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Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology Now Offering College-Credit Courses to All BPS High School Students
On Monday, October 7, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT) announced the expansion of its dual-enrollment agreement with Boston Public Schools (BPS) from four high schools to BPS’s more than 30 public high schools throughout the city.
Through this broadened partnership, all Boston public high school students are now eligible to take free classes at BFIT for college credit while simultaneously earning their high school diplomas starting spring semester 2020. Students enrolled in the program as high school juniors or seniors can earn their college degree within one year of graduation. Student recruitment for the expanded program is currently underway. More information on eligibility requirements can be found by visiting https://www.bfit.edu/admissions/earlycollege/.
“The expansion of our dual enrollment program to all Boston public high schools will allow more students from underserved communities to earn a college degree in high-demand technical fields faster and with less debt than a four-year university,” says BFIT President Anthony Benoit. “A BFIT college education provides the technical, communication, and problem-solving skills necessary for well-paying jobs that in turn will uplift our graduates, their families, and the communities they live in.”
As a Boston-based nonprofit private technical college, BFIT is dedicated to training and educating greater-Boston’s diverse, urban youth for well-paying jobs in Massachusetts’ high demand industries, many of which face a skills shortage. More than 90 percent of BFIT students graduate with a career-track job earning a living wage (within one year from graduation) or with plans to pursue further educational opportunities.
“By providing college-credit courses to all BPS high school students through BFIT, we’re eliminating a barrier to real-world skills our students need to succeed after graduation,” said BPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius. “We are so fortunate to have a strong partner like the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology in our own backyard providing a pathway for our students to obtain sustaining careers.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median weekly earnings of people with an associate degree is $132 higher than that of people with a high school diploma. According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, those with an associate degree earn an additional $200,000 over a lifetime compared with those who have attained some college education, but no degree. The center also found 16 million workers with middle skills job training were able to find well-paying, full-time jobs—an increase of four million workers since 1991.
Boston public high school students who wish to apply to BFIT as a dual enrollment student should contact the BFIT Office of Financial Aid at financialaid@bfit.edu or 617-588-1368.
About Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology
Founded in 1908 in Boston, Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT) is one of New England’s oldest colleges of technology. Started with a bequest from Benjamin Franklin and a matching gift from Andrew Carnegie, the private non-profit college offers an affordable education for people seeking technical careers. BFIT is an affordable, urban college serving the greater-Boston region and committed to student success and career readiness in technology fields. Through personalized support, hands-on learning, and industry-informed curricula, BFIT prepares graduates for work, life-long learning, and citizenship. For more information, please visit www.bfit.edu.