Admissions for Current High School Students
RACC has five great programs for high school students: dual enrollment, early admissions, SOAR programs of study, Technical Academy and Teacher Academy. Each of these programs vary in their requirements, location and programs of study.
Dual Enrollment
RACC has partnered with area high schools to offer college credit for college-level courses students take at their high school. The courses taught at the high school must cover the same competencies as courses taught at RACC and the teacher must meet adjunct faculty qualifications.
Dual Enrollment students concurrently complete their requirements for high school graduation at the same time they earn college credit. Students are allowed to register for dual enrollment courses providing they meet the high school’s guidelines for dual enrollment and RACC’s course prerequisites.
Since dual enrollment courses would be traditional college freshman selections, students should contact the registrars’ offices of the colleges where they plan to apply in order to confirm that the transfer credits will be accepted. Most of the Pennsylvania State School System institutions accept dual enrollment credits. Through many of RACC's Dual Admission agreements, RACC's dual enrollment credits transfer as part of a pathway through RACC’s many AA, AS and AAS transfer programs.
Early Admissions
The Early Admission Program is an opportunity for academically ready high school students to enroll in online and/or on-campus college courses at RACC.
High school students interested in enriching their curriculum with college course work during their junior and senior year may request consideration for the Early Admission Program.
SOAR Programs of Study at Career and Technology Centers
SOAR (Students Occupationally and Academically Ready) prepares students for college and careers in a diverse, high-performing workforce. A student from any state-approved program from any CTC in the state can transfer these program credits (9 or more) to any college offering these programs.
Approved programs for RACC include: Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Computer Technology / Computer Systems Technology, Machine Tool Technology / Machinist, Administrative Assistant & Secretarial Science General, Childcare / Support Services Management, Web Page, Digital / Multimedia and Information Resources Design, Electromechanical Tech / Electromechanical Engineering Technology.
These programs are identified by their Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) Code. A CIP code is used by schools and postsecondary institutions to categorize the Program of Study completed at the CTC and articulates to courses in one of RACC's Associate in Applied Science degrees.* The CTC student and teacher work together to complete the Official POS Paperwork.
Students who have earned a minimum 2.5 GPA in their completed program of study at their CTC are eligible for college credits for up to three years after graduating from high school. Students are awarded credit, not a grade on their college transcripts.
- View the requirements for receiving SOAR credits.
- See how SOAR Programs are accepted at Reading Area Community College.
CollegeTransfer.net - Transfer Center
Aspire | Assess | Articulate
* Course pre-requisites don’t apply to SOAR credits being brought in by articulation.
Technical Academy
RACC has partnered with the Berks Career and Technology Center (BCTC) and Reading Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center (RMCTC) to offer the Technical Academy. The Technical Academy provides college bound students with the opportunity to develop advanced technical skills and earn college credit toward an associate and/or bachelor’s degree while still in high school.
Depending on the program selected, students may complete up to 27 college credits through one of the Technical Academies at the CTC and on RACC’s campus.
Teacher Academy
The Teacher Academy is a college-credit career pathway where students will be able to begin their Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education (ECE) while still in high school. The classes are taught at the Berks Career and Technology Center and Reading Muhlenberg Career and Technology Center.