Earn College Credit in High School
Kirkwood and AP college courses:
Kirkwood’s Dual Enrollment Programs
• Designed for a broader spectrum
of student.
• Credit earned is on a college
transcript.
• Students earn transferable
credit based on classroom grade.
• Credit is not dependent on a fee
based test.
Advanced Placement (AP)
• Typically target the gifted.
• College credit may or may not
be granted.
• College credit is granted based on
passing summative assessment.
Concurrent Enrollment Opportunities
College credit for high school students
is not limited to the Kirkwood regional
centers. Kirkwood continues to partner
with area school districts for other
concurrent enrollment opportunities
within the walls of each high school.
Kirkwood’s concurrent enrollment options
are accredited by National Alliance of
Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships
(NACEP), a national peer-reviewed
accrediting body that safeguards the
quality of concurrent enrollment options.
To earn accreditation from NACEP,
Kirkwood was judged on criteria such as
instructor preparation and qualifications,
curriculum alignment, student services,
assessment and evaluation.
Regional Center information
www.kirkwood.edu/regionalcenters
Proof in Numbers
According to a recent Iowa State
University study that focused on
direct from high school students
who had earned college credit
while still in high school:
• 72% of entering students who
were Iowa residents already had college credit.
•
Early college credit students had higher GPAs, better
retention, higher graduation
rates and changed their
majors less than those who
did not take college credit in
high school.
• Early college credit students
added minors and second
majors more frequently.
•
The amount of credit didn’t
affect success. In other words,
one class or 10, any amount
of college credit taken in high
school better prepared
students for future
educational success.
Kirkwood Community College
6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW
P.O. Box 2068
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406-2068
www.kirkwood.edu/earncredit
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Kirkwood Community College
Earn College Credit in High School
Free.
Hands on.
Real world.
Find your future.
Whether you’ve known what career
you’ve wanted since the second grade,
or if you’re still trying to decide, taking
some college credit classes while
you’re still in high school is a good idea.
Why?
To experience different career fields
before you make a life-long decision.
Kirkwood talked to industry reps all
around our local area, and asked them
what skills they wanted to see in new
employees. We built these classes
around the information they gave us, so
you can be confident that what you’re
learning applies in the real world
So, let’s say you really want to be a
doctor someday. You should give our
Health Science Career Academy a try,
to see if you actually enjoy taking care
of patients, or if something with a little
less contact would be more your style.
College credit options
at your high school,
a Kirkwood county or
regional center, or online!
Career Academy classes
• Explore specific career
fields by taking college classes for a semester or a whole year.
• Get a jump start on a degree at Kirkwood or transfer the credit to another college.
• Earn industry recognized certifications for immediate employment opportunities.
Other college classes
• Arts and science classes (general education college requirements) that will apply to an Associate of Arts degree at Kirkwood or transfer to a four year public or private college.
• Delivered on site at your high school, or through Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) online or at your Kirkwood county or regional center.
All the classes you take at
Kirkwood are “dual credit,” which
means you get real credit toward
your high school diploma AND
future college degree! The credits
are transferable, too, so if you
decide not to come to Kirkwood
after high school, the credits are
still recognized at other colleges.
Many of our academies even
lead to recognized industry
certifications. Imagine graduating
high school with CPR/EMT,
nurse aide, pharmacy technician
or American Welding Society
certificate!
Plus, prove to your parents
you’re really financially smart:
these classes are free to you
and your family, as long as you
get good grades.
How do I get started?
It’s super easy.
Start with your high school counselor.
Tell all your friends!
Check us out!