Dual Credit
Get a head start your college career
Dual Credit
•
What is dual credit?
•
What is the difference between high school and college
credit?
•
Where can I take dual credit classes?
•
Can I transfer my credits?
•
How will my credits transfer?
•
What is this “FERPA” I keep hearing about?
•
Who can take dual credit?
•
What happens if I get a poor grade?
•
Does dropping a dual credit course have any impact?
•
When should I start the application process?
•
How much does it cost?
•
Why should I take dual credit?
What is dual credit?

Sometimes called concurrent credit.

Student earns both high school and college credit for
the same course.

Students can take college courses without earning high
school credit.

Verify with your guidance counselor if a college course
can also count for high school credit.
What is the difference between
high school and college credit?

Credit is earned at a different rate.

Typically college classes are worth between 1 and 6
credits-most are 3 credits.

High school classes earn 1 or 2 credits for the same
class.
Where can I take dual credit
classes?



At a university campus

Take classes with regularly admitted students

Learn about campus, professors, and how college works
At your high school

Save travel time

Taught by university approved high school instructors
during the high school day
On line

Set your own time to study and learn

Need excellent time management skills
Can I transfer my credits?

Request an official transcript from the university
(typically the Registrar’s Office)

If you take dual credit from more than one institution,
you will need to request an official transcript from each
institution

There is a minimal processing cost.
How will my credits transfer?

The Core Transfer Library (CTL) is a list of courses that
transfer, and how they transfer, among all Indiana
public colleges and universities. www.transferIN.net

Indiana Independent Colleges have a similar network.
http://oldweb.icindiana.org/pal/index.asp

A grade of C or better is needed for most colleges and
universities in order to transfer the credit.

Students should always consult with an academic
advisor from their intended degree-granting campus. It
is up to each university accepting the transfer credit to
determine how or if the credit will count toward the
academic major.
What is this “FERPA” I keep
hearing about?

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
protects all of your academic records at a college or
university, regardless of the student’s age, once they
are enrolled.

Student must be the one to make calls when requesting
information.

Use FERPA as a catalyst for parents/guardians and
students to communicate about things like grades and
bills.
Who can take dual credit?

Admission requirements vary from institution to
institution

Students must meet college/university’s minimum high
school grade point average

Placement tests may be required

End of course assessment results or other testing may
be required

Receive parent/guardian approval
What happens if I get a poor
grade?

Grades are recorded on your permanent college transcript
and will follow you wherever you go.

You do NOT have the option to have course or grade not
recorded on your college transcript if you are not happy
with the grade.

You can retake a course, and depending on the university, it
will either replace the first grade or the first grade will be
exclude (not count in the GPA) but will still show on the
transcript.

A poor grade will indicate to universities that you were not
up to the rigors of college and you might be redirected to
start your college career elsewhere.

Final point – take dual credit courses seriously.
Does dropping a dual credit
course have any impact?

When you drop a class after the first week of class and
before the last day to withdraw, it shows up on your
college transcript as W for withdraw. This saves your
college grade point average but has an impact on
federal financial aid.

Federal financial aid starts counting college/university
credits with the first class taken regardless of where or
when it is taken, so it will include all dual credit courses
even if you did not qualify for any financial assistance
at the time.
Does dropping a dual credit course have any
impact? continued


In order to receive future federal financial aid, students
must

Maintain a 67% completion rate of all classes attempted. For
example, you take two classes worth 6 credit hours. You drop
one so you only completed 3 credits of the 6 credit hours
attempted or 50%, below the required 67%.

Maintain a cumulative GPA that is above your grade level
(freshman, sophomore, etc.) minimum

Complete your degree within a maximum of 150% of the
required hours for degree completion. For example if your
degree requires 120 hours, you must complete it within 180
hours.
Not meeting one of these requirements will put you in
warning status for one semester and if you have not met all
three requirements by the following semester, your aid will
be suspended.
When should I start the
application process?

Now

Processes vary from institution to institution

Application form

High school transcript

Verify deadlines with each institution
How much does it cost?


Costs will vary depending on:

College or university

Location (@your high school, @the college/university
campus, or on line)

Course – dual credit priority or non-priority
Some financial assistance may be available
Why should I take dual
credit?

Finish your college degree in four years - or even less and save money

Explore a potential major

Get core college requirements out of the way

Challenge yourself academically

Meet some of the requirements for the Academic Honors
or Technical Honors diploma requirements