About

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. Students demonstrating college readiness through a college placement exam can earn college and high school credits in the same course by attending classes at their high school, on a Lone Star College campus and/or online. Dual credit students can also earn college level certifications while in high school that can lead to immediate job opportunities. Dual credit teachers are regularly employed faculty members of LSC or high school instructors verified by LSC to meet the same requirements as faculty teaching the same course on the college campus.

We partner with independent school districts, charter schools, private schools, and home school parents to offer courses in the core curriculum, foreign languages, and workforce education.

Start College Early

Dual Credit courses allow you to earn high school and college credit at the same time!

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Advantages

• Transfer many dual credit courses to Texas public colleges and universities, private institutions, and some out-of-state colleges and universities.

• Complete college level certifications while in high school that can lead to immediate job opportunities.

• Save money on college tuition.

• Accelerate time to degree completion by getting a head start in college – dual credit students can earn up to a year or more of college credit.

• Build confidence by easing the transition to college and life expectations.

• Access the Lone Star College student support services – library, career services, computer labs, and tutoring.

Costs

• Dual credit courses are Free for students on Free or reduced Lunch. Parents can fill out the lunch application (if they havent already) through School Cafe. Otherwise see the Costs tab for more info

• Initial test fee for the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment is waived for dual credit students.

• Textbooks and other instructional materials may be purchased from the campus bookstore or other textbook retailers in new, used, rental, or e-book formats. Visit LSC bookstores

General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for dual credit you must:

• Be enrolled in high school with an agreement with Lone Star College;

• Obtain approval from the high school designee for dual credit enrollment;

• Complete college admissions requirements for exceptional admissions into the dual credit program; and

• Meet minimum college readiness test scores in reading, writing, math and/or prerequisites for the course(s) you want to take for dual credit.

See more information about eligibility requirements

College Readiness Testing Information

In order to register for a Dual Credit Course, students must be assessed in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics prior to enrollment and show that they meet the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirement. Students must have a qualifying score(s) on one of the following state-approved Texas Success Initiative (TSI) assessment to be deemed college-ready.

See more information about Testing Information

Grading Policies

LSC Grading

LSC uses a grading system in which students are assigned a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or F reflecting the student’s performance in a course.  Each grade will be recorded on the student’s Lone Star College Transcript at the end of the semester.

ISD Grade Points

The student's high school grade for the course will be reported on his/her high school report card. The college letter grade will be recorded on the student's Official Lone Star College Transcript. (Please check with your local school district to determine your Dual Credit weighted rank factor.)

Different grading scales at LSC and your high school require that grades be converted between the two institutions. (Please check with your high school for their grade conversion chart.)

FERPA

FERPA is a federal law that governs privacy of and access to personally identifiable student records.  Instructors will only communicate with the student about their grade status and not the parent. Parents should communicate with their student about academic progress.

See more information about FERPA

Disability Accommodations 

Disability laws may apply differently in College courses than they do in K-12.  Students enrolled in college-level courses are considered College students, regardless of their age.  College students with disabilities are not identified as such by the College; Dual Credit Students are responsible for self-identifying as having a disability.  Dual Credit Students must request disability accommodations in accordance with College policies and procedures.  Since laws apply differently in colleges, compared to K-12, accommodations that are available in K-12 may be different or unavailable in college-level courses.

Lone Star College strongly recommends students contact the Disability Services Office as early as possible, or at least 4 weeks prior to the start of the semester to allow time to set services. For more information, please visit the Disability Services web page and scroll to the bottom of the page to view LSC Policy and Procedures for Students with Disabilities Rights (Section VI.D.11).  Find DS Provider names, phone numbers, and e-mails at the contact information web page for Campus Disability Service Providers.