High School Students

Dual enrollment provides you the opportunity to take college courses while still in high school. The college credits may count towards high school credits and may also apply to your university academic transcript. Dual enrollment is available in the fall, spring, and summer sessions and is taught by PennWest faculty.

A variety of courses are available on our three campuses as well as 100% online through PennWest Global Online programs. The courses at PennWest California, PennWest Clarion, or PennWest Edinboro may vary, and permission from the instructor and provost may be required. Please work with the Admissions office to determine availability. The Summer and Fall 2026 courses are now available, which can be filtered by campus and/or interest.

1. Submit your application

Dual Enrollment Application

 

2. Set Up Your Password and Access Your PennWest Email Account

View Instructions

New Student Email Set Up

First Time Sign-in Steps

Set Up Multifactor Authentication

3. Log in to myPennWest

myPennWest

myPennWest is your very own portal to your financial aid, billing, class schedule, housing and more.

4. Placement and Class Schedule Process

Check your PennWest email with information regarding the math and English placement tests. This communication will direct you to a placement test tile in the myPennWest portal. You must complete any required placement test prior to your first semester schedule being created for you. It is important that you complete this step as soon as possible. View our English and Math Placement page for more details.
Your Schedule: Dual enrollment students have their schedule’s built for them each semester. An Academic Coordinator will review your course choices from your application, consider how it applies to potential future degree completion as well as alignment with your high school scheduling needs and reach out to you with any questions or adjustments. It is very important you respond in a timely manner to ensure we are able to enroll you in the courses that best fit your needs. Please pay close attention to your PennWest email account for important information regarding scheduling.

5. Dual Enrollment Student Orientation

All dual enrollment students are assigned to an orientation course in D2L (Desire to Learn), which is PennWest learning management system. You will receive an email in your @pennwest.edu email account when the orientation becomes available. And this video will assist you in logging in/beginning the process. If you have questions, please contact Melissa Dunn, Director of Student Development, Division of Student Affairs, dunn@pennwest.edu.

 

Check your PennWest email with information regarding the math and English placement tests. This communication will direct you to a placement test tile in the myPennWest portal. You must complete any required placement test prior to your first semester schedule being created for you. It is important that you complete this step as soon as possible. View our English and Math Placement page for more details.
Your Schedule: Dual enrollment students have their schedule’s built for them each semester. An Academic Coordinator will review your course choices from your application, consider how it applies to potential future degree completion as well as alignment with your high school scheduling needs and reach out to you with any questions or adjustments. It is very important you respond in a timely manner to ensure we are able to enroll you in the courses that best fit your needs. Please pay close attention to your @pennwest.edu email account for important information regarding scheduling.

We make every effort to place students in their requested courses. However, enrollment is subject to seat availability, placement testing scores, and prerequisite requirements. If a requested course is unavailable or is not the best fit, our Academic Coordinators will work with the student, their school counselor, and PennWest faculty to identify an alternative option that supports the student’s academic goals.

Depending on your stage of dual enrollment you have multiple offices that can assist you.

For enrollment questions related to the application process, completing paperwork, or preparing for a term as a dual enrollment student reach out to Ayla Stopko, Stopko_a@pennwest.edu or 724-938-4404.
For questions related to your course choices and scheduling, reach out to one of our Academic Coordinators at myfirstschedule@pennwest.edu or 724-938-1523.

For questions during the semester related to supports, contact your dedicated Success Coach by emailing them directly through your Starfish network OR emailing successcoaching@pennwest.edu.

 

You are now ready for orientation. You will be enrolled in our online orientation shell and should review the materials there to prepare you for your courses. Keep in mind that the university schedule may be different than your high school schedule so pay close attention to start and end dates, assignment deadlines, and exam dates. This video will assist you with accessing the online orientation shell. Get in the habit of checking your PennWest email address regularly to ensure you don’t miss any important information. That email address is the university’s official form of communication and important information will be shared with you there.

Textbooks are available in two ways: through the bookstore or, if your professor has selected this option, as Inclusive Access built into the D2L shell for your course. You can look up course materials on the PennWest bookstore website. If Inclusive Access is the option it will also list it there. Important points to remember: 

• If a course uses Inclusive Access, your digital textbook is automatically added to your D2L course shell — you don't have to buy it separately. It will be billed to your account. 
• You'll usually get an email to your PennWest email address letting you know a course is using Inclusive Access.
• Want a physical copy instead? If this option is available, you'll need to opt out and purchase the text through the bookstore. Failure to opt out will result in being billed for both versions of the text.

Please note that some faculty assign enrollment in third party sites or other classroom support tools rather than textbooks. That information will be in the course syllabus and available to you on the first day of class. Each course and professor is different in how they treat course materials so this process may be different by course and by semester.

Questions about texts and inclusive access can be directed to the bookstore at 724-938-4324.