In 2009, GW partnered with the School Without Walls to allow talented students to take classes at GW while still enrolled as high school students. The GW Early College Program offers the opportunity for high school juniors to take college classes with waived GW tuition. After receiving a high school diploma, those students are eligible to enroll at GW after graduation, or attend a different institution. The University of D.C. has taken note of the University’s successful program, and is looking into a similar partnership with two D.C. public schools. It is laudable that GW’s program has inspired other institutions of higher education.

GW’s “2-plus-4” model has given students at the School Without Walls a valuable opportunity, and we are happy to see that other D.C. public school students may have similar opportunities in the future thanks to the UDC pilot partnership. Though some critics oppose putting high school students on such an accelerated track, these programs can give deserving students access to an affordable education. This is an opportunity many D.C. public school students – even the most highly motivated – never attain.

We hope to see similar programs implemented at other colleges and universities across the District. Our city is home to several institutes of higher education, and the many schools within the D.C. public school system would benefit from these programs. GW may have been the first to offer this opportunity, but it should not be the last.

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