FAQs
What should families and students consider regarding dual enrollment?
- Although there are many benefits students and their families must realize that dual enrollment courses become part of student's permanent college transcripts; if a course is failed with a D or F, the grades could affect eligibility for financial aid and admission to other postsecondary institutions.
Dual Enrollment or Advanced Placement (AP)?
There are various ways to enhance your college education. In contrast to AP with dual enrollment, you do not take a yearlong college course and you do not need to take an exam at the end of the year to claim the college unit.
With dual enrollment, you get credits for every college course you pass. Each semester you can enroll in new courses that count towards your major or general academic courses. College credit will appear on your SAC transcript, and this can count toward your major and or general course credit.
Does my high school grant me dual credit?
Your high school has the purview to award high school credit for the college course. If students fail one of these classes, it will negatively affect both their high school and college transcripts. However, it all depends on your school’s discretion. Make sure to connect with your high school counselor to get further guidance.
What is a Course Prerequisite?
A prerequisite is a requirement that you must meet before you can take a particular course. For example, you might be required to take one or more courses, in a certain order, before you can enroll in a more advanced course. Once you have met the requirement, the prerequisite is considered to be "cleared." Please make sure to read the course descriptions on Self-Service to ensure that you can enroll.
If you would like to challenge a pre-requisite, you may do so, but you will need to complete the Prerequisite/Corequisite Challenge Form, attach supporting documentation (i.e. high school transcript, College Board results) and email it to the Division Dean for signature. Division listings can be found here. Once it has been signed, please email the signed document to SAC Counseling for approval.
What is FERPA?
FERPA applies to all parents and/or guardians of any Santa Ana College student no matter what age of the student, including dual enrollment students who are concurrently enrolled in a high school and Santa Ana College. Your student has officially enrolled in an institution of higher education, and as a result, your student is now protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974.
Under Section 49061 of the Education Code, parents/guardians of community college students do not have a right to access their children's student records, regardless of whether the student is under the age of 18. In accordance with this regulation, students' college records will be released to parents/guardians only with the written consent of the student.
This can be obtained: Permission to Release Education Record Information
How many courses can I take?
- Dual enrollment students may take up to 15 units during Fall and Spring terms (a maximum of 4 SAC courses per term), and up to 9 units in Summer. Intersession students may enroll in up to 6 units maximum.
