Dual Credit: How it Works in Washington
What is Dual Credit?
When a student enrolls in Tech Prep, he or she earns dual credit – high school and college credit – for successfully completing the same course. These courses are aligned by high school instructors and college faculty through an articulation process. The courses are typically taught at a high school, but considered part of a college degree or certificate program.
Dual credit helps students:
- transition smoothly from high school to college
- reduce duplication of courses in a program of study
- shorten time-to-completion of a degree or certificate
- save money
How Dual Credit works:
- The student enrolls in Tech Prep program at their high school
- The student enrolls in a Tech Prep articulated course at their high school
- The student completes the requirements of the course
- The school transcribes dual credit during the summer after the academic year in which the student completed the course
In Washington, there are several programs awarding dual or college credit. The individual should take his or her interests and goals into account when deciding which program best suits his or her needs. The availability of these programs is dependent upon the local school district.