SWCHS offers a number of opportunities for students to earn college credit while in high school. These options have the potential for students to enter college with a sophomore standing and include:
Advanced Placement (AP) classes are a great way for students to challenge themselves academically. The AP classes offered at SWCHS are the following:
In the spring semester, students take an AP test or submit a portfolio for each AP class in which they are enrolled. A passing grade on an AP test will earn students credits for college. The tests are scored from 1–5. Anything above a 3 is considered a passing grade; however, colleges differ in the number of credits they award for scores at/above 3.
SWCHS partners with the University of Northwestern–St. Paul and Crown College to offer college courses to qualified juniors and seniors on Southwest Christian’s campus. These courses are taught during the regular school day by instructors who have been trained and contracted by the college. The content, textbook, and course syllabus are determined by the college and are equivalent to that which is being taught at the respective college under a similar course name. Students must meet the GPA requirements of the college for admission into their PSOS program in order to enroll in these courses. SWCHS students enrolling in these courses can expect the rigor of a college course and at the same time receive both high school and, for those students completing the course with a C or higher, college credit. There may be a minimum number of SWCHS students needed per course for any of the courses to be offered at Southwest Christian.
Dual enrollment courses being offered may include:
Occasionally, colleges will want to see the course syllabus before granting credit for a particular course. Below are some of the syllabi from our courses.
PSEO is a program open to Minnesota’s high school juniors and seniors, allowing them to take college courses while they are in high school, at no additional cost to the student. SWCHS students may take courses part-time at a nearby college or university or through distance learning if they meet the admission requirements of the school to which they are applying and if their classes at SWCHS can be worked out to accommodate their off-campus schedule.
Things to consider about online courses:
SWCHS guidelines for students interested in applying for PSEO or Dual Enrollment:
Students may enroll in PSEO courses through UNWSP, Crown College, or other institutions but must receive approval from their school counselor or the director of student services. Students interested in pursuing PSEO courses for the first time should apply for admittance to the institution from which they wish to take classes during the spring registration period. For each new semester that students wish to take PSEO courses, they should submit the state PSEO form to their school counselor or the director of student services who will sent it to the institution.