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FAQs: Associate Degree and
District Collaboratives

The topics below cover commonly asked questions regarding the Associates Degree and district collaborative programs.

 

What is the district collaborative? APSU is partnering with county school systems to expand dual enrollment offerings to students in the county. While one high school may not have enough students to offer a particular dual enrollment course at the high school, by pulling students from multiple high schools to a central location, the school system is able to expand early postsecondary opportunities for students.

What is the schedule of classes offered? While a proposed scheduled has been provided, the schedule is flexible. We will be working with counselors in each county to determine the specific courses needed. However, it is the intention that if you enroll in the collaborative for a particular semester, you will enroll in all of the courses offered that semester.

If my high school is closed, do I attend class? Courses will begin and end on the Austin Peay calendar, but will follow the school system calendar for all dates within the term/semester. Please check your APSU email and sign up for text alerts for weather-related closures.

How does transportation work? Transportation matters will be the decision of the school system in consultation with APSU.

How do I get my books for class? Please be prepared to pay for textbook out of pocket for each of your courses. You can purchase books from our Bookstore.

What are the course requirements? APSU will work with the high school counselors to ensure, as much as possible, that the elective hours will work with the student’s high school focus and intended college major. In particular, science and math courses required are different for those planning a STEM major and we want to offer the appropriate option whenever possible.

It is possible some of the courses required for the Associate Degree may not be counted for high school credit because the student has already completed the high school unit requirements for that course, however, the core university hours still need to be met.

Can I take my courses online? The Associate Degree can be completed entirely online. Depending on the student’s intended college major, some required courses may not be available online. Please note that a student must be especially disciplined and motivated to pursue this option. 

How will my credits transfer to another university? Credits earned for college classes will appear on the student’s official college transcript. Most regionally accredited colleges and universities accept APSU credits as transfer credit. Depending on the intended major, some courses may transfer as elective hours; most institutions require some elective credits for a degree. The student should verify with the institution s/he plans to attend after high school graduation.

Any previously earned college credits through a regionally accredited institution will transfer to APSU and count toward the hours required for the Associate Degree. Advance Placement scores must meet the APSU requirement to be included; scores would need to be received from the College Board. The total amount of credit earned through Advance Placement is limited to one-half of the total number of credits required for the degree sought.

How do college courses affect my GPA? Students will earn a grade for the dual enrollment courses taken and that grade will appear on the student’s college transcript and be factored into his/her college GPA. In addition, the grade earned will be shared with the high school counselor who will include the grade on the high school transcript to be factored into the high school GPA. Because each school district’s class schedule varies, whether a college course counts as one-half high school unit or a whole unit, will be determined by the school system. 

Can you tell me more about the Dual Enrollment Grant, TN Promise, HOPE and Freshman Scholarships?

(Be sure to talk with Student Financial Aid at any postsecondary institution for clarification.)

The Dual Enrollment Grant provides $2,400 for up to ten dual enrollment college courses, maximum three per semester. The DEG funds received for courses five through ten will be deducted from the first semester of the freshman year HOPE scholarship if the student enrolls in a TN post-secondary institution. The benefit is that the tuition rate as a dual enrollment student is 50 percent less than tuition and fees as a first-time freshman.

TN Promise is a last-dollar scholarship that provides two years of tuition-free attendance at a community or technical college in Tennessee. You can use TN Promise at APSU after high school graduation, but it covers about half of the APSU tuition. Students eligible for HOPE, PELL or state student assistance funds will receive those funds first. If a student receives the maximum PELL Grant, they will not qualify for TN Promise. There are additional requirements to receive the TN Promise, including mandatory meetings and eight hours of community service for each semester. Students need to be enrolled full-time in 1000 and 2000 level courses.

HOPE Scholarship: HOPE provides funding for 120 attempted hours after high school graduation, or a BA or BS degree within five years of graduation or the equivalent of eight semesters of full-time enrollment, whichever comes later. Freshmen and sophomores receive $1,750 per semester or $3,500 year; juniors and seniors receive $2,250 per semester or $4,500 per year. Dual enrollment students are considered first-time freshman once they graduate from high school, however, if the student has earned the 60 hours for the Associate degree, the student will be classified as a junior and receive the HOPE scholarship based on the hours earned.

Freshman Scholarships: A student who has earned college credits prior to high school graduation will be classified as a freshman for purposes of scholarship opportunities, excluding the HOPE Scholarship.

 

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