1. Dual Credit Programs

Dual Credit College Prep

Dual Credit Programs
Two TCC Students sit on a bench outside under trees at the Southeast campus.

TCC partners with high schools to prepare students for college. Our three college readiness classes can help students succeed in dual credit.

Our College Prep Courses are:

  • One-year high school elective that prepares students to enroll in any college program
  • Transitional college preparation English class that leads to ENGL 1113 Composition I
  • Transitional college preparation mathematics class that leads into MATH 1513 Pre-Calculus (College Algebra)

Become a Dual Credit Student

Start the process to become a Dual Credit Student.

Why Start Now?

Students completing college courses while in high school, compared to their peers who complete no dual enrollment credits, are substantially more likely to graduate from high school, go to college, and finish a degree.

Finish Attending college in high school has a positive impact on academic achievement in high school, graduation rates, and college-level placement.

56% Dual Credit students are up to 56% more likely to go to college after high school.

88% 88% of dual-enrolled students went on to complete degrees at higher rates and in less time.

College Prep Courses

A college preparatory course for high school students.

Introduction

Introduction to College, a year-long course designed to prepare students to take college courses while in high school. Based on David T. Conley’s College Knowledge and other research, the class helps students in three areas of college readiness:

  • cognitive strategies
  • learning skills/techniques
  • transfer knowledge

In addition to providing students with the skills and strategies they need to succeed in college classes, this course will help students meet the Oklahoma State Regents requirements to enroll in college courses.

The Instructor

Any credentialed high school instructor who participates in the TCC professional development workshop may teach this course. While the instructor is free to develop teaching strategies and a semester calendar, they are asked to follow certain assignments and policies, which will be discussed during the workshop. In addition, both before and during the year, a full-time TCC professor will provide support and guidance to the high school instructor and will invite input from the high school instructor to improve the course.

Course Materials

All materials for the course are posted on TCC’s course management system, Blackboard. The high school instructor will be placed in the Introduction to College Blackboard site, where they will find course materials organized around these units:

  • Defining and Assessing College Readiness
  • Overcoming Obstacles
  • Becoming a Proactive Learner
  • Working Collaboratively to Solve Problems
  • Developing a Growth Mindset
  • Improving Learning Through Metacognition
  • Understanding College Culture
  • Engaging in Critical Inquiry
  • Re-Assessing College Readiness

A transition English preparatory program for English 1113.

Is College Prep English a college class?

No, this course is a “transition” class. In recent years, many college professors, particularly those at community colleges, have worked with high school faculty to create transition courses that help students develop skills and learn concepts they need to master for college-level learning.

How is the class different than other high school English classes, like AP English?

Key to the success of any transition curricula is the communication and collaboration among college and high school faculty; unlike other high school English classes, this class provides opportunities for high school teachers and college faculty to work together to ensure student success.

Who should take the class?

The course is intended to help students who do not yet meet the placement criteria for college-level English or who meet the placement criteria but don’t have the study skills and/or maturity to enroll in a college English class. While standardized test scores should be considered, high school English faculty are the best judges of who would benefit from this class.

How do high schools transcript these courses?

While English 1113 counts as a full year of high school English, this course should count for one semester of high school English credit. Students completing College Prep English and Composition I at TCC should earn one and one-half units of High School and three College Credit hours at the same time.

A Transition Math Preparatory Program for Math 1513.

The Challenge

Oklahoma only requires three credits of mathematics for high school graduation, so the majority of the students will complete Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II by the end of their sophomore or junior year. When this same population of students decides to attend college, they often delay their mathematics requirements until later in their college career. This time gap in mathematics education makes it nearly impossible for students to maintain the appropriate skill level required to be successful in a college math course. So, it is no surprise that college algebra, a “gate-keeper” class, has a very low success rate. The data also supports the fact that students who test into developmental (zero-level) math are less likely to graduate with a degree.

How does TCC College Prep Math work?

  1. During the fall semester of the school year, the high school students attend a dedicated high school class period for the college algebra preparatory curriculum taught by a qualified high school teacher. This curriculum targets specific objectives that TCC college algebra faculty identify as complex concepts for students.
  2. During the fall semester, the students complete college admission and enrollment in a dedicated TCC 16-week college algebra course for the spring semester.
  3. During the spring semester, the students continue attending the dedicated class period at the high school. Within the classroom, the students work through the college algebra course. The high school teacher transitions into a tutorial role, providing supplemental instruction and monitoring student progress through the college algebra course. The TCC professor communicates weekly with the high school teacher as to the progress of each student. This allows for early interventions and consistent support.