Rory Van Gorp
College credits are for college, right? Well here at PCM, the students have the opportunity to take collegiate level classes through DMACC. This is a opportunity that fifty PCM students take advantage of. Twenty-nine students take classes online through DMACC this semester, and six of them are currently taking more than one. PCM has 21 students enrolled in Career Academy for the whole year.
Career Academy is a great opportunity for students to get an in the classroom experience. Career Academy brings students to the Newton campus and gets them into classes. The students have the opportunity to take a teaching, health occupations, welding, criminal justice, and more.
Junior Sloan Hjortshoj said this about her health occupations class, “I think our teacher, Julie Froah, is great at exposing us to a large amount of material while still making sure we are absorbing it all. I really like the fact that I have the opportunity to take a class on something that I am truly interested in.”
Online classes are another great opportunity our PCM students have. Students are allowed to take one online class each semester for their junior year and two when they are a senior. They are required to have one study hall for each class they take. The online classes are a great way to get some extra college credit without having to go to the actual DMACC campus.
“I like taking a DMACC class because there’s a wider option of classes to choose from. I think a disadvantage is that it’s harder to talk to a teacher if you don’t get part of what you’re learning,” senior Ryan Palm said.
Taking DMACC classes is something the PCM students really value. It is a good way to prepare for college and learn some more advanced information in the field they want to study. Alternatively it can offer you some general education credits at college, or students can simply take a class to learn if they are interested in that subject. If they are not interested, it does no harm because most DMACC classes transfer into college as electives.
Senior Jessica Jacobs said this about the whole DMACC opportunity, “I think it has been a great opportunity. I wish more students would take advantage of this. It can save you money, time, but it also is an intro to college before you actually go to college. It has helped a ton!”
