School Counselors

As a school counselor or administrator, you can help students make informed decisions about dual enrollment and navigate the steps necessary to participate.

Monitor Important Deadlines

Application and registration deadlines vary by semester. Encourage students to apply early and submit required documentation promptly to allow adequate time for admission review, placement requirements, and course scheduling.

• 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.

Review Available Courses

Help students explore PennWest's course offerings and identify options that align with their academic interests, college goals, and high school graduation requirements.

When applicable, verify whether a PennWest course will satisfy your school's graduation requirements.

Explore Available Courses

Discuss Scheduling and Academic Expectations

Dual enrollment courses follow PennWest's academic calendar, which may differ from your high school's calendar.

Help students consider potential conflicts involving high school schedules, extracurricular activities, athletics, transportation, and other commitments.

Online courses provide additional flexibility but still require consistent participation, independent learning, and adherence to college deadlines. 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.

Evaluate Student Readiness

College coursework can be a rewarding opportunity for academically prepared students. Discuss the expectations of college-level learning, including time management, communication with instructors, and personal responsibility.

Students who do not meet the standard GPA requirement may be considered through additional review. Contact the Dual Enrollment Admissions team to discuss individual circumstances.

School counselors and administrators help PennWest verify student eligibility and coordinate appropriate course enrollment.

The following information and approvals are important parts of the process.

Official High School Transcript

Students must provide an official high school transcript as part of their application requirements. School counselors can assist students by submitting transcripts directly to PennWest Admissions at admissions@pennwest.edu.

Academic Approval Form

The school official contact email listed on the student’s dual enrollment application will be sent an email with a unique link to the Dual Enrollment Academic Approval form required for the student’s application. The form allows the school counselor or principal to review the student’s preferred course selections and complete the approval to participate in Dual Enrollment at PennWest. Completion of the form helps PennWest evaluate the student’s readiness for college-level coursework and confirms the school’s awareness of their participation.

High School Credit Approval

If a student intends to apply PennWest coursework toward high school graduation requirements, the school is responsible for determining how those courses will satisfy local graduation policies.

We encourage counselors to review course selections with students before registration.

Ongoing Communication and Coordination

School partners may be contacted to confirm enrollment details, resolve documentation questions, or coordinate information necessary for student success and academic recordkeeping.

View Application Information

Dual enrollment students participate in both high school and college learning environments. Understanding student privacy requirements helps ensure appropriate communication between PennWest, students, families, and school partners.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law protecting the privacy of student education records. When a student attends a postsecondary institution, FERPA rights generally belong to the student, regardless of age. Parents of students under 18 generally retain FERPA rights for education records maintained by the student's high school.

Privacy (FERPA) and Proxy Access

PennWest provides a process for students to authorize parents and guardians to access designated academic or financial information.

We encourage school counselors to remind students and families to review FERPA and proxy access instructions early in the enrollment process, before they need access to protected information.

Information Sharing with High Schools

PennWest works with participating high schools to coordinate student enrollment, verify academic progress, and support accurate recordkeeping.

FERPA permits certain information sharing between postsecondary institutions and high schools in dual enrollment situations, subject to applicable requirements.

For example, information may be shared when permitted to support:

• Course enrollment and completion verification.
• High school graduation requirements.
• Academic record accuracy.
• Continued student eligibility and program coordination.

Information sharing must remain consistent with FERPA and applicable university policies. School partnerships do not automatically authorize unrestricted access to all student records.

Dual enrollment students are part of the PennWest academic community and have access to a network of university professionals and support services.

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.

School counselors are encouraged to contact the team whenever questions arise about student participation or application status.

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.