College Credits in High School - UW HELP

College Credits in High School

One of the best ways to save time and money is to take advantage of available high school opportunities. Learn more about the available high school opportunities to earn credit and/or experience to put towards your college education.

College Credits in High School

Advanced Placement Exams and Courses

The College Board designs Advanced Placement (AP) courses in more than 30 subjects, from Spanish to calculus to United States history. Specially trained teachers lead these courses at many high schools. Near the end of an AP course, students may take an exam in their subject. All UW campuses grant credit for AP exam scores of 3 or higher.

The amount and type of credit students will receive depend on their scores and the campus they plan to attend. Use the search tool to see how AP exam scores translate into credits at different UW System schools. You can sort the results by campus or academic subject.

Use the AP and IB Search Engine to see how credits will transfer into UW System Institutions.

International Baccalaureate Exams and Courses

More than 2,500 secondary schools in 150 countries offer college-level courses that prepare students for International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. Students can take these exams–and earn college credit–if they’re enrolled in a school authorized to offer them.

The IB Program is made up of standard level and higher-level courses. Students can choose to take the full IB Diploma Programme in which they take a specific number of HL and SL courses. Students can also choose to take several IB courses for college credit and not earn a full diploma. All UW System schools grant credit for HL exam scores of 4 or higher. If you complete IB’s Full Diploma Programme, you’ll earn additional credit.

The amount and type of credit students receive depends on their scores and the campus they plan to attend. Use the search tool to see how IB exam scores translate into credits at different UW System schools. You can sort the results by campus or academic subject.

Use the AP and IB Search Engine to see how credits will transfer into UW System Institutions.

Wisconsin’s Early College Credit Program (ECCP)

 

Overview

High school students at public and private high schools in Wisconsin can earn college credit through the Early College Credit Program (ECCP). A student selected for the program may be permitted to enroll in a UW System institution, or an alternative private, non-profit institution of higher education (IHE) to take one or more courses for which the student may earn high school credit, post-secondary credit, or both. Under ECCP, the costs of the courses are shared among the IHE, the school district or private school, the state, and in some cases the student’s family.

Your school district will pay for student’s tuition, fees, and books if it does not offer a course comparable to the one students would like to take on a college campus. Your school board determines what constitutes a comparable course and whether high school credit can be granted for the college course that interests a student.
Admissions offices may consider the following:

  • Rank in class
  • Grade point average
  • The rigor of your high school courses
  • Letters of recommendation

Note: If a student does not meet deadlines for submission of the required ECCP form (see above), he or she may still be able to take college courses through a UW System campus but the full costs of the credit will be carried by the student/family.

How to Apply for the Early College Credit Program

  1. Have your students talk to you or another high school guidance counselor to see if ECCP classes are a good fit. Consider how the classes align with academic plans and whether the students meets the pre-requisite for taking a college-level class.
  2. Explain when, and to whom, your students must submit the materials to your high school.
  3. Have your students request information from UW System campuses where they would like to take classes.
  4. Share the ECCP participation form with your students.
  5. Have you students submit their completed forms to your school officials by the designated due date.
  6. Have your students follow the application or registration requirements at the campus or program where they would like to take classes.
  7. Ensure your students submit any required documentation (i.e.high school transcripts along with any prerequisite documentation like AP scores).
  8. Your students are ready to enroll in class!

Other Programs

Enrolling in College Courses as a Special Student

Do you have students interested in taking courses on a college campus while in high school? They should consider applying for Special Student status at a UW System campus. Being a Special Student means students are approved to take college courses and earn college credits, but they’re not currently seeking a degree.
To be considered for Special Student status, students must meet the admission criteria of the UW System school they’d like to attend. An application for admission typically includes:

  • Admission forms
  • High school transcripts
  • Letters of recommendation

Help your students get in contact with the campus that interests them for specifics on Special Student admission and enrollment.

 

Wisconsin’s Youth Apprenticeship Programs

Hands-on learning during high school can help students meet college admission requirements. Wisconsin’s Youth Apprenticeship (YA) programs pair real-world work experiences with classroom instruction in the following fields:

  • Biotechnology
  • Engineering
  • Finance
  • Health services
  • Printing

UW System campuses evaluate these programs to ensure they will help students meet admission requirements. You can check out Wisconsin’s Youth Apprenticeship chart to see how courses will transfer to UW System campuses.

 

Independent Learning

Students start courses anytime and work at their own pace with this opportunity offered by the University of Wisconsin Extended Campus. Students can learn online, or through printed materials mailed or emailed to their homes.

Project Lead the Way

Do you have students who are curious about engineering, computer science, or biomedical science careers? Check out Project Lead the Way (PLTW), which provides some Wisconsin high schools with coursework that prepares students for these fields. UW System campuses evaluate this coursework to ensure it will help students meet admission requirements.

When students apply to college, PLTW courses may count as high school science units. For this to happen, your high school must contact the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to request “equivalent to science” (ES) high school credit.

Check out the Project Lead the Way chart to see how credits will transfer to UW System campuses.

Agriculture and Science Courses

Some career-focused classes count as high school science units when students apply to college. For example, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has deemed certain courses in agriculture and science (Ag/Sci) “high school science equivalent.” When you’re helping students prepare to complete their college applications, make sure their transcripts indicate which Ag/Sci courses meet this requirement.

To see how Agriculture and Science courses transfer to the UW System check here.

Many high schools also offer career-focused learning opportunities that may count toward college admission requirements.

High school partnerships with UW System campuses

Some Wisconsin high schools team up with UW System campuses to offer opportunities for students to earn college credit. Here are a few programs to consider: