For Students
Opportunities for Early College Credit
Concurrent Enrollment/Dual Credit
Concurrent enrollment refers to a student who is enrolled in high school and college at the same time (concurrently). Dual credit is defined as a student who is concurrently enrolled and receives both high school and college credit for the same class. The credit awarded for meeting high school graduation requirements is determined by each high school independently. Typically additional paperwork is required of the student, including school and parent approval to ensure proper credit.
Students interested should be performing at an A/B level in their recommended high school curriculum (college preparatory coursework), should possess advanced academic skills, and should demonstrate the maturity level needed to be successful in college-level coursework. Students must also meet the Texas Success Initiative requirements or provide proof of exemption. Concurrent enrollment is intended for students who desire to get a head start on their college curriculum.
Students may register for courses held at college campuses or take those courses offered at their individual high school site. For courses taught at the college, some sections are specifically designated as dual credit. These sections are usually limited to high school students and are typically not open for enrollment by other college students until late registration. All classes arranged at the high school site follow the college schedule. Classes run according to college guidelines and specifications.
The most common course offerings include English Composition and Rhetoric, United States History I and II, United States Government I and II, and Microeconomics. Students may participate in any course approved through their high school but are encouraged to take advantage of those sections specifically designated as dual credit.
Students who have registered are required to pay their tuition and fees by the deadline posted in the college Schedule of Classes. In addition to paying tuition and fees, students are responsible for purchasing the required course materials.
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Advanced Placement (AP)
For complete information, visit http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/.
The Advanced Placement Program® is a cooperative educational endeavor between secondary schools and colleges and universities. Since its inception in 1955, the Program has provided motivated high school students with the opportunity to take college-level courses in a high school setting. Students who participate in the Program not only gain college-level skills, but in many cases they also earn college credit while they are still in high school. AP courses are taught by high school teachers who follow course guidelines developed and published by the College Board.
The AP Program offers 34 courses in 19 subject areas. At the conclusion of an AP course, students have the opportunity to take the corresponding AP Exam. AP Exams are two- to three-hour exams, given in May, made up of multiple-choice and free-response (essay) questions. They are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 3 considered a "qualifying" score. There is an $82 exam fee. If your child is in financial need, you or your child may want to contact your child's AP Coordinator about a fee reduction. Your child's AP teacher or AP Coordinator knows when in May the AP Exam will be offered at school and how to register for it.
How Does My Child Get into an AP Course?
First, your child should discuss their interest with the teacher of the AP course at school, their counselor, or with the AP coordinator. Your child and their counselor should decide together whether they could handle the work. You may also want to discuss the course with your child to help in making the decision.
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International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
For complete information, visit http://www.ibo.org/ibo/index.cfm.
The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), founded in 1968, is a recognized leader in the field of international education. It is a non-profit, mission-driven foundation that works with 1,597 schools (as of November 2005) to develop and offer three challenging programs in 122 countries to approximately 200,000 students.
It is a comprehensive curriculum that responds to the need for greater challenge for gifted high school students. Successful completion of the course work and examinations at the junior/senior level may earn students credit or advanced placement at colleges and universities around the world. The curriculum is designed to provide a broad liberal arts experience for the college bound student. Each student will become proficient in language and mathematics studies, the two most important tools of communication and analysis, and participate in an in-depth exploration of the study of human behavior and the process of educational inquiry. Please see your high school counselor to determine if your school participates in the IB program.
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CLEP
The College-Level Examination Program® or CLEP provides students of any age with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate college courses. There are 2,900 colleges that grant credit and/or advanced standing for CLEP exams.
CLEP examinations cover material taught in courses that most students take as requirements in the first two years of college. A college usually grants the same amount of credit to students earning satisfactory scores on the CLEP examination as it grants to students successfully completing that course.
Many examinations are designed to correspond to one-semester courses; some, however correspond to full-year or two-year courses. Unless stated otherwise in its description, an examination is intended to cover material in a one-semester course.
Each exam is 90 minutes long and consists primarily of multiple-choice questions, with the exception of the English composition essay exam. Some exams do have fill-ins. The cost of each exam is $55 and is free to military service members.
For a full list of exams, visit http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/exams.html.
To register for a CLEP and look for testing centers, visit: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/reg.html
To see if your potential college accepts CLEP credit, visit: http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_clep/searchCLEPColleges.jsp
Tech Prep (.PDF)
Many high school students in Collin, Rockwall and Hunt counties have the option to enroll in Tech Prep courses through the Global EDGE Tech Prep Consortium. Tech Prep courses can begin as early as a student’s freshman year in high school and are taught by credentialed high school teachers on the high school campus.
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