Dual Credit

About

Dual Credit 101

Dual credit courses give you the chance to earn college credit by taking one or more college-level courses while you’re still in high school. If you’re eligible, you’ll earn both high school and college credit for each dual credit course you take.

Dual credit courses give you a head start on college and can help you:

Save money on college tuition
Save time and earn a college degree faster
Learn more about your career interest now
Increase your chances of completing a college degree

Here are some things to consider about dual credit:

The grades you earn in dual credit classes will count toward your grade point average (GPA) in college and will be a permanent part of your postsecondary transcript.
Your record in dual credit courses—your grades, the number of courses you take and/or withdrawals—can have an impact on your eligibility for financial aid and scholarships in college.
Colleges take different approaches to dual credit. Depending on which college you choose, you may not be able to apply all of your dual credit courses toward your degree.
Most colleges require a C or better for a class to count toward a degree and/or transfer.
High schools and colleges follow different academic calendars, so be sure to check your college’s calendar for conflicts with class trips, family vacations or athletic events. Your courses must come first.

Dual credit courses can take place at a variety of locations, including your high school, Area Technology Center, Career/Tech Center, the college and online. Wherever your course takes place, remember that you are enrolled in a college-level course, and that you will be treated as a college student. You will need to follow college policies, meet college deadlines and understand your teacher’s expectations. It may be hard to remember that you’re taking a college course if your course is taught at your high school by a high school teacher. Just remember that your teacher has been authorized by the college to serve as a college instructor.

College Calendar

Get to know your college’s academic calendar and review it for important deadlines. Dual credit courses offered at high schools typically follow the high school calendar, while courses offered online or at your college typically follow your college’s calendar. Each college has its own calendar, so be sure to get a copy or access it online.

HOW Dual Credit Courses ARE Different from High School Courses

College differs from high school in many ways. The biggest difference is in how you manage your time. In high school, your time is mostly managed by other people—your parents, teachers, counselors and other adults. In college, you will be responsible for keeping track of your assignments, due dates and upcoming tests.

Here are some of the key differences.

In High School:

You must go to high school
Others structure your time
Teachers remind you of responsibilities

In College:

College is voluntary
You structure your time
You must balance your responsibilities

In High School:

Homework may take as little as two hours a week
Assignments are discussed and often re-taught in class
Your teachers tell you what you need to learn from assignments

In College:

Expect to study two to three hours a week for each class hour
Assignments may not be directly addressed in class
You must read and understand the assigned material for yourself

In High School:

Frequent tests covering smaller amounts of material
Makeup tests are often possible
Test dates are often rearranged to avoid conflict with events or other courses
Learning goals typically focus on the ability to reproduce what you were taught or to solve the kinds of problems you were shown how to solve

In College:

Infrequent tests that may cover a great deal of material
Makeup tests are rarely possible
Tests are scheduled without regard to the demands of other courses or activities
Learning goals typically focus on applying what you have learned to new situations or solving new kinds of problems

In High School:

Given for most assigned work
Good homework grades may help raise overall grade when test grades are low
Extra credit is often available to boost your grade
Test grades at the start of the semester may not affect final grade

In College:

May not be given for all work
Grades on tests and major papers usually provide most of the course grade
Extra credit is not typically offered
Initial tests are often used as “wake-up calls” for expectations

In High School:

You spend 30 hours in class every week
The school year is 36 weeks long; some classes extend over both semesters and some do not
Teachers carefully monitor attendance
You are provided with textbooks at little or no cost

In College:

You spend 12 to 16 hours in classes each week
The academic year is traditionally divided into two separate 16-week semesters
Professors may or may not take attendance
You will have to pay for textbooks

In High School:

Review your homework
Remind you about incomplete work
Approach you if they think you need help
Are often available before or after class
Have been trained as teachers
Help you catch up after an absence

In College:

May not always review completed homework
May not remind you of incomplete work
Expect you to ask for help if you need it
Expect you to attend scheduled office hours if you need help or feedback
Have been trained as experts in their academic discipline
Expect you to ask your classmates to help you catch up after an absence