Arlington Tech Students Earn College Degrees Before High School Graduation

ARLINGTON, VA — Twenty-eight Arlington Tech students in the Class of 2026 earned associate degrees before graduating from high school, a milestone school officials said represents about 35 percent of the graduating class.

The total marks a 47 percent increase from last year, according to Arlington Tech, the Governor’s STEM Academy at the Arlington Career Center. School officials said Arlington Tech students accounted for 64 percent of all associate degrees earned by high school students in Northern Virginia.

Through Arlington Tech’s partnership with Northern Virginia Community College, students take dual-enrollment courses while completing high school requirements. Since the program began in 2016, Arlington Tech students have collectively saved more than $30 million in tuition, according to the school.

Students Get College-Level Experience In High School

Principal Margaret Chung said the program’s model is built around giving students more control over their academic paths.

“Student agency is at the core of everything we do,” Chung said. “When students are trusted to make decisions about their learning and given access to authentic college experiences, they rise to meet that challenge. They are not just earning credits. They are building direction, confidence, and a clear sense of what comes next.”

Students in the program set goals, choose coursework and build pathways through STEM learning, dual-enrollment classes and work-based capstone experiences, according to Arlington Tech.

One student said the program offers a chance to experience college-level classes while still in high school.

“It’s a good way to get experience taking classes like you would in college while still in high school,” the student said. “Having the ability to earn an associate degree before graduating is really powerful.”

Another student said the opportunity changes how students think about their future.

“You can graduate with up to two years of college already completed,” the student said. “That changes everything about how you approach your future.”

Alumni Say Dual Enrollment Saved Time And Money

Arlington Tech said many students who have earned degrees or certificates through the program have gone on to graduate from college early or begin advanced degree programs ahead of schedule.

“The number of transfer credits I was able to earn through dual enrollment shaved over a year off of my degree and saved me thousands of dollars,” one Arlington Tech alum said. “It completely changed what was possible for me in college.”

Another alum said transferring more than 40 credits made it possible to plan for early graduation and pursue a master’s degree in the fourth year of college.

“That head start made a huge difference in both time and cost,” the alum said.

Kimberly Monteflores Gonzales, a member of Arlington Tech’s Class of 2023, earned an associate degree in computer science through dual enrollment while completing her high school requirements, according to Arlington Tech.

Monteflores Gonzales, a first-generation college student, also earned an Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship. She now attends George Mason University and plans to become a software engineer. She has had a summer internship with Amazon each year and hopes to join the company full time after graduating a semester early, according to Arlington Tech.

“I believe taking DE helped me have an easier transition to college because I knew what college classes expected of me,” Monteflores Gonzales said. “Earning my associate degree gave me confidence because I knew I didn’t have to rush. It felt like a safety net, and I was able to take some fun classes, some humanities classes, that I found really interesting.”

Arlington Tech is part of Arlington Public Schools and combines dual-enrollment college coursework, career and technical education, and project-based learning. Students graduate with a high school diploma and may also earn college credits, industry credentials, an associate degree or a college certificate.