Catholic High Schools: Earning Money as College Credits
When it comes to Catholic high schools, the term “college prep” is about more than academic rigor; it’s also an indicator of readiness for life. Students at Catholic high schools who are heading to college after graduation have so many ways to get a head start — which will not only help them integrate better into college life, but will save them money and time while earning their degrees.
Research shows that graduates of Catholic high schools take less time to complete their college degrees and earn higher-value scholarships than their public school peers. This is due in part to the strong offerings of Advanced Placement credits, dual credits with colleges and international baccalaureate (IB) programmes at Catholic high schools.
First of all, let’s quickly define some terms:
— AP courses prepare students for the Advanced Placement test in May, where their score can earn them college credit in a particular subject.
— Dual credit courses are actual credit-bearing courses given at a college level. Students who take these courses are admitted to the administering university as “non-degree-seeking students” and their credits transfer to most colleges and universities in the country.
— The IB programme is an internationally renowned program of study known for its rigorous curriculum. At the high school level, it includes a Diploma Programme and a Career-Related Programme. Students in the IB programme take selected courses in their 11th and 12th grade years of high school to prepare them for a standardized IB test, often held annually in April. Through passing test scores, college credits can be earned.
To showcase these programs in action, here are a few examples. It’s far from an exhaustive list, so reach out to your Catholic high school of choice to get more information on what they can offer your student:
— Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha offers both AP classes and the IB programme (both the Diploma and Career-Related Programme). Many CMH students can earn up to 30 college credits or more through their studies in IB. As for dual credits, this year the school began an exclusive partnership with Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) and Marquette University, allowing students to take classes at WCTC and then transfer the credits to Marquette.
— St. Joan Antida High School also offers the Diploma and Career-Related IB programmes. As Milwaukee’s only all-girl IB World School, SJA embraces an "IB for All" philosophy, preparing high school girls for higher education in a supportive learning environment. Students can earn up to 24 college credits through their IB programme.
— St. Anthony High School offers dual enrollment through Cardinal Stritch, Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Juniors and seniors are allowed to take college classes, and are able to graduate high school with up to an entire semester of college credit.
— Divine Savior Holy Angels (DSHA) High School offers 17 AP courses and 12 dual credits through Cardinal Stritch, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the University of Minnesota. Girls can take everything from contemporary lit (a UW-Whitewater course) to anatomy and physiology (Cardinal Stritch), as well as intermediate Latin poetry (University of Minnesota).
— St. Thomas More High School offers 13 AP classes, including Biology, Calculus, Government and Politics, Language and Composition, Literature and Composition, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Physics, Psychology, Spanish Language and Culture, Statistics, Studio, and U.S. History. For concurrent enrollment through Cardinal Stritch University, they offer six classes. Students have the potential to earn up to 32 college credits. Classes offered include Accounting, American Popular Music, Christian Bioethics, Spanish Composition and Conversation, Web Page Creation, and World Religions.
— Students at St. Mary’s Springs Academy in Fond du Lac can obtain up to 20 college credits through their Dual Credit Program with Marian University. New for the 2019/20 school year is an AP course offering for statistics.
Contact your local Catholic high school to learn more about AP courses, dual credit courses, and the IB programmes.