KOKOMO, Ind. — Applications are still being accepted for admission into the 2017-18 Associate Accelerated Program (ASAP) at Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Region. This will be the third year for the program, which provides select Ivy Tech students with the opportunity to earn an associate degree, traditionally a two-year program, in just 11 months.
Program coordinator Beth Chaney has been busy meeting with high school seniors and their parents from throughout the Kokomo Region as she recruits members for the Kokomo ASAP class of 2018.
“We are well on our way to a full cohort in our third year of ASAP in Kokomo,” Chaney said. “Today’s high school seniors can talk to members of our first and second cohorts to get a first-hand perspective of what the program offers. Based on our first two years of the program, more than 90 percent of the students are on track to successfully complete the program in one year and the graduates are continuing their educations at four-year colleges and universities like Manchester, Indiana, Purdue, and IUPUI. Members of the second cohort are getting ready for May graduation and making decisions on where they will go next
“ASAP is a tremendous opportunity for traditional-age, qualified, and motivated students to save a great deal of time and money and get a jump-start on their careers or further education,” she continued.
The Kokomo Region’s 2017-18 program will launch June 5. Priority deadline for enrollment is April 1, but students will be considered on an individual basis after that date if openings remain in the class. So far, members of the incoming class hail from Peru, Kokomo, Logansport, Maconaquah, Rochester, and Taylor high schools.
“In ASAP, students are encouraged to think of school as a full-time job. They are given mentoring, guidance, and support during the program,” Chaney said. “Students will stay with the same group of peers, known as a cohort, throughout the year, allowing them to share successes and overcome challenges together – just as they would with their co-workers in future careers.
“Students leave having not only earned a degree, but with skills that are critical to their future success, like time management and teamwork,” she continued. “Graduates can take their associate degree right into the workforce or transfer their credits to a four-year college. With ASAP, that traditional four-year degree can be completed in three years.”
ASAP is open to students not older than 21 years of age, who have a family member or guardian who agrees to provide room and board for one year, and who have earned a minimum 2.5 grade point average in high school with a good attendance record. The program requires a full-time commitment and students should plan to be on campus Monday through Friday.
Applications for the ASAP program are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. The process begins by filling out an Interest Form at ivytech.edu/ASAP. Students with questions also can contact Chaney directly at bchaney1@ivytech.edu or 765-252-5525.
Chaney noted tuition for the ASAP associate degree is an estimated $8,000, compared with an average of $28,000 in tuition for a two-year degree from other Indiana colleges. And, she said, by living at home, the student and family save the cost of two years of room and board at a residential school
SOURCE: News release from Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo Region