College Where You Are
Courses are available in-person at participating High Schools or online. Classes are taught by professors approved by the University of South Carolina to design and teach courses equivalent to those taught at the university-level.
Dual enrollment courses count toward a college grade point average (GPA) and hours attempted/earned on a permanent college transcript, and well carry the highest weight for High School GPA.
Transferable College Credit
At the end of the course, credit is earned by satisfactory completion an earned grade of “C” or higher, and it will transfer to public South Carolina institutions, provided that the course is listed on the USC Course Equivalency database.
If the course is not included in the link above, or is the student is planning to attend a private institution in South Carolina or any public or private institutions outside of South Carolina, students should contact that school. in order to see how the course credit will be accepted toward their degree requirements.
Typical Courses Offered
- Freshmen Composition
- College-level Math
- College-level Science
- Public Speaking
- Social Sciences
- U.S Government
- U.S History
- Plus More!
Four Flexible Paths to Consider!
Depending on which need serves you the best, we have a variety of options for qualifying students to put them on a path to success.
Under this arrangement, students take two courses per semester. These courses are offered in-person and online. Students could earn up to 24 college credits by graduation.
High School Seniors, who complete their high school graduation requirements by the end of the Fall semester, can take advantage of taking four courses for the following Spring semester. Students could earn up to 30 college credits by graduation (that is equivalent to one academic year in college!).
Students who complete 30 hours by high school graduation, can complete 30 additional hours (one academic year) with USC Sumter, completely online, and earn an Associate’s Degree one year removed from high school.
- Beginning the summer of a student’s junior-year of high school, this highly, academically competitive program will allow for a student to complete 60 hours of college credit and earn an Associate’s Degree while concurrently satisfying the requirements for their high school diploma.
- To enroll in this program, a student must have successfully completed specified high school credits by the end of their sophomore year in high school. Upon the recommendation of their high-school counselors, and meeting the necessary academic criteria, students will enter the program in the summer prior to their junior year. Students will take a full load of college-level work (12 -15 credit hours per semester, and can still remain engaged with extra-curricular activities such as athletics and the arts at their high school.
- Currently, Early College is available on the USC Sumter campus, Ridge View High School in Richland School District Two, and online.
- Students who are interested in the Early College program provided through USC Sumter, should contact their counselor to discuss the possibility of participating and email us at sudual@mailbox.sc.edu.
How Much Does It Cost?
Dual enrollment courses with USC Sumter are free, if:
- two courses are taken,
- and the student is a SC Resident and US Citizen.
Courses are paid for by the Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTAP) Program. This does not affect future scholarships (such as LIFE, HOPE, etc) that are awarded to eligible students when they enroll fulltime in college.
Purchasing textbooks are the student’s responsibility; however, textbooks are affordably priced (most under $40) and often provided free of charge.
What are the Qualifications for Dual Enrollment?
- Student must have a minimum 3.0
- Student must have a recommendation from their counselor
Ready to Apply
Talk to your school counselor, then complete the online application here.