Dual credit courses can be complex. Luckily, this post breaks down the types of dual credit options for students, plus what to keep in mind when deciding on whether to take these courses.
First, the different options:
Dual Enrollment
- Dual Enrollment are courses that are taken via a college with the college paid professor. These courses are going to count for both high school credit and college credit. Usually, dual enrollment courses are specific to their scope, meaning only high school students are taking the course with the college faculty member.
- Cost: Typically, these courses are offered at a reduced rate specific to the type of students being enrolled (something called Market Based Tuition Rates). For example, here at Wichita State a class can be anywhere from $100-$125 + the $25 application fee for a group of students to take a course from a university faculty member.
Concurrent Enrollment
- Concurrent enrollment is the most common type of dual credit. It is courses that are being offered in the student’s high school with their high school teachers. This teacher is approved by the university to teach the course and has higher level learning within the field they are teaching. This is the most common type of dual credit achievement because the student never needs to leave their high school to obtain both college and high school credit!
- Cost: Generally, these courses are offered at a reduced rate specified by the university granting credit. At Wichita State, concurrent courses are offered at $100 per course + the $25 application fee for a $125 total per college course.
High School Guest
- High School Guest programs are when a student takes courses alongside current college students on the college campus. There is nothing that differentiates the dual credit seeking high school student from other college students. This is one of the best ways to obtain an understanding of what the college experience and classroom is like for a high school student.
- Cost: Usually, this type of student will pay the full tuition and fees that other college students are paying. For example, at Wichita State a high school student will pay full tuition and fees for the course they are taking alongside other college students, but also have all the privileges associated with being a full student on campus including free sporting/fine arts tickets, area YMCA membership and free public transportation to name a few. There is no cap on the number of hours a student can take as a high school guest.
There are a few things to note when considering dual credit options as a student.
Maximize the credit taken from a single university
Many high schools can have teachers that are approved to offer courses through various universities. If a student takes college credit from multiple different teachers who are approved by multiple different universities, then you will need to purchase multiple official transcripts when it comes time to apply for college. This cost can add up quickly, so it is best to take all your dual credit from a single university.
Take as many dual credits as possible
Dual credit options are a great way to get ahead in college for a minimal fee. Both dual enrollment and concurrent enrollment are typically offered at drastically reduced costs – so you can save money in the long run by taking dual credit courses, and graduate quicker!
It is important to understand that many dual credit offering universities cap the number of courses you can take as a dual or concurrently enrolled student, that cap is generally 30 credit hours.
Interested in learning more about dual credit opportunities at Wichita State? Feel free to reach out to Maria Vo, Concurrent Enrollment Specialist at mariavo@wichita.edu or Sam Morris at sam.morris@wichita.edu.
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