Can't decide if Dual Enrollment is right for you? Here is what you need to know:

Complete this form and turn it in to your BHS counselor before you apply for Dual Enrollment: Dual Enrollment Student Disclaimer Form 

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST BE SURE THE COURSES YOU SELECT ARE ON THE DUAL CREDIT LIST (EACH COLLEGE'S TAB ON THIS WEBSITE INCLUDES THE LIST FOR THAT COLLEGE) IF YOU EXPECT TO GET BOTH COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT- REMEMBER AS JUNIORS YOU NEED 4 CLASSES PER SEMESTER LISTED ON YOUR BHS TRANSCRIPT AND SENIORS NEED AT LEAST 3 PER SEMESTER 

• You need to be a rising junior (so you can start taking classes the summer between sophomore and junior year, assuming you have completed all sophomore year requirements)- summer classes will count toward the previous school year on your BHS transcript

• Students are eligible to participate in the LCSD Dual Enrollment program if they hold a minimum 3.0 GPA on the SC Uniform Grading Policy (UGP) weighted scale

• LCSD has three partnerships for Dual Enrollment- University of South Carolina Lancaster, Winthrop University, and York Technical College

• Let your school counselor know that you are interested at your IGP meeting- your counselor does NOT register you

• There may be fees associated with enrollment:

  • All three post-secondary institutions may require fees for books, lab classes, parking and other miscellaneous items

  • USCL will cover tuition using Lottery Tuition Assistance Program (LTAP) funding for those students who carry at least 6 credit hours per semester.  Students with less than 6 credit hours will be charged tuition fees.

  • YTC covers tuition fees for students who take Dual Enrollment courses at the Lancaster County Career Center (LCCC) and other Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses.  There is a $576 fee per 6 credit hours for other students enrolled in the YTC Dual Enrollment program.

  • Winthrop charges $495 in tuition for every 4 credit hours:  1-4 credit hours will cost $495, 5 to 8 credit hours will cost $990 and 9 to 10 credit hours will cost $1495 credit hours.  

• Attend any college information days that the college may offer- they will help walk you through all of this information

• Attendance rules follow the post-secondary institution’s guidelines (Typically three or more absences will result in a failing grade)

• Numerical grades are sent to the HS counselor upon completion of the course.  These grades will be weighted for Dual Enrollment according to the UGP.  

• Class schedules will follow the post-secondary institution’s calendar and may not align with the LCSD calendar.

• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that affords parents the right to access their children’s educational records; however, when that child enters a postsecondary institution at any age those rights transfer from the parent to the child.

• Although you should discuss Dual Enrollment with your high school counselor, it is YOUR responsibility to APPLY to the college and REGISTER for classes.

• If you have an idea about where you want to go to college after graduation, reach out to that college to see what classes they will accept from your dual enrollment experience to count towards your degree there or use this link to view the transfer of credits to other SC schools: https://www.sctrac.org/Student/Search-for-Course-Equivalencies

• Register as early as they allow so that you get the classes you want

• YOU are responsible for APPLYING to, and then once you are accepted, REGISTERING at the college- you have to apply for EACH year you plan to attend- it is not a one time acceptance- all dates are on the college’s dual enrollment webpage

• Some colleges offer free or discounted class tuition through LTAP- ask the college about this and ask if it impacts your future financial aid offerings- you will still have other fees to be aware of even if you get your class tuition for free- you may need to take a certain number of classes to get them for free as well

• Look at the list of approved dual enrollment classes located under the BHS website -> Counseling --> Dual Enrollment 

• Apply to the college following the directions on that college’s website- helpful links can be found on the BHS Dual Enrollment page for the specific school

• There are several documents you need to upload or bring to the college during the application process- transcripts, vaccinations, identification (cannot be a driving permit), proof of SC residency (you may need your parent's license number and car registration information), etc.- have those ready and get them in on time

• CHECK YOUR EMAIL (the one you put on the college application- it is where they will send your acceptance letter)- once you are accepted, the college will want you to register for a college email- this is where all college correspondence will occur, and you are responsible for checking it at least daily- directions for setting up email should be in the acceptance email

• If you do not hear from the college in a reasonable amount of time, call to inquire about the status of your application

• Look to see when the registration day is where you go to the college campus and register for your classes in person

• There will also be instructions for setting up other accounts for all college business (For example: USCL has you set up your “Self Service Carolina” - among other important items, you can see courses offered and your concise schedule (which you need to print and provide to your BHS school counselor once your schedule is set) and your “Blackboard” (or other learning management system) account where you access your class materials

• Check out the college bookstore/website where you can search your class code to see which books, if any, you will need- be sure to order these ASAP so that you will have them in time for class- Going to the college’s bookstore in person may be the best means. Check your class syllabus to see which books, if any, you need- look at the edition as well- it may make a difference-sometimes there is reading due before the class starts, so pay attention to the syllabus

Other helpful items to know:

• Each college has its own way of doing business. It is your responsibility to pay attention and do what they need you to do

• Your BHS issued Chromebook may not allow you to hold Zoom meetings for Synchronous classes. 

• Inquire early about college bookstore programs and possibly getting books for free- you can order books from anywhere you would like, but it is a good idea to start at the college bookstore- check the course syllabus to see which books

• Know all important dates- application deadlines, registration deadlines, drop class deadlines (missing the drop class deadline can result in an F on your college transcripts and may impact your BHS graduation date as well)  HS cannot do anything to help you if you miss these dates- you have 5 days from the start date of an online course and 5 live sessions for an in-person course to drop a course and have a WP on your BHS transcript, which will not negatively impact your GPA

• Do not get talked into taking classes you do not want or need

• Register as early as they allow to get the classes you want

• It is preferred that you take the “asynchronous” option for classes as we do not create your BHS schedule around your college classes, so you cannot be sure that you will not have an BHS class at the same time as a synchronous class or an in person class at the college or that you can “make the drive” back and forth in time

• You will only get BHS credit for the classes that are approved for DUAL CREDIT; however you may take as many classes as the college allows (usually up to 5- remember credits do not equal classes, so be sure to understand your college’s credit system) 

• You may take other courses that are not on the Approved Dual Credit Course list, but they will NOT count toward BHS graduation or be on your high school transcript

• If you have an idea about where you want to go to college after graduation, reach out to that college to see what classes they will accept from your dual enrollment experience to count towards your degree there

• When the class is complete, the college will send the grades to BHS and then they will be added to your transcript-this takes time

• Seniors need at least 3 credits per semester- these can be at BHS, through dual enrollment (dual credit approved classes only), or a combination of BHS and Dual Enrollment classes

• If you are a junior, you need 4 classes per semester

• If you are a senior and plan to attend a four year college, you need 4 classes per semester

• Once you have access to your college Course Syllabus, PRINT IT OUT and KEEP A COPY- it is how you can prove to other schools in the future which classes you took, so that you do not have to repeat classes- a schedule will not cut it in this situation, they will need to see the syllabus

• Once you have access to your Course Syllabus, READ IT and put any important dates on your calendar

• Be sure to explore the entire course site to see any helpful information, links, messages from the professor, etc. You are responsible for that, and it CAN impact your grade!!!

Remember this is COLLEGE and it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to be a prepared student!