Advanced Placement and Dual Credit Fact Sheet
Dual Credit
*taught as introductory level college courses – 100 levels that college freshmen take
*students must have a 3.0 GPA to enroll
*students must enroll in WKU and pay a one time application fee (this never has to be repaid
again)
*each class cost $200 with the exception of Chemistry classes that include a lab; these classes
are $220 each
*classes are one semester in length
*students earn 3 hours of college credit and 1 high school credit
*classes are taught on our campus unless otherwise specified
*classes are taught by either WKU professors or by BCHS staff that meet the requirements of
teaching a college level class
*students earn college credit/pass the course by a combination of assignments, tests, projects,
ect
*college hours transfer to any post-secondary school in Kentucky – the exact course (course
number) may be different but all hours will transfer – ie. Music Appreciation 120 may not transfer
exactly as Mus App 120 to UK but the 3 college hours will transfer at least as elective credit
*tuition is due about 2 weeks into the semester of which the courses are taken
*students can apply for the Mary Jo Young Scholarship (state funded, students on Free/Reduce
lunch receive preference) and the Barren County High School Dual Credit Scholarship (school
funded, based upon need, teacher recommendation, and GPA)
*dual credit classes offered –
Spanish 102/201
Music Appreciation
Intro to Computers
Introduction to College Algebra
Intro to Speech
Intro to Sociology
Intro to Psychology
Intro to Physics
College Math
Nutrition
Advanced Placement Classes
*taught as upper level college courses
*courses are free
*students gain experience of writing and working at the college level (these are the most difficult
classes offered in any high school)
*students earn high school credit by passing the course
*some AP courses receive 2 high school credits upon completion
*college credit is given if student passes the national exam given in May (these exams cost $87
but we pay for all of our students to take them)
*national exams are scored on a scale of 1 – 5 with 1 being not qualified to receive college credit
and 5 being highly qualified to receive college credit – most colleges will accept a 3
*colleges decide which scores they accept – some award college credit (hours) others award
“advance placement” which means the student skips an introductory course
*AP classes are taught by BCHS faculty that have been trained and certified to teach AP classes
*AP curriculum is established at the national level and governed by the College Board (the same
agency that administers the SAT exam)
*give students a true college experience – study skills, time management, rigor, depth of content
– with the support of high school staff
*AP classes offered –
World History (9th and 10th grade)
US History (11th)
th
Biology (10 )
Chemistry (11th)
th
English Language (11 )
English Language (12th)
th
th
Calculus (11 or 12 )
Statistics/Research (12th)
th
th
French (11 or 12 )
Spanish (11th or 12th)
th
3-D Art (12 )
Environmental Science (12th)
My suggestion is to take a combination of dual credit and AP classes. The dual credit courses
give students an introduction (quick success) to college expectations while the AP classes
challenge them like they will be challenged in college.
The ideal situation is to take both in one semester. The dual credit classes typically meet a
couple days of the week with the other days used as time for research, study, meeting with
teachers. This provides and excellent opportunity for students to work on their AP classes.