Q: So what is the difference between Dual Credit Course, EDGE Credit Course and AP Credit Courses?
A: Dual credit is a process by which a high school student enrolls in a college course and receives simultaneous academic credit for the course from both the college and the high school. The student does NOT pay for this class. Wood County Schools pays WVU-P. There are no AP exams, no ACT or SAT exams required to enter and once completed you can transfer your credits to ANY college or university in the nation. It is up to the college or university you are transferring college credits to accept.
EDGE stands for Earn a Degree – Graduate Early. The EDGE program makes it possible for high school students to earn free community and technical college credit in West Virginia while still in high school. EDGE courses generally consist of skilled and career technical classes offered in high schools and technical centers. These credits can only be transferred to West Virginia community and technical colleges. WVU Morgantown, Marshall University is not a community college or technical college, so EDGE credits will not transfer. Any West Virginia Community College like WVU-P or WVUIT would qualify.
Advanced Placement is a program run by the College Board (the makers of the SAT) that allows you to take special high school courses that can earn you college credit and/or qualify you for more advanced classes when you begin college. The AP exam cost $94 each to take, they are scored 1 through 5 with a score of 3 considered passing. This test is basically a test of all that you learned in the AP class. Some colleges and universities will only accept a score of 4 or 5 for credit. The test is held in May of each year but you typically will not get the results of your exam until July. AP classes are more demanding of your time and more difficult to pass.