CE Frequently Asked Questions

D49's Concurrent Enrollment promotes and ensures affordable, equitable access to successful college learning.

Concurrent Enrollment is an opportunity for qualified students to take college courses while in high school and receive both HS and college credit towards industry certificates, 2-year degrees, and transfer to 4-year universities. College courses are available on high school and on college campuses. Students typically receive 2 semesters of weighted HS credit for each 1 semester college course.

D49 pays for college tuition and fees, based on the resident community college tuition rate (approximately $180/credit), for students who have the academic and personal readiness skills to be in college.

(A, B, C grades in current & last semester required to apply).  

1. Complete your ICAP or Pathway Plan (see your Counselor).
2. Apply to Pikes Peak State College, apply for COF, and obtain Student “S” number.
3. Take NextGen Accuplacer exams (Writing and Math) 
   • Take Next Gen Accuplacer at the PPSC Testing Center or contact your counselor for testing dates on your campus. 
   • Untimed testing takes about 1-2 hrs; photo ID and “S” number required; appointments required until further notice. 
   • To prepare for testing, go to Practice Tests (Students are ready to take Math Accuplacer toward the end of Geometry for Career Math and the end of Algebra 2 for College Algebra and up)
   • If students are college ready based on PSAT/SAT/ACT/AP exam scores, students can provide copies of official test scores to their high school counselors and Accuplacer testing may not be necessary. 
   • If testing scores are slightly under the cut off, counselors may be able to qualify students using multiple measures. 
4. Submit CE application online for the High School you attend
5. CE application links are available on this webpage and also in the counseling office.  To apply, no D or F grades in the current or the last semester; no student conduct or attendance concerns. 
6. Submit College Readiness Assessment form for rising 9th and 10th graders. The student's counselor will coordinate this form with core teachers. 
7. Schedule a College Advising Appointment with a high school counselor after CE qualification has been confirmed. Electronic CE paperwork will be provided at this time and both student and parent/guardian must attend College Advising to discuss a personalized plan of study and to provide signature authorizations. Virtual appointments may be available.

College Readiness is a combination of academic and personal readiness for students in grades 9-12+. Students hoping to take college level courses must meet the minimum prerequisites for college courses and demonstrate reading, writing, and math college readiness using test scores from NextGen Accuplacer (national open enrollment college entrance exam), EdReady, PSAT, SAT, or ACT below: 

AR-Arithmetic; QAS-Quantitative Reasoning, Algebra, and Statistics; AAF-Adv Algebra & Functions

Students scoring within 10 points of the cut score for SAT & PSAT or within 4 points of the cut score for NextGen Accuplacer may still qualify for a college course using Multiple Measures. Counselors will determine if the student is eligible utilizing high school transcripts and a variety of other factors. Not every student will qualify using these measures.

To prepare for the Accuplacer, review sample test questions. In addition to academics, students demonstrating personal readiness through self-advocacy, self-management, time management, communication and study skills, work ethic, and other factors, may qualify for Concurrent Enrollment.

Rising 9th and 10th graders must include a College Readiness Assessment form from core teachers as part of their application for Concurrent Enrollment.  This College Readiness Assessment form is available in high school counseling offices and is completed and submitted by core teachers.  CE courses, including Career & Technical Education (CTE) college courses, must align with students' pathways (ICAP) and testing is required for placement, academic planning, and remediation, for all CE applicants. College math is pathway-specific, so please see your counselor for advising.

If the student has completed the corresponding AP or IB exam and achieved the required scores accepted by the 4-year Institution of Higher Education (IHE) to qualify for college credit, students can submit official test scores to their HS counselor. If the exam score falls below the acceptable test score standards set by the IHE, the student may use PSAT, SAT, ACT scores or can take the NextGen Accuplacer college entrance exam for course placement. 

The College Opportunity Fund (COF) is a stipend from the state of Colorado that funds a portion of college tuition ($116 per credit) for students receiving Colorado resident tuition.

*All Concurrent Enrollment students must apply for COF to participate in Concurrent Enrollment or parents will receive an invoice for the amount of the stipend, which is now $116 per college credit. COF can amount to $348-580 per course, so please be sure to confirm your COF application and authorization. 

ASCENT 12+1 is an additional year of Concurrent Enrollment for qualified seniors after the 12th grade. ASCENT candidates must complete 9 college credits by the end of 12th grade and may apply for full-time or part-time status. 

ASCENT students may participate in graduation services with their graduating class and will receive their HS diplomas at the end of the ASCENT year, due to state funding rules. All ASCENT students MUST complete their FAFSA and apply for financial aid and scholarships, to determine if that amount exceeds ASCENT funding.

See more ASCENT & TREP details here.

On D49 "Early College" campuses such as PPEC (Pikes Peak Early College) and PTEC (Power Technical Early College), students may complete up to 60 college credits towards their certificates, associate degrees, or 4-year degrees.  

TREP stands for Teacher Recruitment Education and Preparation. This is funding for up to 2 additional years of Concurrent Enrollment after the 12th grade for students who are invested in the teacher/educator pathway. 

Students must complete at least one course in the defined Educator Pathway during the 12th grade year, have a current ICAP with teaching/educating as their intended pathway after high school, and meet all high school graduation requirements. Students cannot be in need of developmental coursework prior to beginning college classes within the pathway. 

See more ASCENT & TREP details here.

GT Pathways courses (Guaranteed Transfer) are college level courses transferable to many public Colorado universities (see transfer degree plans). Most GT Pathways courses transfer out of state as well, based on specific university transfer policies. GT Pathways courses include general education courses such as English, Math, Sciences, Arts & Humanities, Social & Behavioral Science, and World Languages. See Guarantee Transfer course list in CE Forms & Resources on this webpage.

4-year college-bound students should confirm college course transfer with their universities of choice before registration each semester.

Career and technical education (CTE) students can enroll in college courses for 2-year degree plans and industry certifications; these specific courses may not transfer to other CTE programs. (For example, Culinary Arts, Automotive/Diesel, Welding, etc.) 

Depending on how many college credits a student can complete while participating in Concurrent Enrollment, including ASCENT 12+1 or TREP, families can save up to $10,000 to $15,000 (based on school of choice) in tuition costs for every year of college offset through these programs. This total does not include room and board savings, which can total an additional $10,000-$15,000 per year.

The Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) or Pathway Plan provides essential information about each student’s college and workforce goals, plan of study, remaining graduation requirements, assessment scores, and other details which impact the student’s academic/career pathway. Concurrent Enrollment, ASCENT, and TREP college courses must align with the student’s ICAP or Pathway Plan and must be authorized by the counselor or principal. 

D49 high schools and middle schools offer free career interest surveys through an online platform called YouScience. High school students use YouScience Profile, an online survey that combines interests with natural talents, to produce an individualized report with matched careers, education and employment data, as well as personalized language describing each student. Middle school students use YouScience SnapShot, a simplified, shorter version with similar informational outcomes. Please ask your counselor or Choice and Success Advisors for survey implementation schedules.

Counselors consider students’ Individual Career & Academic Plans (ICAP), pathways, academic history, graduation requirements, as well as personal readiness when determining college course load each semester. Students usually begin Concurrent Enrollment with a combination of high school and college courses, progressing to heavier college course loads (15+ college credits per semester) and lighter high school course loads as they become comfortable with college courses. 

Students may take college courses during the summer; however, D49 funding and support are not available and parents pay tuition and fees.  Summer students can provide a copy of their summer college transcript to their high school registrar, who will record courses, grades, and credits on HS transcripts. 

New Concurrent Enrollment (CE) students usually take traditional, in-class college courses to experience college life and to develop strong self-advocacy, time management, and communication skills. Online courses may be authorized for returning CE students after exhausting college courses on high school and PPCC campuses. Parents are responsible for digital texts or access codes, lab kits, and other associated costs for online courses.

Remedial courses such as ENG94 or MAT250/300 may be funded through Concurrent Enrollment in the 12th grade year only. 

Remedial courses are not permitted in the ASCENT or TREP programs.

Texts

• D49 provides texts for college courses taught on D49 campuses which must be returned when the course concludes.
• For classes on college campuses, parents purchase college texts unless qualified for the scholarship texts.
• For families with financial hardships, scholarship texts are available for those who qualify. (instructions located in CE Forms & Resources) 

Transportation

• D49 provides transportation to the PPSC Centennial Campus (CC) aligned with the Career Start Program schedule, five days per week.  Students will be delivered to the Centennial Campus in the morning and returned back to their high school campus to take one afternoon high school class.   
• Bus schedules are available in CE Forms & Resources. 

Students can take college classes on other high school campuses (other than their primary school campus) by coordinating the enrollment directly with their high school counselor. Students should arrive for class a few minutes before class and leave the school immediately following class. 

College classes are also available on all PPSC campuses, after all college courses on the student's pathway plan have been taken on HS campuses.

A morning bus service is available to the PPSC Centennial Campus for the Career Start Program or for CE students attending early morning college courses on the Centennial Campus. 

Bus schedules are available in CE Forms & Resources. 

Concurrent enrollment college students participating in any CHSAA regulated activity are responsible for reporting in-progress college grades directly to the school athletic director or designee.  

Pikes Peak State College support:

• Academic assistance is provided in the Learning Commons and the Tutoring Center.   
• PPSC Campus Police are available at all times regarding student lost and found, escorting students to their vehicles after dark, or other campus security support. All students should report any issues to HS counselors immediately. PPSC Campus Security Dispatch: 719-502-2911 
• Disability services and accommodations are provided through the Office of ACCESSibility Services, Intake Appointments: 719-502-3333 or by email. 
• Counseling services are available through the Counseling Center.   

Students may repeat a college course once if the course is not successfully completed the first time. Counselors/Principals may recommend reducing or discontinuing college courses depending on the specific situation. D49 will not ask for repayment for unsuccessful courses taken after the Spring 2022 semester. The college may also place students on academic probation or suspension based on college GPA and academic performance.

D49 pays for developmental courses (ENG94 or MAT250/300) for seniors only; therefore, parents are responsible for paying for unauthorized college courses, including developmental courses taken prior to the senior year.

Accommodations for Concurrent Enrollment students are determined by the college, based on 504/ADA requirements, not IDEA. For CE students seeking accommodative services, an initial intake appointment must be scheduled 6 weeks prior to the start of the college semester at the PPSC Office of ACCESSibility Services.  

Please submit new Accommodation Requests by calling PPSC Office of ACCESSibility Services at 719-502-3333 or emailing them at accessibilityservices@pikespeak.edu to schedule your appointment.  Returning students must confirm with ACCESSibility Services each semester to ensure continued support. Students established with this office, who have no changes to accommodation needs, may complete this form to request accommodations for the upcoming semester. 

All Concurrent Enrollment applicants must take a college entrance exam (P/SAT, ACT, NextGen Accuplacer or EdReady) for placement, academic planning, and remediation needs. 

Yes, retained students (students not meeting graduation requirements and repeating 12th grade or transition students) are limited to 9 total college credits, with a maximum of 6 college credits per semester for full-time students and a maximum of 3 college credits per semester for part-time students.

Concurrent Enrollment courses must align with high school graduation requirements and may include remedial coursework in the senior or retained year.

ASCENT and TREP are not available for retained students who have not met graduation requirements by the end of the 12th grade.

Students with academic concerns such as instructor behavior, class policies, or unfair expectations or demands should initially try to discuss/resolve their concern with the instructor.

If the attempt to resolve the concern fails, HS Counselors and CE administrators can assist students with the completion of an online PPCC Academic Concern Form.

Transcripts 

CE courses are recorded on high school transcripts as college courses (ex: ENG1021 English Comp I).  If a student does not successfully complete a college course with an A, B, C, a final grade of D, F, or W (withdraw) will be reflected on the high school and college transcripts. ("D" typically does not apply towards degree requirements and the course may need to be repeated.)  

D49 High School Credit 

For college courses of 3 to 5 college credits, students receive 2 semesters of high school credit (1.0 credit).

For college courses of 0.5 to 2 college credits, students receive 1 semester of high school credit (0.5 credit).

Course Weight 

Most college courses, both academic and CTE courses, are weighted on a 5.0 scale and are included in the high school GPA calculation (AAA, PED, OUT, or developmental/remedial courses are not weighted).

Yes.  For college admissions purposes, Concurrent Enrollment, ASCENT, TREP, and Early College graduates must apply to 4-year universities as first-time freshmen, not as transfer students, to qualify for freshmen financial aid, even though they may have accumulated college credits while in high school. This is also true for most scholarship providers; however, students are encouraged to contact scholarship administrators to understand specific scholarship qualification requirements.