Frequently Asked Questions

What is dual enrollment?

A dual enrollment course is a college course taken by a high school student for which the student earns both college and high school credit simultaneously. Dual enrollment courses are taught by full-time or adjunct college faculty members either online, at college campuses or at area high schools. Some courses taught at high school campuses may be taught by high school teachers who have comparable credentials and academic preparation as college faculty members.

What is the difference between dual enrollment and concurrent enrollment through early admissions?

Both programs serve academically gifted high school juniors and seniors who wish to earn college credits while attending high school. As explained above, dual enrollment counts both toward high school graduation as well as college credit. Concurrent enrollment only counts as college credit and cannot be used to fulfill a high school graduation requirement.

What is the difference between dual enrollment courses and high school Advanced Placement (AP) courses?

Instruction in both types of course is college level. However, dual enrollment students earn college credit immediately upon completion of the course whereas AP students must successfully pass an end of course exam to apply for college credit once they graduate from high school. Each college or university sets its own standards for awarding college credit based on the score earned on the AP exam. College credit cannot be assured.

Dual enrollment classes are taught by College faculty who hold at minimum a Master’s Degree and 18 graduate hour’s credit in the teaching discipline. High school AP instructors are not required to meet these same standards, although many do.

What are advantages to taking dual enrollment classes?

Dual enrollment students are officially college students and therefore have access to college resources. These resources include college academic support and career planning services, library materials, physical fitness facilities, computer labs, tutoring services when available and the Student Center.

Many dual enrollment classes are taught either online or locally at high school campus or a nearby college campus. This reduces costs as the student still lives at home rather than residing in college housing or making long commutes.

Most dual enrollment classes that fall within the adopted statewide Core Curriculum will be fully transferable to an Associate’s Degree at Texas community colleges; many also will meet baccalaureate requirements at senior institutions. Workforce courses may be transferable to an Associate of Applied Science Degree. Consult with your counselor or collegiate advisor regarding transferability of dual enrollment classes. Always communicate with the college or university to which transfer credit is forwarded to ascertain how your credits will be received.

Who is eligible to enroll in dual enrollment classes?

All high school students who have met all admissions and testing requirements. Students must be approved by their high school counselor, and parent to enroll in a dual enrollment class(es).

What does one do to begin the process to enroll for dual enrollment classes?

• Complete DMC’s admission application at ApplyTexas.org. 
• Complete Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA) and then sign up to take the TSI exam with your high school or DMC Testing Center. 
• Submit qualifying test scores to DMC Enrollment Office. 
• Submit a copy of high school transcript and college transcript (if you have taken dual enrollment with another college) 
• Submit an updated copy of your meningitis shot. 

What is the cost to take dual enrollment classes?

Del Mar College's Dual Enrollment classes are FREE for all Texas Public High Schools/Charters, under TX House Bill 8! Check with your High School Counselor about this possibility. Parochial and Homeschool students tuition is at a reduced rate of $99.99 per 3 hour course, or $33.33 per credit hour. Students can also inquire about Scholarships for further assistance.

Be advised that students enrolling for classes under "Early Admissions" do not fall under the free admissions from TX House Bill 8, which only covers  "Dual Enrollment" classes.

How will grades be reported for my dual enrollment classes?

Your professor will assign two grades for your dual enrollment class. A numerical grade will be submitted for your high school credit and a letter grade for your college credit. Once a dual enrollment grade is entered on your college transcript, it is treated no differently than any other successfully completed college course. Usually dual enrollment classes are weighted in determining high school class ranks, overall grade point average, etc. to reflect the rigor of the college class.

What if I need to drop a dual enrollment class?

Dropping any college class can have far reaching adverse implications on future college work. Any decision to drop a dual enrollment class should only be made after discussing your circumstances with your professor, your high school counselor, your parents and the Registrar’s Office. While dropping is under consideration, do not stop attending class as a passing grade can quickly become a failing grade.

What is FERPA and how does that affect my status as a dual enrollment student with regard to parental oversight of course progress?

FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act which prevents the disclosure of personally identifiable information derived from education records. Although custodial and noncustodial parents retain certain rights of access to their children’s records, once a student reaches 18 years of age or attends a postsecondary institution, he or she becomes an "eligible student," and all rights under FERPA transfer from the parent to the student. This means parents may not call professors to check on your grades; neither can they meet with professors to discuss any specific issues concerned with your grades or participation in the course.

An exception would be if the student is a "dependent student" as that term is defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code. Generally, if either parent has claimed the student as a dependent on the parent's most recent income tax statement, the school may non-consensually disclose the student's education records to both parents. Since IRS information is privileged, college officials have no means of determining who would or would not qualify under this “dependent” exemption, so the College would require a waiver form signed each semester if parental access to student records is desired.