This guide walks you through Early College in 14 steps, from deciding whether it is right for you to requesting your transcript. Work through them in order, or open the one you need.
Stuck at any point? Email earlycollegeadvising@maine.edu or call or text 207-814-8567.
New to Early College
Find out whether it is right for you and see what courses are offered.
Getting started
Check whether you qualify
Early College is open to qualified Maine students in grades 9-12, and eligible students can earn up to 18 tuition-free credits. See the eligibility rules, and what you do pay for, on the Tuition and Fees page.
Explore your readiness
To support your journey, our program – in partnership with College UnMazed – offers FREE access to the College UnMazed Student Workbook. This resource is designed to help you decide if taking college courses in high school is the right fit for you.
This guide includes practical activities, checklists, and planning tools to help you:
- Reflect on your readiness for college courses
- Explore possible college and Career Pathways
- Build the academic and organizational skills needed for success
Discuss course options
Meet with your school counselor, your parent or guardian, or both, to discuss your course options and decide whether you are ready for college courses.
Student-led process
You are required to demonstrate college readiness, and the first step is leading your own Early College experience. We expect you to start the application process yourself and to follow up with the Early College offices and your instructors. Your school counselor and your parent or guardian can certainly assist, but you should be leading the way. Otherwise you will not get the full benefit of the program, which includes gaining skills in self-advocacy and learning how to navigate the college process.
Course content and expectations
Within the University of Maine System Early College programs we strive to give you exceptional opportunities to take a variety of courses that interest you or that fulfill general education and academic program requirements. We recognize that you are looking for engagement and enhanced learning at the college level. As such, you will be exposed to a variety of content that may include sensitive subject matters which may include, but are not limited to, content that explores diverse perspectives and topics on race and ethnicity, gender, and gender based violence, religion, politics, human sexuality, and various other topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Make informed decisions
Learning about sensitive topics lets you engage with real world issues, develop your own understanding and opinions, and strengthen your ability to consider other perspectives and viewpoints. If you are not comfortable with the materials or viewpoints described in the syllabus or assigned content, we encourage you and your family to make your own decision about whether to continue in the course.
Understanding Early College terms
Not sure what something means? Early College comes with a lot of new terms. Our A–Z glossary provides simple, easy-to-understand definitions to help you feel more confident navigating the program.
Future financial aid considerations
All colleges must follow federal financial aid regulations, and many students in Maine rely on federal grants and/or loans to help pay for college. While most Early College participation does not negatively impact financial aid eligibility, you and your family should be aware of the following:
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): Grades matter. Failing or withdrawing from multiple courses may affect future financial aid eligibility, particularly if you enroll at the same institution where those grades were earned. Learn more about SAP on the Federal Student Aid website (External Site).
- Course Selection: Taking courses that do not apply to a future degree program may limit financial aid eligibility.
- Full-Time Enrollment: Completing a high number of general education courses during Early College may make it more difficult to maintain full-time enrollment status after high school, which can impact financial aid eligibility.
Choose your courses intentionally, focus on doing well, and work with your school counselor or an Early College counselor to make sure your courses support your future academic plans.
Explore your course and Career Pathway options to decide which courses would be the best fit.
Important Reminders:
▪️ Select the course format that works best: in-person, online, distance synchronous, hybrid, or hyflex. (Learn more about course formats on our course information page linked below.)
▪️ Make sure to fulfill any course prerequisites (requirements that MUST be met in order to take the course).
▪️ Online or in-person courses will run based on the college’s academic calendar. You may need to attend courses during your high school vacations and other scheduled days off.
▪️ College courses in high school will run based on the high school’s academic calendar.
▪️ It is your responsibility to know when your courses begin and end, and all other deadlines related to your courses.
Helpful Resources:
Course Information Page
Career Pathway Options
ExplorEC (External Site) is the online portal where you apply for Early College courses, working with your school counselor, or your homeschool parent, and your parent or guardian. You submit a separate application for each course, all from the same account.
Already have an ExplorEC account? Log in, never create a second one. If you cannot get into your account, email explorecaccounts@maine.edu and ask for help.
ExplorEC covers all seven of Maine’s Public Universities. The same username and password also work in OnCourse, where you apply for Maine Community College System courses.
In ExplorEC you will:
- see current course offerings and apply. Each listing shows the description, prerequisites, credit information, how the course is delivered, and the start and end dates, and you can search the listings
- check the status of every application
- request a drop or a withdrawal if you need to
- sign the optional FERPA consent
- sign up for a Career Pathway
Early College is a student led process. You submit your own applications, read your own email, and follow up with Early College offices and instructors. Counselors, parents, and guardians may assist.
Important Reminders:
▪️ The information you type into ExplorEC will be used to create your official university transcript. Make sure to enter everything correctly and use legal names.
Helpful Resources:
ExplorEC Portal Guided Video Tutorials
Watch: How to Create a New ExplorEC Account, about 3 minutes (External Site)
Watch: How to Log In to an Existing ExplorEC Account, about 2 minutes (External Site)
Download Apply for Early College Courses
Print at 100% or Actual Size, not Fit to Page.
Application steps
- You apply. Create an account or log in, sign the student agreement once per semester, then select your courses and submit.
- Parent or guardian reviews. Signs the parent consent once per semester.
- School reviews. School counselor, or homeschool parent, approves or declines each course.
- Application complete. Steps 1–3 and any prerequisite documents must all be submitted before the deadline.
- Early College office reviews. Evaluates each complete application in the order received, and may decide not to register you for reasons including prior academic history.
- Check email. Automated status update emails are sent through ExplorEC at each stage. Registration is confirmed only when the status is changed to “Registered.”
When applications open
- Summer: 2nd Friday in February
- Fall: 1st Friday in April
- Spring: 1st Friday in November
Tip: for the best chance of getting your preferred course, apply as early as possible once courses are available.
Application deadlines
The completed application deadline is 1 week before the semester or session start date. A completed application includes all of these:
- Student agreement
- Parent consent
- School counselor or homeschool parent approval
- Prerequisite documentation, if required
- May include placement test results, transcripts, AP exam results, SAT or ACT scores, or other course-specific requirements.
Some college courses are taught at your own high school. These are called concurrent enrollment courses, and your teacher will notify you of the application deadline.
Applications not completed by the deadline are marked “Late Application” and will not be processed.
Semester course limits
- Summer: up to 2 courses
- Fall and spring: up to 3 courses
- No more than 1 condensed course at a time.
- 3-week courses are not permitted.
Do not apply for the same course twice. That includes two sections of one course, such as PSY 100 at UMaine, and equivalent courses at two universities, such as Pre-Calculus at UMA and UMFK.
Exceeding these limits puts all of your applications on hold. Follow the instructions sent by email to proceed.
Application processing
Applying is not registering. Early College Administrators review approved applications in ExplorEC and then register you manually in MaineStreet. All matriculated college students have priority, so a spot may not be available even when ExplorEC shows seats.
Helpful Resources:
Registration Information and Application Deadlines
ExplorEC Consent Language for Students and Parents
Home Educated Student Application Guide
Watch: How to Search & Apply for Courses, about 10 minutes (External Site)
ExplorEC Portal Guided Video Tutorials
How to Remove a Course Application In Applied Status through ExplorEC
Your application will always be labeled with a status that you can view in ExplorEC to track where it is in the process. It does not go straight from applied to registered. Each change of status means something different for you.
Application status flow
Need a closer look? View the full-size flow chart. Prefer a printable version? Download the Application Status Flow (Accessible PDF).
Want the full definition of a status and the email that goes with it? See Application Status Definitions & Corresponding Student Emails.
What each status means
Every application starts here.
- Applied: You submitted the application. Two approvals are needed before the Early College office reviews it, one from your school counselor or homeschool parent, and one from your parent or guardian.
After Applied, an application moves to one of two statuses.
- Not Approved: The school counselor or homeschool parent did not approve the application, so it will not be sent to the Early College office.
- Approved, Pending Registration: Your counselor or homeschool parent approved your application and it goes to the Early College office for review. You are not registered yet. Anything still missing, such as a signature or prerequisite documents, has to be turned in first.
After Approved, Pending Registration, an application moves to one of seven statuses.
- Dropped: You asked to drop the course before being registered. The course will not appear on your university transcript.
- Registered: You are registered for the course. Keep checking your email for what comes next.
- Waitlisted: You are on a waiting list and will only be registered if a seat opens up.
- Application Not Processed – See Notes: Something required is missing, so the application cannot be processed. You will get an email within 24 hours explaining what is needed.
- Late Application: The application was submitted or finished after the deadline and will not be processed. There are no exceptions.
- Section is Full: There are no seats left in the course. You are not registered.
- Cancelled: The course was cancelled. You are not registered.
After you are Registered, the course can end in one of four ways.
- Dropped: You asked to drop before the drop deadline. The course will not appear on your university transcript.
- Withdrawn: You asked to drop after the drop deadline. The course will appear on your university transcript with a grade of W. A W does not affect grade point average.
- Drop/Withdraw – Bill: You asked to drop after the billing deadline. The course will appear on your university transcript, and the credits either count toward your 18-credit limit or are billed to you.
- Cancelled: The course was cancelled after registration. You are no longer registered.
Check your application status in ExplorEC
You can log in to your ExplorEC account at any time to check the current status of your application. From your ExplorEC dashboard, click the “Application Status” tile to see the status of your application. Your status will update in ExplorEC as your application moves through the approval, review, and registration process.
Check for updates in your email
After you submit your application, watch the email address you provided in your ExplorEC account for updates about your application status and any required next steps. Automated emails from the Early College Program are sent when your application status changes or when additional action is needed. These emails may take up to 24 hours to arrive. If you do not receive an expected email, please check your spam or junk folder before contacting the Early College Program.
You can expect the following types of emails:
▪️ Emails through ExplorEC (noreply@explorec.maine.edu) regarding application status changes
▪️ Emails through ExplorEC (noreply@explorec.maine.edu) from our Early College offices with important questions or information about courses.
▪️ Account Activation Email from ums.ec.activate@maine.edu. (See Step 6 for further information.)
▪️ Registration Confirmation Emails
▪️ Emails about university-specific resources
▪️ Emails from instructors
Important Reminders:
▪️ You can also read any emails sent through ExplorEC by clicking on the Notes tile on your ExplorEC dashboard.
▪️ Emails from the Early College offices will be sent to the email address you provided in your ExplorEC account.
▪️ Emails from instructors will be sent to your @maine.edu email address.
Helpful Resources:
Student Welcome Email
Application Status Definitions & Corresponding Student Emails
Parent Consent Agreement & Related Emails
Parent Status Update Emails
School Counselor Status Update Emails
Preparing for your course
Podcast: ExplorEC, MaineStreet, and Brightspace Explained
Navigating through your course
Dropping/withdrawing from your course
Getting your transcripts
Paying your bill
Have questions? Email earlycollegeadvising@maine.edu or call or text 207-814-8567.
