WY students will soon get an opportunity to receive college credit for classes they take in high school.
Loyola University of Chicago is currently in talks with WY regarding a dual-credit program.

According to principal Joyce Kenner, Loyola reached out to WY with a plan to put a dual-credit option in place for the 2015-2016 school year. They had already had the plan in other high schools.

“We have a lot of students here who have exhausted most of their requirements for high school, especially Academic Center students,” said Kenner. “So we are always looking for different opportunities.”

Under a dual-credit option, students would take a course at WY that would also give them credit at Loyola. The class would be taught by a WY teacher who would receive adjunct professor status at Loyola. In order to teach a dual-credit class, the WY teacher would have to have 18 credit hours of post-graduate schooling. Their syllabus would also have to be submitted to Loyola to be approved.

AP courses will most likely be the courses chosen for the program because the administration believes they will align closest to a college curriculum. In the end, it will be up to the WY teachers to choose whether or not they want to teach the dual-credit class.

Students will know which classes will be offered by programming in February. WY will also host meetings for students and parents so they they are aware of the commitments required.

The cost of the class, according to counselor Norma Chinn, will most likely be under $60 per semester hour. The average college class is over $700 per semester hour, according to Chinn.

Students also would have a Loyola ID card and would be able to use facilities on Loyola’s Lakefront and Water Tower Campus such as the library and online database, according to Chinn.

In contrast to AP credits, college credit in a dual-credit option can be received regardless of the score a student gets on the AP exam. The credit will be on their WY transcript and students would have a Loyola transcript as well.
When students apply to college, they must pay Loyola to send that transcript. This, according to Chinn, will also give students options. For example, if a student received a ‘B’ in a class and a 5 on the AP exam, they can send the AP score in addition to the college transcript.

“I think to be able to prove yourself over a longer period of time is a more realistic viewpoint” said Chinn.

WY is also currently in talks with UIC to set up a dual-enrollment program that would allow students to take a class that WY does not currently offer.

“WY is always looking for partnerships with outside organizations, especially colleges,” said Kenner.