Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (Clinton, Muscatine and Scott) has partnered with area high schools to offer what is often referred to as “dual enrollment” or “concurrent enrollment” classes. This program is called College Connections and the courses are actual college credit classes using Eastern Iowa Community Colleges’ competencies, course materials and textbooks. Download the Concurrent Student Handbook
There are two ways students can take part:
- Concurrent Enrollment Courses: Students can take classes taught at the high school. These are taught by qualified high school teachers or college instructors. Most classes are taught face-to-face, but some are online. Others may combine the two which are called hybrid courses.
- CCIR Courses: Students can enroll in College Connection Individual Registration courses. These are taught at the college.
With either option, students get credits that lead directly to degrees, diplomas and certifications.
Check out this news story from KWQC about Concurrent Enrollment!
Depending on the direction students choose, the credits earned in the College Connections program can go toward a technical career degree or an Associate in Arts degree and ultimately, a four-year Bachelor’s degree. With more than 15 career programs to choose from and dozens of Liberal Arts/Transfer courses, students can get a feel for the subjects they’re most interested in and begin working their way toward a college degree now. We even offer a complete Associate in Arts degree online thanks to a unique consortium of Iowa community colleges.
Enrolling in College Connections helps students gain college experiences, excel in career and college readiness, access scholarship opportunities, become competitive in future program selection and save big on college costs. Students do not pay for the courses, so it’s really a great deal. Plus, students that enroll in the program are eligible for EICC’s CONNECTIONS Scholarships.
Developed exclusively for our successful concurrent enrolled high school seniors, the CONNECTIONS Scholarships offer three levels:
- Level 1
Half tuition scholarship for your first two semesters with EICC after high school graduation. Criteria: 3.0 EICC College GPA with a minimum of 12 college credits earned - Level 2
One free three-credit class each semester for your first two semesters with EICC after high school graduation. Criteria: 2.5 EICC College GPA – must have a minimum of six college credits earned - Level 3
One free three-credit class for your first semester with EICC after high school graduation. Criteria: 2.5 EICC College GPA – must have up to six college credits earned
Applying is EASY – students just need to complete this simple application.
Additional information students need to know about being a concurrent student:
- All high school students taking college courses are college students.
- All college course credit goes on a permanent record.
- All college course credit can and will affect the amount of financial aid a student may receive.
- All high school students taking college courses can and are encouraged to meet with a college advisor to credit a degree plan.
- For High School students FERPA laws and regulations apply. The definition for FERPA is – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act protects the privacy of a student’s educational records as print or electronic documents by placing limits on who may have access to the records, what information may be shared or disclosed, and how that information may be used.
- All concurrent courses are tied to a high school course. If the student doesn’t complete the college course they will not complete the high school course. This means that if the student fails the college course they fail the high school course, if the student withdraws from the college course the student will also withdraw from the high school course. This will impact their high school graduation.
- The syllabus for the course explains everything the student needs to know to succeed in the course.
- The student can withdraw two weeks before the end of the course and receive a “W” for the course. This is better than receiving an “F”
Participating high schools:
- Andrew Community School District
- Assumption (Davenport) High School
- Bellevue Community Schools
- Marquette High School
- Bennett Community School District
- Bettendorf Community School District
- Calamus-Wheatland Community School District
- Camanche Community School District
- Central (DeWitt) Community School District
- Clinton Community School District
- Columbus Community School District
- Davenport Community School District
- Durant Community School District
- Easton Valley Community School District
- Louisa-Muscatine Community School District
- Maquoketa Community School District
- Muscatine Community School District
- North Scott Community School District
- Northeast Community School District
- Pleasant Valley Community School District
- Prince of Peace (Clinton) High School
- West Liberty Community School District
- Wilton Community School District