Dual Credit Program

What is the dual credit program?

The VCHS dual credit program allows students seeking an academic challenge to earn college credits while continuing to work towards high school graduation. There are three avenues to pursue college credits:
  • Advanced Placement
  • Concurrent Credit
  • Online College Courses

Advanced Placement

The Advanced Placement (AP) program is offered by the College Board and allows students to enroll in AP courses and take a cumulative examination in May. If the student earns a score of 3 or higher, the student can receive college credit or bypass a college course. To learn more, visit: www.collegeboard.com

The VCHS 2011-2012 AP course offerings prepare students for over twenty AP exams, including:
  • AP English Language
  • AP English Literature
  • AP Spanish Language
  • AP Chinese Language
  • AP Japanese Language
  • AP Statistics
  • AP Calculus AB
  • AP Calculus BC
  • AP Music Theory
  • AP Biology
  • AP Chemistry
  • AP Environ. Science
  • AP Physics C and E/M
  • AP European History
  • AP United States History
  • AP Micro- and Macroeconomics
  • AP U.S. and Comp. Gov’t
  • AP Studio Art
  • AP 2D Design Portfolio
  • AP Art History

Concurrent Credit

Concurrent credit classes are under the umbrella of the VCHS dual credit program. These are courses taught by a VCHS faculty member who teaches the college-level course on the VCHS campus. The class is recorded on both the VCHS transcript and the college/university transcript, with a letter grade assigned. Therefore, a student can receive college credit while attending high school.

During the 2011-2012 school year, students have 36 college credits from four different colleges/universities available during to them. These courses include:
  • Introduction to Engineering Design
  • Principles of Engineering
  • Introduction to Life Calling
  • AP English Literature
  • AP Statistics
  • Honors Trigonometry/Pre-Calculus
  • Honors Biology
  • AP Macroeconomics
  • AP Government: Comparative
  • AP Government: United States
  • AP Microeconomic
Dual Credit Faculty VCHS currently has five teachers offering concurrent credit opportunities through West Hills Community College

AP National Scholar Brad Silva, VCHS Class of 2011
AP National Scholar
"At the University of Alabama, my AP credits earned while at VCHS helped to fulfill almost all of my GE requirements. I was able to start at a sophomore status and plan to use my four years to complete my bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering and a masters in the same field."