Virginia Western Community College offering free dual enrollment to high school students 

Free dual enrollment classes will be available to high school students in the Roanoke Valley through Virginia Western Community College, according to a news release.

Beginning next school year the college will offer the free courses to students at public high schools in its service area, which includes: Botetourt, Craig, Franklin and Roanoke counties, as well as Roanoke and Salem.

Virginia Western will provide the funding for the courses. The availability of courses at each high school will depend on the number of enrollment requests and availability of staff.

Dual enrollment classes are taught at high schools by teachers qualified to instruct at the college level. Students who receive a C or better earn college credit for the class.

“We are very excited to offer this pathway to higher education for our region’s high school students,” Robert Sandel, Virginia Western’s president, said in a statement. “I’ve always believed that money should not be a barrier to achieving a strong education. Through this program and the partnerships with local high schools, we’re making a college education more accessible and affordable than ever before.”

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