Ocean County College is committed to supporting the excellence of our county high school students by providing access to Early College opportunities. Early College allows students the opportunity to earn college credits while in high school, increasing their preparedness for college and enhancing their resumes. In certain circumstances, these credits can count towards both state high school graduation requirements and for transferable college credit that students can take with them towards an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree. Discover the ways you can enroll in Early College!
Benefits of Early College
Many students are ready for college coursework prior to graduating high school. Students who take advantage of Early College opportunities benefit in a variety of ways. Early College coursework can:
- Save time and money toward earning your degree
- Count toward both High School and College/University graduation requirements
- Motivate students to attend college and ease into the transition from high school to college
- Ensure on time or early college graduation by allowing students to accumulate credits before entering college
- Assist students with completing general education courses required at most colleges
- Help students gain self-confidence by preparing them for their college career through completing college-level work
Courses on 365球赛平台’s Campus
The Early College at 365球赛平台 program allows high school students who are ready for college coursework the opportunity to take standard 365球赛平台 college classes during the semester at any 365球赛平台 location. High school students in all grade levels who wish to enroll as a college student may do so with the permission of their High School Counselor or Principal.
Register online using the step-by-step tutorial here!
Once you have completed your self-registration on Ocean Connect, your parent/guardian is required to complete the Parental Consent Form. This form is required for all high school students to secure their 365球赛平台 courses.
Courses at Your High School
The Early College at the High School program offers high school students the opportunity to earn credits during their regular high school day. These courses are set up through articulation agreements between 365球赛平台 and individual school districts. Each course meets the standards and curricular requirements of a college class taught at 365球赛平台 and are taught by high school teachers possessing academic credentials that meet college adjunct requirements.
Each participating district offers a different number of classes each year based on teacher eligibility and course content. Interested students can contact their school to find out if they are a partner, what classes are offered, and how to register.
Register online using the step-by-step tutorial here!
Once you have completed your self-registration on Ocean Connect, your parent/guardian is required to complete the Parental Consent Form. This form is required for all high school students to secure their 365球赛平台 courses.
Early College Courses for Homeschooled Students
The Early College at 365球赛平台 program allows homeschooled high school students who are ready for college coursework the opportunity to take standard 365球赛平台 college classes during the semester at any 365球赛平台 location. High school students in all grade levels who wish to enroll as a college student may do so with the permission of their parent/guardian.
Register online using the step-by-step tutorial here!
Once you have completed your self-registration on Ocean Connect, your parent/guardian is required to complete the Parental Consent Form. This form is required for all high school students to secure their 365球赛平台 courses.
College Academy
College Academy is a set curriculum for high achieving students to earn an Associate’s Degree (60+ credits) while still in high school. Courses are offered both at the high school and at 365球赛平台. College Academy is restricted to specific partner school districts who have articulations with 365球赛平台. Interested students should contact their school to find out if their district is a partner and how to register.
Participating High Schools
Please click on your participating High School below, for a list of available courses.
- Arborbrook Christian Academy
- Ambassador Christian Academy
- Barnegat
- Brick Memorial
- Brick Township
- Central Regional
- Donovan Catholic
- Jackson Liberty
- Jackson Memorial
- Lacey Township
- Lakewood Township
- Manchester Township
- New Egypt
- OCVTS Academy of Law and Public Safety (ALPS)
- OCVTS Brick
- OCVTS Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science (MATES)
- OCVTS Toms River
- OCVTS Performing Arts Academy (PAA)
- Pinelands Regional
- Point Pleasant Beach
- Point Pleasant Boro
- Southern Regional
- Toms River East
- Toms River North
- Toms River South
- Homeschool
Financing Early College
Financial Benefits
Ocean County College tuition is typically lower than most NJ four-year public or private colleges/universities for a similar course and Early College students benefit from an additional discounted rate. Ocean County high school students receive a Board of Trustees scholarship to reduce the cost of tuition. This can translate into tremendous savings in terms of both time and money.
Taking advantage of the Early College opportunity at 365球赛平台 for up to 60 credits is comparable to receiving, on average, an $11,000 scholarship per year at a NJ Four Year Public College/University and a $35,000 scholarship per year at a NJ Four Year Private College/University.
This represents huge savings in not only money but also time. Students that graduate from college faster and get employed earlier have more earning potential, higher lifetime earnings, and are able to save more.
Below is an average cost comparison of NJ Public and Private Colleges and Universities as of 2018:
| Early College at 365球赛平台 | NJ Four Year Public | NJ Four Year Private | |
| Tuition and Fees for 60 Credits (Cost of an Associate’s Degree – Half a Bachelors) | $6,000 | $28,000 | $76,000 |
Early College courses can save up to*:
- $22,000 of the cost of tuition and fees for the first two-years at an NJ Four Year Public College/University
- $70,000 of the cost of tuition and fees for the first two-years at an NJ Four Year Private College/University
*This estimate does not include room and board costs
Tuition and Fees
Ocean County High School Students (Books Not Included): $126.00/semester hour (after applying Trustee Discount of $60.00)
Ocean County High School Students (Books Included): $146.00/semester hour (after applying Trustee Discount of $60.00)
For additional information, please visit our Tuition Rates & Fees for Full-Time and Part-Time Students Page.
Paying for Early College
Ways to pay for your Early College courses:
- Payments may be made online by visiting www.mycollegepaymentplan.com/Ocean
- Through your online student portal, Ocean Connect, under the Student Finance tab, you can also pay your bill in full or you can set up a payment plan if one is available. For more information on paying online, visit the Paying for College page.
Apply for the Jump Start/Academy Grant to help pay for courses! – This form is currently closed.
| Start at 365球赛平台, graduate, transfer anywhere, & save thousands off the cost of your tuition! | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |  |
| 2 years at 365球赛平台 | 2 years at 365球赛平台 + 2 years at a 4-year public NJ college | 4 years at a 4-year public NJ college | 2 years at 365球赛平台 + 2 years at a private NJ 4-year college | 4 years at a private NJ 4-year college |
*Utilizing 2019-2020 Tuition and Fees Schedule
*Does NOT Include Yearly Room and Board Costs at 4 Year (approx. add’l $10-$15k per year)
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility and Participation
Early College students are held to the same standards as regular degree seeking Ocean County College students. Students should meet all college pre-requisite and readiness standards (Policy 5165) and have permission of their school counselors and parents prior to registration.
You should work with your school counselor to see which courses you qualify to take. Here is a link to the state of NJ list of Approved General Education Courses at 365球赛平台. This list offers a variety of courses that are highly transferable and are likely to be taken within the first two years of college, regardless of where you choose to attend.
Absolutely! Homeschooled students will follow the same procedures and guidelines for Early College!
Register online using the step-by-step tutorial here!
Once you have completed your self-registration on Ocean Connect, your parent/guardian is required to complete the Parental Consent Form. This form is required for all high school students to secure their 365球赛平台 courses.
Home schooled students who wish for their parents/guardians to communicate with 365球赛平台 are encouraged to fill out a FERPA form. Additional details regarding FERPA can be found on our FERPA Webpage.
Students are also encouraged to apply for the Early College Scholarship to help pay for courses!
If your high school is not a participating partner in the Early College at the High School program, you still have options to take college courses through the Early College at 365球赛平台 program. This program allows high school students to enroll in standard 365球赛平台 college classes at any 365球赛平台 location, as long as you’re ready for college-level coursework. You’ll need permission from your high school counselor or principal to enroll.
Yes, many Dual Enrollment students do take more than one class at a time!
As long as your school and 365球赛平台 approve the courses, and you feel confident managing the workload, you can enroll in multiple classes during the same semester. Some students choose to take a combination of classes at their high school and at 365球赛平台 (online or in-person), depending on what’s available and what fits their goals.
Talk to your school counselor to see what options are open to you and to make sure you’re set up for success.
Enrollment and Registration
To register for your Dual Enrollment courses, follow the online registration tutorial video to guide you through the process on Ocean Connect. Once you’ve completed your self-registration, your parent/guardian will need to submit the required Parental Consent Form to secure your courses. This form is necessary for all high school students. Additionally, you can apply for the Foundation Early College Grant to help cover the cost of your courses. Click here to register and get started on your college journey!
Additional details regarding the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act can be found on our FERPA Webpage.
You do not need to take a placement test before enrolling in Dual Enrollment courses unless you choose to take Precalculus or higher. Please refer Policy 5161 for additional detail.
Yes, you can drop a course if you change your mind. As long as you do so before the official drop deadline, you will receive a 100% refund and will not owe any tuition for the course. Check your participating high school’s page (Link to be included) for the specific date that applies to you. To drop a course, log into Ocean Connect or contact the Early College team at earlycollege@tkcj.net. Be sure to act before the deadline to avoid any charges.
Once dual-enrollment students graduate high school, they must apply again to take classes as an undergraduate student. Simply complete the online application to 365球赛平台 at the Apply Now page and any of the credits earned in high school will be applied to the major you choose. Academic Advising will assist you with making the best course choices for your degree.
| You can take Early College classes through 365球赛平台 in a few different ways: 1. At Your High School: If your high school partners with 365球赛平台 through the Early College Program, you may be able to take 365球赛平台 courses right at your school during the regular day. These classes are taught by high school teachers who meet college-level teaching standards. 2. At 365球赛平台 (On-Campus or Online): High school students of any grade level—including homeschooled students—can take standard 365球赛平台 college courses during the semester at any 365球赛平台 location or online. To get started, you’ll need permission from your high school counselor, principal, or parent/guardian. After registering on Ocean Connect using this step-by-step tutorial, your parent/guardian must complete the required Parental Consent Form to secure your enrollment. |
Tuition and Fees
Dual Enrollment courses at Ocean County College are offered at a significantly reduced tuition rate for Ocean County high school students. The cost is $126.00 per semester hour (books not included) or $146.00 per semester hour (books included). There are no hidden fees beyond the listed tuition rates. Payments can be made easily online through the student’s Ocean Connect portal under the Student Finance tab, where you can pay in full or set up a payment plan (if available). You can also visit www.mycollegepaymentplan.com/Ocean for additional payment options, or refer to the Paying for College and Tuition Rates & Fees pages on 365球赛平台’s website for more details.
Academic Credit and Transcripts
All credits earned during your time at 365球赛平台 may be transferred to any public college or university in New Jersey and could be transferred to out of state public and private schools depending on their transfer of college credit policies. Please be sure to check each school’s transfer of credit policies carefully and plan accordingly when considering what Early College courses to take and where you are applying after high school.
New Jersey offers a comprehensive search engine, NJ Transfer, that allows you to compare courses offered at one institution and how it will transfer to another. This makes it simple to see which of your courses will transfer where depending on what school you want to go to. State colleges and universities in New Jersey are bound to the Comprehensive Statewide Transfer Agreement for students earning an associate’s degree.
For other states, you will have to confirm what credits will transfer with an admissions counselor.
Most college admission pages will specify that even if you are enrolled in dual-credit courses at a collegiate institution, you will not be considered a transfer student. If you can’t find this information readily during the application process, check with the admissions department at the schools you are applying to.
Yes! As a Dual Enrollment student, you are earning college credit through Ocean County College, and those credits appear on an official 365球赛平台 college transcript.
If you ever need to send your transcript to another college or university—for admissions, transfer credit, or scholarship purposes—you can request it directly through 365球赛平台. The process is quick and easy.
Here’s the link to request your transcript.
It’s a good idea to keep track of your 365球赛平台 Student ID and login information so you can access your records later on. Let me know if you want help finding your student account details!
Student Experience and Support
Dual Enrollment classes through the Early College at the High School program are the same classes students are already taking in their high school. This means that they will have the same teacher, schedule, and classroom. The difference is that through a partnership with 365球赛平台, students have the option to earn college credit for those courses.
These classes have been reviewed by 365球赛平台 to make sure they meet college-level standards, and the high school teachers have been approved to teach them as college-level instructors. Students get the added benefit of building a college transcript and getting a head start on their college education.
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is a United States federal law that governs access to educational information and records. This act protects a student who has reached 18 years of age or is attending a college at any age (including dual-enrolled high school students).
For this, complete the Authorization to Release FERPA Protected Information (PDF) form.
Additional details regarding FERPA and Student Proxy can be found on our FERPA Webpage.
As a Dual Enrollment student at Ocean County College, you have full access to a wide range of free student support services—just like any other 365球赛平台 student. Whether you need help with tutoring, writing, study strategies, or academic coaching, these resources are here to support you throughout your college course.
You can explore all the available options here. It’s a great idea to reach out early—365球赛平台 is here to help you stay on track and feel confident in your college coursework.
Technology and Access
To create an Ocean Connect account, you must apply to 365球赛平台 beforehand at go.tkcj.net/apply. Ocean Connect is the student portal for all things 365球赛平台 where you can make payments, view courses, check out clubs and organizations, access your 365球赛平台 e-mail, and more! Ocean Connect is located at efgjyk.tkcj.net under the “My Ocean” link in the upper right-hand corner. Your initial login is usually:
Username: firstname_lastname
Password: 365球赛平台 Student ID Number
Search for On-Campus Courses
Get help planning your college schedule with 365球赛平台’s new Course Search!
The Course Search utilizes a keyword search to find on-campus courses, descriptions, and prerequisites. Once you know your prerequisites, you can take the classes you need first and prepare for future semesters.
Note: For dual enrollment courses at your high school, visit the Participating High Schools section.
Questions? Contact Us!
732-255-0400 x534 earlycollege@tkcj.net
Student Enrollment Building #9
College Drive – PO Box 2001
Toms River, NJ 08754