July 28, 2026
When Dylan Shawver began to lay out his high school and college plans two years ago, the Rosman High School student was ranked near the top of his class after taking a full load of honors-level classes; but he was looking for a challenge.
He investigated Blue Ridge Community College’s Career and College Promise program, which is offered tuition-free to all high-school age students in Transylvania County. After completing his first Introduction to Computers class, subsequent studies showed Shawver additional almost no-cost courses aligned with his intended collegiate major. Now he plans to complete more CCP classes this year.
“Taking Blue Ridge classes lets you see what college classes are like, while also giving you a free college credit,” Dylan Shawver said in a news release.
The majority of CCP classes taken in high school will transfer to all the public universities in North Carolina. The average cost of a three-credit university course for in-state students is between $500 and $900. All students have to pay registration and course fees, but this high school student’s reason for enrolling in the CCP program was not solely a financial one.
Shawver said these valuable community college credits provided him with priceless insights into how university courses will operate.
“I would say communicating with my professors, organizing my work, and remembering due dates was more important in the college-level course than it was in my high school classes,” Shawver said.
Dylan’s mother Sarah Shawver is the guidance counselor at Rosman High School and agrees Blue Ridge Community College has already made a difference in her son’s path to the future.
“I believe Blue Ridge gives students the opportunity and independence to explore the college experience on a smaller scale,” Sarah Shawver said, noting that the growth of this BRCC program mirrored that of some of her son’s public education peers.
“I have seen students who struggle academically thrive in courses like automotive or nursing, because it’s something that keeps their attention and they enjoy learning the material,” she said. “As a community member, I’ve seen several students who have used their courses to go into the workforce, especially with some of the programs that offer certifications with their classes.”
Dylan Shawver currently plans to attend Brevard College and pursue a degree related to either mathematics or computer science. While his path is not set in stone, he is already well along on his path to the future.
“Although the work can be challenging or unfamiliar, I would definitely say the experience is worth it,” he said.
Blue Ridge Community College partners with Transylvania County Schools to provide tuition-free college courses. All three public high schools have a career coach assigned to assist students during the application process.
Transylvania County students are invited to meet their career coach and attend the CCP Bootcamp sessions starting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 5 and Friday, Aug. 7, at 2 p.m. in Room 112 of the Blue Ridge Transylvania County Campus located at 45 Oak Park Drive in Brevard.
The majority of BRCC fall semester classes begin on August 17, with several starting the following week.
For more information about the BRCC Career and College Promise program, visit www.blueridge.edu/ccp.