Jan 19, 2015 02:50 PM EST By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Boise State University in Idaho will be piloting a high school program to help students earn college credits, school officials announced.

The "Sophomore Start" program will be piloted in the West Ada, Nampa and Parma school districts to enable high school students earn college credits at $65 per credit which is a 75 percent discount off regular pricing.

Although Boise State already has a Concurrent Enrollment program that nearly 3,000 students took advantage of in 2014, the new Sophomore Start option will sit students down with an adviser to identify 30 college credits that will apply towards a college major of their choice while still in high school.

If students stick with the program throughout their high school career, they will have completed roughly ¼ of their college education.

With the added discount, students participating in the program will have saved $5,000 in tuition if they earn all 30 credits in high school.

To participate in Boise State University's Concurrent Enrollment, Sophomore Start option, students must attend a high school in a district that has signed up to participate in Sophomore Start, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), and have a signed permission of parents and high school counselor.

For more information on the Sophomore Start program visit : https://extendedstudies.boisestate.edu/concurrentenrollment/sophomore-start/

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