College While in High School

Earn college credit—while you're still in high school!

You can enroll in college-level classes through several programs offered by Elgin Community College while still attending high school. These opportunities help you save time and money, experience college coursework early, and make the transition after high school smoother and more successful. Review the programs below to learn more about admission requirements, eligibility, and enrollment procedures. By participating in college-in-high-school programs, you can get a head start on your future educational and career goals.

Programs such as dual credit and dual enrollment allow you to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously. You can reduce the amount of time needed to complete a college degree while becoming familiar with college expectations in a supportive learning environment. Your courses may be taught at ECC or at your high school by qualified instructors. Through these experiences, you can build confidence, strengthen academic skills, and potentially graduate from high school with a semester or more of college coursework already completed. You can also benefit from partnerships between ECC and local school districts that help ensure credits transfer smoothly to colleges and universities. Speak with your high school counselor or an ECC advisor to learn how you can get started.

Benefits of participating may include:

• You can reduce college tuition costs and overall educational expenses
• You can gain early exposure to college expectations and responsibilities
• You can explore career pathways and academic interests before graduating from high school
• You can strengthen study habits, communication skills, and classroom confidence
• You can better prepare yourself for future college and workforce success