Early College Program | Kishwaukee College

Earn College Credit

Kish’s Early College Program provides an opportunity for motivated high school juniors and seniors to work toward an associate degree by taking college courses at their high school or at Kish.

Early College Program Handbook

Join an Early College Info Session

Discover the benefits of earning college credit before graduation. Join an Early College Information Session to learn how you can save time, reduce costs, and prepare for a smooth transition to college. You’ll also hear about opportunities in the Engineering, Math & Science Academy (EMSA) and meet faculty and staff ready to guide you through your next steps.

Thursday, Nov. 13, 6-7 pm on campus in room C1121
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 6-7pm via Zoom

Early College Program Tracks

Earn your high school diploma and an associate degree (Associate in Arts or Associate in Science) by the time you graduate high school.

Sample Program Plans

Get started on College credits for an associate degree while in high school. This track is for high school seniors.

Sample Program Plans

EMSA is open to all high school juniors and seniors who are interested in pursuing a college curriculum focused on science or engineering. EMSA has three unique tracks tailored to college majors:

Engineering Track
Pre-Professional Track
Pre-Nursing Track

Joining the Early College Program

Academic standing in high school to guarantee high school graduation.
Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA at the time of application.
High school sophomore or junior (going into junior or senior years) at the time of application.
Completed one year of algebra and geometry with a grade of “B” or higher by the start of the program.
Completed two years of English with a grade of “B” or higher by the start of the program.

Express interest in the program to a high school counselor.
Complete the Kishwaukee College online application as a high school student.
Submit the Early College Program application to your high school counselor.
Place into college-level math and English.
- Placement testing
- SAT/PSAT scores
- ACT scores
- GPA 3.5+ over five semesters or 3.0+ over six semesters (English only)
Complete Welcome Packet materials.
Attend program orientation.
Create course plan with your Kish and high school advisors.
Complete registration for the upcoming semester.

Dual Credit courses are $50 per class.
Kish College on-campus or online courses are $160 per credit hour.

Dual credit courses taught at the high school.
- These can account for up to 50% of degree requirements.
Dual enrollment courses on the Kish campus or online.
AP or CLEP tested credits.*
Transfer courses.*

*These will be applied after 15 residency credits are earned through dual credit or dual enrollment.

Contact Us

Colleen TumminaroDirector of Dual Credit & K-12 PartnershipsP815-825-9471Edualcredit@kish.eduOC2104

Academic AdvisingP815-825-9375Eadvising@kish.eduOC2100

News & Events

The Aspen Institute names Kish College as a top community college eligible for the 2027 Aspen Prize

The Aspen Institute named Kishwaukee College as one of the 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The 200 colleges were selected based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer and bachelor’s degree attainment rates. Started in 2010, this is the ninth cycle of the Aspen Prize.
Kish College to offer five Short-Term programs in Spring 2026

Kishwaukee College will offer five Short-Term programs during the Spring 2026 semester. Kish Short-Term programs provide students with the expertise needed to meet local workforce demands. The programs range from 11-15 weeks, allowing students to start a career immediately or build on skills with additional training.

Browse All News

Browse All Events