Dual Credit High School Program

What is the Dual Credit High School Program at Prairie State College?

The Dual Credit program at Prairie State College allows college-ready high school students to take qualified courses and earn both high school and college credit – at the same time. The credits you earn are transferable to PSC and other participating colleges and universities.

Participants take college-level courses at their high school campus. The program is open at partnering high schools and is available to college-ready high school students currently enrolled in or interested in taking career or technical education courses. The course credits and grades will appear on both high school and college transcripts. This is an excellent opportunity for high school students to take college-level coursework that will accelerate academic progress.

 

The program is free to high school students.

Participating High Schools

College-qualified teachers are teaching courses at the following high schools participating in the Dual Credit Program with PSC:

  • Beecher District 206-U
  • Bloom Township District 200-U
  • Crete-Monee District 201-U
  • Homewood Flossmoor High School District 233
  • Rich Township High School District 227
  • Kankakee Area Career Center

Get Started

  1. Watch the Application Video if you are a new dual credit student
  2. Complete the PSC High School Partnership application. NOTE: Choose Dual Credit to ensure you are properly designated in our system.
  3. Confirm the name of the course you plan to complete.
  4. Select your high school and complete the registration form below.

Benefits

  • Dual credit courses can reduce the cost of college.
  • Earning college credits while in high school can speed up the time it takes you to obtain an associate degree.
  • If you decide to enroll at PSC after high school, you may be able to register for courses online since you are already considered a PSC student.
  • Transitioning into college courses will be smoother since you will have already taken college-level course work.
  • As a dual credit student, you are also a PSC student and entitled to a PSC student ID.

 

Courses

Current dual credit course offerings fall under the following areas: *

  • Business
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Automotive Technology
  • Welding
  • Millwright
  • Website Development
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Computer Repair
  • Computer Networking
  • Medical Terminology
  • Website Development
  • Photography
  • Health Careers

Graphic Communnication Portfolio Evaluation

If you are an aspiring graphic communications student interested in pursuing a degree at an Illinois art institution, bring your portfolio to Prairie State College. By paying a $25 proficiency credit fee, you can display your portfolio to PSC faculty. They evaluate it and assign three college credit hours to portfolios that meet acceptable requirements for college credit. The portfolio must be for graphic communication, such as animation, multimedia arts, digital media, graphic design, and web design.

 

* Eligible courses vary by high school and are subject to change. Please discuss this with your high school counselor for specific course listings.

 

Registration Forms

 

To get started, make an appointment to speak with your high school counselor about dual credit student eligibility and course offerings. Once the Dual Credit course has been completed with a grade of C or better, PSC credit will be awarded.

FAQs

Do students participating in the Dual Credit program have to attend PSC?

A: No. Dual Credit signifies the student has earned college credit at PSC and has an official college transcript reflecting that credit.

 

Q: Will dual credits apply to a PSC associate degree or certificate?

A: Yes. Dual Credit puts a student on track to complete the required courses for an associate degree in a career program or certificate at PSC.

 

Q: Is dual credit the same thing as Advanced Placement (AP) Courses?

A: No, it is a separate program that allows students to take courses offered by PSC at their high school from college-qualified teachers. Students can earn college credit immediately upon successful completion of the dual credit course. AP courses require a national exam and a certain score to receive college credit. Dual Credit does not.

 

Q: What if the course has a prerequisite?

A: All prerequisites must be met before the student can take the dual credit class.

 

Q: If I decide to attend PSC after high school graduation, do I have to retake the placement test and re-apply?

A: No, you do not have to apply for admission, you do not have to request a transcript, and you do not have to retake the placement test unless you want to try for a higher score.

 

Q. Will my college credits still count even if I don't attend PSC?

A: Yes, you will still have earned the college credit. You will need to request an official PSC transcript be sent to your new school.