Early Post-Secondary Information
Dual Enrollment
WCHS Dual Enrollment Information
Dual enrollment (DE) is a postsecondary course, taught either at the postsecondary institution or at the high school, by postsecondary faculty or credentialed adjunct faculty. Dual enrollment instructors must meet postsecondary requirements, but do not have to meet specific TN teacher licensure or endorsement requirements. Dual enrollment courses can be taught at the postsecondary campus, the high school, or online. The location of the course does not affect its status as a dual enrollment course. Students who complete and pass the course(s) may earn high school and college credit. Students are responsible for seeking admission to the college or university and for payment of college tuition and all needed academic materials, including textbooks. It is the responsibility of the student to verify that the credit will be accepted at the university they plan to attend. A qualified high school student is defined as a junior or senior with an unweighted 3.0 average or higher in the subject area of enrollment and with an ACT composite score as determined by the partnering University and an ACT sub score meeting the ACT Readiness Benchmark in the subject area of enrollment if applicable. Weighted grades will be awarded in accordance to Board Policy 4.600
Students may qualify for the dual enrollment grant to offset the costs of dual enrollment courses. Click here (TSAC portal) for more information about award information, eligibility, requirements, and application.
Contact your school counselor for more information.
Advanced Placement
The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program provides an opportunity for high school students to experience rigorous postsecondary-level coursework across multiple subjects. Each course is aligned to a subject-specific AP exam, which provides students the potential to earn credit for postsecondary coursework in that subject. The student is responsible for seeking information from colleges of interest about what AP score is necessary to earn college credit. Students enrolled in AP courses should plan to take the AP exam. Exams cost approximately $94 each, but fee assistance may be available to qualified students. Weighted grades will be awarded in accordance to Board Policy 4.600
Early Post-Secondary Opportunities (EPSO)
Early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs) include a course and/or exam that give students a chance to obtain postsecondary credit while still in high school. Courses (whether stand-alone or in conjunction with an exam for postsecondary credit) must be aligned to postsecondary standards. Please check our course catalog for more information.
Early College Program
Rising juniors and seniors - contact your school counselor for more information.
Statewide Dual Credit Courses
Statewide dual credit classes are college-level courses taught at the high-school level by trained high school teachers. Course learning objectives are developed by Tennessee high school and college faculty in order to ensure alignment with post-secondary standards. All students enrolled in a statewide dual credit course must take the free online challenge exam, which is used to assess mastery of the postsecondary-level learning objectives. Students who meet or exceed the exam ‘cut score’ receive college credit that can be applied to any Tennessee public postsecondary institution. Exam scores are reported on the high school transcript to ensure postsecondary credit is accurately awarded but are not used in any state accountability measures.
Local Dual Credit Courses
Local dual credit is a high school course aligned to a local postsecondary institution’s course and exam. Students who pass the exam earn credits that are accepted and/or recognized by the local postsecondary institution only. Courses are taught by licensed high school teachers or certified college instructors approved by the school system and the postsecondary institution. Exam fees are determined by the post-secondary institution providing the challenge exam.