College in High School: Implications & Considerations for Students

Students benefit from taking part in College in High School (CHS) courses. They gain access to college-level work and earn college credit within their current coursework at no cost. However, there are some implications and considerations students and families should consider when deciding to register for a CHS course. The following information was compiled from the Bellevue College: College in High School (BCHS) program handbook. The basic tenets are applicable to all partner schools, including students in Edmonds College or University of Washington courses. The two main areas covered include:

• Creating a College Transcript: Transferability, Grades, GPA, Financial Aid Implications
• Disability Accommodations and Modified Curriculum: supporting students with a disability identified through an IEP or 504 plan.

Creating a College Transcript:

Transferability of Credits

College credits earned in CHS courses are transferable. They count toward a variety of degree programs at many colleges and universities. However, when making decisions about earning college credit in high school, it is advisable to do some research, speak with your high school counselor, career specialist, CHS staff, or other college advisors to figure out if and how CHS credits will apply toward your future degree.

Grades

College in the High School teachers follow the college grading scale. For instance, Bellevue College uses a letter grading system to reflect student achievement (see BCHS grade summary here). View the BC grading policy here. Letter grades factor into a student’s college GPA. Grades awarded for college credit may be different from the grade a student is awarded by the high school. Yearlong class grades are an average of the two semester grades. A grade of Pass or Fail is not an option for students on a 501, 504, or IEP plan for the College in the High School Program.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

CHS classes start your college GPA, and years later, your grades earned from the CHS classes may still be counted toward your cumulative college GPA. High school students who participate in CHS courses have an official college transcript record created for them automatically when they complete the course, just like any other college student. If students attend the partner college after graduating high school, their CHS course will already be on their academic transcript, allowing them to take higher-level courses. If they apply to attend other colleges or universities, those institutions may require the student to submit an official college transcript. Admissions officers can and often do consider your CHS GPA when making admissions decisions. While this fact underscores the importance of CHS courses, it shouldn't deter you. Bottom line: when you register for College in the High School courses, you are beginning your college journey.

Financial Aid

Students in dual credit CHS programs are not eligible for federal financial aid. However, CHS courses may impact your financial aid eligibility after you graduate from high school. CHS courses do not count toward your eligibility or maximum timeframe for Pell Grant, Washington College Grant, or College Bound Scholarship. They may count toward your timeframe for federal student loan programs, but students who successfully complete College in the High School credits while in high school generally need fewer student loans during college. In general, there are no negative impacts on financial aid for students who successfully complete CHS courses.

However, students who fail to earn a passing grade in their CHS course may experience impacts on future financial aid. CHS credits count toward your college GPA and are used to evaluate satisfactory academic progress in college. If you are not earning a passing grade in a BCHS class, you should investigate the following options:

• Dropping the course
• Repeating the course the following year (either on the BC campus or as a BCHS course at your high school)
• Applying for a financial aid appeal

If you were unsuccessful in only one or two CHS courses, a financial aid appeal will almost certainly be accepted, but you will need to keep your cumulative college GPA above 2.0 to maintain ongoing financial aid eligibility.

Disability Accommodations and Modified Curriculum

In general, accommodations in dual-credit classes work similarly to how they do in other high school courses. Instructors in CHS courses assist CHS students in accessing the accommodations put into place in their 504 Plan or Individualized Education Plan, just as they would in any other class.

However, there is one very important exception to this general approach: colleges and universities cannot usually grant credit for students accessing a modified curriculum. If your IEP establishes a modified curriculum, you have three options:

1. You can use the modified curriculum to earn high school credit but not college credit;
2. You can choose to do the unmodified curriculum and enroll in the BCHS class; or
3. You (and your family members if a FERPA waiver is in place) can have a conversation with staff from BC and your high school to investigate whether additional accommodations or supports might allow you to access the unmodified curriculum and earn college credit.