Matawan-Aberdeen Launches Early College High School

MATAWAN, NJ — Imagine finishing high school with your associate's degree, ready to be gainfully employed and making a decent salary, all at the age of 18.

This fall, the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District will offer just that. Students at Matawan-Aberdeen High School will have the opportunity to earn a Brookdale associate degree by the time they graduate from high school as part of a unique partnership with Brookdale Community College.

The Husky Early College Academy is expected to welcome an inaugural class of up to 25 students in the fall of 2018. Students will complete college-level courses at Matawan Regional High School during their freshman and sophomore years and begin studying at Brookdale’s Hazlet location in their junior year. Students will become full-time college students and complete their studies on Brookdale’s Lincroft campus in their senior year. Successful graduates will graduate high school with not just a high school degree, but also an Associate of Arts degree in social sciences.

The cost for the first two years is $46 per credit when the course is taught by an approved district teacher and $138 per credit if taught by a Brookdale instructor. Matawan-Aberdeen anticipates their staff will teach all courses for the first two years and thus, it will be $46 per credit for approximately 17 credits. Costs and credit projections may change.

After that, the students pay in-county tuition for college-level courses taken at Brookdale's Lincroft campus. For students taking 15 credits a semester, Brookdale's tuition and fees are $5,062.50 per year.

Matawan-Aberdeen joins Asbury Park, Hazlet, Keyport, Middletown, Neptune and Wall public school districts and St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel in this partnership with Brookdale. There are now 11 school districts total in Monmouth County offering this early college/high school program. Past Patch reporting: 36 Raritan High Freshmen Begin College A Little Early

Middletown School District Launches Degree Program with Brookdale

Manasquan and Upper Freehold school districts will begin offering it as well.

“These partnerships will save students both time and money in their pursuit of a college degree, while preparing them for the highest levels of success after graduation," said interim Brookdale President David Stout.