Frequently Asked Questions about Dual Credit Courses
Who are IMSA’s dual credit partners?
Currently, IMSA is partnering with Waubonsee Community College (WCC) and Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville (SIUE).
How much does dual credit cost for students/families?
The dual credit courses are being presented to IMSA students at no cost. The only potential fee is by the partner institutions when students request their college transcripts.
Does my student have to travel to the college partners’ campuses for the courses?
No. All of our dual credit courses are held like regular courses at IMSA’s campus.
Will students from outside IMSA be in the dual credit courses?
No. IMSA’s dual credit courses are exclusively for current IMSA students.
Does IMSA plan to offer more dual credit courses in the future?
Yes. IMSA is continuing to explore ways to expand our dual credit offerings.
For the next academic year, will we know the dual credit courses in advance while making course selections?
Starting with the 2026-2027 Learning Opportunities, courses that are tentatively expected to be offered for dual credit will show “(Dual Credit)” next to the course title. The final, confirmed list of dual credit offerings will be shared on IMSA’s website prior to the start of each semester.
Will the college credit for my dual credit course be listed on my IMSA transcript?
No. The IMSA course will be listed on your IMSA transcript; the college credit will be on your transcript from the corresponding college partner. (EX: Students who earn dual credit for IMSA’s Computer Science Inquiry course will see Computer Science Inquiry on their IMSA transcript, and then CS140 Introduction to Computer I on their SIUE transcript.) However, there will be a “course” added to your IMSA historical grades, so that you, your family, and your College & Academic Counselor (CAC) will have a record of which courses you were enrolled in that offered dual credit. More information about this can be found below.
How do I get a copy of my WCC and/or SIUE transcript(s)?
The college transcripts are accessible through the partner institutions. IMSA does not have copies of the WCC or SIUE transcripts. You can find transcript request guidelines for WCC and SIUE on their websites.
Will the colleges/universities I apply to accept the credit earned through dual credit?
Any dual credit earned through WCC and/or SIUE may be eligible to be transferred to other colleges/universities; like all transfer credits, whether the college/university accepts the credit is dependent on several variables, including the school’s own transfer credit policies.
Will my dual credit from WCC and/or SIUE only matter if I attend one of those schools?
The credits earned at either WCC or SIUE may potentially transfer to other colleges and universities, dependent upon each school’s transfer credit policies. So, you don’t have to attend WCC or SIUE to have these credits potentially hold value at any college or university you attend after IMSA.
Will the grade I earn in a dual credit course impact my GPA at my eventual college/university?
This is dependent upon the college/university policies. However, the dual credit would be a transfer credit from WCC and/or SIUE, and most institutions do not count transfer credit toward a student’s GPA.
Can I still add a dual credit course to my schedule after course requests are completed?
The dual credit courses follow all of the same add/drop policies and procedures as other IMSA courses. Students can speak with their College and Academic Counselor (CAC) and review the Student and Parent Handbook for more information.
I took one of the courses listed for dual credit in a previous semester before it was offered for dual credit. Can I get dual credit for courses taken previously?
No. Unfortunately, IMSA and our partners cannot offer dual credit retroactively for courses that were completed previously.
Can I drop a dual credit course?
Students can withdraw from an IMSA course following the guidelines in the IMSA Student and Parent Handbook. If a student withdraws from an IMSA course that is also being offered for dual credit, how that withdrawal is reflected on the college’s transcript is dependent upon the college’s own policies. If a student wants to withdraw from the dual credit opportunity but remain enrolled in the IMSA course, the student should speak first with their CAC.
What are the eligibility requirements for dual credit courses?
Eligibility for dual credit is dependent on factors from both IMSA and the partner institutions.
- IMSA: Students must have met the IMSA prerequisites to enroll in the IMSA course, per IMSA’s Learning Opportunities.
- WCC: Students must complete the online High School Dual Credit Application Form prior to their first WCC dual credit course. The form only needs to be completed one time. This form was emailed to rising juniors and rising seniors during the Spring semester. In the event an incoming sophomore is registered for a WCC dual credit course, they must also complete the form. WCC courses may have additional eligibility requirements, dependent upon the course.
- SIUE: Students must complete the SIUE Pre-Collegiate Application Form prior to their first SIUE dual credit course. The form only needs to be completed one time. All juniors and seniors should have completed the form previously. Sophomores will be asked to complete the form during the summer prior to starting at IMSA.
What if I am ineligible to earn dual credit in a particular course?
Students who do not meet the eligibility requirements of WCC and/or SIUE will remain enrolled in the IMSA course and will earn IMSA graduation credit for passing the course. Students who are not eligible for dual credit in a course they are enrolled in will be notified by the Principal’s Office by no later than the end of Quarter 1 (Fall courses) and Quarter 3 (Spring courses).
My question was not answered above. Who should I contact?
General questions about dual credit can be sent to Dr. Paul Gaszak, Dean of Academics and Equity. Specific questions about course schedules or how college credit may apply to the college application process can be directed to the student’s College and Academic Counselor (CAC).
A course has been added to my student schedule in PowerSchool that lists the name of a college course. What is this course?
In PowerSchool, after students are confirmed to be eligible and enrolled in the dual credit opportunity for an IMSA course, a placeholder “course” will be added to students’ schedules that identifies the college course associated with their IMSA dual credit course. The “Teacher” is listed as Staff, Principal. This is not a new course or a different enrollment; this is simply a record that you are eligible for dual credit through your IMSA course.
For example, if a student is enrolled in IMSA’s Foundations of Healthy Living course and is eligible to earn the dual credit, a course called “SIUE KIN270 Personal Wellness” will be added to their schedule. This “course” means if the student passes the IMSA course, they will also receive college credit from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville for SIUE’s course KIN270 Personal Wellness.
Adding this record to PowerSchool provides confirmation that the student is eligible for the dual credit, based on the college’s requirements. It also allows the student, family, and IMSA faculty/staff – particularly the College and Academic Counselor – to have a record of a student’s dual credit enrollments.
Note that grades will not be added to the placeholder course. Your grade will be listed in association with the IMSA course. This is the grade that will appear on your IMSA transcript, and this is the grade that will be communicated to the college partner.
Once you earn the dual credit, the IMSA course is what will show on your IMSA transcript. The college credit earned is on your transcript at that college/university. In the example above, the student would have Foundations of Healthy Living on their IMSA transcript and a transcript at SIUE that lists KIN270.