Personal Pathways to Success provides the opportunity for students to follow a personal educational plan seamlessly from high school into college and the workforce, allowing high school students to make substantial progress toward their college education while finishing high school.

Berkeley County, Charleston County and Dorchester District 2 students may obtain college credits or advanced standing while they are in high school through the following programs:

• Advanced Placement Courses (AP) — high school courses that offer college-level academic work to prepare students for the rigors of college. This program is operated by the College Board, a national organization that develops course curriculum, provides teacher training and administers a national standardized exam for each AP course. Students enrolled in these courses must take an AP exam. Successful scores on the AP exam may qualify students for college credit and advanced standing at U.S. colleges and universities. For more information about AP courses, visit http://www.apcentral.collegeboard.com.
  
• International Baccalaureate (IB)(Charleston and Dorchester 2 school districts only) — a rigorous pre-university program of study designed to prepare highly motivated high school juniors and seniors with a well-rounded college preparatory education. This comprehensive two-year curriculum allows students to graduate with an internationally recognized credential. Students who earn the IB diploma may be awarded advanced standing at many colleges and universities throughout the world. For more information about the IB program, visit www.ibo.org/diploma.
  
• Career and Technical Advanced Placement — a Trident Technical College program that allows qualified high school students to earn TTC credit by demonstrating mastery of college course competencies. High school students who successfully complete specific high school courses in Career and Technology Education (CTE) and who demonstrate mastery of college course competencies will be awarded exemption credit toward their programs at TTC. For more information about Career and Technical Advanced Placement, visit TTCs High School Programs.
  
• Dual Credit — a college program that allows high school students to take college courses for which they can simultaneously earn both college and high school credit. With permission from their high schools, qualified students may enroll in college courses that apply toward a baccalaureate or associate degree offered by accredited institutions in South Carolina. Courses completed as a part of the Dual Credit program will become a part of the students’ college transcripts and will be recorded as a part of their high school records. For more information on Dual Credit opportunities, visit TTCs Dual Credit Program.
  
• Early Admit — a college program that allows high school juniors and seniors to take college courses before graduating from high school. With permission from their high schools, qualified students may enroll in college courses. Courses completed as a part of the Early Admit program will become a part of the students’ college transcripts but will not affect their high school records. For more information on Early Admit opportunities, visit TTCs Early Admit Program.

Postsecondary Programs

• Baccalaureate (Bachelor’s Degree) — an academic degree awarded by a four-year college or university upon successful completion of a program of study, usually the equivalent of four or more years of full-time education.
  
• Associate Degree — an academic degree awarded by a two-year college upon successful completion of a program of study, usually the equivalent of two or more years of full-time education. There are two types of associate degrees: 
  

  • Applied Technical/Professional Degrees are designed to prepare students for employment in an occupational field.   
  • Transfer Degrees are designed to provide students with the first two years of a four-year college degree. These include Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and 2+2 programs.
    
• Diploma — an academic program of study in a specific field or professional area designed to prepare students for the workplace, usually the equivalent of one year to 18 months of full-time education.
  
• Certificate — an academic program of study focused on a specific set of job skills or transfer requirements, usually the equivalent of three to 12 courses.