ACC FAQ
What is Dual Credit?
Lake Travis High School students take college classes at ACC through a program called Dual Credit. While the Dual Credit courses that students take are the same as regular ACC students, there are some special guidelines. LTHS students may begin taking Dual Credit courses in Junior year. Sign up for the classes occurs during the spring semester of sophomore year.
Dual Credit students must make application on the ACC website, provide proof of qualifying college ready test scores (see FAQ on test scores), be advised by an ACC advisor, and register for the course on the ACC website. Once a student has been accepted at ACC, he or she may continue to register for courses each semester until high school graduation. Upon graduation from high school including providing proof of graduation by means of a final high school transcript, a student can become a regular full time ACC student or just take occasional courses. Acceptance at ACC is a lifetime acceptance.
What types of courses are taught at ACC?
There are four types of courses Dual Credit students can take through ACC, 1.) college classes taught on the LTHS campus during the school day, 2.) college classes taught on the LTHS campus outside the school day, 3.) college classes taught on Austin CC campuses, and 4.) online ACC classes.
How will a student be graded at ACC?
Grades for ACC classes are given by the ACC professor and will be based on the factors determined by the department and the professor. Grades are recorded on the ACC transcript as A, B, C, D, F, and W. Grades are reported to Lake Travis High School at the conclusion of each term. Grades in ACC classes will be recorded on the LTHS transcript as A=95, B=85, C=75. Grades of D (69) or lower will not be recorded on a Lake Travis High School transcript.
While high school course credit is awarded for ACC course grades of C or higher, to be considered an Advanced Measure, a grade in an ACC dual credit course must be a B or better.
Grades for all classes taken at ACC will be recorded on the student’s ACC transcript. These courses must be reported to any college or university that a student may attend or apply to at any time or at any level. In most cases the courses taken at ACC will be considered part of the total college course classwork and credits will transfer. Private universities and select colleges will want to see a student’s ACC transcript but may not choose to award credit for the courses. Please check with each individual college or university to determine how that school will treat ACC grades and credits. ACC grade point will be considered as part of the State of Texas Satisfactory Academic Progress or SAP. This grade point percentage may impact scholarship eligibility and may impact admission. (See FAQ on SAP)
How do I enroll at ACC ?
Go to the www.AustinCC.edu website and click on “Admissions”. Complete the first steps including setting up an ACC e ID and an ACC gmail account. This will be a special gmail account for use in communication with ACC, including your professors. Complete the online orientation called TOP and print the certificate. Twenty-four hours after you have applied, log on to your account to activate your EID and ACC gmail account. Print out a copy of your EID and gmail account.
Generally a student would continue this process through ACC but because you will be a Dual Credit student at Lake Travis High School you will complete the remainder of the process through Lake Travis High School Counseling Office.
Students and Parents must attend an initial Informational meeting at Lake Travis High School during the spring registration period. Check the calendar for dates. Students or parents who are absent from the initial orientation must complete a makeup orientation session in order to be fully informed regarding ACC course expectations and guidelines.
Students applying to take Dual Credit courses either at LTHS or on the ACC campus must meet College Readiness test standards called Texas Success Initiative through ACT or SAT test scores or by scoring at college readiness level on the TSI. Students who have not previously met Texas Success Initiative test standards (see FAQ on Test Scores) must test to meet admission standards. The TSI test will be given once each spring at LTHS for students who wish to test. The TSI may also be taken at ACC testing sites by appointment. TSI testing costs $20 on the LTHS campus.
Prior to taking the TSI a student must complete the PAA (Pre Assessment Advising) online and print out the completion certificate. The certificate must be returned to the LTHS Counseling Office in order to sign up to test on the LTHS campus. The PAA certificate must be presented prior to testing at an ACC campus testing site.
The LTHS Counseling Office will create an advising folder for each student. LTHS Counseling will provide a transcript for each student’s folder.
Once all paperwork is completed a student may complete required advising with an ACC advisor. Advising sessions at LTHS by ACC personnel will be scheduled each fall and spring. A student may also be advised on an ACC campus on most school days. Please contact ACC for more information. Advising is required before a student may register for classes.
Course registration is determined by the ACC registration calendar. Returning student registration begins before new student registration. It is the responsibility of each student to register for the courses he or she wishes to take. Special care must be taken to register for the correct course number and session.
