Dozens of high school juniors become Harper College students via College Now Program

Zahra Khawari was already planning to earn her bachelor’s degree in three years. Then the 16-year-old student at Fremd High School learned she could do that even faster through the new College Now program.

Last year, her high school counselor introduced her to College Now – an innovative collaboration between Township High School District 211, Township High School District 214, Barrington Community Unit School District 220 and Harper College – which gives juniors in high school the ability to earn an Associate in Arts degree and high school diploma simultaneously.

“It seemed like a wonderful opportunity. It’s also very exciting,” said Zahra, a Palatine resident who previously planned to accelerate her education through high school courses that grant college credit. College Now offered the chance to take that plan even further. Zahra is interested in becoming a mental health attorney, making an early start to college particularly appealing. “This is a really good opportunity to get ahead and save a lot of money and time.”

Here’s how it works: To be accepted into the College Now program, high school sophomores must meet academic and attendance standards through the application process and college testing requirements. As juniors in high school, students who enrolled in the program also become Harper students. They take courses at Harper in the morning, then return to their high schools for English, math and elective classes in the afternoon. Travel time and sessions for tutoring and academic support are built into the schedule. During their senior year, they will only take courses on Harper’s Palatine campus.

The per-semester cost is reduced for College Now students ($250 paid to the high school). The first cohort of more than 40 students that started classes in August 2026 will have the opportunity to graduate with an associate degree in May 2028. They can explore their pathways from there, including transferring to four-year universities as juniors in college.

“We are thrilled to begin the first cohort of College Now and proud to work with Harper’s high school partners on a program centered on affordability and academic excellence,” said Dr. Sean Warren-Crouch, director of college transitions at Harper. “We know the students are excited to be on Harper’s campus, but a little nervous about meeting people and the forthcoming workload. That’s why we’re doing so much to ease their transition and provide support during their journey as Harper students.”

The College Now program hosted a virtual family orientation in early August followed by a student orientation at Harper the week before classes began. Students were able to meet the college’s dual credit staff, academic advisors and academic support center employees – all of whom offered tips for success and ways to access support. They participated in ice-breaker activities then learned about the responsibilities of being a college student.

Michael Gorrie, 16, from Prospect High School, said he was eager for the independence that comes with being a college student.

“I get to jump-start that experience,” said the Arlington Heights resident, whose career plans include art and photography. “I’m excited to get to focus on classes that interest me more, like arts and literary subjects. But the big factor in doing this was saving time. I can get further along in my life a lot quicker.”

During orientation, Michael and his fellow College Now students also participated in a campus scavenger hunt, designed to connect them with areas for study and assistance (Harper Library, Academic Support Center), places to eat and recharge (Cockrell Dining Hall and Starbucks) and spaces to connect with other students (the Cultural Center and Student Engagement Lounge).

In addition, two College Now students are eager to create a support system of their own. Linden Roberts and Laila Ephraim, both 16 and from Barrington High School, hope to begin a College Now study group.

“We can plan things together and be able to support each other,” said Linden, who lives in Barrington. “We plan to start this at Harper so that everybody in College Now can do it and not be separated between high schools.”

Even though Linden is considering going into an epidemiology field (“I’m fascinated by diseases,” she admitted), she said that getting her Associate in Arts will help her take care of general education college courses to get ahead on her future track.

Laila, from South Barrington, saw a similar benefit. She’s seeking to follow in the footsteps of her aunt and grandfather to become a personal injury attorney. The potential to begin her law studies sooner was an enticing proposition.

“What appealed to me was the challenging aspect. I like trying new things,” said Laila, who also acknowledged she was nervous about getting lost on a college campus. “And the fact that it will get me ahead in college, graduate earlier and move on to law school.”

For more information, visit harpercollege.edu/collegenow.