Tech Prep is a college program that prepares students for technical careers. Participation in the program prepares the student for direct entry into the workplace as a technically skilled employee. It also leads to an associate degree, a post secondary certificate program, and may allow students the opportunity to continue toward completion of a baccalaureate degree.

Students can earn college credit while in high school through the Tech Prep Program. The college Tech Prep program is a sequence of courses developed cooperatively between the school districts and the college. These programs are supported and approved by both the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The Tech Prep policy is written as follows:

"Tech Prep students must enroll in an associate degree or certificate program at a college of the DCCCD to receive college credit for high school Tech Prep courses."

High school students must follow these steps to participate in Tech Prep:

• Choose a Tech Prep career program offered at your high school.
• Speak to the high school counselor and take the suggested high school classes.
• Ask the high school counselor to fill out a "Transfer of Tech Prep College Credit" form.

After high school graduation:

• Enroll in the college where the Tech Prep associate degree is offered.
• Meet with an advisor at the college; declare a major and file a degree plan in a related Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree or Certificate Program.

Upon enrollment, the college personnel will begin developing a transcript for the student. The transcript will include courses taken at the high school, which meet Tech Prep requirements.

For more information about the Tech Prep program, contact the counselor or career and technology teacher at the high school or call the college's Tech Prep office.