Skip to main content
Select Language

Admissions Category

Dual Enrollment

Housatonic offers a number of programs which provide access to the college for high school students.

High School Partnership (HSP)

Housatonic and many area high schools have signed agreements which permit eligible high school juniors and seniors to enroll in college-level credit courses at Housatonic at no cost under the Housatonic High School Partnership Program. To be eligible for consideration, students must have the written recommendation of their high school principal or counselor, have at least an 80 (“B”) academic average, and test into college-level (non-remedial) courses. Students admitted under the High School Partnership Program are responsible for the cost of their books and transportation. Based on availability of funds, students might be eligible for a book voucher. Each high school is limited to enrolling one student each semester.

For information how HSP can partner with HCC to offer courses, contact the Director of Admissions, Earl Graham, .

Click Here to view CCP Handbook

College Career Pathways (CCP)

College Career Pathways (CCP) is a concurrent enrollment program between Housatonic Community College (HCC) and the area’s high schools. CCP is federally-funded through the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 2006, “which provides an increased focus on the academic achievement of career and technical education students, strengthens the connection between secondary and postsecondary education, and improves state and local accountability “ (U.S. Department of Education).

CCP is a career and technical education (CTE) designed program in which career pathways are directly connected to degree and certificate programs at HCC.  Students who are in their sophomore, junior or senior year of high school are exposed to the rigor of a college level experience and have an opportunity to earn college credit. CCP is devised to build student competency in career pathway courses and provide academic preparation for today’s highly skilled workforce needs. 

Click Here to view CCP Handbook

High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have demonstrated an interest in exploring or pursuing a CTE pathway to a career are eligible to participate in CCP courses. Junior and senior students must meet the college’s established placement (course entrance) criteria prior to enrolling in the CCP courses. Sophomore students deemed socially and cognitively ready for college-level coursework may also be enrolled in CCP courses. Course enrollment of sophomores will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In addition to meeting placement criteria, sophomores must demonstrate sufficient maturity and motivation. 

The Board of Regents, the governing body of the Connecticut community colleges, authorizes the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) to utilize their choice of commonly-accepted multiple measures of skill level to determine student preparedness for admission to the community college and to enroll in credit-bearing courses. Those measures are: 

  • CLEP/AP/DANTES/ACT Scores 
  • PSAT/SAT Scores 
  • High School Transcript 
  • Accuplacer 
  • Local Challenge Essay 
  • Non-Cognitive Questionnaire 
  • Student Interview 
  • Local Math Exam 

A high school may consider employing one or more of the Board of Regent’s multiple measures for admission in addition to locally-developed school-based criteria. These selection process measures should be designed collaboratively with the college partner to ensure alignment with the Board of Regents and NECHE policy, in order to best determine that a student has the desire, aptitude and work ethic needed to successfully complete a concurrent enrollment course and receive both college and high school credit. The process should not be so rigorous as to exclude the very students who would most benefit from the opportunity to experience college and earn commensurate credit. In addition to the above multiple measures, high schools may wish to consider the following measures for selecting students to participate in CCP programs: 

  • Teacher recommendations 
  • Completion of pre-requisite coursework with a “C” or better 
  • Student essays or interviews 

Currently, students may enroll in college courses in the following career areas: 

  • Accounting
  • Business
  • Small Business
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Marketing 
  • Early Childhood Education 
  • Allied Health. 

The area high schools partnering in the HCC Consortium include: 

  • Ansonia High School 
  • Bunnell High School 
  • Foran High School 
  • Harding High School 
  • Jonathan Law High School 
  • Masuk High School 
  • Shelton High School
  • Stratford High School 
  • Trumbull High School
  • Warren Harding High School

Additionally, high school instructors must possess the comparable credentials relative to HCC faculty teaching the same courses on campus or online in adherence to the accreditation standards of the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE).

The schools contact and meet with the college’s CCP & Dual Enrollment Coordinator to determine the college level credit courses that will be offered to their students. If students are interested, they should must meet with their high school Counselor to find out if their high school is partaking in any of the Dual Enrollment & College Career Pathways programs; and to seek the high school’s approval to sign up. For more information, contact Debbie Kuchmas, email or call 203-332-5279>,/p>

For more information, students should speak to their high school guidance counselor or contact: Dean Robin Avant at (203) 332-5061 or email .    

All Other High School Students

In order for students, including non-HSP and all others without a high school diploma or GED to be admitted to Housatonic, they must demonstrate sufficient scholastic ability as demonstrated by meeting the following minimum scores on the Accuplacer placement test: Reading (score of 55 or higher); Sentence Skills (score of 60 or higher); Arithmetic (score of 34 or higher). For consistency purposes, these are the same minimum scores used by the Federal government in determining financial aid eligibility for certain students. A letter of recommendation from their high school principal or a designated representative also must be submitted with the application to the Admissions Office. These students are required to pay tuition and fees for any courses taken.

All students without a high school diploma or GED may be admitted to courses of study for which they satisfy the prerequisites. These students should have such maturity and other qualities indicating ability to profit from a program offered by the college. Maturity level may be determined through a personal interview. The credits earned shall be held until graduation from high school, at which time credits may be used to satisfy appropriate degree requirements or may be transferred to other colleges.

Unless students have a qualifying SAT or ACT test waiver, a placement test is required of all students who are interested in participating in the High School Partnership Program and for other high school students on a tuition-paying basis who plan on taking classes at Housatonic Community College.

AP Credits

All students must provide an official transcript from ACE, showing their exams and scores.

  • Scores of 3 and higher = pass and receive equivalent course credit @ HCC (3 credits).
  • Scores of 2 or lower = Not Passing, and do not receive credit.
  • Spanish Placement (per Jamilet ortiz): Score of 3 = SPA 102, Score of 4 = SPA 201, Score of 5 = SPA 202.

Please click here to download the Advanced Placement Grid.

The Admissions dept. will accept a high school transcript that shows AP courses. They will use this to waive pre-requisites only.