How to Earn College Credits in High School

If you’re wondering how to earn college credits in high school, you have more options than simply waiting until you graduate to start taking college-level courses. Depending on your school, academic goals, and the colleges you’re considering, you may be able to earn credit through dual enrollment, Advanced Placement (AP) exams, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, CLEP exams, or online college courses.

Getting a head start can give you more flexibility once you arrive at college. But earning credit is only useful if your future college accepts it, so the best strategy isn’t necessarily to accumulate as many credits as possible. It’s to choose options that have a good chance of fitting into your eventual degree plan.

Here’s what high school students and their families should know before getting started.

Can You Earn College Credits While You’re Still in High School?

Yes! High school students can potentially earn college credit in several ways.

Some options involve enrolling directly in college-level courses, while others award credit based on your performance on an exam. Availability and eligibility can depend on your high school, state, participating college, grade level, and academic qualifications.

The most common options include:

The biggest difference between these pathways is who awards or recommends the credit and how your future college evaluates it.

1. Take Dual Enrollment Courses

Dual enrollment allows eligible high school students to take college-level courses while still completing their high school education.

Depending on the program, courses may be offered:

• At your high school

• On a college campus

• Online

• Through a partnership between your school district and a local college

A course may count toward both high school and college requirements, although exactly how the credit is awarded depends on the program. Dual enrollment can be particularly useful when there’s an established relationship between your high school and a college you’re considering attending.

Before signing up, find out where the college credit comes from and whether other institutions will accept it if you ultimately attend somewhere else.

2. Earn Credit Through AP Exams

Advanced Placement courses give high school students an opportunity to study college-level material in subjects ranging from U.S. History and English Literature to Biology and Calculus.

At the end of the course, students can take an AP exam scored on a scale of 1 to 5. Colleges establish their own policies for awarding credit based on AP scores. One school might award credit for a 3, while another may require a 4 or 5. Some institutions may use your score for course placement rather than awarding college credit.

If you already have a few colleges in mind, look up their AP credit policies before choosing which exams to prioritize.

3. Consider an International Baccalaureate Program

Students attending schools that offer the International Baccalaureate program may also have opportunities to earn college credit.

IB courses emphasize rigorous academic study across several subject areas, with students completing assessments as part of the program. As with AP, colleges decide which IB courses or exam results qualify for credit or advanced placement.

Because policies can differ significantly, check the requirements at prospective colleges rather than assuming the same IB results will be treated identically everywhere.

4. Use CLEP Exams to Demonstrate What You Know

The College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) offers another approach: instead of completing an entire college course, you take an exam to demonstrate knowledge of a particular subject.

CLEP exams are available in subjects such as:

• College Composition

• College Mathematics

• Biology

• Psychology

• Sociology

• U.S. History

• Business

This route may make sense if you already have a strong command of a subject through high school coursework, independent study, or other experience. However, colleges determine which CLEP exams they recognize, the scores required, and how many examination-based credits can apply toward a degree.

5. Complete College Courses Online

Online learning can give high school students another way to complete college-level coursework, particularly when local course availability or scheduling is limited. Instead of fitting another class into the traditional school day, students may be able to work through coursework outside school hours.

When evaluating an online option, look beyond convenience. Find out:

• Who provides the course?

• Is the course recommended or approved for college credit?

• How is the credit documented?

• Does your intended college accept credits from that source?

• What degree requirement could the course potentially satisfy?

For example, StraighterLine offers online, self-paced college courses across common general education subjects. Plus, StraighterLine courses carry ACE credit recommendations and transfer to 3,000+ accredited colleges and universities. For eligible high school students considering this route, the important first step is checking the admission and transfer policies of the colleges they may eventually attend. That way, you’re choosing courses based on where you want the credit to go — not simply because the course is available.

Which College Courses Should You Take in High School?

It can be tempting to jump straight into courses related to the major you think you’ll choose. But if you’re still in high school, that major could change. Courses that satisfy common general education requirements may provide broader options.

Depending on your prospective colleges and degree program, that could include subjects such as:

• English composition

• College algebra

• History

• Psychology

• Sociology

• Economics

• Natural sciences

This doesn't mean a general education course is guaranteed to satisfy a requirement everywhere. It simply gives you a useful starting point when researching your options.

If you already know which colleges you're considering, compare their degree requirements and look for overlap. A course that appears in several of your potential degree plans may be a more strategic choice than one with a very narrow application.

Will College Credits Earned in High School Transfer?

They can, but earning college credit and having that credit accepted by your future college are separate steps. The receiving institution determines what it accepts.

For example, a college might:

• Accept a course as a direct equivalent

• Apply it toward a general education requirement

• Award elective credit

• Use an exam score for placement rather than credit

• Decline to award credit

Policies may also differ based on your program. A course accepted toward one degree might not satisfy the same requirement in another. This is why transfer research matters even if you haven't chosen a college yet.

If you have a shortlist of schools, review the transfer, AP, IB, or CLEP policies for each one. If you know where you plan to enroll, ask the school directly how your intended credits would be evaluated.

How Many College Credits Can You Earn in High School?

There isn’t one universal limit. The number of credits you can earn depends on the pathway you choose and the policies of your high school, college, and degree program. A student taking several years of dual enrollment courses, for example, may accumulate considerably more potential college credit than someone taking one AP course.

But more isn't automatically better. If you earn 30 credits and only 15 apply to your eventual degree, those other credits may not shorten your path to graduation. Before adding another college-level course to an already busy high school schedule, consider what role you expect that credit to play later.

What Should You Check Before Earning College Credit?

A little research now can prevent confusion when it’s time to enroll in college.

Check Eligibility Requirements

Programs may have age, grade-level, GPA, prerequisite, or school approval requirements.Make sure you qualify before building your academic plan around a particular option.

Research Potential Colleges

If you already have a college list, look at each institution's policies for the type of credit you're considering. Pay attention to both credit acceptance and equivalency.

Understand How the Credit Will Be Recorded

Find out whether you'll receive a college transcript, exam score report, or another type of record. You'll likely need to submit official documentation when you enroll in college.

Consider Your Current Workload

College-level courses require college-level work.

Taking on too much could interfere with your high school classes, extracurricular activities, work, or other commitments. Choose a workload you can realistically manage.

Keep Your Records

Save course descriptions, syllabi, score reports, and other relevant documentation. Your future college may request additional information when evaluating your credits.

Is Earning College Credit in High School Worth It?

It can be, especially when the credits fit naturally into your eventual degree.

Starting college with applicable credits could allow you to enter with certain requirements already completed. Depending on your degree plan, you might then have more room to:

• Take a lighter course load during a demanding semester

• Explore a minor or additional electives

• Complete prerequisites earlier

• Create more flexibility around work or other commitments

• Potentially reduce the number of courses you need to pay for later

The value depends less on the number of credits you earn and more on whether those credits serve a purpose in your degree plan.

Frequently Asked Questions About Earning College Credits in High School

How can I earn college credits while in high school?

Common options include dual enrollment courses, AP exams, IB programs, CLEP exams, and eligible online college courses. Your options will depend on your school, location, academic qualifications, and prospective college policies.

What is the easiest way to earn college credit in high school?

There isn't one easiest option for every student. Dual enrollment may work well when your high school has an established college partnership, while AP, CLEP, or online courses may suit students with different schedules or academic strengths.

Can you use online courses to earn college credit in high school?

Potentially. Before enrolling, check how the course is evaluated for college credit and whether your prospective institution will accept it.

Do college credits earned in high school expire?

College and university policies vary. Some institutions may place restrictions on older coursework, particularly in subjects that change rapidly or are prerequisites for specialized programs.

Can earning college credits in high school help you graduate college early?

Potentially. If enough of your credits are accepted and apply to your degree requirements, you may have fewer courses left to complete. Your actual graduation timeline will depend on your degree requirements, course availability, prerequisites, and college policies.

Do colleges prefer AP or dual enrollment?

There isn't a universal preference. Colleges establish their own admissions and credit policies for AP and dual enrollment, so check the policies of the institutions you're considering.

Start Earning College Credit in High School With StraighterLine

Learning how to earn college credits in high school isn't about racing to accumulate the largest number of credits before graduation. It's about identifying opportunities that could give you more options when college begins.

Compare the pathways available to you, research how prospective colleges award credit, and choose courses that make sense for both your current workload and future academic goals.

If online coursework fits that plan, explore StraighterLine's online course catalog to see which courses may align with requirements at the colleges you're considering. With affordable, self-paced options across many common college subjects, StraighterLine offers high school students another way to begin tackling college-level coursework without letting a traditional class schedule dictate when and where they can get started.