Arlington Tech Leads Northern Virginia in AS Degrees

Arlington Tech represents 64% of all associate degrees earned by high school students in Northern Virginia.

Arlington Tech is celebrating a major milestone for the Class of 2026. This year, 28 students earned an associate degree before graduating high school.That means about 35% of the graduating class completed a college degree before walking the stage. It is also a 47% increase from last year.

Through Arlington Tech’s partnership with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), Arlington Tech students have collectively saved more than $30 million in college tuition since 2016. “Student agency is at the core of everything we do,” said Margaret Chung, principal of Arlington Tech, Governor’s STEM Academy.

“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 have shared that the opportunities provided through our DE program helps them feel more prepared for college.“It’s a good way to get experience taking classes like you would in college while still in high school,” one of our students recently shared. “Having the ability to earn an associate degree before graduating is really powerful.”For alumni, the head start is making a lasting impact.“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 shared. “It completely changed what was possible for me in college.”

One of our recent graduates, Kimberly Monteflores Gonzales, Arlington Tech Class of 2023,  earned an associate degree in computer science before continuing your education at George Mason University. As a first-generation college student, she said dual enrollment has helped her feel ready for the next step.“I believe taking DE helped me have an easier transition to college because I knew what college classes expected of me,” Kimberly said. “Earning my associate degree gave me confidence because I knew I didn’t have to rush. It felt like a safety net.” Kimberly plans to become a software engineer and she has completed a summer internship with Amazon every year and hopes to join their team full-time after graduating a semester early.

Our Arlington Tech students continue to stand out across Northern Virginia for both the number of students earning associate degrees and the way students are prepared for college-level learning.