THORNTON ACADEMY
SACO, ME·Private
Dual enrollment in Maine
College credit earned while still in high school. It is the single largest lever on a college bill, and what it costs your family depends almost entirely on which state you are in.
The state covers dual-enrolment tuition, so college credit earned in high school costs your family little or nothing.
Aspirations Program (Early College)
Free
The Maine Department of Education's Aspirations Program funds the tuition, so an eligible student pays nothing for college courses taken within their Aspirations credit allotment (the Maine Community College System describes it as enrolling in for-credit college courses 'without paying any tuition or fees'). The allotment is a hard ceiling: starting with the Class of 2027 a student gets 18 Aspirations credits for their high school career (CTE students in approved career pathways get an additional 6), plus a per-term cap of 3 courses in fall, 3 in spring and 2 in summer. Once a student exceeds the limit they are notified and then billed at the college's normal rate. Books, supplies and transportation are not stated as covered.
Who can enroll. Publicly funded (or registered home-instruction) high school students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled at a Maine school and are residents of Maine; limited exceptions exist for foreign exchange students approved by the superintendent and attending at public expense. Courses must be taken at a Maine Community College System or University of Maine System institution, and the colleges determine Aspirations eligibility by application date. MCCS additionally requires roughly a 3.0 (B) high school GPA or an administrator's recommendation, satisfied prerequisites, school and parent approval, and available seats.
Anchored on 7 public colleges in Maine · verified 2026-07-31.
Community colleges near THORNTON ACADEMY
Ordered by distance, because a student without a car cannot attend a college two hours away whatever its transfer agreement says. Open one to see what starting there and transferring would actually save.
Outside of class
Activities colleges actually read on an application - and where to find them near this school. Depth in one or two beats a list of ten.
Plan from here
Directory, enrollment and staffing from the NCES Private School Universe Survey. Dual-enrollment funding rules from state policy, verified on our last review. Figures change - confirm with the school before relying on one.