Jumpstart is one of several flavors of dual enrollment partnership between MC/MCPS. (They've added more programs with more time at MC over the years.)
https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/high-school-students/dual-enrollment/degree-and-pathway-programs/index.html
- General dual enrollment allows students to take classes at MC. Typically high school seniors will take a partial day at the high school and then a couple MC classes each semester.
- Jumpstart is a little more focused. Students are partial day at MC in 11th, then full time in 12th. Some high schools offer some MC courses at the high school.
https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/_documents/high-school/sample-jumpstart-pathway.pdf
- Middle College is offered at Clarksburg, Northwest, Northwood, and Virtually. Students are in a specific program of study and earn a 2-year associates degree.
- Early College are specific programs of study to earn a 2-year associates degree while being full time on MC campus during 11th and 12th.
The variety is intended to serve different students with different interests and goals. Dual enrollment courses are individually equivalent to AP/IB courses (consider that they results in the same transfer of credit to a 4-yr institution). Some folks will insist that AP/IB courses are better, but the reality is that always depends on teacher/professor and the student interest in the course.
For admissions purposes, MC courses are treated as rigorous courses, just like AP/IB. The completion of an actual associates degree is favorable compared to just a collection of courses.