At Cashmere High School, students have the opportunity to enroll in classes that count for college credit. These courses fit right into the high school schedule and can help students get ahead before graduation. It’s a great way to save both time and money when they move on to college.
There are several options. CHS offers College in the High School courses, or dual credit classes, through local colleges. College in the High School allows students to take a class at Cashmere High School that also count as both college credit and high school credit. Mrs. Fall says, “It shows up on your college and high school transcript, and it’s completely free and saves students hundreds of dollars!”
Taking college credit classes in high school introduces students to more advanced academic material. It can help them explore subjects not typically offered in high school and experience expectations similar to those in college courses. The coursework is often harder and may require more motivation and time management than most high school classes. Mr Pace, teaching a College Credit class, Art II, says, “For college in the high school, in this class, you’re supposed to have more rigor, so these students have to be a little more accurate in their writing assignments and research on historical art. [They also need to] have a deeper understanding of how their art relates to history as it fits into the big picture of the art world.” He also says, “You may have to do something like a small presentation rather than a short paragraph to show the understanding of your art on the college level.”
Ellie Creiglow says, “Since I’m doing this class for college credit, I spend more time relating my art to art history and what my piece is saying, rather than just doing the art and turning it in.”
One disadvantage, though, is that doing poorly will affect your college GPA. Mrs. Fall says, “If a student is in a college-level class and hasn’t done their homework or isn’t as confident in the class, it really can pull down their college-level GPA and it affects them for years to come.”
The amount of credits you can earn in these classes varies from 2 credits in the weights class to up to 7 credits in early childhood education. Mrs. Fall advises students to choose classes with credits they can manage. Some students have 20 credits, and some have up to 50. It all depends on the student. Some also do another program called Running Start, where they actually go to WVC during school hours and can experience the class at the college
Eligibility for these programs varies. Some require a specific GPA or grade level, while others are open to any interested student who enrolls in the class and signs up for college credit. Details can be found in the student handbook.
These programs are a smart choice if students want to experience college-level work early and strengthen their college or scholarship applications. They also help students get used to the expectations of college while they still have the support of their high school teachers and staff. Taking advantage of these opportunities can make your transition to college much smoother.
