Dual Credit

What is Dual Credit?

Dual credit programs allow high school students to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously by taking college-level courses. These courses are taught in the high school classroom or on an online platform. Dual credit is a great way for students to get a head start on their college education and potentially save money on tuition costs.   

When Can My Student Take Dual Credit?

Students generally are allowed to take dual credit starting their sophomore year, though we recommend dual credits beginning junior year, especially for those who have already full high school schedules and participate in multiple activities such as sports, arts, and/or clubs.

Is There a Cost to Dual Credit Courses?

Yes.  Dual credit courses are charged a tuition and book fee set by the issuing college or university.  These costs are generally a fraction of the costs if you were to take a course as an adult or a college-age student.  This creates an incentive for some students to potentially lower future college costs by taking some courses early.

Does FCA work with the KHEAA Dual Credit Scholarship?

Yes. The KHEAA dual credit scholarship is provided for juniors and seniors in the state of Kentucky.  As a certified school, our students are eligible for this scholarship.  Students fill out a form and submit the form to the school guidance counselor. This scholarship covers tuition (not textbook or additional fees) for two courses in your junior year and two courses in your senior year.  This does not cover textbook fees or electronic textbook fees that are often charged by the university.  These fees would be the responsibility of the student's family.  Also, please note that the scholarship does not roll over to the next year; if you only use one in your junior year, you will have only two available in your senior year. It is also important to note that this scholarship can only be applied to courses offered in a college or university here in Kentucky.  For example, SKYCTC courses are eligible for this scholarship, but Freed Hardeman, York University, and Florida College courses are not eligible as the schools are located outside of the state of Kentucky. 

Are There Eligibility Requirements?

Yes.  Most dual-credit courses require at least a 3.0 unweighted GPA to be eligible to apply.  Some courses require a 3.2 unweighted GPA. Other prerequisites may also apply.  For example, to take MAT150 College Algebra, a student will need to have completed Algebra 2 and have at least an overall unweighted GPA of 3.2. Please contact the guidance office for more information or to answer additional questions.

Are There Limitations on Courses a Student Can Take?

There are some limitations, for instance, we do not generally allow a student to take an online class where we offer the class in person at the school.  We also designate certain courses at certain levels; for instance, dual credit Eng 101 and Eng 102 are designated as senior courses for FCA. Students are free to take as many dual credit courses as they can fit into their schedule, and parents are willing to pay for it.

What Format Are Courses Offered In?

At FCA, we offer some in-person classes taught by our staff in our normal classroom setting. These are courses such as ENG 1 and ENG 2. These courses are still subject to all fees from the university, as mentioned above.  We also allow our students to take online courses that allow our students a larger catalog of courses to take.