Maximizing College Credits in High School: A Comprehensive Guide

For ambitious high school students eager to jumpstart their college careers, several pathways exist to earn college credit before graduation. These opportunities not only provide an academic challenge but also offer the potential to save significant time and money on future tuition costs. This article explores the various options available, delving into the specifics of dual enrollment, advanced placement (AP) exams, College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, and other avenues for accumulating college credit during your high school years.

Concurrent Enrollment Programs (CEP)

Concurrent Enrollment (CEP) programs, also known as dual enrollment, allow high school students to enroll in college-level courses and earn both high school and college credit simultaneously. These courses are typically taught at the high school site by college-approved high school instructors during the regular school day.

Benefits: CEP offers a structured way to experience college coursework while still in a familiar high school environment. The credits earned are often transferable to a wide range of colleges and universities.
Example: The "High School Plus One" program offers a suggested pathway to earn 30-31 college credit hours. This includes core courses like English, History, Political Science, Science, Humanities, and Math.

Dual Enrollment: A Closer Look

Dual enrollment programs provide an opportunity to take college-level courses while still in high school. Successfully completing these classes earns credit for both high school and college, mirroring the academic rigor of college.

Accessibility: Dual enrollment courses can be offered at a HACC campus or online.
Application Process: To participate, students typically need to complete an admissions application, often with guidance from a high school counselor. A signature page, ensuring agreement from the student, parent/guardian, and high school counselor, is also required.
Cost: The cost per credit for dual enrollment can vary. For instance, HACC offers different rates for Dual Enrollment and College in the High School programs.

College in the High School

HACC’s College in the High School (CHS) Program enables students to earn college credit for HACC courses taught by their high school instructors at their high school during the school day.

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

AP classes are like taking a first-year course at the college level. You will study a subject in depth, more so than you would in a regular class, and you'll be challenged. By taking AP courses and exams in high school, you have the opportunity to earn college credit, advanced placement or both. If you score 3 or higher on your AP exam, you’ll save time and money, and get a jump start on college classes.

Read also: Enrollment at Notre Dame

Earning Credit: Most colleges award credit for sufficiently high scores on AP exams.
Variability: What counts as a sufficiently high score, and what credit they award, varies greatly by school.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP exams can be taken before or during enrollment at any of Arizona’s three public universities. There are more than 30 exams offered on a variety of subjects including foreign languages, math, history, sciences and English. Each university has their own policies regarding CLEP tests, so be sure to research your options.

Exam Structure: CLEP exams are based on what you will learn in your first two years of college. The majority have 50-150 multiple choice questions. Some tests have written sections, and students usually have 90 minutes to two hours to complete the test.
Cost Savings: You can save both time and money by reducing the number of courses you need to take in college.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Program

The International Baccalaureate program offers students ages 16 to 19 a two-year, pre-university Diploma Program. Certain IB exams, depending on the level of the exam and the grade received, are accepted for credit at Arizona’s three public universities.

College Preparation: The program will help to prepare you for college-level academic demands.

Additional Ways to Earn College Credit

Summer Programs: Many colleges offer summer programs which allow you to take courses on their campus and earn college credit while doing so.
Taking College Courses Directly: Many community colleges will simply allow high school students to enroll in their courses.

Transferring Credits: Navigating the Process

In all of these cases, you will need to do paperwork to get any college credits you have earned to apply to your undergraduate degree. This is true whether you are coming in as a freshman, or have earned enough credits to qualify as a transfer.

Test Credits: Test credits are generally straightforward, as these are widely used and well understood by colleges.
Course Credits: Credits from courses are more difficult, as officials must determine the validity of the course, and whether it is comparable to any courses the college you are transferring to offers.
Summer Courses: Summer courses offered by colleges do provide credits, but these are even more rarely accepted than credits from community colleges.

Embark Program

Embark is a Maine Community College System program that serves Maine students who are most likely to need additional support negotiating the financial, academic, and cultural challenges of college admission and matriculation.

Support: High school juniors and seniors receive individual guidance through the college application process. Those students selected for the scholarship then continue to meet with their Embark advisor on the College campus.
Financial Assistance: Tuition and fees are covered.

How Many Credits Can You Earn?

The number of college credits you can earn in high school varies widely based on factors like the courses you take, your school's offerings and college policies. Some students earn a few credits, while others may complete a significant portion of their degree. It is theoretically possible to earn a significant number of college credits before ever actually enrolling in university.

Transfer Student Status: There is a great deal of variability in requirements, and whether or not a student counts as a transfer or not. As with everything in college admissions, this does depend a bit on your own situation; in general, however, yes.

Benefits of Earning College Credit in High School

Academic Challenge: Colleges want to see that you have challenged yourself academically, and have taken the most difficult coursework available to you that you can succeed in.
Flexibility: Earning credit before you get to college can allow you to consider graduating early, or give you far more flexibility when scheduling your courses by getting you out of introductory work.
Financial Savings: Save time and money, and get a jump start on college classes.

Planning Your Path

Consult Your Counselor: Connect with your high school counselor to find out if dual enrollment courses are offered at your high school.
Research College Policies: Each university will outline their criteria for specific classes that can be replaced by credit earned through CLEP, so be sure to understand your options.
Explore Options: Browse through the different CLEP exams accepted at the university you want to attend and see if there is a subject where you excel.
Consider Your Major: Select your math and science course according to your future major.

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