Portland Community College Gateway to College – Portland Homeschooling Resource

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Carolyn Groves

Portland Community College Gateway to College - Portland Homeschooling Resource

Portland Community College Gateway to College – Homeschooling Resource

As a homeschooling parent, one of the most frequently asked questions I’ve fielded in 17 years is, “But what about college?” Depending on the person asking the question, I have several different responses. When my girls were a lot younger, I often said we’d think about that down the road, or that I knew several families who had older homeschoolers who never went to school and who are now in college and doing just fine (which was true!). As the girls got older, though, I was pleased to learn about a unique scholarship program through Portland Community College (PCC).

We had friends whose kids were in the program, but the first time we learned about it in depth was at a college information night at Village Home Education Resource Center. Representatives from several different early college programs were there, but we were most intrigued by the PCC Gateway to College Program. Adam, the presenter and Outreach and Intake Coordinator for PCC High School Programs went through the Gateway program himself, and is very understanding and supportive of homeschooling families.

My older daughter applied for the spring term of 2019 and was accepted! As a student with a non-traditional background, she has faced come challenges, but has felt very supported by the staff and teachers at PCC.

Below is the information we received from Adam Clark about Portland Community College’s Gateway to College program.

Carolyn Groves

Portland Community College – Gateway to College

Gateway to College (GtC) is a dynamic, dual-credit, high school diploma completion program. This program, offered through a partnership between local school districts and the GtC at PCC, provides students an excellent opportunity to complete an official high school diploma and earn college credit at the same time.

There are many things that make GtC an excellent opportunity for homeschool families and their students. GtC provides wrap-around support services by pairing each student with a College Success Coach. The College Success Coach plays a key role in helping students adapt to the adult learning environment of the community college setting. The Coach provides mentorship, advising, connection to career exploration and training, and much more.

Another aspect of GtC that is ideal for homeschool families is the opportunity to earn a
significant number of college credits. Not only will students earn an official high school diploma from their home school district, but on average GtC graduates earn 68 college credits. Often homeschool students earn even more credits and some even have the opportunity to earn a full associate degree while they complete their diploma.

Many homeschool families have made a choice not to access the public school system. Gateway to College allows these families to access an alternative educational option, in an adult learning environment, and allows them to get a head start on college credits. Students will earn a district diploma which is fully recognized at the state and national level, but have the opportunity to do so in a more mature and academically focused environment. They also receive college credit from day one in the program!

If you are interested in learning more about this tremendous opportunity please contact Adam Clark at 971-722-6293 or via email at [email protected]. You can also find out more about the application process on the website below.