Students can earn college credit while in high school through early college credit, dual credit and AP examination. Additionally, students can review CLEP options provided on their future college campus.

Qualified students may earn college credit through either dual credit or early college credit programs. Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA for Southeast Missouri State University and St. Louis University and meet any test score requirements set by the University, which vary by subject. before they can enroll for dual credit. (Students with less than a 3.0 but at least a 2.75 on a 4.0 scale are eligible with a letter of recommendation from the principal.) Additional requirements may be required for some courses. Check with the course instructor.

Qualified students may take courses at Southeast Missouri State University during non-school hours (i.e. summer or evening courses). No high school credit is granted for ECC classes.

At Notre Dame, students can take a number of courses for high school credit that are additionally eligible for college credit through enrollment and additional payment made to the institution–either Southeast Missouri State University or St. Louis University. Students do not have to attend SEMO or SLU after high school in order to take advantage of this option. Coursework is most often easily transferable to other colleges; more information on determining transferability is available here. While there is no guarantee of transfer, ND students regularly greatly benefit from enrolling in college credit while in high school. The full listing of coursework is located in the curriculum guide.

Notre Dame students may earn college credit through the AP Program. Notre Dame offers two AP courses in Foreign Language; however, students can sit for exams in nearly every area offered. A student who excels in a given area may wish to take an AP exam. Exams can be taken in nearly every subject area and are not limited to seniors. We encourage students to take as many classes in that subject area before taking the AP exam.

The exams are given in May and cost between $90-100. Tests are ordered in November. Announcements will be made in the bulletin.

Scores are given on a scale of 1-5, with college credit given for scores of 3 or above, depending on the college and subject. AP credit is more widely accepted at colleges than early college or dual credit classes.

The College-Level Examination Program or CLEP provides students of any age with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate college courses. There are 2,900 colleges that grant credit and/or advanced standing for CLEP exams.

By taking one or more CLEP exams in your strong subjects, you’ll…

• Save time. Get college credit for what you already know. Be rewarded for what you’ve learned through independent study, advanced high school courses, noncredit adult courses, or professional development.
• Save money. The cost of a CLEP exam is significantly less than what you would spend in tuition for a single class. CLEP exams are free to military service members.
•  Make college more interesting. Move right into advanced courses.
•  Graduate on time. CLEP can help you to the finish line if you’re a few credits shy of graduating.
•  Satisfy a proficiency requirement. Demonstrate you’ve already mastered the content of, for example, a basic math or language course. Great for dual-degree candidates or students just a few credits shy of graduation.
•  For more information and instructions on how to obtain credit, contact the institution you plan to attend.

ND students can earn college credit by taking classes at CTC.