College NOW Program
Dual Credit Program Objectives
According to the Dual Credit Quality Act, the purpose of dual credit partnerships between community colleges and secondary schools is to:
- reduce college costs;
- speed time to degree completion;
- improve the curriculum for high school students and the alignment of the curriculum with college and workplace expectations;
- facilitate the transition between high school and college;
- enhance communication between high schools and colleges; and
- offer opportunities for improving degree attainment for underserved student populations.
Key Partnership Components
- Review the administrative standards for our IL district 540 early college partnerships: heartland.edu/ecp/collegeNOW/adminStandards
- Engage in our partnership procedures for the next academic year during the prior academic year: heartland.edu/ecp/collegeNOW/procedures
- Assist students through the College NOW admission process for HCC courses offered at high school locations Sep 1 - April 30 of the prior academic year for the next academic year and by Sep 15 within the same academic year for the HCC courses offered at career center locations.
- Students must complete the HCC student application and any required placement testing - if applicable - during that timeframe.
- Submit preliminary dual credit rosters by or before the 1st Friday in May (annually).
- Roster updates will be managed via our shared Google drive hub thereafter until the HCC drop dates each semester.
- Complete the annual memorandum of agreement document sent via email by or before May 31 of the prior academic year for the next academic year.
