Early enrollment refers to any program that gives you the opportunity to earn college credit before you graduate from high school. Advanced Placement courses can be counted as college credit. Or you might be able to earn credits by taking a concurrent enrollment class. In some cases you may have to take the class at the college or university. There are many different courses and ways to earn those early credits. Be sure to check with the institution you plan to attend.
In most cases, the college or university program you will be enrolled in while in high school will require you to get permission from your high school counselor before beginning coursework.
Each college and university has its own policies. But for the most part those courses numbered 1000 and above are recorded on your transcript with the grade you earn; they count toward graduation; they can be transferred to another campus; and they can be counted for the New Century Scholarship and Centennial Scholarships. Be sure to talk to someone at the campus in which you are interested.
You do not have to declare a major if you are not sure of what you want to study. If you haven't made up your mind, you can get some great help in the UtahMentor Explore Careers module. Many students take general education courses in a variety of disciplines in order to find out what they are interested in. With a tentative idea of your interests, you can test that interest by taking more courses in the discipline; do volunteer work or an internship in your proposed area of interest. College is for learning about new things and experimenting. Take advantage of your college education and explore various options for majors and careers.
There is no federal financial aid available for these courses. To get financial aid you must have a high school diploma or the equivalent. But you are saving lots of time and money by taking college classes early and paying much less than you would if you were enrolled as a regular college student.
