College Credit Courses - FAQ for Parents and Students
Dual Credit and College Credit Courses at Allen High School
I. DUAL CREDIT CLASSES
Students in 11-12th grade classes (as well as 10th grade with permission) may take approved dual credit classes through a college of their choice. Please talk with Mrs. Oswald or Mrs. Smith before registering to make sure you have approval. Northeast Community College (NECC) dual credit classes are currently offered free of charge to students. Should this change, AHS will reimburse NECC tuition specifically for “Intro to Psychology” and “Intro to Sociology” AFTER a student successfully completes the course and provides a transcript from NECC. All other courses would be paid by the student. Examples of online courses offered through NECC are:
Principles of Accounting I
World History I and II
American History I and II
Lifetime Wellness
American Government
Intro to Psychology
Intro to Sociology
Public Speaking
Personal Finance
Students opting to take a class that we currently offer here in Allen (e.g. American History) may do so in place of the Allen course here as long as course objectives are the same. In that case, we just need to make sure there is prior notice so we can adjust the student’s schedule here. (Students may NOT take Intro to Literature in place of English 11 or English 12 here.)
PLEASE NOTE: AHS may choose NOT to put Dual Credit courses on a student’s high school transcript. This is because some colleges are less likely to grant transfer credit for dual credit classes than they are an online college credit only class. If the student NEEDS the high school credit, we would place on the student’s HS transcript, but if not, we would leave it off. This would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
II. SENIOR FRIDAYS:
It is the goal of Allen Consolidated Schools to offer senior students the opportunity and financial incentive to further their college experience and/or gain career experience. To that end, the school has committed to paying for classes through the “Fridays at Northeast.” Should a senior choose this option they will attend classes at NECC on Fridays instead of their regular school day in Allen. In addition, students may arrange non-paid internships throughout the semester which will also be attended on Fridays instead of their regular school day in Allen. If a student chooses not to utilize either of those opportunities, they will then be expected to attend the regular school day on Fridays here in Allen.
III. Q an A:
Q: What courses are offered through the Fridays at Northeast and Fridays at Wayne State programs?
A: Both NECC and WSC put out their course offerings a couple of months before the start of the semester, HOWEVER it is very common that they add a class at the last minute, so it is always good to check back with Mrs. Smith regarding offerings. The PDF’s below show the current Dual Credit Offerings.
Northeast Dual Credit Offerings
WSC Online Dual Credit Reference Sheet
Q: Will my college course be accepted at the college where I want to attend after high school?
A: This may vary from college to college, but in general, colleges in this area DO accept NECC and WSC classes for transfer credit. In a few cases (esp. SD colleges) they may only accept dual credit courses as elective credit, which is why we often leave dual credit courses OFF our AHS transcript. It is up to the student to find out if a college course will be accepted at the college where they wish to attend, and the only way of knowing for sure is to contact that college and ask. (Be sure to have the course numbers and information ready when making that phone call.)
Q: What if my class gets cancelled?
A: We have had the situation in both colleges where we had a student sign up for a class, but due to too few students registering, the college decided to cancel the class. In that case, we try to let the student know right away and find another class for them. If there are no classes the student is interested in, then they need to either set up an internship, or attend Allen on Fridays.
Q: What if I get a bill for a Fridays at Northeast or WSC class?
A: NECC and/or WSC should NOT submit bills to students, as we pay for the classes in one lump sum amount at the beginning of the semester. However, they sometimes forget in their offices and do send bills to student addresses. If this happens, please let us know here in Allen and we will look into it—it is just an oversight in their office.
Q: What about ONLINE classes?
A: Students are always encouraged to take online classes (see part I above) through any college of their choosing, but this is aside from the “Fridays” programs. Any dual credit classes a student chooses to take that are not part of the “Fridays at Northeast” program will be done online on the students own time. Allen Consolidated Schools will reimburse tuition only for two specific classes: “Introduction to Psychology” and “Introduction to Sociology” through NECC. That reimbursement will be made after the student successfully completes the course and the school receives an official transcript from NECC. (Transcript request forms are available on the NECC website and can be faxed from the office.)
Q: What about transportation?
A: Students must arrange their own transportation to and from their internship or college class on Fridays. They will be asked to provide a transportation permission waiver to the office.
Q: What if the weather is bad but NECC or WSC does not call off Fridays at Northeast classes?
A: One of our goals is that students get a taste what it is like to be a college student. Parents will need to decide if they do not want students to drive to class on Fridays due to weather, and students will be responsible for communicating that to their professors. NECC has communicated that they will try to be understanding of driving and weather issues. If parents feel that a professor is not taking that into account, they have to decide if they need to contact that professor or speak to a college official regarding that issue just as they would if it were the student’s freshman year in college. (It would be a very good idea to have a conversation with professors at the beginning of the semester and work out a plan for communicating having to miss class BEFORE it comes up.)
*Students who make the decision to miss class due to roads or car trouble will be expected to attend the full day of classes in Allen if school is not called off here.
*If the COLLEGE calls of classes but we do not, the student does NOT need to attend classes at Allen.
Q: What about internships and attendance?
A: Again, if the STUDENT chooses not to attend their internship due to weather or vehicle related issues, they will be expected to attend the full day of classes in Allen if school is not called off here. If the BUSINESS with whom you are interning cancels for any reason, the student does NOT need to attend classes here in Allen.
Q: What if there is a problem with my grade?
A: Again, students will need to communicate with their professors about grades and classroom expectations in the same way they would if they were their freshman year at college.
Q: What if a student wants to do an internship but cannot fill the entire semester of Fridays?
A: It is often difficult to get a company or business to provide internship opportunities on EVERY Friday. Students are encouraged to try to find more than one business to work with, but on days that cannot be filled, students just need to attend the school day in Allen.