COLLEGE CREDIT AT ZHS

Dual Credit is a generic term for when a student earns credit both for high school and college at the same time. The college credits earned through Dual Credit are real college credits, treated the same as if the student had earned the credit directly on a college campus.

Dual Credit opportunities are open to ALL STUDENTS. Yes, Freshmen can earn Dual Credit!

While it is true that some courses do have prerequisites, many of our Dual Credit courses are open to all students. There are a few courses open to freshmen; however, the list grows as students move through high school and gain new skills. In 2024-2025, ZHS had our highest participation rate, with over 71% of all students earning at least one college credit.

That depends on your goals! It is important to know that earning even a few college credits while in high school can have a big impact on your future, both in tuition savings and in developing the academic habits needed to be successful in post-secondary programs.

Page 11 will go into more details, but in general, college credit-seeking students can be divided into 5 levels, all of which are available to all students.

Level 1 – Earn a high school diploma
Level 2 – Earn Some College Credit in High School
Level 3 – Earn the “Washington 45” – the first full year of college credits
Level 4 – Earn a ZHS Honors Diploma, Guaranteed Admissions & Washington 45 (about 70 college credits)
Level 5 – Earn a Dual Degree – Graduate with a ZHS Diploma and an Associate of Arts Degree (90+ credits)

Graduating from High School already includes earning at least 29 high school credits. The highest priority should be to meet these requirements.

If students are ready to take on an additional challenge, then earning Dual Credit is a great next step. ZHS recommends that all students discuss their future goals with their family to identify which of the goal levels most closely aligns with their own.

Once a student has an idea of their goals, they should meet with their school counselor to go over them! A student can earn a lot of college credits at ZHS. However, those credits may not end up being very useful in meeting their goals if they have not planned ahead!

At the same time, that doesn’t mean that a student needs to have all four years of high school plus college figured out right now! Having a game plan that can be updated along the way is very important!

When a student earns dual credit, they can save time and money by taking courses that count towards future degrees.

For comparison, a full-time traditional college student at Central Washington University in 2025-2026 will pay $3,218.26 for a 15-credit quarter. That equates to $214.55 per credit.

However, Dual Credit courses offered on the ZHS campus are FREE to students! ZERO COST for students!

Most of the Dual Credit courses offered at ZHS are 5-credit courses.

That means that one Dual Credit course can save a student $1,072.75!

Students who earn an AA Degree while in high school can save over $20,000 through Dual Credit!

Taking college courses while in high school can offer significant benefits: saving money on college tuition, gaining a head start on degree requirements, and developing crucial skills like time management and academic independence. It can also boost a student’s college application profile and provide valuable experience navigating the college environment.

However, it is important to recognize that these courses are rigorous and can be academically challenging. As mentioned, some courses have prerequisites that must be met prior to enrolling in the course. In addition, students should consider their schedule outside of school hours to ensure that they will have sufficient study time.

Before deciding on what courses to take, students will need to do some research and planning.

Earning credit just to earn credit is a bad idea! When students earn college credit (and even high school credit) it is important to know how those credits will count towards a diploma, degree, or certificate. It’s also important to note that there are different kinds of dual credit.

Dual Credit refers to any time a student earns both high school and college credit for the same class. There are three different kinds of Dual Credit programs at Zillah High School:
1) Career and Technical Education (CTE) Dual Credit
2) College in the High School
3) Running Start

The chart below shows the main differences between the three programs. Students may earn credit through one, two, or all three programs throughout high school.

Often, CTE Dual Credit courses are the first college courses that students take (though they can be taken any semester throughout high school).

There are several reasons for this:

•      CTE Dual Credit requires that students earn a “B” or better in the course for it to be counted on the college transcript. This can help protect students from starting their college transcript with a poor grade.
•      Many of the CTE Dual Credit classes are introductory courses that do not have prerequisite requirements. This allows all students in grades 9-12 to enroll.
•      Taking CTE courses also helps meet ZHS graduation requirements.
•      Some College in the High School courses are open to all students in grades 9-12; however, others have prerequisites that limit enrollment to grades 10-12, or 11-12.

For the 2025-2026 school year, ZHS has been approved to offer 182 college credits.

54 of those credits are listed below as part of CTE Dual Credit Offerings. The remaining 128 credits are listed on the next page under College in the High School.

ZHS partners with both Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) and Yakima Valley College (YVC) to offer CTE Dual Credit on the ZHS campus, from ZHS teachers.

College in the High School credits are offered through partnerships with Central Washington University (CWU) and Eastern Washington University (EWU). Again, these are also offered on the ZHS campus, from ZHS teachers.

CTE Dual Credit Classes at ZHS 2025-2026

College in the High School Classes at ZHS 2025-2026

Most of the classes above are taken in the 10^th, 11^th, or 12^th grade. However, there are a few courses that 9th-grade students can take. Most often, this includes Leopard Pathfinders, Geography, History of Jazz, and History of Rock & Roll.

In the 10^th grade, EWU US History A&B and Spanish 1 A&B are very popular choices. In addition, students will want to do well in their English 10 A&B courses as their grades in those will determine if they will be placed into the Honors English sequence.  

When a student earns credit through any of the Dual Credit programs, they are establishing credit on a college transcript.

For example, if a student takes Advanced Biology at ZHS, they will receive a grade on their ZHS transcript for that class. They will also receive a grade on a Central Washington University transcript for Biology 101.

Since ZHS partners with multiple colleges, it is very possible for one student to have as many as four different college transcripts at the end of their high school career. Specifically, a student may have transcripts from:

•      Central Washington University
•      Eastern Washington University
•      Yakima Valley College
•      Walla Walla Community College

Dual Credit earned on a college transcript is real college credit, treated the same as if the student had earned the credit directly on a college campus, no matter what program they were earned through. The credit will transfer just as any other credit from those colleges would transfer.

College in the High School credits are earned through either CWU or EWU. These courses are legally required to transfer to any public 2-year or 4-year institution in the state. But that does not necessarily mean they will transfer as the same course name, or in the same category of class type.

For example, if a ZHS student takes Advanced Biology this year, they will earn credit from CWU for “BIOL 101 – Fundamentals of Biology (5 credits)”. Those credits can be transferred to another college. If transferred to EWU, it would count at “BIOL 100 – Introduction to Biology (5 credits)”. Note that the course number and name are different at the two schools.

CTE Dual Credit and Running Start courses are earned through YVC or WWCC and are only required to transfer to other 2-year colleges. However, determining if they will transfer to a public 4-year campus takes planning.

In general, students should always research the courses they are enrolling in to see if and how that course will transfer to the school and program they are planning for.

Please use the ZHS Credit Transfer Guide on the following pages as a starting point when determining the transferability of credits. These charts show how credits transfer between CWU, EWU, and YVC.  For transferability to other colleges, please meet with a ZHS school counselor.

While graduation requirements are important, ZHS school counselors meet with students each year to discuss those. However, students can always reference them in the student handbook, or viewing them directly on line at this link:

Students in this category are focused on earning a few college credits while in high school.

Dual Credit courses offer students a higher level of rigor and help prepare them for their futures by increasing the level of responsibility and maturity needed to be successful.

In addition, earning even a few credits can be financially beneficial to students! Remember that a single 5-credit college class can cost $1,072.75! Every time a student earns Dual Credit in high school, it’s like receiving a $1,100 scholarship!

ZHS suggests that students in this category enroll in EWU US History A/B, Spanish 1A/B, and then choose from Intro to Theatre, History of Jazz, or History of Rock & Roll, and/or a science course. These credits will give students a solid start towards meeting general education requirements for either an associate's or a bachelor’s degree.

When earning credit, it is important to ensure that the credits you are earning will count towards the degree or program a student hopes to complete one day.

Many Associate of Arts (2-year) degrees and Bachelor of Arts (4-year) degrees have similar general education requirements. These are often the first courses taken in college, including general English, Math, Science, Humanities, etc.

However, not all schools and programs have the same requirements. For example, CWU and EWU general education requirements are NOT the same, but they do have some requirements in common.

To help students and families, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) has worked with the public 4-year schools in our state to create a list called the “Washington 45”.

The Washington 45 refers to a list of classes that will easily transfer to any public community, technical, or 4-year institution in Washington State, and those credits would count towards the general education credits needed for a bachelor’s degree. On the quarter system, 45 college credits are equal to one year of college.

Essentially, that means that if a student earns the Washington 45, they can be reasonably assured that they have earned the appropriate credits equal to one year of college and that those credits will count towards their degree, if attending a public college or university in Washington State.

The SBCTC’s full list of the Washington 45 can be found here: https://www.sbctc.edu/colleges-staff/programs-services/transfer/washington-45

Utilizing only courses offered on the ZHS campus, a student can earn the Washington 45 – one year’s worth of general education required courses by taking courses from the following list:

*Students should meet regularly with their ZHS school counselor to discuss course options, transferability, and future goals.

While there is no certificate or degree awarded for earning the Washington 45, these credits will transfer to public 2-year and 4-year institutions in the state, allowing students to generally enter college as a college sophomore. As always, double-check your specific future school and program to ensure transferability.

Students who earn 45 college credits while in high school
will have potentially saved over $10,000 on tuition alone!

AT NO COST TO STUDENTS OR FAMILIES

The ZHS Honors Diploma is designed to meet the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program (WAGAP).

In short, WAGAP is a guarantee to students that if they complete the required set of courses in high school and they have at least a 3.0 GPA, they will be GUARANTEED to be admitted to: WSU, CWU, EWU, WWU, UW Tacoma, and the Evergreen State College.

See the official WAGAP website here: https://councilofpresidents.org/_admissions/guaranteed-admissions-program-gap/

In addition, ZHS also partners with two private colleges, Pacific Lutheran University and Saint Martin's University, for their Guaranteed Admissions programs, which have the same requirements.

This means that if a student earns a ZHS Honors Diploma, they are guaranteed to be admitted to the universities listed above!

The Honors Diploma and the Washington 45 list are very similar. However, the requirements are slightly different, which means that earning both takes some planning.

Also, it is possible for a student to earn an Honors Diploma without earning the Washington 45 and vice versa.

To earn both, a student typically earns around 70 college credits, though there are several choices that will either increase or decrease this number.

The chart on the next page outlines what a student would need to do to earn both the Honors Diploma and the Washington 45.

Completing the Washington 45 and the ZHS Honors Diploma (WAGAP)

# - denotes Dual Credit courses that are not part of the Washington 45.
Students should meet regularly with their ZHS school counselor to review their plans.

It is possible for ZHS students to earn a dual degree, which means earning both a ZHS Diploma and an Associate of Arts Degree from Yakima Valley College.

In the past, earning a dual degree meant that students would need to leave their high school to take full-time Running Start classes at a community college during their 11^th and 12^th grade years.

Times have changed!

ZHS students can earn an AA from Yakima Valley College
while staying on the ZHS campus!

Saving over $20,000 in Tuition & Fees!

To accomplish this, students must combine all three dual credit programs: CTE Dual Credit, College in the High School, and Running Start.

Types of Associate Degrees: AAS vs AA-DTA

Not all associate’s degrees are the same!

Most types of associate’s degrees offer a specific set of skills (and possibly certifications) to help students become career-ready after 2 years of study. Specialized associate's degrees are often called AAS Degrees or an Associate of Applied Science Degree.

ZHS has aligned its courses to allow students to earn a:
“Associate of Arts Direct Transfer Agreement Degree (AA-DTA)”

The AA-DTA degree is designed for students who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university.

It's a pathway that allows students to complete the first two years of a bachelor's degree at YVC and then transfer their credits to a four-year university. The AA-DTA degree is widely accepted at Washington State public universities and many out-of-state universities. 

The DTA-AA Degree is awarded by Yakima Valley College, not by Zillah High School.

Students seeking this degree will need to meet with a YVC advisor, complete YVC application materials, meet YVC deadlines, and more. While ZHS school counselors will be highly involved, students will need to navigate many YVC tasks.

The YVC AA-DTA course requirements are:

It is important to note that the AA-DTA form above is directly from YVC. This is NOT a ZHS program. Instead, ZHS has aligned our course offerings to meet YVC requirements.

Also note the courses highlighted in yellow. These are the courses that are available at ZHS through College in the High School or CTE Dual Credit.

However, ZHS students cannot complete the AA-DTA through College in the High School or CTE Dual Credit alone. There is a very specific requirement on the first page of the AA-DTA form in the upper right corner:

This is an important requirement! Most of the credits that ZHS offers are through CWU or EWU. While those credits can count towards the YVC AA-DTA, at least 30 credits must be YVC original credits – NOT transferred from another college.

Most of the CTE Dual Credit courses ZHS offers count towards this requirement as they are awarded by YVC (except Welding, which is through WWCC). However, credits must also fit into the appropriate categories (such as Humanities or Natural Sciences).

ZHS students can use 15 credits of CTE Dual Credit towards meeting this requirement.

This means that ZHS students need to take at least 3 classes (15 credits) directly from YVC through the Running Start program. These classes can be taken online or in person at YVC.

Below is a ZHS-specific version of the YVC AA-DTA form that helps illustrate how ZHS courses can meet the requirements.

To earn the AA-DTA, students will need to take at least 3 classes (15 credits) directly from YVC through the Running Start program at some point in their high school career. These classes can be taken online or in person at YVC.

Running Start is available to students beginning in the summer quarter between 10^th and 11^th grade, and thereafter.

When a student takes a Running Start class, most often they choose to take a period off from ZHS. While it is possible to take a full 5-period day at ZHS AND take 1 class from YVC, it is not recommended for most students. See the chart below for enrollment limits:

*Taking 5 periods at ZHS and a YVC 5-credit class requires ZHS principal approval.
**Taking more than 18 credits at YVC requires YVC Running Start administrator approval.

Most students doing Running Start will take a 4-period day at ZHS, and complete one 5-credit class from YVC in a semester.

Since only three Running Start classes are needed, students typically spread this across three different semesters, during the 11^th and 12^th grade years. This means students will have some semesters without any Running Start classes, and some semesters with.

Other students may choose to take a full 5-period day at ZHS every semester, and instead complete one Running Start class in the summer between 10^th and 11^th grade, and another two courses the following summer.

There are several different combinations of when and how this requirement can be met. Please meet with your ZHS school counselor to discuss your goals, options, and develop a plan that meets your needs.

Students can earn their 90-credit AA-DTA in high school, potentially saving more than $20,000!

*However, students would need to pay Running Start fees
totaling at least $202.50 (3 classes at $67.50 each), plus books.

Schedule a meeting with a ZHS school counselor to discuss questions and help create a plan that meets your goals and your needs. Send them an email today or stop by the counseling office at ZHS!

Richard Dionne, School Counselor: [email protected]

Amber Grimmer, School Counselor: [email protected]

Additional questions?
Jeff Charbonneau, ZHS Principal: [email protected]