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A Guide to the Education Section of the Common App

Your GPA and SAT don’t tell the full admissions story

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Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details.

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

The Education section of the Common App is exactly what it sounds like: it’s where you tell your chosen colleges about your high school academic performance. From grades to class rank to what courses you took, colleges will want to get a detailed look at what–and how–you did in high school.

Four years of academic work creates a great deal of information to convey. As with other sections of the Common App, you’ll only have to actually enter this information once, and it will be copied to all the colleges to which you submit applications. Since basically every college requests the same or similar educational information, this can save you a lot of time and typing.

Before you begin filling out the Education section, you’ll want to gather the necessary data from your records and clarify any requirements that are unclear to you. In this post, we’ll go over the specific questions you’ll be asked and the information you’ll be expected to provide in the Education section of the Common App.

Are you unsure what a “weighted” GPA means? Wondering where and how to tell colleges that you graduated early from high school? Stressing out about listing your academic and career aspirations under the Future Plans section? Read on for more application guidance from CollegeVine on these topics and more.

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Accessing the Education Section

First of all, to fill out the Common App’s Education section, you’ll need to get to it. In order to access the Education section of your Common App, you’ll need to log into your Common App, click on the Common App tab, and click on Education in the column on the left side. 

The Education section is divided into nine subsections; click on the title of each subsection to open it up. Each part of the Education section will guide you through questions covering different aspects of your educational history, from where you’ve gone to school to how you did in school.

Below, we’ll go through each part of the Education section, from “Current or Most Recent School” to “Future Plans,” with more detailed instructions on how to complete the questions you’ll find there. 

The provided screenshots are taken from a sample student Common App profile that we at CollegeVine have set up. Your own Common App profile may look slightly different, depending on what information you’ve already entered.

When you’re finished filling out a section of the Education section, hit the “Continue” button to move along to the next one. You can move directly to other parts of the Education section by clicking the appropriate header.

Current or Most Recent School Section

In this section, the Common App will collect information about the school you currently attend or have most recently attended.

Current or Recent School Lookup

Your first task is to tell the Common App what high school you attend now or most recently attended, as well as various facts about that high school. Fortunately, you don’t have to provide all this information from scratch; the Common App system includes a database of high schools that you’ll search through to find and choose yours.

When you open up the Current or Most Recent School section, you’ll see this:

Click on the Find School link. The box below will pop up:

Now you can search for your high school. On the top of the box you’re given a number of search options; you can search by school name, CEEB code (a number assigned to your school by the College Board ), or location. Fill out whichever of these fields works best for you, and you’ll see your results appear below.

Scroll through the list to find your high school and click on the circle in front of its name; then click the “Continue” button to add that school as your current or most recent high school. When you return to your Current or Most Recent School section, you’ll see that your school and its contact information have been added to your Common App. Below, you can see that our sample student has designed Bronx High School of Science as their current or most recent school.

If you made a mistake or need to change what school you’ve designated, simply click “Change” or “Remove” under the school’s information and use the search function again.

If you have been homeschooled and are a member of a larger homeschooling organization, you may be able to find that organization using the search function. If not, or if you were homeschooled outside of any such organization, scroll to the bottom of your search results and choose the option that says “Home schooled.” You’ll be prompted to enter some additional information manually.

What if you can’t find your school using the search screen? First, double-check the information you’ve entered; then, triple-check it. Try typing only the first word or two of your high school’s name and going through the list, or using a different search field than you initially tried.

The search function can be a bit finicky when it comes to searching by school name, so make sure you’re using your high school’s full formal name, not a nickname. For instance, our sample student would need to search for the full name “Bronx High School of Science,” or perhaps just “Bronx” or “Bronx High School.” Even if some people refer to this school simply as “Bronx Science,” searching for that school name will not bring up the correct result.

If you absolutely can’t find your high school in the database, scroll down to the bottom of the list of school results and select “I don’t see my high school on this list.” You’ll then need to enter your school’s information manually.

Other Questions

Once you’ve designated your current or most recent school, you’ll have to answer a list of questions about that school, seen in the following screenshot. Below the screenshot, we’ll go over how to respond to each of those questions.

One more note on completing this section: if you don’t have a school counselor, fill in these answers for whoever has “overseen your academic progress,” as the Common App puts it, and will fill out the School Report section of your Common App. This might be a school principal or another school official, or a parent if you were homeschooled; it depends on your situation. Ask your counselor or school official if you have any questions about how to identify them in this section.

• Date of entry: Choose the month and year that you started attending this school.

• Is this a boarding school?: Do some or all students sleep at your school? If so, answer yes; if not, answer no. If you answer yes, you’ll be asked whether you personally reside at the school; answer yes if you do, no if you don’t.

• Did you or will you graduate from this school?: Answer yes if you already graduated from this school or if you plan to graduate from this school. Answer no if you no longer attend this school but didn’t graduate from it, or if you don’t plan to graduate from this school. Once you answer this question, the Common App will ask you to specify the month and year you left or will leave this school.

• Counselor’s prefix: Choose between Dr., Mr., or Ms. in the drop-down menu based upon which prefix your counselor uses in official correspondence.

• Counselor’s first name, counselor’s middle initial, and counselor’s last name: Fill in your counselor’s full first and last names, and check your spelling. If you don’t know your counselor’s middle initial, that’s fine; just leave that field blank.

• Counselor’s job title: Fill in your counselor’s formal job title; if your school doesn’t have a counselor, fill in the job title of whichever school official you’re using for this section.

• Counselor’s email and counselor’s phone: Fill in your counselor’s requested contact information. If your counselor is outside the United States, make sure you include the correct country code in their phone number. Also include their phone extension if they have one. Your counselor is an important element of your application, so double-check that you have transcribed this contact information correctly.

Other School Section

In this section, you’ll enter information about any other schools you’ve attended for high school, aside from the one you’re currently attending or most recently attended. For instance, if you moved to a new city during high school, this is where you’ll put information about the school you attended before you moved. If you were homeschooled for part of high school but then attended a traditional school, you’ll list your homeschooling experience as an additional school here.

When you first open up the Other School section, you’ll see the following:

The question reads If you have attended any other schools, please indicate the number of schools . If you have not attended any other high schools, choose 0 from the dropdown menu; you won’t have to answer any other questions in this section.

If you have attended one or more other schools, choose the number of schools you’ve attended, excluding your current or most recent school—the one you talked about in the last section. For instance, if you attended a total of three different high schools including your most recent high school, you would choose 2 in this menu. You can add up to three additional high schools.

If you choose any number other than 0 for this question, you’ll need to add more information about the school(s) you attended. For each additional school, you’ll use the search function to search the Common App database, just as you did for your current or most recent school in the last section. You can refer back to that section for advice on looking up your school(s). If you were homeschooled or can’t find your school, you’ll need to enter its information manually, just as we described in the last section.

Once you’ve chosen a school, your screen should look something like the screenshot below. We’ve indicated that our sample student has attended Los Angeles School of Global Studies.

Notice that for this student, Los Angeles School of Global Studies has been labeled “School 2.” Bronx High School of Science, which our sample student designated as their current school, is School 1.  Additional schools that they had attended, if there are any, would be School 3 and School 4.

Below the school information, you’ll need to enter the dates between which you attended that school. Under School 2 from date , enter the month and year you started attending that school. Under School 2 to date , enter the month and year you stopped attending that school. Repeat this process for any additional schools you might have. 

College & Universities Section

In this section, you’ll provide information about any colleges or universities you have already attended. This section is relevant to you if you took any courses at a college or university while you were in high school through a “post-secondary option” or similar program. In this context, AP and IB courses do not count as college courses.

When you initially open up the Colleges & Universities section, it will look like this:

The first question reads as follows: If you have taken a college/university course, please indicate the number of colleges . If you have not taken any college courses in high school, choose “0” in the dropdown menu; there will be no further questions for you in this section.

If you have taken one or more college courses in high school, choose the number of colleges you attended using the drop-down menu, up to three colleges. (Remember, this is the number of colleges you were enrolled at, not the number of courses you took.) This will open up additional questions for you to answer.

Once you indicate that you attended one or more colleges while in high school, you should see the following list of questions for each college. Below the screenshot, we’ll go over the details of how to answer each of these questions.

• College 1 lookup: Here, you’ll look up the college you attended in a system very similar to that which you used to look up your high school(s). Our advice above about looking up your high school(s) applies here as well. If you’ve checked and rechecked your search terms and you still can’t find your college, choose “I do not see the college I’m looking for on this list,” and manually enter the college’s information when prompted.
• College 1 from date: Choose the month and year you started attending this college.
• College 1 to date: Choose the month and year you stopped attending this college.
• Degree earned: If you earned a degree from a college while attending high school, choose the degree you earned from a drop-down list. If, like most students, you did not earn a degree from a college while attending high school, you don’t need to answer this question.

You’ll need to repeat these steps for any additional colleges you attended while you were in high school.

Grades Section

In this section, you’ll provide information about your academic performance in high school- specifically, your grades as expressed by your class rank and GPA. When you click on Grades, you’ll see a screen like the one below:

We’ll go over each of the questions you need to answer below. It’s likely that you won’t know all of these answers offhand, but your school should be able to answer them for you. In general, if you don’t know the answer to one of these questions, or if you don’t know what the question means in the context of your high school’s particular policies, you should ask your counselor or equivalent school official.  

• Graduating class size: Enter the number of students in your graduating class. Be aware that this number may change from time to time as students’ plans change.
• Class rank reporting: This question covers both how your school ranks students, and what your actual rank is within your class. First, you’ll choose from the initial drop-down menu to indicate whether your high school ranks students exactly or by decile, quintile, or quartile. (Your counselor can explain what this means.) If, as with some high schools, your school has decided not to keep track of class rankings, you’ll choose None. If your school does rank students, you’ll have to answer two additional questions.
• Class rank: If your high school ranks students, you’ll either type in your numerical rank or choose your decile, quintile, or quartile rank from a drop-down menu.
• Rank weighting: If your high school ranks students, you’ll need to choose whether your rank is weighted or unweighted from the drop-down menu. Weighted rank uses weighted GPAs; unweighted rank uses unweighted GPAs. We’ll go over what that means below.
• GPA scale: Choose the number of points in your school’s GPA scale from the drop-down list. This numerical answer might be anywhere from 4 to 100, depending on your school’s grading system.
• Cumulative GPA: Enter your cumulative GPA—that is, your GPA taking into account all the high-school courses you’ve taken—just as it appears in your school’s records. (Your GPA is basically an average of the grades you’ve received on your report cards.)
• GPA weighting: Choose whether your GPA is weighted or unweighted from the drop-down menu. Essentially, a weighted GPA is one in which the number of points awarded for an A grade in the course varies, usually according to how difficult the particular course is. For instance, a high school might use a scale of zero to four for most of its courses, but a scale of zero to five for its honors, AP, or IB courses. If you don’t know your GPA on a 4.0 scale, use our GPA converter to find it .

Be aware that the colleges you’re applying to will have access to your full transcript as well as the information you enter here. They’ll see not only your GPA, but your individual grades, any outliers, and your grade trend across your high-school career. Many colleges will actually recalculate your GPA based on their own criteria, so the information you enter here may not be evaluated exactly as you might think it will be. 

How does class rank and GPA affect your chances? Use our admissions calculator to see your chances of admission for free. Sign up now to see your chances.

Current or Most Recent Year Courses Section

This section is where you’ll provide detailed information about the courses you’re currently taking, or, if you are no longer in high school, the courses you took during your most recent year of high school. For most students, this will simply mean entering the classes you’re taking during your senior year. Before you start filling out this section, you’ll probably want to have a copy of your schedule on hand.

First of all, you’ll need to report how many courses you’re taking this academic year. The question reads as follows: Please list all courses you are taking this academic year. If you are not currently enrolled, please list courses from your most recent academic year. How many courses would you like to report?

Choose the number of courses you’re taking or took for the year from the drop-down menu. The number you report here will determine what questions you are prompted to answer next.

Once you’ve provided the number of courses you’re taking, you’ll enter information for each of these courses so that admissions officers can evaluate your academic course load. As an example, here’s a screenshot from our sample student’s Common App profile. Note that the sample student has responded that they are only taking one course this academic year; you’ll almost certainly be taking more than that.

For the question Please select the course scheduling system your institution is using, you’ll be invited to choose between the options of “semester,” “trimester,” and “quarter” in the drop-down menu. This question refers to how the school year is split up at your school—into two, three, or four periods, respectively, for which a new set of grades are added to your transcript. If you’re unsure, ask your counselor which system applies to your school.

Next, you’ll be asked to enter information for each course. Under Course 1 title , type the full name of your first course. (This may be different from what you call the course on an everyday basis—you may refer to “Algebra II and Trigonometry” as simply “Trig,” but colleges will want to see the full course title.)

Under Course 1 level, if applicable , click to choose a designation that applies to your first course, if any. For instance, if your World History course is an honors course in your school’s system, you would click “Honors” here. Ask your teacher or counselor if you’re not sure about a particular course. If your course has none of these designations, don’t click anything for this question.

Under Course 1 schedule , select whichever option from the drop-down menu applies to that particular course. (The options you see here will vary depending on how you answered the question about your school’s course scheduling system.) Again, ask your teacher or counselor if you’re not sure.

You’ll repeat these steps for each of however many courses you indicated you’re taking this year or took in your most recent year. They’ll be listed as Course 2, Course 3, and so on. 

Course rigor is an important factor for getting accepted to a top school. See how course rigor affects your chances of admission with CollegeVine’s chancing calculator.

Honors Section

In this section, you’ll list and describe up to five academic honors that you’ve received. Since choosing and detailing those honors can be complicated in and of itself, we at CollegeVine have chosen to write a separate post on this issue. Head over to our post on “Reporting Honors and Awards on the Common App” to learn what you should report in this section and how you should report it, from Honor Roll to summer programs to National Merit scholarships . 

Community-Based Organizations Section

In this section, you’ll answer questions about any community-based organizations which may have helped you with the college application process without charging a fee. These organizations might include Questbridge, Upward Bound, the Boys and Girls Club, or others.

If you’ve been aided by a community-based organization like these, you likely know it already. If you’re not sure whether an organization that has helped you qualifies under this section, an employee or leader of that organization may be able to clarify its status for you, or your school counselor may be able to help.

When you open this section, you’ll initially see the following:

The question reads, Indicate the number of community programs or organizations that have provided you with free assistance in your application process . If no such program or organization has provided you with free assistance in the college application process, you’ll choose 0 from the drop-down menu, and you won’t need to answer any more questions in this section.

If you’ve been provided with free assistance by one or more organizations like this, choose the number of organizations that have assisted you from the drop-down menu. You can enter up to three organizations. You’ll then need to provide additional information about the organization(s) that you worked with.

If you indicate that you have been assisted by one or more community-based organizations, additional questions will appear for you to answer. That screen should look like the screenshot below. After the screenshot, we’ll provide more details on how to answer each of these questions.

Organization 1: Choose the name of the organization that has assisted you from the drop-down list. If your organization is not listed, choose “Other.” (Hint: the list is alphabetical, and “Other” is listed under the organizations that start with O.) If you choose “Other”, an additional field will appear where you’ll type the name of your organization.

The rest of the questions in this section refer to the individual counselor, advisor, or mentor who worked directly with you in this organization. If you’re not sure whose information you should use for this section, ask whoever you have contact with in the organization, and then speak to that person directly to make sure they are comfortable having their information released.

• Counselor/Advisor/Mentor Prefix: Choose Dr., Mr., or Ms. from the drop-down menu based on what prefix your mentor uses in official correspondence.
• First name, middle initial, and last name: Enter your mentor’s full name. If you don’t know their middle initial, that’s okay—just leave that field blank.
• Email and Phone: Enter your mentor’s contact information. If you have multiple phone numbers and/or email addresses for your mentor, ask them which ones they would prefer you to use. If your mentor is outside the United States, make sure you include the correct country code for their phone number.

You’ll answer the same questions for any additional organizations that you’ve indicated have helped you in your application. 

Future Plans Section

Finally, we come to the Future Plans section, where you’ll answer two simple questions about your educational and career aspirations. When you open this section, you’ll see the following:

The first question reads Career interest . Here, you’ll choose from a drop-down menu of possible careers. Our sample student has indicated that they’re indicated in becoming an accountant or actuary, but you’ll have many other options. If you don’t see your intended career path in the list, you can either choose the closest available option or choose “Other.” If you haven’t yet decided on a career path, don’t worry- just choose “Undecided.”

The second question reads Highest degree you intend to earn. Here, you’ll choose from a list of possible academic degrees. Our sample student has indicated that they intend to earn a master’s degree, such as an MA or MS. Again, if your intended degree category doesn’t appear in this list, choose “Other,” and if you aren’t sure, choose “Undecided.”

Being asked to specify your future plans so early on in the application process can be a little overwhelming, but you absolutely don’t need to stress out about the questions in this section. Your answers here don’t commit you to anything. Just answer the questions as best you can, and don’t be afraid to choose “Other” or “Undecided” if those answers suit you best.

Concluding the Education Section of the Common App

When you finish the Education section of the Common App, you’re sure to breathe a sigh of relief. You’ve entered a great deal of information, and that information is extremely important to how colleges evaluate your application.

Remember, however, that your Education section doesn’t present a complete portrayal of you as a student and a person. If you’re not totally satisfied with your grades, you still have a chance to wow admissions committees with the other parts of your application, from your activities to your test scores to your essays. You can’t change your grades after the fact, but when you don’t feel like your grades represent you accurately, your full application offers many other opportunities to show yourself in the best possible light.

Be sure to check out some of CollegeVine’s blog posts on other aspects of the Common App, including:

• A User’s Guide to the Common App
• How to Receive a Common App Fee Waiver
• Reporting Honors and Awards in the Common App
• How to Fill Out the Common App Activities Section
• Why Does the Common Application Ask Where my Parents Went to College?

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!

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Your Guide to Conquering College Coursework

Getting good grades in college can be a lot tougher than in high school. For many students, it requires building new skills and establishing new habits. Learning those skills now—before starting college—will help make your transition as easy and as successful as possible.

Mary Sharp Emerson

The transition from high school to college is a big one. Meeting new friends, living on your own, and creating your own schedule are just some of the new, exciting challenges that await you.   

In the excitement of starting a new life on campus, college coursework can sometimes become a second priority.

However, adjusting to college coursework is often the biggest challenge of all. Even the best students may be surprised at how difficult college courses are. The subject matter is more complex. The workload is larger. And instructors’ standards are higher.

Mastering college-level courses requires a new level of independence, advocacy, engagement, and time management.

You can prepare yourself to succeed before you even get to campus. Identifying the skills you need, and building those skills into established habits, will help make your transition to college academics, and college life, easier, less stressful, and more successful.

Be engaged in your college coursework

College courses require your full attention and active participation.

And the more you engage with your teachers, teaching assistants, and classmates both in and out of the classroom, the easier it will be for you to succeed in that class.

The importance of active listening

Active listening is one of the most critical parts of engaging in a course, according to Gina Neugebauer, assistant director of Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program.

“Professors and teaching assistants can tell if you’re actively listening. They notice if you’re taking notes and making eye contact. They also notice if you’re distracted by your phone or computer,” notes Neugebauer.

Active listening means not checking your social media accounts or texting friends during class.

It also means really giving the instructor and your classmates your full attention.

It sounds easy in theory but it takes practice. It can be tough to not think about all the work you have or your next party. But the more you work on actively listening, the easier it will be to not get distracted and miss important information in class.

Different ways to actively participate

Beyond active listening, there are many ways to participate in a course. And you can tailor your level of engagement to your personality and comfort level.

“It’s all about gauging what you’re comfortable with,” says Neugebauer.

“You may not be the person who raises their hand all the time but you actively respond to online discussion posts, for example. You may not feel comfortable talking in front of hundreds of students in a large lecture hall but you take advantage of TA office hours and email the instructor with questions.”

But don’t be afraid to push yourself if you aren’t someone who usually speaks up in class.

It’s ok to start small. Work on raising your hand in small seminars or discussion sections. As you gain confidence, you’ll find it gets easier to answer questions and share your opinions.

Build independence and advocate for yourself

In college, you are responsible for your own success. You will need to advocate for yourself and know when—and how—to ask for help. That requires a level of independence that you may not have needed in high school.

The good news is that instructors and teaching assistants want to help you.

“Instructors, on the whole, enjoy hearing from you. And they’d rather hear from you right from the start, rather than have you struggle on your own for three weeks,” says Neugebauer.

If you have a question about an assignment, send your instructor an email. Are you upset about a grade you got on a recent test? Visit your instructor or TA during office hours to discuss what went wrong and how you can improve.

But remember, says Neugebauer, professors are busy and you are only one of many students.

“Your email should include your full name, what course you’re taking, and a brief description of your question or concern. And you cannot expect an answer at 2 a.m. because that’s when you’re studying. When you reach out to an instructor, give them 24-48 hours to respond.”

And remember, always be respectful and non-confrontational.

Challenge yourself in a college course. Get a sneak peak at college life.

Explore summer programs for high school students.

Don’t be afraid to seek help

If you have excelled in high school without extra help, you might be tempted to persevere on your own.

In college, Neugebauer points out, asking for help is the norm.

“Once you get into your undergraduate program, you’ll find that almost everyone has, at some point, asked a TA for extra tutoring, gone to a tutoring center, or a writing or math center for extra help. It’s part of the learning process of an undergraduate program,” Neugebauer says.

Colleges have a variety of support systems in place to help you succeed.

TA office hours are a great place to start if you find yourself struggling with a specific concept or assignment. Peer tutoring programs enable you to learn from students who have been through the course themselves. Academic coaches can help with more general study tips or exam-related stress.

The key is seeking out help proactively, before you get too far behind. As the courses become more difficult, catching up becomes increasingly difficult.

Build time management techniques

Balancing everything that comes with life on a college campus can be difficult for many incoming college students.

“The biggest challenge we see facing high school students who are trying to adapt to college life is overcommitment. Students want to engage in every activity, a full course load, and even sometimes a part-time job. They don’t schedule enough time for self-care, quiet time, doing laundry, and plenty of study time. All those things take time,” Neugebauer says.

Good study habits and time management are key to avoiding the stress that comes from getting overcommitted.

Neugebauer recommends getting into the habit of keeping an accurate and up-to-date calendar.

“The best thing I can recommend is a calendar, such as Google Calendar. Use it to schedule everything: your class, your lunch time, time at the gym. It may seem counterintuitive, but work on scheduling literally everything, even sleep.”

Be sure to include assignments, tests, and other deadlines, as well as office hours for your instructors, TAs, and academic coaches.

Use your calendar to block off dedicated study time. And once you schedule it, stick to it! Avoid the temptation to procrastinate or use that time to hang out, play video games, or scroll on your phone.

Your calendar should also include dedicated time for self-care.

Regular mealtimes, good exercise habits, and a full night’s sleep are not only critical for your physical and mental health. You’ll also be surprised at how much they contribute to your academic success.

Challenge yourself as you engage in college coursework

Getting outside your comfort zone is a critical part of preparing yourself for the exciting challenges that await you in college.

“Being uncomfortable allows for growth. It means saying to yourself, ‘this is new. I want to try it. I want to see how it feels.’ This is all about adapting to a new environment but also examining yourself as a person,” says Neugebauer.

Taking on a new challenge—regardless of the ultimate outcome—builds resilience, mental toughness, and confidence, all of which you will need to succeed in your college courses.

But, warns Neugebauer, it’s also important to know your limitations.

“That uncomfortable feeling should be manageable. It should be a challenge but not so challenging that you feel panicked and wake up in cold sweats every night. It should be something that gets you a little nervous but also excited about what you’re involved in every day.”

However you decide to challenge yourself, it’s never too early to start if college is in your future. The sooner you start identifying and mastering the skills you need in college, the better prepared you’ll be to succeed right from day one.

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About the Author

Digital Content Producer

Emerson is a Digital Content Producer at Harvard DCE. She is a graduate of Brandeis University and Yale University and started her career as an international affairs analyst. She is an avid triathlete and has completed three Ironman triathlons, as well as the Boston Marathon.

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What Counts as Experience on a College Grad's Resume

• Relevant Coursework Only college students can get away with coursework that qualifies as experience. You can add this as a new section heading on your resume, and list all the college courses you've taken that are at least somewhat relevant for the job you're seeking. For example: If you want a writing job, you can list any English writing and Communication courses you took that taught you something about the language, and something about communicating through media.  
• Extracurricular Activities Sorority/Fraternity Roles No, your medal for Most Creative Keg Stand doesn't count, but congratulations on that accomplishment! But if you served as your fraternity's treasurer and you're seeking a job in accounting, you can work that into your experience. Example: Managed cash flow of fraternity funds collected through organized fundraisers. Student Council Involvement Did the experience help you learn how to negotiate? Did you manage projects or work with other groups on campus? If you were elected, your communications skills are worth highlighting since you effectively convinced people to vote for you. Academic Clubs Did you plan events on campus for spring break? Did you organize concerts or blood drives? Did you collect tickets or pass out t-shirts at those events? Think out of the box and get creative with what qualifies as experience. Volunteer Work
• Irrelevant Part-Time Jobs That's right. I just told you to put irrelevant information on your resume. Believe it! Again, only college students can get away with this. Listing your part-time jobs—such as scooping ice cream or mowing lawns—shows you have some kind of work ethic, even if it has nothing to do with the jobs you're applying to. Just create a separate resume heading titled "Work Experience" and place those items toward the bottom of your resume.

When you identify roles that qualify as experience, you can fabricate a professional title for each of them. (I'm talking about the extracurricular or volunteer roles that might not have had titles. Don't make up a title for a job you were paid to do!) Create titles that you think the roles would be called if someone actually hired you to do them. RELATED LINKS Writing a Resume When You Have No Experience

College Credits Made Easy [2024 Ultimate Guide]

Whether you’re a first-time freshman or returning to school after a long absence, understanding college credits can be more than a little bit overwhelming.

In a hurry? In our next article, we walk you through getting 15 college credits fast .

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When trying to decide your major or even just to plan your schedule for your first semester, you might be asking yourself a lot of questions:

• How many credits should I take?
• Why is this class worth 3 credits and that one worth 4?
• How many credits do I need to graduate?
• What exactly is a credit?

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to get straightforward answers to these questions.

2024 Guide to College Credits

To help clear up some of the confusion and hopefully take away some of the stress, here’s a step by step breakdown of college credits.

What is college credit?

• What is a credit hour?

Do college credits expire?

• How long are college credits good for

How many credits do you need to graduate college?

How many credits to be a full-time college student, how many credit hours is part-time in college, how many credits to graduate community college, how many college credits to be a sophomore, how many college credits to be a junior, how many college credits to be a senior, how many college credits do i have, will my college credits transfer, how to transfer college credits, how long does it take to get 15 college credits, how long is 3 credit hours in college.

• How long is a college credit hour?

What are college credits?

How many college credits is full time, how many college credits do you need, how do i find out how many college credits i have.

Don’t see your question? Just leave a comment with your question at the bottom of this article. We want this guide to cover any questions you might have about college credits.

College credits are the building blocks of a college degree. For every class you complete, you earn credits. By the time you’ve successfully made it through the entire program, you will have accumulated enough credits to graduate.

• Associate’s Degree – About 60 credits
• Bachelor’s Degree – Usually 120 credits
• Master’s Degree – 36 credits is the norm, but some programs go up to 54 credits

These credits can be obtained in various ways. The most common way is by attending lectures and doing typical classroom work, like taking exams or writing papers.

For majors like nursing or physical therapy, you may have to complete clinical hours at a hospital or nursing home to begin to apply the things you’ve learned to real life. These experiences also contribute to your accumulated college credits.

What is a credit hour in college?

Each and every class you take in college is measured in credit hours, usually 1 to 4 credit hours per class. The number of credit hours a class is worth is determined by the number of hours you spend in the classroom each week during a semester.

Let’s look at an example. A class that meets for 1 hour every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is worth 3 credit hours. This is because the class meets for a total of 3 hours each week.

This can vary a little. Some science courses are worth 3 credits for the classroom time but also have a weekly lab session that you’re required to complete, too. So, you get 1 credit for the lab and 3 credits for the class, a total of 4 credits.

You can get credit hours for other things, too, like any clinical or practical experiences you have to do as part of your degree plan. For an education major, this could be student teaching. For a nursing student, clinicals are a good example.

If you’ve already completed some college credits, but a lot of time has passed, you’re probably wondering if your credits still count.

The short answer is: it depends.

The real answer will take a moment to explain.

The most important factor in credit expiration is relevancy.

Are the classes you took all those years ago still relevant?

Any courses you took to fulfill general education requirements will likely still be valid. These courses include English Composition, Social Sciences, History, Humanities, Art, Science, and basic Math. Generally, these introductory courses do not change much over time and the expected course outcomes are generally the same from college to college.

Some of your science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses may no longer pass the relevancy test though. In general, if your STEM credits are older than 10 years, they may not count towards your degree requirements, but some colleges may count them as elective credits.

If you think your college credits will be expiring soon, you can complete your college degree faster using these methods.

The types of courses you’ve completed, when you took your courses, and the school to which you are applying will ultimately determine how your credits will transfer.

How long are college credits good for?

Again, this depends on the course you took and the university you are currently attending. If the information you learned is still relevant, meaning not much has changed in that field of study, your credits may still count toward your degree.

Some universities, however, have a rule in which college credits lapse after a certain amount of time, typically 7-10 years. The logic is that you have probably forgotten the skills taught in those courses and need to brush up on your knowledge. Ask the university you’re applying to about whether your credits will transfer in.

How many credits to graduate college depends on the degree you are pursuing.

• For a 2-year associate’s degree, you’ll need about 60 credits.
• For a 4-year bachelor’s degree, you’ll need about 120 credits.

Keep in mind that associate’s and bachelor’s degrees are two separate programs.

For example, you can’t start a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and decide after 60 credits that you changed your mind and walk away with an Associate’s in Business. Each of these degrees is structured differently and serves a different purpose.

You have to take a minimum of 12 credits per semester to be considered full-time, but many programs allow students to take as many as 18.

Part-time students take anything less than 12 credits. You’re considered part-time if you take 1 class or if you’re carrying, say, 9 credits of class time and a 1 credit lab.

It depends on what you’re studying, but community colleges generally offer 3 types of associate’s degrees:

• Associate of Arts – 60 credits
• Associate of Sciences – 60 credits
• Associate of Applied Sciences – 60 credits

Some community colleges might add a couple of extra credits for physical education or orientation, but 60 credit hours is the norm to graduate.

You need 30 – 59 credits to be considered a sophomore.

If you do the math, you’ll see that if you are a full-time student taking 12 credits a semester, you’re technically a sophomore after 3 semesters.

60 – 89 credits will make you a junior.

Once you have earned 90 credits or more, you will be a senior. It’s time to celebrate!

Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to that question. The only way to get a reliable count of your credit hours is to contact the schools you attended and request an official transcript.

If you’re returning to school, you’ll need this information during the application process anyway. You can contact the school through their website or by filling out a form to request transcripts. There is usually a small fee involved.

High Schoolers

If you’re in high school and have passed an AP exam or are taking classes at a local college or university, you should be able to find out how many credits you have through your guidance counselor or by requesting transcripts from directly from the college or university.

Most likely, yes, if you earned your college credits from a regionally accredited university or college.

Most general education classes will transfer, provided you earned them at an accredited university. These are the classes you take when you’re a freshman before you start getting into specific courses required for your major. Courses like English, history, math, writing, public speaking, and other general education courses usually transfer pretty easily.

Higher level classes that are more specific may not transfer as easily, especially if a lot of time has passed and the field has advanced quite a bit. This is pretty common in fields like nursing, engineering, or sciences where theories and advancements happen quickly and older information is no longer accurate.

Changing majors

If you are changing majors, some of your college credits may not fit into your new degree plan. When this happens, you can sometimes use your credits to fill up any elective credits you may have.

Make sure you check with your advisor or the registrar’s office so you know exactly what you need to do: the forms you need to fill out, what supporting paperwork you need to submit when all the deadlines are that you have to meet.

If you’ve previously been in college, you will have to provide a copy of your transcripts so your new school can determine what will transfer and what won’t.

It’s also a good idea to have a copy of a schedule or syllabus from any class you’re hoping will transfer. Your transcripts will usually only show the name of the class, the grade you received, and the credit hours it was worth. If you have a syllabus, you can show exactly what you learned, which might make a difference.

It’s not always easy to tell what a class covered simply by looking at its title. A syllabus acts as proof of what you learned.

If you are a full-time student, you can get 15 credits in 1 semester by taking five 3 credit classes. If you’re a part-time student, you can easily do it in as little as 2 semesters if you take 3 classes one semester and 2 the next.

If you want to get 15 college credits fast , you may be able to use CLEP exams or credit for life experience to get 15 college credits in a matter of hours (not including exam prep time).

If you’re attending class on campus, 3 credit hours is a class that meets for one hour 3 times a week.

You may also find night classes that will meet 1 night a week for 3 hours. Because you’re in class for 3 hours every week in each of these cases, they both give you 3 credit hours.

Online classes aren’t as straightforward since you’re not actually attending a lecture, but the idea is that you’ll spend as much time doing the online work as you would if you were in the classroom to achieve the goals of the class.

How long is a college credit hour in college?

Basically, a college credit hour is 1 hour spent in class on a weekly basis.

A good example that might make more sense is to compare, say, a microbiology class with the lab that you have to take along with it.

If the class meets 3 times a week for 1 hour each time, that class is worth 3 credit hours. The lab meets for 1 hour 1 day a week and is worth 1 credit hour. Together, the microbiology course with a lab is worth 4 credit hours.

College credits are a representation of the hours you’ve spent in class. Typically, one hour in class per week equals one credit. So, if a class meets for an hour three days per week, that class will give you three credits. Those credits then add up to the number of credits you need to graduate.

To be considered full-time, you need to take 12 credit hours per semester. Many programs, however, allow students to take up to 18 credit hours to finish faster.

For an associate’s degree, you’ll need about 60. A bachelor’s degree usually requires 120. But note that not every credit you take will count toward your degree. You need to take the classes specified in that program.

The only way to find out how many college credits you have is to contact the university you attended. They will have a record of your completed classes and can send you a transcript to show to other colleges.

College credits can seem like a real puzzle, but when you break down all the different parts of them, it starts to come together. Remember, college credits are the building blocks of your degree. You build them up slowly, class by class. Before you know it, your studies can help you build a strong foundation and reach new heights.

Still, have a question about college credits? Just leave a comment with your question!

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What Are Colleg...

What Are College Credits & How Are They Earned?

Repeatedly, you must have earned the term “college credits.” However, do you know what its purpose is?

College credits are units of measurement that track a student's academic progress in higher education. They represent the amount of work and learning involved in a particular course, and they're typically awarded based on the number of hours spent in class and on homework. If you have faced confusion with how and why you should attain college credits, this blog is for you, as we cover all the nitty gritty details about the same!

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What is College Credit?

To give students academic recognition for their hard work and the amount of time they need to complete a course, college credits are utilized as a measure. Universities that grant bachelor's degrees, including four-year programs, use college credits. It shows how much work a student completes in a specific course over a semester, typically 15 to 16 weeks.

The number of hours a student puts in is the most widely used method of calculating course credit. Your degree is deemed complete once you've earned a certain amount of credits.

Also see: Cheap Countries to Study Abroad

How are Credits Calculated Per Subject?

One of the main tools for controlling and recording that students have completed their academic requirements is credit. It is given out for each subject to assess a student's academic performance and the amount of effort they have put into a course over a semester.

One credit is calculated as follows:

• One credit is awarded for the semester if there are fifteen weeks (15 hours of class plus two hours of homework) each week.
• For most subjects/courses, three credits must be earned. This implies that to receive the three credits, you would need to commit three hours a week to the classroom and six hours a week to your homework

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How many Credits are Required for Per Semester?

Usually, a student needs to finish 120 credits over four years to graduate with a bachelor's degree. This means that to stay on track, he or she must earn 30 credits annually, or 15 credits per semester , which typically entails finishing five classes or subjects per semester of college.

It's also crucial to remember that a course is equivalent to a whole subject, not simply a chapter. You are assigned a single subject to study for the entire school year, and you have to complete XYZ chapters each term. In American institutions, a subject (or course) must be completed in its entirety in one semester.

Therefore, instead of studying four to five chapters for your first term, you must study the entire subject for the semester.

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Do you want to know how credits can be earned? Well, the next section covers just that.

How are College Credits Earned?

By finishing classes, one can obtain credits . However, you must pick your courses wisely. The major you wish to pursue upon graduating must guide your course selection. You can't expect to major in physics by taking two semesters of art history and fashion design classes, do you?

It is still possible to major in physics and study art history and fashion design, but you must make sure that physics is your primary subject. This demonstrates the system's flexibility in instruction.

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Many times, students ask our Yocket experts about the varied types of college credits. So, we thought of typing it out for your convenience!

Type of College Credits for Students

You might obtain a variety of college credits by comprehending the idea. Three categories of credits can be obtained for college.

General Education Requirements

Colleges mandate that students take up to 60 credits of lower-level courses covering a range of general subjects to provide a wide education. They make sure the student is learning something about a broad spectrum of disciplines.

Although you are allowed to choose whatever courses you want, you are required to take the courses listed in the college prerequisites. Global cultures, cultural diversity, history, mathematics, literature, rhetoric, etc. are a few examples of courses that fall under this area.

Let's say a college's mathematics course requires six credits. In this case, the student has completed the course if they study math-related topics, such as linear algebra, statistics, differential calculus, or any other subject of that nature, and earn the required six credits.

Free Electives

Colleges offer students the opportunity to pursue up to 30 credits of any course, which is frequently equated with the finest period of their academic career. The course can be separate from the student's major. Since a student can enroll in whatever course they like, they are referred to as "free" electives.

Because of the availability of open electives, a student studying quantum physics can experience Renaissance art, while an art student may choose to enroll in an introductory physics course.

Area of Study

Lastly, the courses in this area are those that the student must complete to earn a bachelor's degree. These courses are closely tied to the student's major. Usually, this category receives between thirty and forty credits.

If a student is majoring in psychology, for instance, their 30 credits could consist of electives in social psychology, developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and psychology, among other topics.

Courses that a student can select from a predetermined basket are called "Electives." In this case, if "Psychology Electives" is worth six credits, the student may select two psychology courses from a list of options, assuming that each course is worth three credits.

Also see: International Students Financial Requirements to Study Abroad

Have you tried to calculate your GPA based on the credits you have earned in college? Did you not get it right? Well then, read the final, but get it right the next time.

How do I Calculate my GPA from the Number of Credits?

The grade obtained in each course is weighted, and the number of credit hours is multiplied to determine the grade point average (GPA) .

For instance, in a three-credit class, a B mark (worth three grade points) results in nine "quality points." To calculate your final GPA, add up the quality points and divide by the total number of credits you have registered for.

From the Desk of Yocket

So, we have all the details you need to know about course credit and college credit hours. Even though this is not as complicated, students often find it confusing to understand the calculation and significance of college credits. They can help you land a good job, enhance your potential, and open doors to new opportunities. Hence, do not be nonchalant about college credits.

Have more questions or require assistance with studying abroad? Connect with our Yocket professionals at your convenience, resolve your queries, and get end-to-end assistance.

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Frequently Asked Questions about College Credits

How many credits is required to complete a bachelor's degree?

A student should complete 120 college credits to earn a bachelor's degree.

How do I calculate my grade with credits?

To calculate your average grade, use the resulting formula: [CREDITS OF THE UNIT]/90 x [UNIT GRADE], and add them all together.

How many credits do you get per class?

As you know, each class in college will be measured in credit hours; generally, 1 to 4 credit hours per class are allocated.

What does 1 credit hour mean?

1 credit hour is 50 minutes of lecture or recitation per week.

How many credits are required for a master's course?

To get a master's degree, students should complete 180 credits.

Rohan Deshmukh

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• Understanding Electives

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If there is a course that you are interested in taking but you’re not sure if it can apply to your degree, you can take the course as an elective. Note: You will still need to meet any prerequisites to be eligible to enroll.

How progress toward your degree is measured

Overall # of credits.

• You can complete more than 120, but need at least 120 to graduate 
• Many students will need to take additional upper division credits beyond what is required for their major or minor in order to meet the 45 UD credit requirement

Categories of credits

• CMCI CORE requirements (General Education categories)
• Major Requirements (STCM, COMM, MDST, CMDP, INFO, or JRNL)
• Secondary Area of Study (minor, certificate, second major, or dual degree)

General Electives are courses that apply to the overall credit requirement for your degree program, but do not meet any specific category requirements for general education or declared majors, minors, or certificates.

Major Electives are courses required for the major for which students can choose from a variety of course options.

Note: Major Electives are a required component of the Major and are different from the General Electives. Both types of electives apply towards your total degree credits. 

What counts as an elective:    

An elective can be any  for-credit college course.

• Electives can be courses that have CMCI core attributes like Arts and Humanities, People and Society, Natural World, etc. 
• Electives can also be courses that cannot count towards core or major categories and can only be taken as electives. Advisors will often provide a list of elective-only courses to help students identify fun and interesting elective options.
• Electives can be Lower Division or Upper Division
• Lower division electives: 1000-2000 level courses
• Upper division electives: 3000-4000 level courses (View a list of UD electives from A+S)

Saving elective credits 

Students planning to do a study abroad may want to “save” some of these elective credits for their study abroad semester(s) in order to keep their program options open. Not all programs offer all types of major credit.

Example: It is very difficult to find courses that count towards UD composition in Study Abroad.

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What Are Electives at US Universities?

College elective courses allow students to broaden their education and explore new interests. Our guide covers everything you need to know about elective courses.

Did you know that students who enroll in an elective course are more motivated to successfully complete their academic programs? Electives — or classes you can take outside your core curriculum — are a central feature of many US liberal arts colleges , and can be a rewarding part of your US university experience. 

When you pursue a degree at a college or university in the US, typically you will see three categories of courses: general education requirements, courses required for specific majors , and electives. These options give you a range of choices and can significantly improve the quality of your college education. 

What Is an Elective Course?

Electives are courses that count toward your credits for graduation, but are not requirements for your particular degree of study. Any courses offered at your college or university that do not have any other conditions — such as significant course prerequisites — may be taken as an elective. 

Your options are endless and do not have to be limited to your field of study. For example, if you are an English major but have an interest in psychology, you could consider psychology as an elective course to expand your portfolio. Selecting an elective in your field is also very beneficial. For example, taking art history or historical literature classes can boost your knowledge when pursuing a degree in art and literature.

Elective courses give students freedom of choice. In both college and high school, students can take classes outside their prescribed plan of coursework. To understand how these optional subjects impact your study plan, it’s important to know the differences between core subjects and elective subjects.

What Is the Difference Between Electives and Core Courses?

At US universities and colleges, courses can be classified as:

Core courses — These are mandatory courses you must take to meet the requirements of your program.

Elective courses — These non-required courses allow you to study topics that interest you, outside of your core courses.

The combination of both types of classes make up the total number of credits required to complete your degree. Unlike core courses, these optional subjects are meant to be lighter, more fun, and can benefit you in numerous ways.

Choosing an Elective in High School

For many high school students, elective courses allow them to pursue their passions and personal interests, like music, dance, or art. When these optional subjects are carefully selected, they can prepare you for the challenges of college academics and improve your college-level academic skills.

When reviewing applications, college admissions teams focus not only on the types of elective courses a student has chosen, but also on their context and outcomes. They will consider whether the student has:

Delivered a transcript signaling progression toward a goal and grades that showed academic potential

Built a solid foundation of core courses

Taken any challenging courses

Participated in academic challenges throughout high school

Why Should You Take College Electives?

Because elective courses allow you to choose from a variety of subjects outside your main field of study, they offer unique advantages that can help you grow personally and professionally.

Here are some advantages of elective courses: 

Electives Can Improve Your GPA

An elective course (ideally) should be less strenuous than your core courses. Grading may be on a different scale from your required courses, and if the workload and/or criteria are less intense, you may earn a grade that improves your overall grade point average (GPA).  

You can start planning your studies around your elective courses by having an idea of which ones you want to take. If your primary program is intensive and does not give you much space for difficult subjects, you can choose comparatively easier options that have less coursework and simpler assignments.

Electives Develop New Skills

Taking additional optional courses can broaden skill sets — and some skills may even support the activities in your degree program. For example, if you major in economics, choosing psychology as an elective can help you understand the mindset of buyers and sellers which allows you to understand the reasons for their spending patterns. 

Electives Let You Explore New Fields of Study

These courses give students space to find their niche by showcasing their talents and developing new interests and abilities. They also provide an opportunity to explore an area of interest or discover completely new areas you may not have considered before. (You may even want to change your major if you develop a strong interest through a particular elective class!)

Electives Diversify Your Professional Portfolio

Employers look for more than just good grades and a degree. They look for skills like creativity, drive, passion, self-esteem, organization, and more, all of which come with diverse experiences inside the classroom and out. These subjects help you discover and build your skills, whether they are career-specific or general. 

If your optional subjects are all focused on one particular area, look into making these courses a minor . Minors, certificates , and double majors not only look good, but also demonstrate your time management skills and a wide variety of knowledge and interests. Be sure to look into all the requirements of your optional courses to make sure you choose the right amount of subjects for your study load.

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How Many Electives Can You Take in College?

Every university has its own guidelines for how many elective courses you should take to reach the required number of credits to graduate. Your university or college advisor can work with you on a study plan in advance so you don’t have any surprises after you enroll.

While there are many courses to choose from, a few popular subjects include:

Public speaking — Taking a public speaking elective in college hones your communication skills in front of groups of people. This is important in a professional setting, particularly if your line of work could include presentations, speeches, or similar.

Computer science/web development/web design — According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information technology jobs are projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032. If you are aiming for a job in this industry, choosing a related elective can help you gain relevant skills.

English composition or creative writing — With optional courses related to writing, you can practice your English language skills and improve your grammar, communication, and storytelling abilities.

Marketing — Marketing subjects allow you to learn about various promotion techniques, consumer psychologies, and market trends. These are valuable skills that can adapt to many types of jobs.

Foreign languages — Speaking more than one language opens up unique jobs with organizations that handle multinational clients or services. It can also significantly help you collaborate with multicultural teams. You may even be able to apply for a job in another country!

Psychology — A basic knowledge of psychology will help you understand how to work with others, speak with clients, and understand human behavior and thought processes. These insights improve your soft skills and stand out to employers as a strong member of a team.

How Many Credits Do You Earn with Electives?

For every class you take, you are awarded a set number of credits. When you enroll in an elective course, keep in mind the number of credits you need to complete your degree program, in addition to mandatory courses you still have to take. 

The exact number of courses you need will be different at each college and will vary between programs. For example, the average number of credits needed for a two-year associate’s degree is 60, while you need 120 for a four-year degree. Of these, elective subjects such as physical education or art may count for one to four credits, depending on your university. As the credits associated with each course can vary, remember to speak with an advisor before making your choice.

What Should You Consider When Choosing an Elective Course?

When choosing your optional courses, remember to consider your timeline for graduation and your personal study plan for your degree program. This will help you choose additional subjects that align with your objectives for the future.

Here are a few factors to consider when making your choice:

1. The subjects you choose should be specific to your goals — There are three different categories of electives you need to complete your degree: free, major/area of study, and general education. Degree programs list the credit distribution requirement needed for each elective. Understanding the differences will help you pick the right options and avoid repeating courses.

2. Choosing optional courses unrelated to your major is not mandatory — You have choices. There is no need to fill up your free elective requirements with programs that do not relate to your degree program. Consider enrolling in courses that support your primary field of study if you feel they would benefit you more.

3. Carefully research the requirements of each elective — As some courses can involve large projects, assignments, or even internships , the subjects you choose may increase the time it takes for you to complete your degree.

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How Can We Help You Choose Your Elective Courses?

Deciding which subjects you want to take may seem confusing at first. Working with a Shorelight counselor can help by focusing on both your requirements and the elective courses to chart your path toward your bachelor’s degree. 

Shorelight counselors provide personalized programs that support international students from application to enrollment. Our counselors’ expert knowledge will provide you with a much clearer perspective about the variety of options available.

The benefit of a US college education is having the flexibility to choose what you want to study. Be as adventurous or as cautious as you need to be when choosing an optional course. This will allow you to fulfill your general education requirements, boost your GPA, expand your interests and knowledge, add variety to your course schedule, and prepare for your future.

Consult a Shorelight advisor to get help with your academic plan >

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College & Careers

A guide to earning college credit while in high school.

The paths include Dual Enrollment, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate. Each has benefits and challenges.

May 8, 2023.

Emma Gallegos

An increasing number of students in California are graduating from high school with college credits under their belt. The main three ways to do this are through Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment or International Baccalaureate.

This guide aims to give high school students and their families an overview of college-level coursework in California for young students and how it could affect them in college and their career.

Please click below questions to view text.

What is the purpose of earning college credit early?

The main reason students take college-level coursework during high school (and sometimes middle school) is to get a jump on college credits.

Even a handful of college credits earned in high school can save valuable time and tuition dollars later on. This means potentially earning a bachelor’s degree much faster, enabling students to begin their careers and start earning sooner.

Many dual enrollment programs will enable students to graduate with a full associate’s degree as a high school student. That allows students to begin college as juniors. The rise of the community college baccalaureate has opened up the possibility of graduating from college one year after high school graduation. Students at McFarland High can graduate with a bachelor’s degree in industrial automation from Bakersfield College just one year after high school .

Coming into college with credit could also give students flexibility to take on other opportunities they might not otherwise have had time for, such as an internship or study abroad program.

Some students take these courses to burnish their college applications. Taking college-level courses demonstrates to selective college admissions offices that a student is ready for the intellectual rigor of college. Some college-level courses taken through high school are given extra weight, which can boost a student’s grade point average and class ranking.

Many advocates see these courses as a way to encourage college attendance among students who may not be college-bound, such as first-generation college students. Exposure to college-level coursework can help students develop the study habits and critical thinking key for success in college.

“It helps them to build confidence, and I think that that’s really key,” said Michelle Whittingham, Associate Vice Chancellor and Interim Director of Undergraduate Admissions for UC Santa Cruz. “Because sometimes students, for many different reasons, aren’t sure if they’re college material.”

What is dual enrollment?

This simply means that a high school student is enrolled in a college course. Most dually enrolled students in California take courses through local community colleges, though some four-year colleges and universities also allow high school students to enroll.

In 2015, California made an effort to expand dual enrollment options to students who may not be high-achievers or who are historically underrepresented in college. College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) makes it easier for students to take courses on their high school campus, either during the regular school day or after school.

Many offerings count toward general education credits required for a bachelor’s degree. However, many dual enrollment programs in California also include career training in areas, such as health care, computer technology or education. This aims to give students entry into a career after high school or a headstart in college.

Dual enrollment, because it is an actual college course, does not count toward that minimum amount of time students are required to spend each day in high school. That limits the number of courses a high school student can take. Students at early college and middle college high schools are exempt from this, enabling students to enroll in more college courses.

What is Advanced Placement?

Since the 1950s, the nonprofit College Board has operated college-level curriculum and exams for high school students. The offerings today include 38 Advanced Placement (AP) courses that typically cover the span of introductory-level liberal arts courses, including art, history, math, science, economics, political science, language and literature courses.

Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses aiming for college credit take a final course exam in May. Students are graded on a scale of 1 to 5. A 3 or higher is considered a passing score for which many colleges grant credit. Pass rates last year varied from 48.6% in U.S. Government and Politics to 86.6% in 2-D Art and Design.

What is the International Baccalaureate?

As its name suggests, the International Baccalaureate is a program offered and accepted in countries all over the world. Its curriculum ranges from early education through high school.

The capstone is the IB Diploma Programme for upperclassmen in high school. One requirement is passing courses in six subject areas that include art, science, language, literature, mathematics and social science. Passing requires a final examination, and exam scores are what may earn a student college credit. The highest score on an IB test is 7, and 5 is considered a passing grade.

How does a student earn college credit?

Students in dual enrollment courses receive credit the same way any other college student does: by completing the coursework, which may include assignments, quizzes and tests. Passing a course requires at least a C.

However, credit for AP or IB courses hinges entirely on how well a student performs on a single — and what some students see as high-pressure — exam. Some AP students pass their coursework but fail the exam, receiving no college credit.

Which is the best option?

Admissions officers generally don’t prefer one kind of course.

“The key for us is that students are challenging themselves within the opportunities they have available,” said Whittingham.

A student whose school offers little or no college-level courses won’t be disqualified for what they couldn’t take.

Scheduling is a consideration. Dual enrollment courses aren’t always offered during the regular school day, which can make it tough for students with after school commitments, such as sports, a job or caregiving duties. An AP or IB course might be offered during a time that conflicts with a student’s favorite elective.

Admissions officers consider this, too. The measure of a student isn’t simply their academics, but their passions, their extracurriculars and the unique challenges they face in life, said Whittingham.

Some students like the intensity of test-centric AP courses. Others prefer dual enrollment courses, so that their college credit is not completely determined by one test in May.

Do I need to come into college with credit?

An increasing emphasis on getting college credit early and graduating from college early might worry those who are entering college with no credits.

“I never want the student to worry,” Whittingham said. “They can be a senior or junior and not have any dual credit and that’s OK.”

Will my college or university accept this credit?

That depends largely on which college or university a student plans to attend and what they plan to major in. The only way to know for sure is to reach out to an individual college or university.

But for the vast majority of California students, the answer is yes. Community colleges, CSUs and UCs all accept passing AP scores of 3 and better, IB scores and dual enrollment college credit. These are the schools that approximately 85% of college-going California high school students attend . Most out-of-state schools and many private institutions give credit for these scores or courses as well.

Some selective universities cap the credit obtained ahead of their undergraduate education. Stanford, for example, caps credit for incoming freshmen at the equivalent of one year. A few highly selective universities, such Caltech , do not accept any of these programs’ credit at all. However, these elite schools prefer candidates who have taken the most rigorous coursework offered by their high school, which are typically dual enrollment, AP or IB courses.

Will this class count for high school credit?

This depends on the high school. Generally, students taking AP or IB courses receive credit in high school, and it counts toward their GPA. Many dual enrollment courses — especially those taken during the regular school day — count toward high school credit and grades.

How will these courses affect my GPA?

Many high schools will weigh college-level courses with an extra point. Even if a high school doesn’t, a college or university might. UC will award an extra point up to eight courses for AP, IB or dual enrollment courses. CSU will do the same .

Who teaches the course?

Typically, high school teachers teach AP or IB courses.

Dual enrollment courses in California work differently. These courses must be taught by instructors who meet the minimum requirements in their field of study set by the state . Typically, this is a master’s degree in that particular discipline, though in career and technical education, several years of experience in the field of study may be sufficient.

Many college professors, particularly part-time adjunct faculty members, teach these courses. Some high school teachers may be qualified to teach these programs, but many do not.

Expanding the pool of instructors will require “upskilling” high school teachers. There are efforts in the Central Valley to support high school English and math teachers getting a master’s degree.

Can students who are homeschooled or studying independently get college credit?

Students can self-study for AP exams, which makes AP a good option for those who are homeschooled or otherwise independently studying.

IB is currently rolling out an option for students to take courses toward the IB Diploma Programme online, which opens the courses up to students who are not enrolled in an IB-certified school.

Whittingham said UC Scout is an underutilized option for high school students who can’t find the high school class they’re looking for in their own local schools. UC Scout offers remote options for A-G options that are free to public school students. It includes AP courses.

How much does it cost?

Dual enrollment courses taken through a high school are generally free to students: covering the cost of tuition, fees and even books and other materials required for courses.

The College Board currently charges $97 per AP test and reduces the fees for low-income students to $53. School districts in California may also use local control funds to pay test fees for its students.

IB charges schools $119 per exam , and schools can choose whether to pass those fees along to students.

What is available for me?

Offerings vary widely by region. The best way to learn about options is to reach out to a high school counselor or a local college or university.

Who is eligible to take these courses?

Theoretically, any high school student who is ready to do the hard work that comes with college-level courses should be eligible. There are options for students in continuation schools, juvenile detention and adult schools.

High school counselors may dissuade students from taking coursework if they feel a student is not academically prepared or emotionally mature. At some schools, college-level courses may be reserved for students who are on an honors track and college-bound.

The expansion of dual enrollment courses on high school campuses is intended to open up college-level coursework to students beyond high achievers.

In practice, some dual enrollment courses or pathways can be extremely competitive, and some types of students may be dissuaded from taking these courses. An EdSource analysis found that Black and Latino students were underrepresented in dual enrollment courses in most college districts.

Some high schools reserve slots for students who do not have high GPAs. Middle College High School in San Bernardino keeps 80% of its slots available to students with GPAs between 1.89 and 3.49. Some schools set minimum requirements and hold lotteries for all eligible students to keep access equitable.

When is it time for a student to start thinking about college-level courses?

Particularly precocious middle school students can take college-level courses, but so can high school seniors who hadn’t given the idea any thought until their final year.

Many college-level courses can be taken without prerequisites.

However, some dual enrollment pathways begin in a student’s freshman year. Students who are interested may have to apply as early as middle school.

Some of these courses build on skills that begin as early as middle school. This is especially true for subjects such as math that require taking a sequence of courses. Taking calculus, for instance, requires that students have taken algebra, geometry and pre-calculus.

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Tim Taylor 11 months ago 11 months ago

Great resource Emma…thanks so much for this!

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• Credits and deductions

What are examples of education expenses?

Education expenses can be complex, but we'll simplify them for you. Here are examples of what you can and can't deduct:

You can deduct: 

• Enrollment fees
• Expenses paid to school, on condition of enrollment (lab fees, for example)
• Certain books, supplies, and course-related equipment (for American Opportunity Credit only)
• Expenses listed above (for the following semester), as long as the semester begins in the first three months of 2024
• Education expenses paid with cash, checks, credit cards, and savings accounts
• Education expenses paid with loans, gifts, and inheritances

You can't deduct:

• Room and board
• Fees and materials for non-degree courses (sports, games or hobbies), except when the course or activity is part of the student’s degree program. For the Lifetime Learning Credit only, these expenses qualify if the course helps the student acquire or improve job skills.
• Medical expenses or student fees
• Transportation or mileage
• Fees for maintaining or acquiring a license (broker, CPA, etc.)
• Tutoring expenses
• Private high school or grade school fees
• High school or private school uniforms
• Undergraduate and graduate application fees
• Daycare expenses
• Homeschool expenses
• Contributions to a student's Coverdell Education Savings Account

Related Information:

• What are qualified education expenses for the American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning credits?
• Which tax breaks can help with education costs?
• What is the Educator Expense deduction?
• What education tax credits are available?
• What is the Tuition and Fees Deduction?

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The Sunday Read: ‘What Deathbed Visions Teach Us About Living’

Researchers are documenting a phenomenon that seems to help the dying, as well as those they leave behind..

By Phoebe Zerwick

Read by Samantha Desz

Produced by Jack D’Isidoro and Aaron Esposito

Narration produced by Anna Diamond and Emma Kehlbeck

Original music by Aaron Esposito

Engineered by Sophia Lanman and Sharon Kearney

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Chris Kerr was 12 when he first observed a deathbed vision. His memory of that summer in 1974 is blurred, but not the sense of mystery he felt at the bedside of his dying father. Throughout Kerr’s childhood in Toronto, his father, a surgeon, was too busy to spend much time with his son, except for an annual fishing trip they took, just the two of them, to the Canadian wilderness. Gaunt and weakened by cancer at 42, his father reached for the buttons on Kerr’s shirt, fiddled with them and said something about getting ready to catch the plane to their cabin in the woods. “I knew intuitively, I knew wherever he was, must be a good place because we were going fishing,” Kerr told me.

Kerr now calls what he witnessed an end-of-life vision. His father wasn’t delusional, he believes. His mind was taking him to a time and place where he and his son could be together, in the wilds of northern Canada.

Kerr followed his father into medicine, and in the last 10 years he has hired a permanent research team that expanded studies on deathbed visions to include interviews with patients receiving hospice care at home and with their families, deepening researchers’ understanding of the variety and profundity of these visions.

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Additional production for The Sunday Read was contributed by Isabella Anderson, Anna Diamond, Sarah Diamond, Elena Hecht, Emma Kehlbeck, Tanya Pérez and Krish Seenivasan.

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Community college or a four-year school? What to know about the advantages – and differences.

Spring marks the moment when high school students across the country are making choices about their future, whether that’s enrolling in a four-year college or university, entering the workforce or some combination of pathways.  

Many students will choose to enroll in community colleges. Soon after the pandemic began, community college enrollment sunk in many places, and the number of recent high school grads enrolling took the biggest dip.About 5.7 million students were enrolled in community colleges in fall 2021, according to the Community College Research Center.  Still, thataccounted for more than a third ofundergraduate enrollment at the time. 

But not all community college students are recent high school graduates. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal told USA TODAY thatcommunity colleges are “really versatile institutions that are open to everyone and create a lot of opportunities and choices for people.”  

So, what is a community college? What are the benefits – and limitations – of attending the institutions? Here’s what you need to know.  

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Is it better to go to a community college?

A key difference between community colleges and four-year institutions is the type of degrees and credentials offered, said Laura Perna, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's graduate school of education.  

“So community colleges tend to offer associate’s degrees, as well as a host of different certificate programs, and programs that are oriented to the workforce,” she said. And they provide classes students can use to transfer to a four-year colleges. 

Community colleges also offer education and training needed by companies and groups in the area, Perna noted. They may also offer classes to accommodate parents, people with full-time jobs and others. 

Universities may cost significantly more than community colleges, and students may face taking out significant student loans . However, four-year colleges and universities can also offer different kinds of opportunities for students, such as major athletics programs, additional social environments and more.  

Many colleges raised tuition for low-income students: Why did wealthier peers get more aid?

Martha Parham, senior vice president of public relations at the American Association of Community Colleges, said the institutions also serve students in career and technical education programs.

"So everything from nursing and first responder training, allied health training to electrical linemen, commercial driver's license, slot machine repair technicians, really in programs that are shorter term, credentialing programs that are by design meant for learners that are looking to quickly get into a job market," she said. 

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How do community colleges and universities differ?

Though some community colleges are able to offer a limited number of bachelor's degrees , if you attend a community college, it's likely you'll have to transfer elsewhere to earn a bachelor's degree or beyond. 

And if you’re thinking about starting a bachelor's degree at a community college, it's possible,but community college students can face unique challenges.

Approximately four out of five students who start at a community college say they plan to seek a bachelor’s degree, but only about one in six actually accomplish that goal, The Hechinger Report  reported .  Two-year community colleges have the lowest completion rates of anyhigher education institution.  

One note of caution: Not all credits earned at a community college will automatically transfer to the college or university you’re hoping to attend.  

Perna warned that this “could have real costs for students.” 

If “you’re not able to get academic credit for that course that you took at the community college, you've lost the time that you spent taking that course. You've lost the money that you've used to pay for that course,” she said.  

Parham advised that "if students are looking to transfer or looking to attend a university, it is really important " that they talk to the community college and four-year institutionthey are considering to understand the transfer pathway so that they are set up for success at the community college. 

"Many colleges have invested in increased academic advising, so the students have a place to go and ask questions and best determine how they can get from their point A to point B," she added. 

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How much does community college cost?

Community college isn’t automatically free – though some states have programs that sharply cut community college costs  – but the sticker price for community colleges is typically less than four-year colleges and universities. 

For the 2022-23 school year, the average published fees and tuition for a full-time student at a public two-year institution was $3,860, compared with $10,940 at a public four-year college.

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That doesn’t mean community college students don’t still face major financial challenges. A survey of over 80,000 community college students published last year found that a third of respondents said they struggled to get enough food to eat within the last month. The same survey found that about a quarter of students who had to pay rent struggled at least once in the last year to cover their housing.  

Kvaal said educational institutions in the U.S. “need to help students with a range of challenges and not focus on just one.”  

Eat or pay tuition?  Many community college students are forced to choose. But colleges can help.

“Students need financial aid to pay their tuition and their living expenses, transportation and books. We're working hard to make sure that students have the support they need to support their families, childcare, housing, nutrition assistance,” he said. 

President Joe Biden has had his sights set on free community college for students. Though it has been  cut from previous legislation, it was part of his 2024 fiscal year budget proposal to Congress.  

More coverage from USA TODAY

• 'The bottom fell out’: For years, Latino college enrollment was on the rise. Then came the pandemic.
• Student loan forgiveness: When will student loan payments resume? A new lawsuit aims to lift the payment pause
• Cutting college costs: California helps college students cut their debt by paying them to help their communities
• Access to education: Many rural and small town students skip college or go local. A new effort aims to change that
• Diversity, equity and inclusion: Schools' mission statements tend to be the same. Except when it comes to diversity, equity

Contributing: Chris Quintana, USA TODAY