Information for Parents of Dual Credit Students

Congratulations!

Your child is interested in taking dual credit courses at NC! This same child, with their college involvement, is transitioning into adulthood. This means, as a parent, you are transitioning from a difficult leadership role to an equally difficult support role. Assist your teenager in this transition by making him/her aware that success depends on him/her taking responsibility for education and behavior.

Dual Credit is the term given to courses in which High School students have the opportunity to earn both high school and college credits simultaneously. Dual Credit courses are taught by high school faculty, full-time or adjunct college faculty either at the high school, on the college campus or sometimes through online courses.

Course Rigor – The course syllabus and content are approved by the academic department at Navarro College and will be taught at the college level. Therefore, Dual Credit students can expect the difficulty of this course to be greater than other high school courses. 

Study time – As a general rule, students will be expected to study two hours per week for each credit hour taken. Thus, for a three credit hour course, students should plan on approximately six hours per week for study and homework in addition to their class time.

Grades – Dual Credit students will be graded based on Navarro College standards and against other Navarro College students. They may be required to take a departmental final exam upon completion of the course. This exam will be administered at their high school.

Academic Record – The credit and grades Dual Credit students earn through the pre-college dual credit program will become a part of their permanent academic record (transcript) at Navarro College. 

Policies/Procedures – Dual Credit students will be expected to follow Navarro College policies and procedures. To view the online Navarro College Catalog, click here or call the Office of Admissions and Records at (903) 875-7349 or toll-free at 1-(800)-NAVARRO. 

Attendance – Dual Credit students should avoid missing classes unless it is absolutely necessary.

Course Fees – Course fees are based on an established rate, which is one-half the rate charged for courses taken at the Navarro College campus

Your support is one of your teenager’s most important resource. As parents, you spent a tremendous amount of time, energy, and resources getting your child to college. Yet, despite careful planning, you may find yourselves unprepared for the issues that prevent your child from succeeding. Here are a few tips to encourage your child to see the importance of succeeding at Navarro College.

Prepare your teenager for what to expect
College gives students a tremendous amount of freedom. No one is monitoring their progress on a daily basis and no one knows whether they’re doing their assignments.

Dual Credit students should be prepared to do most of their learning on their own
Self-motivation and discipline are important. A general guideline is that for every one hour spent in class, college students should spend two hours out of class reading, studying and completing assignments.

Let your child learn to do it on their own
Early College or Dual Credit students are treated no differently than any other Navarro College student. There are no parent conferences and communication regarding Navarro College students is restricted due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). College is the time for parents to make the transition from being their child’s primary advocate to becoming a supporter so help your teenager learn by instilling the message that their academic success depends on their taking responsibility for their own education and behavior.