Dual Credit with Kish on Campus

Dual credit courses provide students with rigorous, college-level instruction while they are still in high school. Sycamore High School partners with Kishwaukee College to offer this opportunity to our students.

Any high school junior or senior who completes and passes any necessary testing and receives the approval of the high school counseling office is eligible to enroll in dual credit courses. Students who choose to take advantage of this opportunity earn both high school and college credit for the dual credit courses they complete, which can reduce the cost and time of earning a post-secondary degree.

Dual Credit Procedure

If you sign up for a dual credit class for next year (2022-2023), you must complete all of the following steps to be enrolled in your class. See your Counselor if you have questions.

1. Apply to Kishwaukee College

• Visit www.kish.edu (click the “Get Started” and "Apply to Kish" menu options at the top) — you will receive a verification letter in the mail in 7-10 days
• This must be completed before you can take the Accuplacer placement test or register.
• All potential dual credit students will be assigned to Stretch to complete this step with SHS counseling staff. 

2. Determine Placement

Placement may be determined by ACT or SAT scores, cumulative high school GPA (current juniors only) and/or taking the ACCUPLACER placement test. Check with your high school counselor.

Course Number	Course Name	ACT Minimum Score	SAT Minimum Score	Cumulative HS GPA (after 5 or 6 semesters)	ACCUPLACER Placement Score
BIO 103	General Biology	English 19 or Composite 19; and Math 22	Reading and Writing 480; and Math 530	3.5 with 5 sem; 3.0 with 6 sem (waives out of ENG prerequisite only — need math)	WritePlacer 5-8 and QAS 245-300
BIO 105	General Biology lab	Same as BIO 103
ENG 103	Composition I	English 19 or Composite 19	Reading and Writing 480	3.5 with 5 sem; 3.0 with 6 sem	WritePlacer 5-8
ENG 104	Composition II	Need ENG 103 as a prerequisite
MAT 150	College Algebra	Math 22	Math 530	NA	QAS 270-300 or AAF 230-300
MAT 155	Trigonometry	MAT 150 as a prerequisite			AAF 267-300
HIS 220	US History	Minimum competency in math or English (as listed above)
HIS 222	US History	Need HIS 220 as a prerequisite
COM 100	College Speech	English 19 or Composite 19	Reading and Writing 480	3.5 with 5 sem; 3.0 with 6 sem	WritePlacer 5-8

3. Complete placement test, if needed, by April 8, 2022.

• One testing date will be offered during school at SHS. If students miss that date, it is their responsibility to set up testing on their own through Kishwaukee College. Contact Kish at (815) 825-2086 and ask for the testing center. Indicate that you are a SHS Dual Credit student needing to test. 
• Testing at SHS will be completed on your school Chromebook (bring it charged).
• To take the ACCUPLACER test, you must bring your Kishwaukee College letter that you received in the mail verifying that you have applied to Kish (see step 1).
• A photo ID is required for testing.
• Handheld calculators are not allowed. ACCUPLACER provides a calculator within the test on certain questions.
• It helps to come into the placement test prepared. Kishwaukee College has tips for preparing for the ACCUPLACER test and other testing information.

4. Complete Kishwaukee College Class Registration

• Students will NOT be registered for the dual credit course(s) if placement requirements are not met. Schedules for the high school course will be changed to non-dual credit classes.
• Once you qualify for a dual credit course, you will need to complete a Kishwaukee College registration form available from the counseling office.

5. Pay for your course(s).

Cost: $50/class each semester. Note that biology is $100 as it is a class and a lab. Kishwaukee College will bill families once a student is enrolled in a class. Payments are made directly to Kishwaukee College. Note that Summer COM 100 is taught by Kish Faculty and costs the same fee as other summer school classes.