Dual Credit

Our Dual Credit program allows eligible high schools students to earn college credit for certain high school courses. In order for a student to participate, their high school must be approved to offer dual credit courses. Dual Credit students can take courses during the fall and spring semesters only. Students may take courses in the 42-Hour Core Curriculum listing or from the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

Early Admissions
Parent Info Corner
Dual Credit Home School
Benefits of Dual Credit
  • Students may earn up to 42 hours of college credit before graduating from high school.
  • Dual Credit increases the likelihood that a student will complete high school, enroll in and complete college.
  • These programs waive tuition and fees and reduce the overall time and cost to complete a college degree.
  • Graduates can enter the workforce earlier and begin earning wages.
Steps to become a Dual Credit student
Student Responsibilities 
  1. Communicate your interest to your high school counselor
  2. Complete Apply Texas as a Dual Credit Student
    Linked is the step-by-step guide for completing the Apply Texas application for Dual Credit Students. 
  3. Log into ACES
    ACES is the official online student portal for Alamo Colleges. ACES allows students access to: college resources, course content, student email, and general student information. (Counselor or Advisor will provide your ACES user name and Banner ID) 
  4. Complete Alamo Enroll Modules
    Students must complete the two modules below:
    1. GO FAARR module
    2. Test Prep module (must complete before taking the TSI Assessment).
  5. Complete TSI
    Texas law requires students to complete assessments in reading, writing, and mathematics before enrolling in college. The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) mandates that any new undergraduate student entering a public institution must be assessed for readiness to enroll in college coursework. Coordinate with your high school counselor on TSI test dates and testing requirements. 

 

Counselor Responsibilities

Information session
Schedule Dual Credit Information Sessions with Palo Alto College Dual Credit staff at the high school.

Application and Modules
Schedule ApplyTexas application and AlamoENROLL modules completion days.

TSI examination

  • Schedule students to take the TSI Placement Exam in writing and essay, reading, and math.
  • Communicate TSI Placement Exam and qualifying scores to prospective Dual Credit students.

Documentation Submission
Submit the following completed documents to Palo Alto College Dual Credit office:

Course Recommendations
Dual Credit Student Recommendation List with all eligible student information and course recommendations

Dual Credit Resources
Advising

Advising Syllabus
The Advising syllabus details the topics the Dual Credit Advisor will review with student by semester. 

DC Advising Syllabus

 

TAGS Link
Transfer Advising Guides (formerly called 2+2 Plans) provide information on courses to complete prior to transferring to a university. Students should use the transfer advising guides to determine what courses to take at Palo Alto College, as these plans list the requirements within each degree. Transfer advising guides can be accessed here.

 

Texas Common Core Numbering System (TCCNS)
The Texas Common Course Numbering System (TCCNS) is a voluntary, co-operative effort among 137 Texas community colleges and universities to facilitate transfer of freshman and sophomore level general academic coursework. TCCNS provides a shared, uniform set of course designations for students and their advisors to use in determining both course equivalency and degree applicability of transfer credit on a statewide basis.

College Transcript

How to Request Official Transcripts
Students should allow 5-7 business days for the transcript requests to be processed.  Transcript Request

Transcripts are NOT printed on campus. All transcripts are printed and mailed from an off-site location after a request is made. For this reason, it is not possible to pick up a transcript in person on the same day of a request.  Please contact Credentials Solutions at 847-716-3005 if request is not processed in seven (7) business days.

 

Counselor & ISD Partners

High School Programs Manual
The High School Program Manual gives a detailed overview of all the policies and procedures that pertain to the high school programs department.

 

TSI
Below is the link detailing the TSI upload Process for Counselors

TSIA2 Revised CSV report Instructions

 

Prospective Partners

Steps to offer Dual Credit at your school
ISD Partner must reach out to the HSP department. The HSP department will set up a meeting with perspective partners verify that eligible to be a part of Dual Credit and is not with any other Alamo Colleges. Then PAC will start the Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) process with the perspective partners.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

What Are Dual Credit Courses?
Dual Credit courses are offered in a variety of subject areas including math, science, English, economics, history, government and a wide variety of technical courses.

Dual Credit courses are taught either at the college or at the high school. Courses are taught by college faculty or by qualified high school instructors who meet the same criteria as college faculty.

If you are interested in a Dual Credit course, check with your high school counselor for a complete list of available courses. Dual Credit academic courses are transferable to all Texas public colleges and universities and to some private and out-of-state institutions.

What Are the Benefits?
Dual Credit offers motivated high school students the opportunity to earn college and high school credit simultaneously.

As a Dual Credit student, you can: Save money on college tuition. Finish college faster. Enjoy an easier transition to college-level coursework and college life.

Who Can Enroll?
To participate in the Dual Credit program, you must:

Be enrolled in good standing in 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grade of a participating high school, private, charter or home school.  Have approval from a high school counselor.  Fulfill appropriate admissions criteria to the college.  Meet minimum test scores.

Who pays for the costs of dual credit classes?
Palo Alto Community College has waived tuition and fees for dual credit students. Students living within taxing districts (In-District) may take dual credit classes at no charge. Students living outside of the taxing district (Out-of-District) do not pay tuition, but they do pay tuition out-of-district fees.

Where are Dual Credit classes taught?
Dual Credit classes are conveniently held on the high school campus or on a nearby college campus. On the high school campus, the classes are exclusively for students attending that high school. On the college campus, students are integrated into regular college courses with regular college students.

How will I know if my dual credit courses transfer?
Students may verify the transferability of credit by asking the target university if they will accept Palo Alto Community College college-level courses in transfer. While many private and out-of-state institutions accept our college-level courses in transfer, students are advised to confirm transferability with the private or out-of-state institution. Workforce courses may or may not be transferable depending upon whether Palo Alto Community College and the college or university has a signed articulation agreement for the particular program and courses in question.

Who is responsible for purchasing the textbooks and other instructional material?
Dual credit students, like all college students, are responsible for purchasing required textbooks and other essential course materials. The exception would be in cases where the high school provides textbooks.

Can dual credit students obtain financial aid?
Dual credit students cannot receive financial aid. Students must earn a high school diploma or GED to be eligible for financial aid.

What is FERPA and who is an eligible student?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that affords parents the right to have access to their children’s education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education records. When a student turns 18 years old, or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, the rights under FERPA transfer from the parents to the student (“eligible student”). An “eligible student” means a student who has reached the age of 18 or who is attending a postsecondary institution at any age. Once a student becomes an “eligible student,” the rights afforded his or her parents under FERPA transfer to that student.

 

Meet our Team

Dr. Sonia L. Jasso, Director of High School Programs
sjasso19@alamo.edu

Holly Brown, College Coordinator of High School Programs
hbrown2@alamo.edu

High School Partners: South San High School – DC/ECHS/PTECH

Taylor Coffee, College Coordinator of High School Programs
tcoffee@alamo.edu   

High School Partners: Frank L. Madla – ECHS, Somerset ZECLA – ECHS, Somerset High School – DC

Louis Martinez, College Coordinator of High School Programs
lmartinez775@alamo.edu

High School Partners: Somerset Academy Brooks – DC/ECHS, Harlandale STEM – ECHS, Southside HS Early College – ECHS

Miguel Valdez, College Coordinator of High School Programs
mvaldez154@alamo.edu

High School Partners: Southwest High School – DC/ECHS, CAST STEM High School – ECHS, Southwest Legacy High School – DC/ECHS

Fabian Villalobos, College Coordinator of High School Programs
fvillalobos4@alamo.edu

High School Partners: John F. Kennedy HS – DC/ECHS/PTECH, Memorial High School – DC/ECHS, Poteet High School – DC/ECHS/PTECH

Evelene Fuentes, Certified Advisor of High School Programs
efuentes73@alamo.edu

High School Partners: Highlands High School – DC, Marion High School – DC, Bandera High School – DC, Ingram High School – DC, Madison High School – DC, O’Connor High School– DC

Hilary Hilario, Certified Advisor of High School Programs
hhilario@alamo.edu

High School Partners: Charlotte High School – DC, East Central High School – DC, Jubilee San Antonio – DC, Jubilee Lakeview – DC, Devine High School – DC, Jourdanton High School – DC, Burbank High School – DC, Karnes City High School – DC, Natalia High School – DC

Valerie Martinez, Certified Advisor of High School Programs
vmartinez332@alamo.edu

High School Partners: NSITE High School – DC, Harlandale High School – DC, McCollum High School – DC, Southside High School – DC, Pawnee HIgh School – DC

Aileen Camacho, Sr. Coordinator
acamacho23@alamo.edu

High School Partners: Home School– DC

 

Contact Information: 

Location:
Ozuna Library and Learning Center (OZU 116)

Phone:
210-486-3170

Email:
pac-hsprograms@alamo.edu