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 OCC and individual school districts. Each course meets the standards and curricular requirements of a college class taught at OCC 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.
Click the arrows next to each step to view more details.
Step 1: Apply
Your first step towards enrolling at OCC is going to be submitting a FREE application!
When asked “Why are you applying to OCC” select “I am a current high school student taking OCC classes.”
You can view (and download) a step-by-step guide to applying to OCC as an Early College student here:
Step 2: Register for Classes
If you are looking to register for Dual Enrollment classes (classes at your high school that also count toward college credit), follow the steps in this tutorial:
If you are looking to register for On-campus or Online classes at OCC as an Early College Student (not at your high school), follow the steps in this tutorial:
Step 3: Complete the Required Parental Consent Form (Required)
Once you have completed your self-registration on Ocean Connect, your parent/guardian is required to complete the Parental Consent Form. This form can be filled out online for your convenience but please note that it you will be required to log in to Ocean Connect. It should be filled out by both the parent and the student. This form is required for all high school students to secure their OCC courses. A PDF version of the form can be found here. Please see below for upcoming courses available at your school.
Step 4: FERPA Form for Parent Access (Optional)
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).
This form can be filled out online for your convenience but please note that it you will be required to log in to Ocean Connect: Authorization to Release FERPA Protected Information (Online Form).
A PDF version can be found here: Authorization to Release FERPA Protected Information (PDF). PDF forms can be filled out and emailed to earlycollege@ocean.edu with a legible copy of the student’s government issued photo ID or Student ID Card.
Additional details regarding FERPA and Student Proxy can be found on our FERPA Webpage.
Step 5: Tuition Payment
Payment or setting up a payment plan is due upon registration for courses. Follow the steps below to set up payment arrangements. Please make note of withdrawal and drop deadlines, and review this link for our refund policy.
To make a payment:
- Set up payment arrangements
- Sign into Ocean Connect
- Click on the Plus (+) sign next to “Student Planning”
- Click “View and Pay Bill”
- Click on “Proceed to Payment
- If this is your first time paying a tuition bill through OCC, follow the steps to create an account with NelNet.
