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China Spring High School

Dual Credit // AP course Offerings

CSHS Counseling Department

Jami Bihl (A-G)

Vanessa Hopkins (H-Q)

Meghan Harvey (R-Z)

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Moving from “honors” to ap or dual credit

CSHS offers two ways for our 11th & 12th grade students to potentially earn college credit. The following information will help you choose the most appropriate course(s) for your student.If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us!

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Dual Credit vs AP (Advanced Placement)

Similarities:

-Students have the opportunity to earn college credit by enrolling in these courses.

-Students must be prepared for the rigor of a collegiate-level course.

-Students receive the same 10-point multiplier by taking either format.

-Students pay a fee of some sort for each course. (Dual credit is the fee for tuition; AP is the fee for the exam.)

-Only 11th // 12th graders are able to enroll in these courses.

Differences:

-Dual Credit courses are taught by MCC professors.

-AP courses are taught by CSHS teachers.

-College credit is earned differently (further explanation given in next few slides).

-MCC course grades are NOT reflected on 6-week report cards.

-AP courses use college board curriculum.

-Parents may not contact dual credit professors with questions regarding grades/work/etc due to FERPA laws governing higher education institutions.

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CSHS AP courses

English 3 AP (Language and Composition)

English 4 ap (Literature and Composition)

Biology ap

Chemistry ap

Environmental science ap

Calculus ap

Spanish 4 ap

Art 3 ap

Art 4 ap

Music Theory ap

Who’s eligible to enroll in these courses?

11th // 12th grade students

What curriculum is followed?

AP courses follow the college board curriculum. Because of this, it is important to ensure your student is ready to commit to a rigorous course. It is not wise to enroll if the student has never accessed honors curriculum in the past.

How is college credit earned?

Students must take and pass the AP exam at the end of the school year in order to be awarded college credit. You must score at least a 3 or higher in order for colleges to award that (disclaimer: some institutions may require a higher score).

Please access this tool provided by college board to search exactly the score needed at the potential university of choice: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/getting-credit-placement/search-policies

What’s the fee for the course?

$98 due at the end of the 1st six weeks of school

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What happens if your student passes the AP exam?

Your student will receive a full refund of the exam cost ($98) once AP scores are released if he or she makes a 3, 4, or 5 on the exam.

That means that your student receives college credit for free.

(That equates to $231-$462 worth of college credit

at no cost to you!)

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A breakdown of the courses

Course	Grade Level	Prerequisite
English 3 AP	11	Honors English 2 or demonstration of mastery performance in prior courses
English 4 AP	12	Prior honors coursework or demonstration of mastery performance in prior courses
Biology AP	11 / 12	Biology, Chemistry
Chemistry AP	11 / 12	Biology, Chemistry, Algebra 2
Env. Science AP	11 / 12	Biology, Chemistry
Calculus AP	12	Honors Pre Cal
Art 3 AP	11	Art 1, Art 2
Art 4 AP	11 / 12	Art 1, Art 2, Art 3
Music Theory AP	11 / 12	Prior enrollment in band or choir
Spanish 4 AP	12	Honors Spanish 3
U.S.H. AP	11	Only offered if class size / teacher availability warrants

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How does my student get registered?

Your student will let their counselor know they’d like to enroll in AP during their one-on-one sit down in November.

Your role in this is to ensure your student understands this is a college-level course. Payment for the AP exam in May of the following year will be due at the end of the 1st six weeks of the 2024 school year. Keep in mind-the $98 exam fee is tied to every tests the student takes, and is not refundable if your student chooses to drop the course.

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Dual Credit at CSHS

MCC High School Pathways

English 1301 // English 1302

Us history 1301 // us history 1302

English 2322 // english 2327

Econ 2305 // govt 2305

Who’s eligible to enroll in these courses?

11th // 12th graders who meet testing MCC’s requirements. TSI is required and will be given at CSHS at the end of the school year.

Exemptions include: https://www.mclennan.edu/testing-center/dual-credit.html

What is the fee?

Tuition for these courses is $231 and is due 10 days prior to the start date EACH semester (tuition exemptions available to those who qualify for FRL) Tuition costs are set forth by MCC, not CSHS.

How is credit earned?

Credit is earned by taking and passing each course.

How do I track my student’s grade?

MCC course grades will not be reflected on report cards. Only final semester averages are issued. Your student will be required to track their own grades through the brightspace platform used by MCC.

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Dual Credit Courses

Course	Grade	Prerequisite
English 1301	11 / 12 (if not taken in 11th)	Meet MCC testing requirements
English 1302	11/ 12 (if not taken in 11th)	English 1301
English 2322	12	English 1301
English 2327	12	English 1301
US History 1301	11	Meet MCC testing requirements
US History 1302	11
Economics 2305	12
Govt 2305	12

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How does my student get registered?

Registration for dual credit classes will take place on campus, during the school day in the spring semester.

The exact date of registration will be communicated via announcements, classroom visits, and Dr. Rutherford’s weekly parent emails.

Your student will need to let their counselor know they are interested in order to ensure they are pulled for sign ups in the spring. To reiterate: there is no official sign up at this time. We just need to know their interest in the dual credit program at this time.

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What’s the best choice for my student?

Both dual credit and AP courses require a commitment to study, maintain deadlines, and advocate. Extracurricular activities, life obligations, and motivation should all be taken into consideration before deciding on whether or not this course work is appropriate.

Keep in mind, all grades earned MUST be transcripted. It’s important to note the impact an unsuccessful grade could have on your student’s GPA. If your student does not meet the requirements of these courses this could result in being dropped from them. Contracts are signed prior to enrollment in each course.