Through an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Students Occupationally and Academically Ready (SOAR) program provides opportunities for secondary students that complete a career and technical program to earn credit towards related postsecondary credentials at participating postsecondary institutions. The GACTC recently received approval for two SOAR agreements, adding to existing articulation agreements the GACTC offers high school and adult students.
Students that successfully complete the Health Occupations program at the GACTC or another career and technology center in Pennsylvania have the opportunity to earn credit towards postsecondary medical programs offered at the GACTC. Students that complete a Health Occupations program (CIP code 51.0899) may be eligible to exempt from nine credits (3 courses) in the GACTC Medical Assistant diploma or Medical Administrative Assistant programs.
To learn more about the SOAR program, please visit https://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/Career%20and%20Technical%20Education/Programs%20of%20Study/Pages/default.aspx. Visit https://www.collegetransfer.net/ (select PA Bureau of CTE SOAR Programs under the Search menu) to learn more about these specific SOAR agreements, or contact the Adult Education Office at (814) 941-8324 for more information.
In addition to these SOAR agreements, the GACTC also offers credits towards its healthcare diploma programs in these ways for GACTC high school students:
- Students that complete the secondary Dental Assistant program and have earned their PA radiology license may be eligible for exemption from radiology courses in the postsecondary Expanded Function Dental Assistant diploma program.
- Students that complete the Health Occupations program may be eligible to exempt from 1.5 credits in the Practical Nursing diploma program.
For more information about the postsecondary health career training programs at the GACTC, please contact at the Adult Education Office at (814) 941-8324 or adulted@gactc.edu.
