DUAL CREDIT AND CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT
Get a head start on your college education by taking college-level classes on your high school campus.
The Vernon College Early College program is a cooperative partnership between a high school district, a private secondary school, or a home school and Vernon College. The program enables students who meet entrance requirements to earn college credits while completing high school graduation requirements. Students who are approved by their individual high school administration (9th - 12th grade) may take approved courses each academic semester. Vernon College provides academic transfer and Career and Technical Education.
For further information contact:
Melissa Moore
Early College Start Coordinator
mmoore@vernoncollege.edu
(940) 696-8752 ext. 3303
This program is available to high school students whose schools have a dual credit agreement with Vernon College. Check with your high school counselor to see if your high school is currently a dual credit partner with us!
What type of high school student are you?
Public and Private High Schools
- Check with your high school counselor prior to beginning the process.
- All dual credit/concurrent enrollment courses are approved by your high school administration.
- Follow the steps given to you by your high school administration. Our Dual Credit/Concurrent Checklist (located on our dual credit homepage) is a helpful resource as well.
- Set up your Vernon College email and check regularly.
- Student Handbook
Homeschool students
- Work with your high school counselor/parent to choose your approved coursework.
- Follow the steps on the dual credit checklist. (located on our dual credit homepage)
- Set up your Vernon College email and check regularly.
- Student Handbook
- Please ensure your student has communicated with their high school counselor/administrator.
- Vernon College offers courses from the TX statewide core curriculum. This will help ensure a smooth transfer to your student's college/university after high school graduation.
- The high school will approve and complete the process with your student(prior to each semester). With the guidance from the high school coordinator and myself, your student will go through the admissions, TSIA/Testing, and registration process to prepare for the upcoming semester.
- Each high school is different in their policies and procedures. If you have questions about the process please make sure to contact that high school counselor directly.
- If you have any questions regarding the Vernon College process, feel free to each out to our offices at any point.
- Please check with your high school counselor to determine the estimated costs for your courses. Payment dates/deadlines will be made available to your high school administration and students through their MYVC accounts.
- Each high school has different policies on what their ISD will/will not provide. Final costs are dependent on the ISD contribution, so it is important that you check with the high school.
- Vernon College does not send out paper bills. Your student will use their MYVC account to make payment online or payment can be made in person at one of our Business Office locations.
- Your student will follow all VC policies and follow the VC student handbook. Vernon College also follows the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act – FERPA – please ensure that you and your student discuss that as a college student, they will be required to communicate on their behalf with Vernon College instructors and staff. We encourage our students to be their biggest and best advocates.
- Counselors – you will serve as the students first point of contact. If you have questions contact VC at any time.
- On our dual credit homepage - you will find important links that will be useful for you to help guide your students each semester.
- Dual Credit/Concurrent approval forms will be completed by all NEW students. The approval form needs to be reviewed and signed by the student, parent, and high school administration. This form can be sent back to VC - via email to mmoore@vernoncollege.edu. After the student has completed the admissions process, the student will receive their acceptance letters in the mail with their Student ID, PIN, and Vernon College email. Please make sure that the students know the importance of setting up and using their VC email. The steps are provided below.
- Student email set up
- MYVC and CANVAS help ticket
- Testing
- VC Library
- VC ADA/Pass Department
- ADA Accommodations
- Tutoring Center
- Students who need to drop a course after the semester has begun, please see the VC dual Credit drop request PDF on our dual credit homepage.
- Communicate with your high school administration of your interest in Dual Credit/Concurrent enrollment at VC. Your high school counselor will assist you in the process.
- Each high school follows their individual policies and procedures, check in with your counselor for your high school.
- ALL students are approved by the high school each semester.
- ALL NEW students must apply for admissions, turn in their dual credit/concurrent enrollment approval form, become TSIA cleared/College Ready prior to being able to register for courses. Check with your high school counselor/administrator for your individual high school process.
- The Texas Success Initiative is a state law designed to make sure that each student taking college level academic coursework is "College Ready". A student who plans to enroll in both high school and college courses at the same time must prove "College Readiness" according to the guidelines in the law. The law covers - reading, writing, and math.
- Check with your high school counselor/administrator for your individual high school TSIA/Testing process.
- The high school or student is responsible for providing Vernon College the score reports necessary to utilize an eligibility score for registration into a college class.
- Student will not be able to register until applicable scores are processed by Vernon College.
- Check the TSIA handout on the dual credit homepage for exemptions and more information.
- If you need to send scores or have any questions, please contact us : Melissa Moore at mmoore@vernoncollege.edu or Kristin Harris at kharris@vernoncollege.edu
- All student courses are approved by the high school prior to each semester.
- At Vernon College, our dual credit students work from the TX statewide core curriculum courses. These courses include but are not limited to English, History, Government, Economics, Speech, Mathematics, Biology, and more.
- Please check with your high school counselor for approved courses each semester.
- Vernon College offers dual credit courses at $100.00 per credit hour. Dependent on the course the prices of a dual credit course could range from $100.00 - $400.00.
- Textbooks – dependent on the high school, can be the responsibility of the student. Make sure to check with your counselor to see if you will need to plan to purchase textbooks each semester.
- Each ISD/High School differs on their contribution each semester. Final cost is dependent on the ISD contribution and will be applied upon receipt of that information from the ISD/High School. Please check to see what your individual high school offers financially to their dual credit students.
- Vernon College does not send out paper bills. Students will use their MYVC account to make payment online or payment can be made in person at one of our Business Office locations. The Business office link is located on our dual credit homepage.
- Scholarships are available each semester – please check with our high school counselor. Applications are provided to the high school prior to each semester. For more information on scholarship opportunities, contact Michelle Alexander at scholarships@vernoncollege.edu
1970 marked the beginning of Vernon College. Throughout this decade the College continued to grow and more students enrolled in both on- and off-campus courses. On January 20, 1970, a majority of the citizens of Wilbarger County voted to create the Wilbarger County Junior College District. Following that decision, Vernon Regional Junior College was established and on April 9, 1970, the newly elected Board of Trustees appointed Dr. David L. Norton as the College’s first president. Campus construction began in May 1971, and included an Academic Science Center, Administration-Fine Arts Center, Applied Arts Center, Library, and Student Center. The following year, on September 5, 1972, classes met for the first time on the Vernon campus with a total of 608 students. On August 1, 1974, Dr. Jim M. Williams became the College’s second president. In the fall semester of that year, combined on- and off-campus enrollment exceeded 800 students. During the 1975-76 academic year, the College expanded its services to include a learning center on Sheppard Air Force Base. During this year, enrollment in credit courses, both on- and off-campus, rose to a level of 1,199. The scope of the Vocational Nursing Program was enlarged during the 1976-77 academic year with the assumption of the Bethania School of Vocational Nursing in Wichita Falls. In August 1976 the Physical Education Center was dedicated in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas A. King longtime benefactors of Vernon College.
Growth and changes continued during the 1980s. In August 1980 a Student Residence Center, designed to house 128 students, opened for occupancy. Further expansion of program offerings in the Wichita Falls area was accomplished through absorption of an existing proprietary school that was renamed the Vernon College Technical Center and the integration of the nursing program from the Wichita Falls Independent School District. On March 22, 1982, Dr. Joe Mills took over the leadership of the College as the third president. That fall, the College fielded its first intercollegiate rodeo team. During 1983-84, the Department of Cosmetology and the Career Development Center (previously known as the North Texas Skills Center) were established in Wichita Falls. On the Vernon campus, the Chaparral Center was completed, and the Pease River farm purchased through a state land trade. The following academic year, 1984-85, Vernon College reached a record credit enrollment of 1,863 and a record continuing education enrollment of 7,056 registrations. A Vocational Nursing Program opened in Seymour, and the Board of Trustees established a college foundation and approved an agreement to allow construction of the Red River Valley Museum on the Vernon campus. In February 1987 the College played its first intercollegiate baseball game on the Vernon campus. During May of that year, the new Natatorium was opened in the King Physical Education Center. A newly constructed Athletic Dormitory opened to house 28 athletes in August 1988. In October, Trustees voted to add women’s volleyball as a varsity sport, effective with the fall 1989 semester. In May 1989 Vernon College moved all Wichita Falls programs to one centralized location—Century City Center. Since the College opened its doors 38 years ago, many individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations have made an investment in our students through the creation of endowed and annual scholarships. As of this year, more than 100 scholarship funds are available to help students pursue their educational dreams.VERNON COLLEGE PHILOSOPHY: Vernon College is a constantly evolving institution, dedicated primarily to effective teaching and regional enhancement. With this dedication to teaching and to the community, the College encourages open inquiry, personal and social responsibility, critical thinking, and life-long learning for students, faculty, and other individuals within its service area. The College takes as its guiding educational principle the proposition that, insofar as available resources permit, instruction should be adapted to student needs. This principle requires both flexibility in instructional strategies and maintenance of high academic standards. Strong programs of assessment and accountability complement this educational principle. VC accepts the charge of providing a college atmosphere free of bias, in which students can exercise initiative and personal judgment, leading to a greater awareness of personal self-worth. It strives to provide every student with opportunities to develop the tools necessary to become a contributing, productive member of society.
Vision
VERNON COLLEGE VISION: Vernon College will promote a culture of success for our students and communities through learner-centered quality instructional programs and exemplary services.
Values
VERNON COLLEGE VALUES: Vernon College promotes a culture of success through our shared values and commitment to:
Accessibility
Accountability
Building Relationships
Diversity
Inclusion
Innovation
Leadership
Quality
Student Success
Teamwork
Our values define who we are and guide us in conducting our business every day. Our values are our morals – what is important to us at our college.
Mission
VERNON COLLEGE MISSION The mission of Vernon College is teaching, learning, and leading. Vernon College is a comprehensive community college that integrates education with opportunity through our instructional programs and student support services by means of traditional and distance learning modes. Therefore, to fulfill its mission, the College will provide access, within its available resources, to:
Career technical/workforce programs up to two years in length leading to associate degrees or certificates;
Career technical/workforce programs leading directly to employment in semi-skilled and skilled occupations;
Freshman and sophomore courses in arts and sciences, including the curricula leading to associate and baccalaureate degrees;
Ongoing adult education programs for occupational upgrading or personal enrichment;
Compensatory education programs designed to fulfill the commitment of an admissions policy allowing the enrollment of disadvantaged students; ;
A continuing program of counseling and guidance designed to assist students in achieving their individual educational goals;
Career technical/workforce development programs designed to meet local and statewide needs;
Support services for educational programs and college-related activities;
Adult literacy and other basic skills programs for adults; and
Other To help prospective and current students, faculty, and staff locate important information about Vernon College, this webpage provides links to helpful information on a variety of government mandated and consumer information. Examples are academic programs, cost of attendance, financial aid, safety and security, and institutional financial reports. Vernon College’s presentation of this information complies with the Higher Education Act, as amended, and implementing regulations.