We are delighted you have chosen to start your college career with the Lake Land College Dual Credit Program. We know that the transition from high school to college, while very exciting, is also challenging. As you begin this transition, you will certainly have many questions. This site will help to answer those questions and is a great resource of our program’s policies and procedures. We hope that you enjoy your experience with the Lake Land College Dual Credit Program and offer our very best for a successful start to your college education!
We know that this process can be overwhelming for you too. While the language may be directed to your children, this site is prepared with you in mind as well. We hope it answers all of your questions about eligibility, enrollment, expectations, procedures and available services for dual credit students. But if you need more information, please contact us. We’re more than happy to help in any way we can! See the Dual Credit Handbook for Students and Parents
Dual credit courses are college-level courses offered to high school students usually taught in the high school by a qualified high school instructor in which students receive a grade on their academic transcript at both Lake Land College and the respective high school.
Dual enrollment courses are college-level courses offered to high school students usually taught at Lake Land College, an extension center, or online by Lake Land College instructors in which students receive college credit. The high school makes the determination whether these courses can be offered for high school credit.
Advanced placement courses are high school courses in which students can receive college credit after successful completion of an AP exam administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. For more information about Lake Land credit through AP coursework, visit our Academic Standards webpage regarding ‘Credit Through the Advanced Placement Program’.
The benefits of enrollment in the Dual Credit Program are endless! But let’s list just a few…
To be accepted for enrollment in college-level courses, you must have appropriate academic qualifications, a high level of motivation and adequate time to devote to studying a college-level course. In order to enroll in the Dual Credit program, you must:
Home school students are eligible to participate by meeting certain requirements and should contact the Dual Credit Program for more information.
If your high school offers dual credit courses, speak with your school guidance counselor. Once he/she has explained the fees and course rigor, he/she can approve your enrollment and help you fill out a Dual Credit Intent to Enroll Form for Lake Land College. At the end of the course, the school will be billed by dual credit, and that cost will potentially be passed on to the student.
If enrolling in math and/or English courses, students will need to meet minimum qualifications via the ACT/SAT exam or the Lake Land College Placement Test. The Placement Test can only be taken twice in a four year period so prepare ahead of time and consult with your instructor and guidance counselor on when to take the exam. The minimum scores must be met before the start of the college course. Note: If a semester college course is taught over a high school’s full academic year, the student can take it up until the dual credit status begins.
The only cost of taking a high school dual credit course is the “dual credit fee” (no tuition or other fees). Once your high school guidance counselor signs you up for a dual credit course, Lake Land College will bill your high school the course’s dual credit fee and then, in most cases, the high school will disseminate the cost onto the student. Please check with your high school’s dual credit coordinator (usually the guidance counselor) as to the exact cost of a course before you register for it. The dual credit fee covers your textbook rental, library use, rec center use, accessibility, transcripts and potential course software. In some instances, there is the necessity to purchase additional consumable items (handbooks, tools, etc.) and may be an additional cost to the course if a material is not meant to or cannot be returned to Lake Land College.
Dual enrollment courses are taken on Lake Land College campus, at an extension center, or online in which students will be charged for tuition and fees and will receive a bill directly.
If a student’s high school chooses to pay in part or full for a dual enrollment course, Lake Land College will send the bill to the high school. In this instance, the Dual Credit Program must be notified before the first day of class. The most recent information about Lake Land College tuition and fees can be found on our tuition and fees page.
Unless otherwise specified, dual credit textbooks are rented to students and dropped off/picked up at the high school by Lake Land College. Dual credit fees cover textbook rental costs.
Unless otherwise specified, dual enrollment students must come to campus to pick up/drop off their textbooks.
There are a few courses that require textbooks to be purchased in both dual credit and dual enrollment courses. Automotive, basic nurse assisting and medical terminology courses are a few examples that require textbook purchase. The Dual Credit Coordinator at your high school will notify you if textbook purchase is necessary.
Dual credit and dual enrollment students are entitled to library usage. Contact librarian Sarah Hill for more information.
While you may have taken dual credit courses in a high school building, they are Lake Land College courses and will appear as such on your permanent Lake Land College academic transcript. With very few exceptions, you should have no problem transferring courses. Any difficulties in transferring courses should be reported to the Dual Credit Program.
Any high school student sixteen(16) years of age or older who is willing and able to work at the level of expectation of a college level course while possessing and maintaining a “C” or higher GPA should enroll in dual credit courses. Dual credit courses are also highly recommend for students looking to get a jump start on their academic life after high school.
While we would like to offer the same dual credit courses to every high school, we must follow guidelines set forth by the Illinois Community College Board, Higher Learning Commission and Lake Land College Board Policy as they are specific about college instructor credentials. For that reason, only those instructors meeting the minimum requirements are approved to teach dual credit. Some high schools have more dual credit-approved instructors than others.
We know that your high school is staffed by excellent teachers. But the Illinois Community College Board, the Higher Learning Commission, and the Lake Land College Board Policy are specific about college instructor credentials. For that reason, only those instructors meeting the minimum requirements are approved to teach dual credit.
Learn more about the Higher Learning Commission’s instructor credentialing policy and Lake Land College’s Board Policy on Dual Credit.
A huge benefit to having high school locations offer dual credit is that high schools act as essentially satellite locations for Lake Land College with highly qualified high school instructors. Several schools who currently participate in dual credit would otherwise be unable to provide it with travel time and expense.
At the same time, students who are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to come before, during, or after school to our main campus, Kluthe Center or take classes online benefit from the college atmosphere feel and our wonderful teaching staff.
The credentials are the same for all four systems. If students do not know their ID and password, have them complete the following steps.
The password will depend on what they have already logged into. Use one of the options below.
Dual credit classes are Lake Land College courses and will appear as such on your permanent Lake Land College transcript. When you’re ready to transfer to another institution, you can request that an official transcript be sent to the institution of your choice by contacting the Admissions and Records Office or through your IRIS account.
If a dual credit course takes place over an entire academic year, it will not show up on your schedule until the spring semester.
Most often it is to the benefit of the student to complete the Associate in Arts or Science degree at Lake Land College before transferring to another institution. This degree will usually exempt a student from the necessity of taking lower-division general study courses at the four year institution.
A person who is enlisted in the Illinois National Guard has eligibility under the Illinois National Guard Grant once they’ve been a member for at least one year. At Lake Land College, the grant covers the student’s tuition and activity fee. All other fees are the responsibility of the student. The grant can only be used at an Illinois public college/university.
Yes, there can be. We advise that dual credit students be responsible and proficient in the discipline to which they hope to achieve college credit as they are held to the same standards as a traditional college student. Students who take dual credit are being counted for financial aid regardless of the use of financial aid. It is also important that a student does well in their courses as a failing grade or withdraw (W) will remain on their Lake Land College transcript record and can also affect financial aid status (warning, suspension, etc.).