ACC Dual Credit 

About Dual Credit

Dual Credit is a program that allows high school students to take college courses at Austin Community College. Through a partnership between Leander ISD and ACC, the tuition is FREE for up to 12 courses! Not only can students get a head starts on earning college credits, but many of the courses count for high school credit as well (or what we refer to as dual credit). 

Prospective ACC students need to first meet with your alpha counselor to decide if ACC is the best fit for you. Once you've made that decision and completed the first four enrollment steps, you'll need to meet with Mr. Nelson.

ACC Dual Credit Parent/Student Information Presentation 

Click the link in the title to download the presentation from the 2024 Start to Finish Night - February 21, 2024. If you are interested in the program, please complete the step-by-step enrollment procedure to make sure you qualify for the program.

DUAL CREDIT COURSE LIST

ACC courses are run through ACC and not LISD. Please keep this and all of ACC's policies in mind when considering registration and your courses. 

ACC Important Dates and Deadlines

LHS Dual Credit Course Offerings 

Which courses should I take? Will they transfer? 

TCCNS - the Texas Common Course Numbering System allows you to compare institutions to determine the equivalency at ACC

Austin Community College Transfer Services - to explore ACC's transfer services

Transferology.com - this site may help you find equivalencies if attending an out-of-state school. It's always best to confirm transfer credits with the college you are intending on transferring to. 

LISD ACC.pdf

Texas Core Curriculum

Not all classes will count towards dual credit, but students are welcome to pursue credits to fulfill their interests, meet academic goals, or for transfer to college/university. A great website is the Texas Common Course Numbering System which allows you to search between institutions for credit transfers.

This website allows you to search Texas college/university core curriculum requirements for strategic course planning. College Core Curriculum Guide allows you to view the "basics" required for most Texas Public Universities (see document to the right).

CoreCurriculum_2016.pdf

Which textbooks do I need?

So how exactly do you know which textbook is needed for your ACC dual-credit course? You have a couple of options, outlined here on ACC's website. Here are a few recommended options for obtaining your textbooks:

TEXTBOOK SCHOLARSHIP If you have financial need, please see Mr. Nelson for books available to be checked out for the semester. These books must be returned at the end of the semester. The Leander Educational Excellence Foundation (LEEF) has generously set aside funds to support dual-credit students and have allowed us to start a small collection of books to lend to students.

Where can I verify my course schedule or ACC grades?

On the ACC website, students can log in to Self-Service to view course registration, professor information, meeting time, etc. To view official grades, students must login to Online Services and access the Student Menu of services. Here, students can find their unofficial transcript, as well as order transcripts to be sent to colleges and universities.

How can I find out more about a professor before registering?

First, if there is a link provided on the ACC schedule listing, click on that to see what kind of information might be posted on their website and syllabus. Otherwise, you can also try Rate My Professor to get some insight from previous students' ratings of the professor.

How can I prepare for the US History STAAR Exam?

If you are taking HIST 1302 - US History through ACC, you are still expected to take and pass the US History STAAR exam as a graduation requirement. The test is offered three times a year: December, May, and July. For specific dates, contact Mr. Nelson or reference the above calendar. 

To prepare for the exam, we encourage students to reference this US History facts book that summarizes important information to know. If you'd like a hard-copy of this book, please see Mr. Nelson.

WHAT IS DISTANCE LEARNING?

Distance Learning is the term ACC uses for courses offered in an online format. This format gives students more scheduling options and a wider selection of classes to meet individual needs. Meanwhile, course content and transferability is identical to classes offered on campus and in-person. Distance Learning is NOT available to students wishing to participate in ECS+ or Senior Cohorts. 

Distance Learning is not for everyone. You need to know yourself as a learner. Do not take distance learning options if you are not a self-starter and on top of all of your work, regularly. Some courses are more manageable as distance learning than others. Be sure to talk with Mr. Nelson if you're considering taking a course as distance learning. 

TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN DISTANCE LEARNING CLASSES

1. Prep your technology. You will need a computer, web access, and in some cases a web cam or headphones. Keep these items charged, ready to go.

2. Dedicate time for your course. Carve out structured time specifically allotted to dedicate to each of your online courses. This could be every day, every Mon/Wed, mornings, evenings...think about when you work best and are most focused.

3. Choose a workspace. Find a place that is free of distractions (siblings, TV, etc.) and comfortable where you can stay focused. Find a desk, dining room table, etc. - couches and beds may be your productivity nemesis!

4. Use your online tools. Check Blackboard and your ACCemail regularly. This is how professors will communicate with you.

5. Team up! There is power in accountability. Connect with other students in your class to check-in, discuss learning, or study together.

6. Plan & organize. Map out due dates. Set reminders on your phone. Break out big tasks into smaller, manageable chunks. 

Want more? Here are 21 Study Tips for Online Classes Success.