Parents and Supporters

A little planning can go a long way toward a successful dual enrollment experience. Here are a few ways you can help your student prepare.

Keep Track of Important Deadlines

Dual enrollment application and registration deadlines vary by semester. Encourage your student to apply early and allow enough time to submit required documents, complete any placement requirements, and register for courses.

• Spring 2027: Available now. The deadline to submit an application and all requirements is Friday, January 8, 2027, at 4 p.m.
• Summer and Fall 2027: The application opens annually in the springtime. Check back for updates.

Explore Available Courses Together

Review PennWest's available courses with your student and discuss how their choices align with their interests, future college plans, and high school graduation requirements.

Remember that courses taken for high school credit must also meet the requirements established by your student's school district.

Consider all college credit your student may be earning outside of PennWest, including other dual enrollment opportunities and credit for prior learning, to ensure they do not repeat equivalent coursework.

Explore Available Courses

Consider Scheduling and Academic Commitments

College courses require time, independence, and responsibility. Before enrolling, talk with your student about how their courses will fit alongside high school classes, extracurricular activities, athletics, employment, and other commitments.

The university schedule may not align exactly with your student's high school calendar. For instance, the university is frequently open on days when public high schools are closed (Indigenous Peoples' Day, Veteran's Day, and others). Review the university Academic Calendar with your student.

Online courses can offer flexibility, but students are still responsible for meeting assignment deadlines and participating regularly. These courses also require a higher-level of independent work and students may need to set alarms/reminders or use other methods of ensuring they are logging on each week.

Encourage Your Student to Take Ownership

Dual enrollment is an opportunity to practice the independence expected of college students. Encourage your student to check their PennWest email, communicate directly with instructors, and ask for help when needed.

Parents and guardians play an important role in the dual enrollment application and enrollment process.

Parent/Guardian Authorization

Students are required to enter a parent/guardian contact and email address in their dual enrollment application. This email address will receive an email with an approval form you are required to submit for their application to be complete. The form allows you to:

• Complete the Parent/Guardian Dual Enrollment Approval to participate in Dual Enrollment at PennWest.
• Complete the Financial Terms and Conditions, which acknowledges the associated parent/guardian financial responsibilities.

Financial Terms and Conditions

Students and families should review PennWest's financial terms and conditions to understand tuition, fees, payment responsibilities, and applicable policies.

Eligible students may qualify for tuition assistance through PennWest’s Dual Credit Innovation Grant. Grant funding is subject to eligibility requirements and availability.

Learn About PennWest’s Dual Credit Innovation Grant

FERPA and Proxy Access

Parents and guardians are encouraged to work with their students to establish appropriate access to academic and financial information through PennWest's FERPA and proxy access process.

While your student may not be officially an “adult” (18 years of age) just yet, the law says once they enroll in a college-level course, FERPA begins to take effect.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. These rights transfer exclusively to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Once a student begins college, their academic information can only be shared if they give written consent (proxy) for others, including parents, to access it. Parents retain FERPA rights over a minor student for high school courses.

At PennWest we ask you to complete an acknowledgement of FERPA, including access to billing information, grades and more, at point of admission. In addition, this web site provides instructions on both the student and parent/guardian steps to completing FERPA.

Privacy (FERPA) and Proxy Access

We recommend completing this step early each semester BEFORE you need it. Talk with your student about how having access to this information can help you to help them.

PennWest provides a process for students to authorize access to certain information through FERPA consent and proxy access. We recommend completing this process early, before access to information becomes necessary.

Talk with your student about how sharing appropriate information can help you support their academic success while encouraging independence and responsibility.

Privacy (FERPA) and Proxy Access

Please note: PennWest may share certain student information with high schools when permitted under FERPA and other applicable requirements to support dual enrollment coordination and academic recordkeeping.

Admissions Support

PennWest's dedicated Dual Enrollment Admissions team assists students with eligibility questions, applications, required documents, and enrollment requirements. Our team is available to help students and families navigate the process each semester they wish to participate.

Course Registration and Scheduling

PennWest's Academic Coordinators work with students, Admissions, school counselors, our faculty and department chairs to help students select courses that align with their academic goals and meet the student where they are.

Whether your student is earning high school credit, exploring a potential major, or seeking an additional academic challenge, Academic Coordinators help identify appropriate course options based on availability, prerequisites, and scheduling considerations.

Academic Support Beyond the Classroom

Dual enrollment students have access to many of the same supports as any Undergraduate PennWest student. These include:

• 1:1 Success Coaching: Dual enrollment students have access to PennWest Success Coaches, who help students navigate their college experience and connect with academic resources. Students receive a weekly newsletter and additional outreach during important points in the semester, including roster verification, progress surveys, and midterm grade reporting to ensure students are staying on track.
• Peer and Professional Tutoring: Students can access academic support through Starfish, PennWest’s student success and advising platform. Available resources include:
  • Writing Center appointments.
  • Peer tutoring, when available.
  • Tutor.com, our 24/7 online professional tutoring service.

Students who need assistance can use the Raise Your Hand feature in Starfish to request support. A staff member will follow up within 24 business hours.

• Access to Faculty: Students can connect directly with their instructors during designated consultation or office hours, both in person and virtually. Encourage your student to take the initiative when questions arise. When contacting an instructor, students should:
  • Use their PennWest email account (not the high school or personal email account).
  • Include the course name and section number in the subject line. Professors teach more than one course, and this information helps them respond more quickly.
  • Address their instructor professionally. For example, "Hi Dr. Smith..."
  • Briefly explain their question or concern.
  • Include their full name and thank the instructor for their time.

Developing these communication skills is an important part of preparing for college.

• Career Center: Receive guidance for planning your college journey and career pathways with online tools or appointments with Career Coaches.
• University libraries: Explore research tools, databased and live support from librarians. You can find your librarian in your Success Network in Starfish.

Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD)

Students who receive accommodations in high school through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan may also be eligible for accommodations in their college courses.

However, high school accommodations do not automatically transfer to college. Students must work with PennWest's Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) to request appropriate accommodations.

To get started:

1. Complete the Self-Disclosure of Disability and Request for Accommodations form on the OSD website. Select the appropriate PennWest campus using the yellow buttons when you scroll down on the page.
2. Submit supporting documentation, which may include an IEP, Section 504 plan, or a recent report or letter with the student’s diagnosis and how the condition impacts them.
3. Meet with an OSD staff member to discuss appropriate accommodations and next steps.

We encourage students and families to begin this process before classes start to allow time for review and coordination.

Visit the Office for Students with Disabilities

For additional assistance, contact Ronald Radaker, Director of Office for Students with Disabilities, at rradaker@pennwest.edu or 814-393-1877.