What is dual credit?

Dual credit (or dual enrollment) allows high school students to take college classes while still enrolled in high school. These courses count for both high school and college credit.

 

How do I decide between Honors, AP, and Dual Credit?

If you are still discerning advanced courses for your child, please read our article on Discerning When to Take Honors Courses. Many of the questions in that article will also be beneficial to ask yourself when considering dual credit courses. You may also wish to listen to the Kolbe Podcast Engage & Apply where the difference between Kolbe's core and honors/AP courses is discussed in addition to dual enrollment considerations.

 

Once you discern that your child is ready for a more challenging course, you may find yourself deciding between honors, AP, and dual credit options. Here are some things to consider:
 

• If your student has completed Kolbe's highest level of courses in subject areas such as math, science, or foreign language, continuing study at the college level may be appropriate.
• College courses demonstrate a student's ability to take on college-level coursework and are generally viewed favorably in college admissions.
• When you pass a dual credit class, you get college credits for it at the institution where you take the course. As mentioned elsewhere in this article, the transferability of these courses is at the discretion of the receiving institution.
• In contrast, you must earn certain scores on the AP exam to be awarded college credit or advanced placement with participating institutions. "Advanced placement" means a student may be able to skip to more advanced courses. (Dual credit courses may also be accepted for placement purposes.) Some institutions do not use AP scores for advanced placement or college credit.
• AP courses have a strong focus on AP exam preparation, which may not be your desired focus for your student's advanced studies.
• High school honors courses indicate rigor but do not offer students an opportunity for advanced placement or college credit.
• Homeschoolers in some states have had difficulty finding testing locations for the AP exams. If you live in a location like this, your student may not be able to get a seat to take AP exams.

Ultimately, which advanced option is best for your child will depend on the academic subject being considered, goals and interests, future college plans, the receiving institutions your child may wish to attend, the options available to you locally and online, and a number of other possible factors. If further discussion might be helpful, please contact your Family Advisor.

 

How do I get dual credit with Kolbe Academy? 

Dual credit courses are courses that can be transferred into Kolbe to count as high school credit by having an official transcript sent to [email protected]. When evaluating whether or not your student should take a dual credit course, please keep the following in mind.

 

• It needs to be a college level (100 level and above, not remedial or pre-college or college prep) course

• A 3-5 semester credit college course = 1-year high school credit

• A 1-2 semester credit college course = .5 credit

 

How are dual credit courses weighted?

Dual credit courses receive an extra point added to the value of the weighted GPA. This means a student will receive an extra point (1.0) for dual credit courses. An "A" in a class that is not dual credit, honors, or AP will receive four points in both the weighted and unweighted GPA. An "A" in a dual credit, honors, or AP course will receive four points in the unweighted GPA and five points in the weighted GPA. As many colleges and scholarships unweigh and recalculate a student's GPA, it is still important to take courses in which a student is prepared to succeed. 

 

Can you guarantee the credit will transfer to Kolbe Academy? 

This cannot be guaranteed until we see the official transcript, but you should not anticipate problems transferring college courses to Kolbe Academy. It is best to include course information on your student's course registration - or add it using a Course Change Request Form, located in your Kolbe Portal account under the "Registration" tab, - to prevent any unpleasant surprises. Your Family Advisor will be happy to review courses to confirm the credit type and suitability of a course for dual credit with Kolbe Academy. Please provide your advisor with a link to the course in the college's catalog for initial review. If a link is not available, please provide the: Institution Name, Course Title, & Course Description. Once we receive official (signed) transcripts, we will do an evaluation of the credits to be transferred.*

*Note: If using a college course to fulfill one of our awards, you must receive pre-approval in writing from our Academic Services Director. Your Family Advisor will coordinate this approval at your request.

 

Can my junior or senior take all college courses?

Our recommendation is that a student will take at least one course with Kolbe. Please note that all students must earn at least 25% of the credits required for their diploma with Kolbe. Review Kolbe's Parent and Student Handbook for the full policy on high school diplomas, including the policy for high school transfer students. Please speak with your Family Advisor if you have more questions about these policies.

 

Does Kolbe Academy offer dual credit courses?

Yes! To learn more about dual credit courses offered in partnership with Kolbe Academy, please visit our Dual Credit Courses page.

 

Will these courses transfer to my future college?

The transferability of credits is always at the discretion of the receiving college or university. Some institutions have more restrictions and requirements than others. There are also instances where some credits may be accepted by your college of choice, but will not be counted toward your degree program. You will need to do your research, speak directly with institutions of interest, and use resources such as transferology.com. You may also wish to familiarize yourself with state programs with guaranteed transferability to public in-state universities. 

Note: Important! Save the syllabus from every college course taken in case the receiving institution requests it for their transcript evaluation. A course syllabus is often required to review college courses for eligibility for transfer credit.

 

What are the benefits of taking dual credit courses?

Dual enrollment can help students complete their degrees more quickly, providing tuition savings. Sometimes completing certain courses in high school will offer students more flexibility with their course selections once they reach college. Additionally, many institutions and programs offer significantly reduced tuition to high school students taking college classes. Even if the courses will not transfer, taking dual credit courses may still be worthwhile to further a student's studies for these reasons:
 

• The opportunity to explore unique and diverse subjects
• Advanced course offerings
• Allow students to demonstrate the ability to succeed in college
• Prepare for the rigors of full-time college coursework

 

What are the drawbacks of taking dual credit courses?

• Potentially not transferable
• Balancing high school and college coursework and scheduling
• Missing out on the formation opportunities offered in Kolbe's theology, literature, and history courses, if those courses are skipped
• Less contact with fellow Kolbe students and other peers in dual credit courses
• Risk of overscheduling, leading to less time for extracurricular activities and leadership opportunities in high school
• Poor performance will remain on the student's college transcripts

 

Am I required to report dual credit courses my student has completed to Kolbe?

No, dual credit courses are not required to be transferred to Kolbe Academy. Speak with your Family Advisor if you have further questions on how this might impact your student.