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Juniors and seniors who participate in this advanced program will simultaneously earn credits for an Associate Degree in General Studies and a high school diploma. Students take all classes at Â鶹ÊÓƵ State's Smyrna campus. Students must meet all the deadlines for enrollment and fee payment. 

• LHS students who meet all the dual enrollment requirements, including a minimum 3.0 GPA.
• Students who earn a minimum ACT composite score of 19.
• Students who meet eligibility for the Middle/Early College Scholarship.
• Students who are legal residents of the United States and reside in Tennessee for at least one year to qualify for the Middle/Early College Scholarship.

For complete scholarship information, visit .

The Middle/Early College Scholarship is related to the Dual Enrollment Grant. In partnership with Â鶹ÊÓƵ State, this scholarship allows Early College students to take college classes for $50 per class Plus any lab or access fees. The cost for the Early College Program is approximately $250 per semester for the junior and senior years, which totals roughly $1,000 for the entire program. Students are responsible for this cost. More information is available at . Rutherford County Schools very generously provides college textbooks, so there is no additional cost.

Students must maintain maintain a 3.0 GPA in college classes to receive the Middle/Early College Scholarship. The collegiate GPA is separate from the high school GPA. If the collegiate GPA drops below 2.75, then the student could be dropped from the Early College program. College Grading Scale: 100 - 90 = A = 4 pts.  89 - 80  = B = 3 pts.  79 – 70  = C = 2 pts.  69 – 60  = D = 1 pts.  59 & Below = F = 0 pts. Parents may view students’ grades in D2L by logging onto the student’s MyÂ鶹ÊÓƵ Account.

Early College students receive help from LaVergne High and Â鶹ÊÓƵ State personnel at the LHS campus. Students who do not submit applications or tuition payments on time may be dropped from the Early College Program.

Early College students are working toward a Associate of Science Degree in General Studies from Â鶹ÊÓƵ State. Upon completing the Early College Program, students will earn a High School Diploma and an Associate of Science Degree.

The Early College Program is incredibly challenging! Students are full-time college students, and all the classes are college-level courses. Students must be willing and able to fulfill the additional requirements and time commitments of taking a college class. Collegiate courses may include further outside reading, research projects/papers, and communicating with professors. Grades earned in college classes are factored into the high school GPA and appear on the high school transcript. Although points may differ from Â鶹ÊÓƵ when applied to LHS transcript. (4 points are added from LHS to dual enrollment classes.) A poor grade in any course will negatively impact the student's GPAs and may limit access to academic scholarship funds.

Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to remain in the Early College. Students on a zone exemption must return to their zoned school if dismissed from the Early College for any reason. The collegiate GPA is separate from the high school GPA. If the collegiate GPA drops below 3.0, then the student will be dropped from the program. A grade of C could result in the loss of a grant/scholarship and removal from the program.

All Early College junior and senior classes are held on Â鶹ÊÓƵ State's Smyrna campus. Students will not take any classes at LaVergne High School. 

The high school graduation pathway will become "dual enrollment."

LaVergne High School will provide regular school lunches on the Â鶹ÊÓƵ campus. Students may also bring their lunches. Students are not allowed to leave the Â鶹ÊÓƵ campus for lunch. Time for lunch will be embedded in the Â鶹ÊÓƵ schedule.

Students may ride the school bus to LaVergne High School. A LaVergne High School bus will then transport students from from the LHS campus to and from the Â鶹ÊÓƵ State's Smyrna campus. The morning and afternoon commute is approximately 2 miles. With signed parental permission, students may also drive themselves.