ASC for Students and Parents

What is Advanced Southern Credit (ASC)?

ASC is a dual credit program in which high school classes are aligned to match an SOU course so that students can earn credit for "taking a course" from the university. Qualified instructors deliver ASC classes on their high school campus as an affiliate adjunct, and those classes appear on a transcript the same as they would if a student had taken that class on campus.  

What's the benefit of registering for ASC credits?

Advanced Southern Credit can be helpful if you are planning on going to college in the future.

Right now, while still in high school, you can take classes that can apply to your future college coursework. These credits are available to you now at a fraction of the cost for fully-enrolled college students. The early college credit a student earns while still in high school can shorten the time it takes to earn a college certificate or degree after high school, and save the student future tuition and fee costs.

How do I know which courses in my high school are offered for ASC dual credit?

Your high school counselor can provide you with a list of the ASC classes at your high school that are currently aligned with SOU for dual credit. They can advise you which classes you are eligible to take and how to add those to your high school schedule.

Alignment with SOU to offer college credit is attached to the both course and the specific instructor. Students may only register for ASC credits for classes they are currently enrolled in during the registration periods designated to that specific course and instructor.

How and when do I register for ASC credits?

Your high school teacher will tell you if your class is aligned with SOU for ASC credit and provide you with a registration information flyer when it's time to register.

Only students who are currently taking the SOU-aligned course with an approved instructor (and plan to complete that class) can register for the corresponding ASC credit. Students are responsible for ensuring they are registered in the correct course credit within the registration period and notifying our office of any errors within the refund window.

When it's time to register, your teacher will provide you with and a flyer with instructions for how to register online, and your unique class CRN (course reference number). They can also answer some basic questions about ASC, or refer you to our office for answers. 

Once you know your class is aligned with SOU, have your CRN, and your instructor has shared the registration flyer, you can log into our registration portal found on this page, and register.

Do I only need to register once during the school year to receive all the available credits for my class?

Most (but not all) ASC classes will register for more than one section of credit if it's a year-long class. You will register for the second section of credit a couple of months after you've registered for the first section. 

Your teacher can tell you how many total sections of credit are available for your class and when to register for the next section of credit. 

Example: A yearlong Precalculus Course at your high school = MTH111z (register in Fall) and MTH112z (register in Winter)

How much do I pay for Advanced Southern Credit?

ASC rates are a 75% discount on the cost of the regular tuition rate, and are exempt from student fees. This steep discount in credit costs can add up to save you time and money toward your future degree.

Some of our partner high schools also work with us to provide even further reduced rates to their students through district scholarships. And, Pre-College Programs offers a tuition waiver for students who income-qualify for the Federal Free and Reduced Meals program.

Information about which classes at your school are aligned with SOU for ASC credit, eligibility for Free and Reduced Lunch rates, district scholarship funds, and how to register for that credit can be obtained from your high school or through our office.

ASC Waiver Program for Qualifying Students

Students who income qualify for the federal Free and Reduced Price Meals Program may register online for one course per term (including lab if applicable) at one quarter of the already-reduced cost for a 4-credit ASC class. Additional ASC classes are billed at the traditional rate. Waiver slots are granted on a first-come/first-served basis. SOU Pre-college Programs will contact your school to confirm your Free/Reduced Meal status before marking your balance as paid in full.  

If a student is experiencing extreme hardship that makes them unable to pay even the most reduced rate, they should contact their school counselor to access any additional support their high school can offer. 

Can ASC tuition be refunded?

Refunds are available only if notification is given to the Pre-College Programs office by the deadlines listed on the registration instructions flyer. Beyond that deadline, no refunds can be given.

How do I know what ASC course credit to register for?

When it's time to register, your instructor will provide you with your class CRN (course reference number) and a flyer about how to register online through our office. Only students who are taking an aligned class with a currently approved teacher at their high school (and plan to complete that class) can register for the corresponding ASC credit.

Still not sure if your class is supposed to register for ASC credits? Every SOU term, our department publishes an ASC course list inside the registration portal. Please consult that list and confirm the listed CRN with your teacher. If you register for a course in error, you must contact our office within the refund window and report the error.

Some ASC courses are aligned with two terms worth of credit. If this is the case, you will register for one half of the available credit during the first registration period, and have the opportunity to register for the second half of the available credit during the following registration period. You are not required to register for the second term of corresponding credit for your class. You should monitor your grade and progress in the course and decide if it's in your best interest to register for the next section of your course's available class. 

Can I still register for ASC credit if I just missed the deadline? 

Deadlines for registration are communicated to the high school students through the registration flyer provided by their ASC teachers. Requests for late registration are considered on a case-by-case basis and are strictly limited to the one-week grace period just after the registration deadline.

I just realized I missed my chance to register last term/last year for ASC credits for my class! Can I still register for those credits? 

NO retroactive credit is available if you don't register during the aligned registration period. 

ASC credits adhere to the same standards as other college credits. No retroactive registration for past terms or school years is possible. If you don't register for the course credit during the open registration period, you can't receive credit for the SOU course. There are no exceptions.

We know it's heartbreaking to miss an opportunity as valuable as this! We strongly encourage you pay close attention to how many credits will be available for your ASC class and when the opportunity to register for credit will be available to you. Your ASC instructor knows this information and can share it with you. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact our office for clarification.

What if I am not doing well in my class and no longer want the college credits? 

It is important for students to realize that the college transcript they are building in high school is permanent and can affect their post-high school academic goals. Students should be intentional about the courses and grades they allow to post to their college transcript.

ASC students are responsible to make note of the drop and withdraw deadlines provided in the registration information in case you’re unexpectedly struggling in the class and need to withdraw from your credits before grades post.

If you need to drop or withdraw from your ASC credit, all requests must be made by the student to our office in email by the published deadline and prior to the aligned coursework is completed. 

• You may drop or withdraw from the ASC credit for your SOU course even if you are continuing to take the class in your high school and receiving a high school grade for the coursework.
• Any drop or withdraw must be completed before you complete the aligned coursework for the credit. The student (not the parent, or counselor, or school) must reach out to our office and request to drop or withdraw from the course credit.
• If you have met the published deadline for dropping the credit, no record of you having taken the course will appear on your transcript and you may be eligible for a refund.
• If you notify our office by the published deadline to withdraw from the credit, then a "W" grade will be recorded on your transcript and will not impact your college GPA.

Here's an example of the typical timeline for dropping and withdrawing from the ASC credit you registered for:

Students who discontinue attending or taking the class at their high school are NOT automatically withdrawn from the SOU course credits they registered for. The student must reach out to our office and notify us they have discontinued taking the class at the high school. In most cases, your teacher will have entered a "NC" no credit grade for you if grades have already posted.

Students who face extraordinary circumstances that significantly impact their performance in their class should reach out to their ASC instructor and their high school counselor for assistance in determining the best course of action. We encourage these students to ask that their instructor and/or counselor notify the Assistant Director of Pre-College Programs that extraordinary circumstances are at play and inquire what strategies are available to assist a student in preserving a positive college transcript and GPA.

Will I also get high school credit for taking these classes?

Yes! Generally, ASC classes will be credited at both the high school and the university level. That is why this program is called a "dual-credit" program.

Do I need to choose between ASC credit and taking the Advanced Placement (AP) Exam for my class?

If your ASC-aligned high school class is an AP class, your teacher will let you know whether you will be required to take the AP exam, whether it will be counted as part of your class grade, and whether taking the exam is optional if you are registered for the ASC credits.

With the SOU credit through the ASC program, students graduate from high school with college credits already recorded on a university transcript. That credit is listed with a letter grade that the teacher issues for the level of mastery the student has demonstrated through assignments, activities, and evaluations during the several months of delivery of the aligned coursework (rather than just the AP test). That credit and the grade earned is immediately transcripted after grades post and can be shared with scholarship entities and institutions right away. 

An AP exam score is based solely on a several hour exam taken at the end of the year and doesn't reflect student effort and coursework throughout the year. Taking the AP test earns you a score from 1-5 upon which the universities you apply to can use to make an evaluation about how much (if any) credit they will give you for that particular score. The AP Exam is administered through the College Board and registered for/paid for through their website. Scores are usually posted around mid-summer. 

SOU credit and the AP exam are not mutually exclusive. Some high schools require AP students to complete one or the other, many high schools give the option to do both. Registering for both ASC credit and taking the AP Exam provides students the best chance at making sure future institutions will accept the class for articulated credit. We encourage families and students to research their options, and do what is best for the student.

How do I get my ASC transcript sent to my future college?

Please see our Transcripts Ordering page. 

How do I view my grades just because I want to see them?

Please see our Transcripts viewing page. 

What are the qualifications of an ASC instructor?

All instructors offering ASC credit have gone through the approval process with their aligning SOU department to be considered an affiliate adjunct instructor. The approval is attached to that specific instructor and the course content they submitted for review by the SOU faculty.

How will ASC credits transfer to other schools?

ASC credits are transferable to public colleges and universities within the Oregon university system and most other institutions inside and outside the state. SOU encourages all dual credit seeking students to research and know how the credit you earn in high school will transfer to the college you plan to attend and impacts your overall educational/career goals.

Contacting the admissions office of your intended future institution is the best way to predict which credits may transfer easily to your future college. Consulting the Oregon Transfer Compass information online may also be helpful. Students who need to provide their institution with syllabi from their ASC courses may reach out to our office with that request.

Regardless of how these credits transfer, during the application process most college and university admissions view early college credits like those earned in ASC as a key indicator of future college success. Research shows students who earn dual credit while in high school are more likely to finish college.

What are my responsibilities as an ASC student?

• Students registering and earning college credit in high school must understand that they are transcripting college credit. Students should be intentional about the courses and grades they allow to post to their college transcript. It is recommended that dual credit students only have passing grades of A, B, and C on their transcript. SOU encourages all dual credit seeking students to research and know how the credit you earn in high school will transfer to the college you plan to attend and impacts your overall educational/career goals.
• Students enrolled in the ASC program earn credit from both their high school and the university. ASC students therefore are expected to follow the student conduct policies of both the high school and the university. 
• Registration is required in order to earn credits for a dual credit class. There is no retroactive registration available. It is the student’s responsibility to register accurately through the ASC online portal. During that process, students are expected to take note of the drop and withdrawal deadlines. Students are responsible to monitor the progress of their grades and act accordingly. 
• Tuition is required to be paid in full for all ASC dual credit courses upon registration. Accounts that have scholarship or waiver tuition balances due after registration are subject to confirmation of scholarship and waiver status. If a student has incorrectly reported their status, they will be charged the full tuition rate and must pay by the deadline or their credits will be cancelled. 
• SOU follows all applicable state and federal laws, rules, and regulations that apply to student records. FERPA requires that students take the lead on registration, inquiries, and initiating drop/withdrawal requests.
• State standards dictate that all students in dual credit classes are graded using comparable grading standards and assessment methods to on campus sections. High school students requiring accommodations/supports while taking dual credit classes work with their high school for those services. 
• International students bear the responsibility to understand the limitations of their visa and if taking courses for college credit is allowed under the conditions of their visa. The ASC program does not track a student’s international status.

Who do I contact with a question about ASC credits?

We recommend contacting Holly Kilpatrick, the Assistant Director of Pre-College Programs who coordinates SOU's early college credit programs with any questions or concerns about ASC credits. kilpatrih@sou.edu  541-552-6916

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