How Dual Credit Works in High School

Dual credit gives an eligible high school student an opportunity to complete coursework that may count in the student’s high school plan while also earning college credit from the college or university offering the course. It can be a useful option, but families should understand eligibility, workload, fees, records, and future transfer decisions before building it into a student’s plan.

RCA International works with Corban University for its current dual-credit opportunity. Eligible students may discuss approved Corban University courses through admissions and academic planning. Homeschool high school families are not currently eligible for Corban University dual credit.

Dual Credit Connects Two Academic Records

A dual-credit course can affect more than one record. RCA International determines how an approved course fits the student’s high school plan. Corban University is the institution associated with the college credit and college record for its course.

That is different from an ordinary RCA International high school course, and it is also different from simply taking an advanced high school class. The student needs to understand the expectations of the actual dual-credit course and complete the work successfully under the applicable policies.

Families should not assume that every advanced course is dual credit, that every high school student is eligible, or that a course becomes dual credit just because it is challenging. The course and enrollment path must be approved for that purpose.

Start With Eligibility Review

The first step is to ask about eligibility during an RCA International inquiry. Staff need enough context to understand the student’s current school arrangement, grade level, academic plan, and course interest.

Eligibility should be confirmed before a family relies on dual credit for scheduling or budgeting. Current boundaries include:

• The student must be in an eligible RCA International enrollment path.
• The proposed Corban University course must be available and appropriate for the student.
• The course should fit the student’s reviewed high school plan.
• The student and family should understand the added college-level expectations.
• Homeschool high school families are not currently eligible for Corban University dual credit.

Eligibility policies and course availability can change. The current public information and an individual response from RCA International are better sources than an assumption based on another student’s experience.

Fit the Course Into Graduation Planning

RCA International high school graduation requires 24 credits. A dual-credit course should therefore be considered as part of the student’s full academic plan, not as an isolated add-on.

Staff may need to review completed courses, work in progress, remaining requirements, and the student’s proposed term schedule. The important question is not only whether a dual-credit course sounds interesting. It is whether the course is appropriate now and how it applies to the student’s remaining high school work.

Full-time RCA International enrollment is based on 6 courses per semester. Students may take more than 6 courses per semester, and additional courses are charged at the individual course rate. A family considering dual credit should discuss the entire workload before adding a course beyond the planned schedule.

Understand the Corban University Fee

Corban University dual-credit courses include a $150 fee per course, per term/semester for eligible students. Tuition and fees on the RCA International site are stated in USD.

The phrase “per course, per term/semester” matters. If an eligible student takes more than one dual-credit course, the fee applies to each course in the applicable term. Families should also review the student’s RCA International tuition path and ask which costs are included or separate before enrollment is finalized.

Course registration and platform fees, including third-party provider costs RCA International incurs when course access is provisioned or activated, are strictly non-refundable once that access has been provisioned or activated, even if the student later withdraws. Families should review the tuition information and complete refund and withdrawal policy before course access is created.

Expect College-Level Responsibility

The opportunity to earn college credit also brings responsibility. A dual-credit student may encounter faster pacing, more independent reading, longer assignments, stricter deadlines, or expectations designed for college coursework.

Before enrollment, the student and family should consider:

• Whether the student consistently completes high school work on time
• Whether the student can communicate when instructions or deadlines are unclear
• How the course fits with the rest of the term workload
• What technology, materials, or scheduled participation may be required
• Who the student should contact for course-specific and RCA International questions

Dual credit should not be selected only because it appears impressive. It should be a reasonable academic match for the student at that point in the graduation plan.

Know Which Transcript Shows What

Families should ask how successful course completion will appear on the student’s RCA International high school record and how the student obtains the corresponding Corban University college record or transcript.

The high school and college records serve different purposes. The RCA International record supports high school progress and graduation documentation. The Corban University record documents the college coursework under Corban University’s policies.

Students should use accurate course names and preserve official records. They should not create their own credit conversions or assume that an unofficial screenshot will replace an official transcript when a future school or college requests one.

Future Colleges Make Their Own Decisions

Earning college credit from a dual-credit course does not guarantee that every future college or university will accept it, apply it to a particular major, or use it toward the same requirement. The receiving institution decides how transferred college credit is evaluated.

Policies can differ by institution, program, grade earned, course content, and the student’s enrollment status. A family with a particular college in mind can review that institution’s published transfer-credit policies or ask its admissions or registrar staff. RCA International and Corban University can document the course and earned record, but they cannot promise another institution’s future decision.

Dual credit also should not be treated as automatically equivalent to Advanced Placement (AP). AP and dual credit use different course, assessment, and transcript structures. The better choice depends on the student’s goals, available options, and the policies of future institutions.

Ask Questions Before Registration

A careful conversation before course provisioning can prevent confusion later. Useful questions include:

• Is the student currently eligible for Corban University dual credit?
• Which approved courses fit the student’s graduation plan?
• How will the course count toward the 24-credit high school requirement?
• What college-level workload should the student expect?
• Is the $150 per-course, per-term/semester fee separate from other tuition or course charges?
• What happens if the student withdraws after access is provisioned?
• How will successful completion appear on the high school record?
• How will the student request the Corban University college transcript?
• Who can answer questions about whether a future college may accept the credit?

Dual credit works best when eligibility, academic fit, cost, workload, and records are understood before enrollment. Families can review the Corban University dual-credit page, then use the inquiry form to ask about the student’s specific path rather than relying on a general assumption.