Starting college can seem daunting, but with early college programs at Wichita State University, it has never been easier (or more affordable).
Whether a homeschool, public, or private school family, there are options that will meet you where you are and give you a head start in college.
Here are four different options Wichita State has developed for high school students:
- Dual Enrollment: These are courses taught by WSU faculty and taken at WSU alongside current Wichita State students. The cost per course for high school students in dual enrollment classes is $149 per course (not including the cost of books/parking) + a one-time $25 application fee. See all of WSU’s dual enrollment options and apply here.
- Concurrent Enrollment: These are courses that are being offered in the student’s high school, taught by their high school teachers. This teacher is approved by Wichita State to teach the course and has higher-level learning within the field they are teaching. The cost for concurrent enrollment courses offered in area high schools is $149 per course + a onetime $25 application fee. Learn more and see our list of partnered high schools here.
- Shocker Academy (west side): This is an early college academy where WSU and WSU Tech work together to provide courses to high-performing juniors and seniors at the WSU West location. These courses are taught by WSU and WSU Tech faculty. The cost for Shocker Academy courses starts at $99 per class (but does not include the cost of books). Learn more and apply for Shocker Academy here.
- Shocker Academy Southeast High School: Developed specifically for Southeast High School in USD 259, this allows students to fulfill all the Kansas Board of Regents General Education “buckets” via concurrent enrollment as a student at Southeast High School. The cost is $149 per class. Courses are offered by both Wichita State/WSU Tech-approved teachers. Once a student completes the general education buckets, they will have their general education finished at all Kansas Board of Regents schools!
It is best to consider what you want to study in college as you prepare to take any early college courses. If you have an idea, look at a degree map to determine how the course you are hoping to take will fit into your plan of study. The last thing you want to do is take a course that will not transfer into your degree.
With that said, early college programming is also an incredible way to help you determine what you want to study. Take accounting, for example. If you think you’re interested in accounting as a profession and you take an introductory accounting class for just $149, you may discover that you love (or hate) accounting. In both cases – whether you loved it or loathed it – you’ve made a good investment toward gaining a better idea of what you want to study in college.
Lastly, as you near the end of your high school career and begin looking forward to college, use a tool like WSU’s Transfer Gateway to see how ALL of the courses you’ve taken will work toward your degree.
All in all, early college programming is an incredible way to kickstart your college education in an affordable way; and studies show that students who do this are more successful, graduate faster and perform better throughout their time in college — ultimately gaining a leg up on their eventual career.
Wichita State University is Kansas’ only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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