Early College Network
Learn how our high school students are earning credit from colleges and four-year universities long before they graduate secondary school.
Our Early College Network (ECN) was established in 2020 and is one of only a few local school programs offering high school students concurrent enrollment in accredited four-year college and university courses.
It is composed of 13 Catholic high schools that facilitate concurrent enrollment in college/university coursework, allowing students to earn transcripted college credit, increased access to four-year colleges and universities, improved opportunities for scholarship, industry-endorsed credentials, and added pathways for tertiary education, degree attainment, and career success.
While public high schools and several Archdiocesan high schools provide students with opportunities to take college courses through community colleges, the ECN expands beyond community colleges to partner with accredited four-year institutions. The program is designed to improve tertiary education enrollment by strengthening high school transcripts, demonstrating that a student can already succeed in college-level courses, and improving scholarship opportunities. It also seeks to improve readiness, transitions to tertiary education, and degree attainment while reducing costs due to transferable credit.
Currently, the ECN partners with Arizona State University and Seton Hill University, enabling students from its 13 high schools to earn credit in math, science, English, social studies, Spanish, and other general elective areas from a four-year university during the school day while enrolled in high school.
The Early College Network has helped me get a head start and get a smoother transition to college life. It’s also developed my critical thinking skills and time management. Lastly, by earning college credits through this program, the cost of college education is much less expensive. Sofia Medina
Class of 2026, St. Paul High School
