Meetings will be held for juniors who plan to enroll in the Early Admissions program next year will be held March, 10, 11 and 17 at 3:30 p.m. in the guidance office. Early Admissions Application Packets will be distributed during each of the meetings which are expected to last approximately 10 minutes. Those who cannot attend one of the meetings must pick up the packet from their guidance counselor.

Guidance Counselor Dina Dearmin said West Shore does not advocate for Early Admissions.

“For some, it’s a good benefit [because] you can save money on some of the classes that transfer,” she said. “But for the most part, West Shore as a school promotes the accelerated AP [classes] and the new Capstone program, so that’s what we’re pushing kids towards. But for some, maybe a dozen or so, who have just kind of felt that AP isn’t really their thing, then dual-enrollment and early admissions works well.”

Senior Brianna Silvestre takes all of her classes through Early Admissions at Eastern Florida State College Early Admissions.

“I like the freedom that it gives me,” she said. “I have a full time job along with being a full time student and it works perfectly for me.”

Dearmin said she’s noticed that sometimes early admissions kids are rarely on campus and, as a result, can feel disconnected.

“They’re missing the part of seeing their friends every day and interacting, [and] they don’t have homeroom, so I think that is a disadvantage,” she said.

Silvestre said there is a certain type of student who she thinks would be successful doing early admissions.

“I think that any student who is self-motivated, has great time management and knows what major they’re going to pursue would be a great candidate for dual-enrollment and early admissions,” she said.

The deadline for EFSC Early Admissions is May 5.