Dual Enrollment/College in High School
Dual Enrollment Programs and College in High School Programs allow qualified students to take college courses while enrolled in high school. Credits are accepted by most colleges nationwide, making the programs a great way for students to get a jump-start on a college degree.
Per the Illinois Board of Higher Education/IBHE:
Dual Credit Authorization and Compliance - Independent, Out-of-State, 4-year Public Institutions
Map of IBHE-Approved Institutions for Dual Credit
What is the (110 ILCS 27/) Dual Credit Quality Act?
The Dual Credit Quality Act was enacted to accomplish the following to:
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- Reduce college costs.
- Speed time to degree completion.
- Improve the curriculum for high school students and the alignment of the curriculum with college and workplace expectations.
- Facilitate the transition between high school and college.
- Enhance communication between high school and colleges.
- Offer opportunities for improving degree attainment for underserved student populations. (Source: P.A. 96-194, eff. 1-1-10.)
The Dual Credit Quality Act can be found here.
For more information from IBHE on Dual Enrollment and credit, please visit their website at: IBHE Dual Enrollment/Credit Information
For information from ICCB regarding Dual Credit Enrollment and credit, please visit their website at: ICCB Dual Enrollment/Credit Information
How does Dual Enrollment or college coursework in high school work with the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI)?
This depends on a couple of factors regarding the credits and coursework taken. If the course credit is offered through an IAI participating institution and the course taken is IAI approved, then you should receive credit when you transfer it to another institution or if you choose to attend the college after high school. However, high school students starting right after senior year at a 4-year institution are considered native students at the 4-year institution. This means that you should ask questions about your dual credit as you apply and enroll in your university of choice. You will want to find how your dual credit courses will work with the institution's general education program. Each institution has its own general education programs for their native students and they don't always agree with IAI or the credits awarded via IAI. When you are working with dual credit or any college credit, make sure you have your credits sent via an official transcript to your institution. It can also be helpful to a copy of your transcript for yourself.