Early College Credit

Early college credit opportunities provide students with a way to earn college credit and get a head start on their education and career goals. Orange County students can take college courses and earn credits towards a degree (Certificate or Associate’s) or the credits can be transferred to other colleges/universities. Students can accomplish this by taking courses through articulation or dual enrollment.  

Articulated courses allow high school students to receive college credit for classes they complete in high school. Students may elect to include credits earned through an articulated course on their college transcript. The articulation process eliminates the need for duplication of courses at the college level.

What is Articulation?
Articulation is the process of evaluating courses to determine whether coursework completed at a high school meets the requirements at a community college or post-secondary institution.  Agreements made can include course-to-course equivalency for dual credit, credit by exam or advanced placement.

For more information about the articulated courses available on your campus, contact your school counselor or ROP career specialist, or view this articulated course list.

Dual enrollment provides avenues for students to take college courses at community college for FREE or at a very low cost.  Students can take these course through structured programs at their high school or on their own at a community college  (aka concurrent enrollment). Dual enrollment programs allow students to save time, money and jump-start their college transcript. Students register for these courses through the “special admit” process. Talk to your counselor to learn more about dual enrollment.

Click on the appropriate community college below for more information on the articulation and dual enrollment process.