FAQ
What does dual enrollment mean?
Dual enrollment is a type of program that allows qualified high school students to enroll in college courses prior to graduation. College credits earned through dual enrollment are applied towards both high school and, potentially, college graduation. These credits can be transferred from one college or university to another in the United States.
Which college is Dalat collaborating with to provide the program?
Dalat is excited to partner with Grand Canyon University (GCU), the largest Christian university in the world with more than 90,000 students enrolled in their traditional and online programs. Based in Phoenix, Arizona USA, GCU offers more than 200 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, making it one of the largest degree-granting institutions.
GCU is regionally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission with degrees and credits that are accepted by the vast majority of American colleges.
What are the benefits of Dual Enrollment?
- Dual enrollment allows high school students to earn both college and high school credit simultaneously. For most students, this means that they can possibly graduate early from college or more easily pursue a double major.
- DDEP offers the opportunity for a smoother transition to college by introducing students to the academic rigor required to succeed at the next level, without having to also navigate college social life. Students can get a taste of what college is like without being completely overwhelmed with a whole new environment.
- The cost of DDEP is far less per credit hour than traditional on-campus and online options, offering long-run savings.
- DDEP exposes students to a wider array of course offerings than what is typically offered at Dalat, which can help them identify the right field of study that fits their interests.
- Some dual enrollment courses can be completed in as few as 7 weeks, compared to AP courses that require at least one semester, and in most cases a full school year.
Who qualifies for Dual Enrollment?
Dalat Requirements: DDEP is open only to high performing college bound Junior and Senior students. Student readiness is assessed using MAP scores, HS course grades (a pattern of A’s is required), teacher recommendations, and indicators that a student is self motivated and able to work independently. Course prerequisites must be completely fulfilled. The guidance counselor and HS principal will make the final determination if a student is qualified and allowed to apply.
Note that no credit will be given for taking a dual credit course that is already offered at Dalat or for taking a course that is a lower level course than the student has already been awarded credit for at Dalat.
GCU Requirements: Students must have an unweighted 3.00 GPA or higher. All students taking English or math courses will be required to take an online placement test.
Is there a maximum number of DDEP courses that my child can take?
Students are limited to a single DDEP course at any given time.
Multiple DDEP classes that run concurrently are not allowed. However, because of the 7-week format of some classes, students may take two classes sequentially in a semester.
What is the difference between the 7 week and 15 week format?
GCU offers the same course in either format. However, they only make the 15 week format available if 10 or more students enroll in the class simultaneously. In the 7 week format, these classes start on a regular basis (roughly every two weeks).
We can partner with other international schools to fulfill this minimum student requirement. In this case, we will work with those other students to set the starting date for the class. Dalat will do our best to organize students into cohorts of ten or more students to make this option available when our student body indicates there is interest.
Is there a minimum number of DDEP courses that my child can take?
Due to scheduling requirements at Dalat, students are required to be working on coursework for the majority of the semester.
Students can take…
- one 15-week course or…
- two 7-week courses or…
- one 7-week course and study and pass a CLEP test.
Is DDEP harder than just taking regular high school classes?
Yes, particularly in the 7 week compressed format. The course material is taught at a college level and proceeds at a college pace. This means that the material, on average, has more depth than a high school course. While a high school course might require 30 minutes of homework nightly, a DDEP course (7 week format) may require 1-2 hours per night, depending on the term length (8 weeks or 15 weeks) and other factors.
Students that have demonstrated college readiness will be expected to diligently keep pace with the course material to avoid falling behind.
How does DDEP work?
Once approval is received from the principal, relevant teachers and the guidance counselor, participating students have a devoted block each day for each DDEP course taken, just as they would for other online courses from our existing e-learning program.
Since DDEP courses are online, classes are completed in computer labs on campus. Grades are assigned to students from their professors, with whom they may have little interaction because of time differences and the online format.
Dalat will work to try and provide subject matter support when students enroll in these courses, but because of the broad course options, we cannot always promise to have immediate on-site support for a struggling student.
What other ways can Dalat students earn college credits?
DDEP is not the only way to earn college credits; several other options exist. Dalat’s AP program is recognized as one of the best in the world, providing college credit to those who pass the AP subject exam in May. (All colleges have different criteria regarding the amount of credit they will award for passing AP exams).
Additionally, the school offers CLEP testing, an avenue for gaining college credit in a subject regardless of whether the student has taken a course in this subject material. Finally, certain other e-learning providers offer a limited amount of dual enrollment options for students.
Comparison of Dalat’s Dual Credit Earning Options
| Dual Enrollment | Online Learning (HS Credits) | AP E-Learning | Dalat AP Courses | CLEP Testing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Earn College Credit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Online Platform | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Study with Dalat Classmates | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Option to Finish Courses in 8 Weeks | ✓ | ||||
| Option to Finish Courses in 15 Weeks* | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | * | |
| Option to Finish Courses in 1 Year | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Dalat Teacher Guidance | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Credit earned only through exam score | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Cost | $52 per credit hour (Dalat provides credit of $500 per year) | Variable (Dalat provides credit of $500 per year) | $123 for AP exam | Course: Free with tuition. Exam: $127 per exam. | $90 per test until June 30, 2023 and $93 starting July 1, 2023 |
| *There are three exceptions to this – AP Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, and Comparative Government. | |||||
Which avenue for college credit is best for my child?
This depends on many factors including college and career goals, available free time and finances. Other factors include your student’s ideal learning environment, self-motivation, personality, and online learning aptitude.
Additionally, parents and students should carefully consider the intended next steps in the students educational program to determine if the credit has value and will be accepted by the receiving institution.
How can I track my child’s progress in the course?
Because these courses are treated as University Level courses, they fall under the Family and Education Privacy Rights Act in the US (FERPA). These rules give confidentiality rights to students. This means that Student education records are considered confidential and may not be released without the written consent of the student. The only way either the school or parent can see the student records is through the students log-in.
For students to qualify for Dual Enrollment credit in the HS, students will be required to share their class log-in information with both their teachers and their parents. This will allow a monitor of the e-lab and parents to regularly check on student progress as well as record final grades.
How much does a DDEP course cost?
Most courses are 3 credit hours, and the present cost per credit hour is $52.50 for a total tuition of approximately $210 for a 4 credit class. A student that takes more than one class in a semester will see this cost double.
There may be other associated costs (student fees, books, software, etc.). This cost is in addition to your Dalat tuition fees, which remain the same. However, Dalat provides a RM1,000 credit per semester for students that will offset this cost.
How does my child enroll?
Once the Dalat Guidance Counselor and High School Principal approve a student for a dual enrollment class, the student must complete a free, online application. Once completed, the student receives access to their GCU student portal in about 24 hours, which is where they access all of their coursework. At that time, an electronic authorization form is e-signed by the student and parent. GCU will also collect a copy of the student’s official transcripts at this time from Dalat. Transcript evaluation will take five business days.
Which classes are offered through the program?
For a list of dual credit courses offered in any given semester, check GCU’s website. Not all GCU dual credit courses are accepted through the DDEP/GCU partnership. Please see the HS Principal and the guidance counselor for permission to take a dual credit course through GCU.
How many DDEP courses and AP courses can I take at one time?
Seven-week DDEP courses require a significant investment of energy from the student and the courses are treated similar to an AP course.
Students may only take one DDEP block at a time. In a semester this allows students to complete one GCU course through the 15 week option, or two classes through the 7 week option.
Students in the 7 week option may only take one additional AP course (with one study hall) or two additional AP courses (with two study halls). Exemption from the second study hall may be given for students who have exceptional academic credentials by the HS principal.
Will all colleges accept these credits?
No. While these credits will transfer to the majority of American colleges, there may be some American schools that don’t accept them. Most international universities will also not allow these credits for transfer. It is the students and parents’ responsibility to investigate whether the schools of their choice accept the credits.
Does Dual Enrollment participation affect future U.S. federal financial aid for U.S. citizens?
Maybe. 30 credit hours are considered one full year of a normal four-year bachelor’s degree program consisting of 120 credit hours.
Therefore, if a student transfers 30 or more credit hours of college credit into a U.S. college or university, the student will be considered a sophomore, and the student will have used one year of eligibility for federal aid. If a student transfers 29 credits or less, they will be considered a first-year student and will not have used any years of eligibility. The credits transferred include dual credit courses, hours earned from CLEP tests, and any hours earned from AP courses.
GCU & Dalat Dual Enrollment Course List
View these course listings on the GCU Website for more information.
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