Save money by earning college credit in high school

One way for students to save money on the cost of higher education is to earn college credits while they are still in high school, according to KHEAA.

High school students can take advantage of several programs that let them earn college credits. These programs include:

·        Dual credit courses. These courses let students earn both college and high school credit. They are offered in both academic and technical areas. In some cases, students will pay less than the college tuition rate.

·        Advanced Placement (AP) courses. AP classes count as high school credits, but many colleges will give students college credit if they earn a certain grade on AP exams. Offered by the College Board, AP classes are widely available.

·        International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and Cambridge Advanced International (CAI) programs. IB and CAI are for students 16 to 19 years old and are similar to AP courses. High school students may be able to receive college credit for the IB and CAI classes they take.

KHEAA is a public, non-profit agency established in 1966 to improve students’ access to college. It provides information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students and parents.

KHEAA also helps colleges manage their student loan default rates and verify information submitted on the FAFSA. For more information about those services, visit kheaa.com.

In addition, KHEAA disburses private Advantage Education Loans on behalf of its sister agency, KHESLC. For more information, visit advantageeducationloan.com.