Dual-enrolled students must:
- Be enrolled in a high school that has an active dual enrollment agreement/partnership with Great Falls College MSU. Home school students may enroll through the school district in which they reside;
- Be at least 16 years of age or a high school junior;
- Meet prerequisites as required for the course including any placement tests or proficiency scores;
- Have successfully completed required high school classes at grade level and be on track for high school graduation;
- Have approval signatures of a parent/guardian, high school official, and designated college official if the student is under 18 years old.
GFC MSU has no limit on the number of courses students can take but some high schools limit the number of dual enrollment courses students can apply towards graduation. Students should check with their high school on their policies. Additionally, GFC MSU wants students to be successful so we recommend most students take no more than 2 dual enrollment courses per semester.
Often. The answer depends on multiple factors:
- Is the intended transfer college part of the Montana University System (MUS)?
- Is the dual credit course part of the MUS Common Course Numbering (CCN) system?
If the transfer college is part of the MUS System AND the dual enrollment course is part of the CCN system, it is designed to transfer. How the dual credit course fits into the degree program of choice is decided by the transfer college. It is best to start a dialogue (in writing) with the transfer college about your academic goals to determine the best course of action. Another tip: keep all course syllabi. A syllabus provides information specific to course content, outcomes, and assessments. This tool can help a transfer institution understand what a student learned in a class.
Contrary to popular belief, concurrent enrollment classes are equally as rigorous and transfer just as well to other colleges*. To understand the differences, consider the following:
- Concurrent Dual Credit Course: By participating in a concurrent dual credit course, you receive college credit upon completion of the course. Your final grade is recorded on a Great Falls College MSU transcript.
- Advanced Placement (AP) Course: the Advanced Placement Program offered by the College Board may provide college credit or waive a course based on performance on a cumulative exam administered in May. For exam scores of 3, 4, or 5, some universities may allow you to gain course credit or to waive a specific course. Exam score and course equivalencies vary by college. Test scores are sent to the college you plan to attend, and once you are admitted and attending that college (generally there is a waiting period) the college will transcript the course with a grade of “pass”. If you don’t take the final AP exam, no impact is made on your transcript.
*Students should always communicate with their intended college(s) (and keep written documentation) about transferability of credits.
It is important to note that dropping or withdrawing from dual enrollment courses must be completed by posted deadlines. Withdrawn or dropped courses are excluded from GPA calculation but will show as a “W” on your college transcript. Dual enrollment courses not dropped by required deadlines are recorded as F.
Yes. Dual enrollment courses are part of your official academic record. It is important to understand that failing grades or a withdraw on an official transcript may compromise your ability to receive financial aid, your eligibility for athletics, or admission to some institutions and degree programs. Failure to disclose previous attendance may result in dismissal and having your financial aid revoked.
Dual enrollment courses are offered to students at a reduced rate (half the cost of regular tuition). The cost is $59.06 per credit so for a 3-credit course, students should expect to pay $177.18 per course.
Students register for classes at the beginning of each semester. See the Academic Calendar at our website for specific dates: students.gfcmsu.edu/academiccalendar.html
Dual credit students have access to on-line, on-campus, hybrid, and concurrent (in the high school) courses. You should choose the format that is best for you and you should aim to take “high-value” packages of credit. That is, take a foundational class in a particular subject or career area as well as a core or General Studies area. An example of this would be for a student interested in exploring the field of finance and accounting, take a dual credit math course and an introductory business or accounting course.
Dual Enrollment is a tool to earn college credits and also explore college and career interests. One resource for selecting courses are the sheets found at www.mus.edu/mcp/ We also encourage you to use the GFC MSU catalog to see specific program requirements and the Montana University System (MUS) core. Visit catalog.gfcmsu.edu/academic-programs/montana-university-system-core/