Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
Am I eligible?
Students taking a dual enrollment course must meet the prerequisite criteria for the course and qualify for college level courses.
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Who teaches the course?
High school faculty who meet community college instruction requirements teach the dual enrollment courses, and are overseen by the appropriate SMCC faculty chair in the discipline.
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How do dual enrollment credits transfer?
Review the Course Equivalency Guide to see how community college courses transfer to the three Arizona universities. If you are planning to attend an out-of-state university, check with that institution to see how credits will transfer.
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How do AP credits differ from dual enrollment credits?
At the end of an AP course, students complete a test. The outcome of that test determines how many college credits they receive. Dual enrollment credits are earned through coursework that demonstrates that college competencies have been met.
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How does dual enrollment differ from concurrent enrollment?
Dual enrollment classes meet at the high school during the regular high school day and are taught by college certified high school instructors using the college curriculum and college approved textbook. Since students are earning high school and college credit simultaneously, these courses may meet high school and college/university requirements (verify this with your university and/or community college major of study).
Concurrent enrollment classes meet at a college site and are not affiliated with any high school; those enrolled are high school students taking courses at the main campus or at an off-campus location. Students interested in concurrent enrollment must submit a special admission form (Under 18 Student). Students need prior approval from their high school counselors or administrators in order for these courses to help satisfy high school requirements.
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What does it cost?
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The Maricopa County resident tuition rate is $76 per credit plus a $15 per semester registration fee per MCCCD college being attended. Due to reciprocal county agreements, Arizona resident students from any county except Apache and Greenlee counties pay Maricopa county resident tuition rates. The out-of-state and out-of-county (Apache and Greenlee) tuition is $317 per credit hour plus a $15 per semester registration fee per MCCCD college being attended.
- Calculation: $76 x _____ + $15 = $ _____
cr. hrs. total
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What are the benefits of dual enrollment?
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Helps high school students prepare for college. Students experience college level courses - the curriculum and text have been approved, and the instructors have met the hiring requirements for MCCCD faculty. These challenging courses enhance high level thinking skills and provide incentives to advance beyond the high school level. Best of all, the transition from high school begins early and occurs conveniently in a familiar, comfortable environment,
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Take college level courses at high school during regular school hours
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Earn college and high school credit simultaneously
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Save money on college tuition and text books
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Reduce college completion time
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The credit earned may be used to complete an Associate's degree as well as a Bachelor's degree at a transfer university (depending on the receiving institution's requirements)
More benefit information: Dual enrollment on YouTube
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Is tuition assistance available?
Financial Aid - Federal Financial Aid is not available to students who are still enrolled in high school.
Maricopa Grant - There is a Maricopa grant available to students who demonstrate financial need.
- For more information on dual enrollment tuition assistance and to obtain a Dual Enrollment Tuition Assistance Grant Application, go to: Tuition Assistance Grant Application or contact the SMCC Dual Enrollment Coordinator.
- Completed tuition assistance applications may be turned in with the registration packets, but must be submitted no later than the published deadline for each term. Applications submitted after the published deadline will not be considered. Incomplete applications missing signatures and/or supporting documents will not be considered. Registrations accompanied by a Tuition Assistance Grant Application will be considered provisional until the tuition assistance application status has been determined. Students who are denied tuition assistance will have the option of withdrawing their registration without penalty.
- Tuition assistance is based on need and is not guaranteed. Qualifying family income is documented in the tuition assistance instruction packet.
- Due to limited funding, only one course per term will be considered for tuition assistance.
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I did not pass my placement exam. Can I retest?
ASSET and ACCUPLACER - You are allowed one retest per year.
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May I drop the course after I enroll in it?
Dropped courses - Dropping a course by the published drop date results in the course being removed from the student's academic record and a refund of tuition and the registration fee. The signature of the high school liaison is required.
Course withdrawals - Withdrawal from a course occurs after the published drop date and results in the course being retained on the student's academic record with a grade of "W". A withdrawal requires the "Last Date of Attendance", the signature of the instructor, and the date signed. The student is not eligible for a refund and is still obligated to pay any outstanding tuition and fees.
In addition, if you received Tuition Assistance for this course, dropping this course after the drop date will affect your future eligibility for additional Tuition Assistance.
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What happens if I don't pay my tuition?
If you don't pay your tuition by the due date, you will be dropped from your class with a debt still owed to the college. If you withdraw after the refund period you will still owe a debt to the college and you will receive a grade of "W" on your transcript. The Cashier's Office can arrange for a convenient payment plan if you need to control your cash flow. There may be a small setup fee for this service. To learn more a payment plan, click here or contact the Cashier's Office at 602-305-5627.
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How do I pay my tuition?
Acceptable forms of payment include: cash, checks, money orders, and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover). Cash, checks and money orders may be paid in person. Checks and money orders may be mailed to SMCC's Cashier's Office.
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In person - Stop in at the Cashiers Office in the Student Enrollment Services building.
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By telephone - Credit/debit card payments are accepted over the phone by calling our Cashier's Office at (602) 305-5627.
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Payment plan - To sign up for a payment plan, click
here for more information.
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By mail - Checks and money orders can be mailed to the SMCC Cashier's Office. Send check or money order to:
South Mountain Community College
Cashier's Office
7050 S. 24th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85042
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How do I request a transcript?
There are four convenient ways to request an official or unofficial copy of your SMCC Transcripts:
Online at: my.maricopa.edu
- Click on the login, then use your MEID and password to log in.
- In the Academics section of your Student Center, click on the white drop-down menu.
- Select Official Transcript or Unofficial Transcript, click the arrow.
- Follow the directions on the screen to complete the process.
U.S. Mail: Please complete the Academic Transcript Request Form and mail the form along with payment to:
SMCC Transcripts
Registration & Records
7050 S. 24th St.
Phoenix, AZ 85042-5806
FAX: Please complete the Academic Transcript Request Form and fax it to:
SMCC Transcripts
602-243-8199
In person at the Registration & Records Office. Business hours during the Fall and Spring Semesters are:
Business hours during the Summer are:
Stop by the Registration & Records Office and complete the request form. Next pay the $5 fee over at Business Services (if you are requesting an official transcript to be sent to a college or university outside of the Maricopa County Community College District). Finally, bring a copy of your receipt to Registration & Records and we will process your official transcript request.
When requesting transcripts (whether online, U.S. mail, FAX or in person) please have the following information ready:
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Social Security Number or Student ID Number
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Current name, address and telephone number
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Former names used while attending SMCC
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Date of birth
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Complete address of where you would like the transcript sent
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SIGNATURE, is required to process your request!
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As a dual enrollment student, can I use the South Mountain Community Library?
Yes you may use all of South Mountain's student resources including the library.
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