15 Dual Enrollment Questions to Ask Your Counselor

For the high school counselor

Which colleges does our school already work with for dual enrollment?

Worry if: No specific list. That means you are early, which is fine, but expect to do the legwork yourself.
Which of these courses count toward our graduation requirements, and which are only electives?

Worry if: An answer that doesn't distinguish the two. That distinction decides the whole schedule.
What do you need from us, and by what date, for a course next term?

Worry if: A date that has already passed, or no date at all.
How will the college grade show up on the high school transcript, and is it weighted?

Worry if: "It depends." Ask what it depends on. Weighting affects class rank and, in some states, scholarships.
What is the GPA or grade-level requirement for my teen specifically?

Worry if: A number that differs from the college's own page. Believe the college.
If my teen drops or fails the course, what happens to the high school credit and who pays?

Worry if: Nobody knows. Get this in writing from the district before the first course.
Is there a cap on how many college courses a student in this grade can take per term?

Worry if: Sophomore caps are common and rarely mentioned up front.

Is this course taught by college faculty, and is it the same course a regular freshman takes?

Worry if: A high-school-taught section with a college number. Some universities treat those differently at transfer.
Where can we look up how this course transfers to a specific university?

Worry if: No answer beyond "it usually transfers." Ask for the transfer tool by name.
Is there a placement test for this course, and what score does my teen need?

Worry if: Finding out the week registration opens.
What do we pay for: tuition, fees, books, equipment?

Worry if: "It's free" without the list. Even free programs have exceptions.
How does my teen get an official transcript sent to another college later?

Worry if: It's worth knowing now. The receiving college needs the transcript from the college, not the high school.
Who does my teen contact when they have a problem in the course, and does that person know they're in high school?

Worry if: No named contact.
What is the drop deadline, and what does a W look like on the transcript?

Worry if: A drop deadline earlier than the high school's own add-drop window.
Is the course in person, online, or hybrid, and is the online version scheduled or self-paced?

Worry if: "Online" with no detail. Self-paced courses are where unready students quietly fail.

0 of 15 asked. Tick each one as you go; the saved copy in My FastTrack has a notes box for the answers.