Ending application fee makes it easier to attend Assiniboine’s Adult Collegiate

Students will no longer have to pay a $95 fee to apply to the Adult Collegiate operated by Assiniboine Community College.

The removal of the application cost comes after a two-year trial period in which the application fee was waived, thanks to support from the Assiniboine Community College Foundation.

“It’s a good thing, in terms of making the classes affordable and accessible to mature students who want to get their high school credential or upgrade so they can take a post-secondary program,” said Kate Pelletier, Dean, Trades, Technology and Access Programs, which includes responsibility for the Adult Collegiate.

Students in the Mature Student High School program are not charged tuition to attend. However, they do pay small course fees of about $46 per course. Students who have not completed a high school diploma may take up to eight courses tuition-free.

Assiniboine’s Mature Student High School program provides student supports and classes to prepare them for academic and career success, with a schedule that fits students’ needs in either day or evening programs. The program is offered both in Brandon and at the college’s Parkland campus in Dauphin.

The next intake in both locations begins January 7, 2019.

The program is designed for those who need to finish high school, improve their grades, are missing a prerequisite for post-secondary studies, or have been out of school for a long time.

A personalized education plan is developed with each student to address his or her specific needs, including those who need upgrading for post-secondary entrance requirements.

Students attending the college’s Mature Student High School program come from Brandon, Dauphin, and surrounding communities. Many are single parents. Students’ ages range from 19 to 64 years old with around 35 per cent identifying as First Nations, Metis or Inuit.

Photo: Students graduate from the Adult Collegiate of Assiniboine Community College.