Rasmussen College offers free college credit to students in Chicago

In the Fall of 2009, students at The Chicago Academy High School were given a unique opportunity to begin earning college credit for free through the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL)
and Rasmussen College. Thirty-two Chicago Academy seniors were allowed to enroll in freshman-year college courses to earn both their high school diploma and credit towards a 2-year or 4-year degree at Rasmussen College, where students can earn associates, bachelors and masters degree that are 100% online.

The most exciting part of this program is that these 32 students are able to attend these courses for free thanks to the Academy for Urban School Leadership, a not-for-profit organization that works alongside public schools in Chicago to help boost schools that are under-performing.

The main goal of this new partnership is to help students earn as many credits as possible while still in high school to reduce the cost of paying for an entire college education. Since Rasmussen is a regionally accredited school, these credits will be transferable to most any college in the country.

The 32 students taking part in this program will complete the coursework online in computer labs set up in the school’s library, and will be assisted by counselors from Rasmussen. With the assistance of Cengage Learning, textbooks have been donated so the student doesn’t have to pay for a single part of their education. Since they are enrolled in regular college courses at Rasmussen online, they also have access to Rasmussen’s fantastic 24/7 student support center.

There are over 300 high school students involved in a dual credit program. Rasmussen College lets students earn up to 24 credits before their high school graduation. Those programs can be done online or on-campus at no cost to the student whatsoever.

For more information on Rasmussen College: Rasmussen College.