Early College

Taking classes on the high school campus can save hundreds of dollars in tuition and books! However, for classes taken on the Triton College campus, you may be responsible for the cost of books, supplies, non-course related fees and transportation to and from college. Fees are subject to change and financial aid is not available for Dual Credit students. Contact your high school counselor for more information.

Participating in the Triton College Dual Credit Program  puts the student at an advantage. At Triton, we know that two credits are better than one. High school students can earn multiple college credits prior to graduating from high school. The Advantages:

• Seamless transition from high school to college
• Reduced cost of enrolling in higher education courses
• Access to college facilities and resources such as tutoring services, computer labs and counseling services

Triton College also has a long history of helping students succeed. Dual Credit students enjoy the advantage of academic support from the community college and its faculty due to the close relationship between the local high school and the college. This local support makes all the difference. Benefits of community college Dual Credit courses include the following:

• Students attend classes at the local college campus or on their high school campus
• Instructors are more accessible
• Class sizes are often smaller, creating a lower teacher/student ratio
• Students have access to college facilities and resources such as 24/7 tutoring services, computer labs, libraries, and counseling services

The Triton College Dual Credit Program can create a new and open experience in your child's academic, social and personal life while they continue to participate in high school sports, clubs or other extracurricular activities. Be aware that the student will most likely miss some of the high school experience due to the additional commitment of taking college courses.

Upon enrollment in Dual Credit, your child will be considered a college student. Your child is expected to conduct themselves as a responsible adult. This includes, but is not limited to, attending class, seeking academic help, and addressing any problems they may have directly with their instructors.

Triton College is required by law to inform students of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which involves keeping student records confidential. Without a student’s written permission, Triton WILL NOT share student records with anyone but the student and appropriate college and high school representatives. Students who wish to share information with their parents must complete the FERPA Release Form below.

There is a difference. AP courses allow students to take college-level courses taught by a high school teacher, with the potential for students to earn college credit and/or course placement based on the results of an AP exam. Courses for the Dual Credit Program are actual college classes taught by qualified high school instructors. They provide an opportunity to earn college credit and high school credit simultaneously without a post exam.

Dual Credit courses are college level courses that high school students may take either at Triton or their primary high school in which there is a preexisting agreement to award both high school and college credit upon successful completion. Dual Enrollment courses are college courses taken on the college campus by high school students while still enrolled in high school and give college credits but there is no preexisting agreement to award high school credits.

Triton participates in the Illinois Articulation Initiative, a partnership with colleges and universities to assist students in determining what courses will transfer from Triton. If you plan to transfer out-of-state, contact the admissions office of the college or university you are planning to attend to see if the Triton course you are taking will transfer to that institution.

In order for these dual credit course credits to transfer out, you will need to request your official Triton College transcripts to be sent to the school you are applying to through our Records Office. (College credit from Triton is not automatically transferred after completing your high school degree.)

Do you have questions on how Triton classes may be used to fill degree and/or certificate requirements? The Program of study website can provide you with information on programs available at Triton College. Our Transfer Center Transfer Guides can help determine how courses transfer out. For more questions, contact one of our Academic Advisors or your high school counselor.

Depending on the high school, tuition and/or book costs may be covered by the school. Make sure to contact your high school representative for their billing policies. Students are never charged for dual credit courses taken at their high school campus.

Students have access to college support services such as the Triton Library, computer labs and printers, the Academic Success Center for tutoring, Center for Access and Accommodative Services for disability services, degree and academic planning with Academic Advising, and career information through Career Services. Participation in student events, clubs, and organizations is also highly encouraged through Student Life.

Any Triton student must attend classes according to Triton's academic calendar and instructor’s syllabus. Make sure you review Triton’s dates and deadlines for when the college is closed (such as holidays, spring or winter breaks, etc.).

Dual Credit students are responsible for adhering to all of Triton's dates and deadlines surrounding the academic calendar. To withdraw from classes, students must contact faculty and the Dual Credit Director for enrollment changes.

Triton Community College is required by federal law to uphold the FERPA Act, regardless of age, to keep student records confidential. Without the student's permission, Triton cannot share student records with anyone but the student (or appropriate college employees, high school employees, or dual credit instructors).

Should parents wish to view their child’s records, he/she must first complete the third party authorization online through My Triton.

Any high school teacher who wishes to teach a dual credit course at their school will need to meet the qualifications *and* be approved as an adjunct instructor under the Dual Credit Program. For an overview of our approval process; please refer to our Dual Credit Faculty & Course Approval Guide.

Faculty Approval Process

To obtain approval as a dual credit instructor, one must fill out the online application and submit the following credentials to the Dual Credit office for review by the appropriate academic department:

• Cover letter indicating the course(s) for which teaching approval is requested
• Official transcript(s) from each higher education institution attended
• Resumé and a Philosophy of Teaching

Once your online application has been received, we will reach out to you to request your official transcripts and any other required information in order for an interview with the academic dean and chair and/or coordinator to be set up.

Please forward all required information to:
Triton College - Office of Dual Credit
2000 North Fifth Avenue, F-210
River Grove, IL 60171

If you have further questions, please contact the Office of Dual Credit at dualcredit@triton.edu or 708-456-0300, ext. 3382.

New Dual Credit classes are established through an articulation agreement between Triton and the high school via the Dual Credit Course Request Form. The person requesting a new course (typically the high school's department chair or head) needs to inform the Office of Dual Credit of their intention with the request form and then begin discussions with the appropriate Triton chairperson or coordinator in order to ensure the course will align with its Triton counterpart. Once the course has been aligned and the signatures finalized, we will send notice of approval so the course can begin running for its requested start term. For an overview of the course alignment process; please refer to our Dual Credit Course Alignment Guide.

After you were hired on and approved as an adjunct dual credit instructor, you should have been sent your login credentials to access your account in Triton's MyPortal. With those credentials you may follow the Dual Credit Adjunct Faculty Guide to learn more about using your Portal and WebAdvisor accounts.

Of course! This is recommended if you don't like using multiple email accounts and would like to stay up to date on upcoming Triton activities and announcements.

Triton Dual Credit instructors are expected to be able to manage and verify their rosters, submit attendance reports, as well as midterm and final grades just like our regular faculty. For detailed guides on these processes, please review the information for Roster and Grading and Midterm Verification.

A Program of Study is a custom made plan of action that maps out the relevant courses you must or should take in high school to become career ready.

By knowing what classes you need to take in high school, you will eliminate taking unnecessary courses and will be able to focus on those that will prepare you for college courses and your goals.

Yes. There are many choices for you to consider—it all depends on what you want to do down the road. See FAQs for list of participating high schools.

Find your DVR Program of Study, then visit your high school counseling department and ask for more information. They would love to help you figure this all out!

Architecture

Athletic Trainer

Automotive Technology

Computer Science - Cybersecurity

Computer Science - Microcomputer A+

Construction Technology - Plumbing

Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement

Engineering Tech - Electrical

Engineering Tech - Mechatronics

Engineering Tech - Mechanical Design

Engineering Tech - CAD

Health Careers - Certified Nursing Assistant

Health Careers - Certified Medical Assistant

Health Careers - Emergency Medical Technician

Hospitality - Baking & Pastry

Hospitality - Culinary

Human Services - Early Childhood Education