Earn College Credit in High School
Kirkwood Community College partners with local school districts to help high school students get a head start on college and save money while doing it. Through our dual enrollment program, students take college-level courses at their high school, online, or at a Kirkwood regional or county center.
Every completed class counts toward both a high school diploma and future college degree — at no cost to students or their family! It’s an affordable, flexible, and inspiring way to prepare for college success.
In the 2024–25 school year alone, Kirkwood’s dual enrollment partnerships saved high school students and families more than $11.5 million in tuition — and that’s just one of the many benefits. Students gain valuable experience, build confidence, and make a smooth transition from high school to college life.
Why choose dual enrollment at Kirkwood?
- Save thousands in tuition: Earn college credits now for free.
- Graduate sooner: Get a jump-start on your college degree and career goals.
- Flexible learning options: Take courses at your high school, online, or at a Kirkwood regional or county center.
- Transferable credits: Apply your earned credits toward a degree at Kirkwood or most four-year colleges.
- Explore majors before committing: Try different courses to see what interests you before choosing a major.
- Discover career paths early: Learn what careers align with your passions and strengths.
- Build confidence and readiness: Experience real college expectations in a supportive environment.
- Trusted partnership: Kirkwood works closely with local schools to make the process simple and accessible.
The proof is in the numbers
According to an Iowa State University study, students entering college with prior college credit have:
- Higher grade point averages (their first semester and year)
- Higher graduation rates
- Graduate in less time than students without prior college credit
- Change majors less than students without prior college credit
- Add minors and second majors more than students without prior college credit
Your best first step will be to meet with your high school counselor. They'll talk you though important information and make sure you meet all necessary requirements – you may have to be a certain age, have a minimum GPA, and may also need permission from your parents and/or school administrators.
Next steps:
Certain College Credit in High School programs have different qualifications that must be met – such as age, prerequisite courses, and minimum performance measures on placement testing.
To find out if a student meets Kirkwood’s enrollment requirements, they should begin by meeting with their high school counselor to explore their options.
Our courses fit into a variety of different programs and will transfer to most colleges, including guaranteed transfers to Iowa, Iowa State, and UNI.
Alburnett Jr./Sr. High School
Anamosa High School
Belle Plaine Jr./Sr. High School
Benton Community High School
Calamus-Wheatland High School
Cascade High School
Cedar Rapids Community Schools
Center Point Urbana High School
Central City High School
Clear Creek Amana High School
English Valley High School
Highland High School
Hillcrest Academy
HLV Junior-Senior High School
Iowa City Community Schools
Iowa Valley High School
Isaac Newton Christian Academy
Keota High School
Liberty High School
Linn Mar High School
Lisbon High School
Lone Tree High School
Maquoketa Valley High School
Marion High School
Midland High School
Mid-Prairie High School
Monticello High School
Mount Vernon High School
North Cedar High School
North-Linn High School
Prairie High School
Regina High School
Solon High School
Springville High School
Tipton Community High School
Vinton-Shellsburg High School
Waco High School
Washington High School
West Branch High School
West Delaware High School
Williamsburg High School
Winfield-Mount Union Jr./Sr. High School
Xavier High School
Information for Parents
YES, if your student:
• Attends high school
• Meets course requirements (some have GPA or placement score guidelines)
• Has permission from their high school counselor
• Is interested in career exploration and earning college credit
Students enrolled in dual-credit classes are held to the same expectations as a college student. They also have access to the same resources and support as college students.
The Learning Commons provides both in-person and online learning assistance
The Writing Center and Center for Online Writing provides free help with writing assignments
The Sundberg Library provides access to services and resources for learning. Online access to electronic resources is available 24/7.
Students with approved accommodations in high school are eligible to also apply for supports at Kirkwood. For more information, contact Accommodation Services.
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), parents do not have an automatic right to access their children's college education records, no matter their age. In order to release education records or grades to parents. students must give written consent.
Your student can login to MyHub to show you the records, or complete a Consent for Release of Education Record to allow us to speak to you about the records.
“Claudia Gay graduated from Cedar Rapids Washington High School on May 28, 2022 — two weeks after earning her associate’s degree from Kirkwood Community College. Claudia, 18, was able to earn both degrees, and accumulate 65 college credits, through Kirkwood’s College Credit in High School program.”
Claudia Gay,
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Read more about Claudia Gay on the Kirkwood Online Newsroom.
Questions?
Your best resource for information about earning college credit in high school will be your high school counselor or the contact at your nearest Kirkwood location.