Dual Enrollment

A Real Head Start

College credit, while still at home.

For motivated juniors and seniors, dual enrollment can compress a year of college tuition into the high school years. It is not for every scholar. For the scholars it fits, it is a remarkable opportunity.

Three pathways to college credit are available through our classical scholars’ Great Hearts Online community: AP exams, CLEP tests (free via ModernStates.org for Great Hearts students), and dual enrollment with named college partners. Many scholars combine more than one. Your VCA Virtual Academic Coach helps your family weigh which pathway fits your scholar’s plan.

Three Pathways

AP, CLEP, or dual enrollment.

Each pathway has its own strengths and costs. The right combination depends on the scholar.

AP Exams

College credit by exam. Eight APs are offered through the Great Hearts Online community: English Language, English Literature, European History, Latin, Physics, Psychology, US History, and World History: Modern. $98 by Nov 1 / $138 by March 1. A passing score (typically 3, 4, or 5) earns credit at most universities — check the receiving college’s policy.

CLEP Tests

The College-Level Examination Program covers 34 subjects (including Biology, Calculus, French, Pre-Calculus, Spanish). Free through ModernStates.org after the prep course; otherwise $93 per exam. Open to grades 9–12. 3–16 credits per exam depending on score (50–80 to pass). Not all colleges accept CLEP — verify with the receiving institution.

III

Real college coursework with named partner institutions: Arizona State University (ASU), Southeastern University (SEU, FL), and Western Texas College (WTC). $300 per course. Eligibility requires a 3.0+ unweighted cumulative GPA. Subjects vary by partner and grade — see the next section.

Combined Strategy

Most scholars who pursue dual credit combine pathways — AP exams for the subjects with strong exam alignment, CLEP for self-paced subjects, and a dual enrollment course or two for college-course rhythm. Your Coach maps the strategy with your family.

Named College Partners

Three partners, three lanes.

Dual enrollment partnerships are coordinated through the Great Hearts Online community. Subjects, grade levels, and semester windows below are from the official 2024–25 college credit options.

ASU

Arizona State University

9th gr Health & Wellness (Fall, 3 cr) · 9th gr Computer Apps & IT (Spring, 3 cr) · 9th gr Biology (Spring, 4 cr) · 10th gr Chemistry (Spring, 4 cr). $300/course. 3.0+ GPA.

SEU

Southeastern University (FL)

10th gr Algebra II / Precalculus (Fall & Spring, 3 cr per year). $300/course. 3.0+ GPA.

WTC

Western Texas College

9th gr US History 1301 + Latin I · 10th gr Economics 1301 + Latin I · 11th gr English 1301 + Philosophy 2306 · 12th gr English 1301/1302 + Speech 1315 (Senior Thesis Presentation). 3.0+ GPA.

Eligibility & Transfer

What to verify before enrolling

Dual enrollment grades become part of your scholar’s permanent college transcript. Whether each credit transfers depends on the future receiving college — the Academic Coach helps your family research transfer policies before you register.

Used Wisely

A strategic add-on, not a shortcut.

Dual enrollment works best as a strategic add-on for scholars who would otherwise be under-challenged in a particular subject — not as a way to graduate high school early. The four years of high school are formative in their own right; the Humane Letters seminar and senior-year capstone work don’t exist in the same form in college.

For the right scholar at the right pace, dual enrollment is excellent. Your VCA Virtual Academic Coach helps families decide what fits the scholar in front of you.

"Saving a year of college is good. Skipping the formation of high school is not."

College credit, before college.