Frequently asked questions

Dual credit allows eligible students to take Parkland College courses earning credit toward a specialized certification, associate degree, or bachelors degree, and simultaneously earn credit toward high school graduation requirements. These courses can be taken at certain high schools, on the Parkland College campus, or online.

Dual enrollment is nearly the same as dual credit, however dual enrollment does not reciprocate credit at the high school level. Dual enrollment students can take courses on the Parkland College campus or online. 

High school and homeschool students ages 15 or older who meet class prerequisites and complete steps to enrollment may take Parkland College classes.

You are welcome to participate in any class that Parkland offers as long as you meet the prerequisites for the course. Consider taking General Education Courses for transfer or career classes to explore an interest. Talk to your high school counselor about classes offered at the high school or ECCA (Early College and Career Academy) programs you are interested in joining. 

Students can take classes on Parkland's campus, online, or through their high school.

The Parkland tuition rate is $171/credit hour. There may be additional costs for books and fees. Please check with your high school guidance counselor regarding fees for classes offered at the high school and/or the Early College and Career Academy. For more information about tuition and fees, please visit https://www.parkland.edu/Main/Tuition-Aid/Tuition-Fees. 

Unfortunately, financial aid is not available for high school students. All students are welcome to apply for a scholarship and/or utilize our payment plan system. 

Scholarships

Payment Plans

It is unlikely a former Early College student would experience financial aid impact solely because of their enrollment in dual credit or dual enrollment programs. However, if a student, once in college, changed majors several times, failed or withdrew from several courses, and/or accumulated several developmental course credits, they could exceed the maximum number of credit hours for which financial aid is allowed. Contact Financial Aid at 217/351-2222 or finaid@parkland.edu with questions. 

Dropping a class must be done by the Sunday following the start of class. A drop from a course generates a full refund of tuition and fees and is removed from your record. 

You may withdraw from a class until one week prior to finals week. This requires paperwork you acquire from Early College Services that must be signed by your instructor. Withdrawal from a course means you removed the class from your schedule after the drop deadline. A withdraw will show a W on your transcript and there is no refund for tuition. 

Drop/Withdraw a Class

All programs in which prerequisites are met are available to homeschool students. Dual credit is determined by the home school administrator, this could be a parent or program administrator. For more information on homeschooling, visit the Illinois State Board of Education website. 

Prerequisites vary by class. The Early College Services office will communicate with you and/or your counselor after you have completed steps one and two of the registration process (see Getting Started) specifying needed tests or scores. Many classes require college level English and reading skills. This can be demonstrated through ACT or SAT scores or Parkland College placement tests. Some classes require a math score solely or in addition to reading and English placements. Our office will assist you in identifying needed documentation or scheduling assessments. 

Classes offered at your high school and Early College and Career Academy courses will only be offered to high school students. All other classes will be open to any Parkland College student unless otherwise specified. 

Please see your high school guidance counselor for questions about textbooks for classes at your high school or through the ECCA program. Textbooks for all other courses can be purchased at the Parkland College Bookstore. 

Parkland College classes with an even middle digit (such as ENG 101, MAT 128, and BIO 141) are accepted for transfer as general education classes, major courses, or electives as determined by the transfer institution. It is best to know what institution you hope to transfer to and check with them on specific course requirements and ensure all credits transfer, especially out of state and private institutions. For a quick look at how Parkland courses transfer to many of the schools in Illinois, visit Parkland's transfer matrix. For a comprehensive look at how Parkland courses transfer throughout the nation, visit transferology.com, and for additional help planning for transfer to a school within Illinois, visit iTransfer.org.

Dual Credit / Dual Enrollment students are beginning their official college transcript and grades earned will be with them throughout their college career and beyond. No matter where they attend college in the future, transcripts for all previous coursework will be required. This includes successful completion of dual credit or dual enrollment courses (A, B, C, or D grades), withdrawals, failing grades, and incomplete work with subsequent resolution. 

Directions on how to access and send your transcripts can be found through Admissions and Records.

Search for available courses in the Parkland College Catalog by selecting the term and subject along with other chosen parameters. Please note that the course numbers below 100 are pre-college level and will count toward GPA, but not toward degree completion or transfer. Courses numbered 100-199 are primarily first-year courses.

Modes of instruction are indicated by the letter following the course number. No letter in the code means the class is fully in-person meeting on campus at the published days and times.

• W indicates an online section with students working on the materials at a time of their own choosing, but with preset assignments and deadlines.
• V indicates a virtual learning section which has scheduled online instruction times. 
• H is a hybrid course that has in-person meeting days/times, but 50% or more of the learning activities are online. 
• F stands for a flexible course which offers students the option of coming to campus, joining online at the scheduled class time, or viewing a recording of the class before the next class meeting. 

Please contact the Early College Office for assistance in selecting preferred sections.

Only classes offered at the high school will follow the high school schedule. All other dual credit/dual enrollment classes including ECCA follow the Parkland College school calendar. You are required to attend your Parkland classes even when your district is not in session. Please note spring breaks for Parkland and your high school may not coincide and should be considered when enrolling. 

Parkland offers both free unofficial transcripts that a student can print and official transcripts that may be ordered online, in person, or by mail. We are not able to accept transcript requests by fax or email. There is a $5 fee for each official transcript ordered.

Visit the Admissions and Records page for more information.