Taking college classes while in high school shows colleges that you are serious, motivated, and willing to challenge yourself. Even better, it offers you an invaluable advance look at college academics and college life. But how do you take college classes while in high school? Concurrent Enrollment! Check out these helpful FYI’s to get you started.
A concurrent enrollment class is a college level class offered to high school students for college and high school credit simultaneously, or concurrently. Concurrent enrollment students register for the class at both the high school and the college. While students earn high school credit, they also earn college credit, which is recorded on a permanent college transcript. You can usually take these classes during regular class periods.
Who is eligible to take Concurrent Enrollment?
Concurrent enrollment is open to high school juniors and seniors. Sophomores may be eligible based upon a recommendation from the high school counselor. Our experience suggests that a student with a minimum of a “B” grade point average and/or an ACT composite score of 22 who has the motivation to work hard can succeed in college course work. To enroll in English 1010 (Expository Composition) a student must have an English ACT score of 17 or higher. To enroll in Math 1050 (College Algebra) a student must have a Math ACT score of 23 or higher.
How much does concurrent enrollment cost?
Because the State provides funds to cover most of the cost of instruction and facilities, concurrent enrollment classes at public high schools are offered to you for a partial tuition fee of $5 per credit hour within the state of Utah. Concurrent enrollment students at Snow College also pay a one-time admission application fee of $30 when they apply. Talk about a huge savings on tuition! And if you decide to go to Snow College after graduation, you do not have to reapply or pay an application fee.
How difficult are Concurrent Enrollment classes?
The standards are equivalent to those of the same course taught on campus. Compared to most high school classes, concurrent enrollment classes will go into greater depth, require more work and offer greater challenge. They may make considerable demands on your time to complete required work outside of class time and also on your ability to conceptualize, understand hidden meanings and draw conclusions from reading and research. These are the same challenges that you would accept when enrolling in a college or university. You should be prepared for rigorous academic work and more stringent grading standards than those to which you may be accustomed. Concurrent enrollment is a good way for students to learn the difference between high school and college courses and requirements.
Who Teaches Concurrent Enrollment at the high schools?
Often times it is a high school teacher who you are already familiar with that teaches a class, or it is an interactive video conference with an actual college professor located on the college campus that you watch and interface with live. The courses taught at high schools are the same as the courses taught on the college campus. Course curriculum, textbooks, assignments, exams and grading requirements are the same.
What is next to get started with taking concurrent enrollment classes?
Start by talking with your school counselor. Your counselor can help you determine if you are ready for the challenge of a college course. As with honors and AP classes, students best suited for college-level work are those already excelling in the particular subject area, and in their coursework overall.
Your counselor will also know:
Can I transfer the credits to a college or university of my choice?
If your goal is to earn college credit, make sure the college courses you take are transferable to most other colleges. Some community college courses are more remedial and are not accepted for credit at a four-year college. If you are taking AP classes in high school, make sure that any college classes you take don't overlap. Most colleges will not award college credit for both an AP exam and a college class in the same subject. Your counselor can help you sort out these things.
All concurrent enrollment courses earned from Snow College count toward a degree at Snow College as major, general education or elective credit. It is up other colleges and universities in the Utah System of Higher Education, plus BYU, Westminster College or other private colleges, whether or not they accept credits from other institutions. Institutions in other states likewise determine the application of transfer credit. There is no guarantee that Concurrent Enrollment classes will satisfy general education or major requirements at other institutions. It is recommended that students planning to transfer credits seek academic advising at the college or university they plan to attend. Students who complete an Associate of Science (AS) or Associate of Arts (AA) degree may transfer that degree to any college or university and all credits earned will transfer as a package rather than be considered individually. You can get an idea of how credits may transfer between Utah colleges by visiting http://www.transferutah.org/, but still talk over transfer possibilities with your counselor.
Get started today!
NSchedule an appointment with your high school counselor and find out more about the classes that are available. After all, it is never too early to set your educational goals and what you want to do in the future.
It you have the time and the energy, taking a college class can be fun and rewarding. Once you have a taste of college, you may feel that you can hardly wait for your college life to start!
Understand How Your High School GPA Benefits
If your high school records your college work on your high school transcript and awards extra grade points for honors and AP classes, it may treat your college courses the same way. For example, if you earn a B in a college-level class, it will be considered an A in your high school GPA calculation.
If your high school doesn't include your college work on your transcript or doesn't give it extra weight in the GPA calculation, don't worry. Colleges will take note of your college coursework as long as they know about it. Don't forget to send an official transcript of your college work to each college you are applying to. You can request transcripts from the college's registrar's office.
When to Take a College Class
Taking college classes during the summer is relatively easy. Many colleges offer classes during the summer and allow qualified high school juniors and seniors to enroll. Taking college classes during the regular school year takes a little more coordination. You may need permission to leave school during regular hours, and you will definitely need to work around your high school schedule.
What to Expect
College courses are very different from high school courses. In most cases, the work is more abstract, there is more of it, and the pace is faster. You will need to show more initiative and self-discipline. For example, there are few exceptions when it comes to deadlines, there is rarely extra credit, and your instructor may not take as much interest in your performance as your high school teachers do. This doesn't mean you can't ask questions or get help, only that you have to take more responsibility for doing so.
How do you get started with picking classes and getting registered?
What Concurrent Enrollment Classes are Offered Through Snow College?
Concurrent enrollment offerings vary from school to school, depending upon the qualifications of the teachers who want to teach concurrent enrollment courses. Concurrent enrollment courses are taught either face-to-face at the high school or over EdNet. Some typical courses which may be taught face-to-face include:
| BIOL1010 | Biology |
| BMGT1060 | Business Management Accounting |
| DRFT1100 | Architecture Residential Design |
| ENGL1010 | Expository Composition |
| MATH1050 | College Algebra |
| MATH1060 | Trigonometry |
| MATH1210 | Calculus |
| WELD1010 | Oxy-Acetylene Welding and Cutting Processes |
| WELD1020 | Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) |
What is EdNet?
Snow College also uses Internet Video Conferencing (IVC, or also called EdNet) to broadcast a number of courses each semester to various high schools around the state as concurrent enrollment courses. In this case, it is a Snow College instructor teaching the class to several high school locations around the state on live interactive video. Each high school must determine which classes to offer based on scheduling. Typical courses taught on EdNet include:
| ART1010 | Introduction to Visual Arts |
| CJ1010 | Intro to Criminal Justice |
| COMM1020 | Public Speaking |
| ENGL1010 | Expository Composition |
| ENGL2230 | Classic Myths/Folktales |
| GEOG1000 | Physical Geography |
| GEOG1300 | People/Places of the World |
| HFST1500 | Human Development |
| MATH1050 | College Algebra |
| MUSC1030 | Introduction to Jazz |
| PHSC1000 | Interdisciplinary Physical Science |
| POLS1100 | American National Government |
| PSY1010 | General Psychology |
| SOC1010 | Introduction to Sociology |
Which colleges and universities accept Snow College Concurrent Enrollment credit?
Will the credits transfer to a college of my choice? Contact the College
Contact the registrar's office at the college for information about eligibility and enrollment procedures. The registrar's office can provide you with a class schedule and tell you which courses are open to high school students. The college may offer such courses through its adult learning or extension programs. It's a good idea to contact the college well in advance of the semester or quarter in which you plan to enroll.
