Each year the Lee County Board of Education, Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) enter into a contractual agreement concerning dual enrollment. Statements made herein are subject to change per this contract.

Dual Enrollment: is a status assigned to a high school student who has certified he/she is seeking an associates degree or vocational certificate and who is enrolled in a college post-secondary course certified by the designee of the District Superintendent.

Florida Southwestern State College

What is Accelerated Pathways?

It is a program that provides an opportunity for qualified high school students to attend college classes and earn high school and college credit at the same time free of charge. There are two programs: Dual Enrollment, which is part-time, and Early Admissions, which is full-time.

What is the difference between Dual Enrollment and Early Admissions?

Dual Enrollment students can take one or more college classes either on their high school campus, on the college campus, or online. Early Admissions students must have completed their sophomore year of high school, be on track for high school graduation, and are considered full-time college students. Early Admission students do not take classes on their high school campus and have all required college-level test scores.

What are the benefits of Dual Enrollment/Early Admissions?

Dual Enrollment saves money because tuition, lab fees, and textbooks are free to high school students. Since students can earn high school and college credit at the same time, they can shorten the time required to earn a college degree. Dual Enrollment offers challenging courses that are guaranteed to transfer to any public Florida College or University and most out-of-state universities. Students who participate in Dual Enrollment graduate from college more often, earlier, and with better grades.

Who is eligible for Accelerated Pathways?

Eligibility is based on a student’s grade point average and standardized college-level test scores. Dual Enrollment is available to students from 6th-12th grade. Students who are 6th-10th must have at least a 3.0 unweighted, cumulative GPA and two letters of recommendation. Juniors and Seniors must have a 3.0 unweighted, cumulative GPA or higher. All students must also meet the required minimum test score levels.

What are the required test scores to participate in Accelerated Pathways?

Students should refer to https://www.fsw.edu/testing/scoretables for the up to date information on Accelerated Pathways testing requirements and access.

All courses require a minimum of a college-level reading score. Some courses require reading and writing (writing intensive courses); reading and math (mathematics); or reading, writing, and math (science).

What if I am missing a test score?

Some students are academically ready in some areas but not others. All courses require a minimum of a college-level reading score. Some courses require reading and writing (writing intensive courses); reading and math (mathematics); or reading, writing, and math (science). Students may take up to 12 credits total before all three test scores are required.

When and where are Accelerated Pathway courses taken?

Courses may be taken before, during, or after school. Courses may also be offered at the high school, on the college campus, or other approved location. Students are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from the college. Students are allowed full term courses for fall and spring. Students may also participate in Summer courses if approved by their high school counselor. 

What courses are available to Accelerated Pathway students?

Students can take academic college-level courses and or career and technical courses. We generally recommend an AA education plan, unless the student has another desired education track. All prerequisites must be met for all courses.

How do I find courses to register for?

Students should use the course search in their student portal or you may use the schedule search

How many courses can Accelerated Pathway students take each semester?

Dual Enrollment students from 6th-10th grade may take up to 9 credit hours per semester. Junior and Senior Dual Enrollment students may earn up to 15 credit hours per semester. Early Admission students may take from 12-18 credits.

As an Accelerated Pathways student, how do I register for classes?

Accelerated Pathways student registration is overseen by your high school designee.  Once you are qualified to take courses as a college student (FSW ID, test scores and GPA) you will need to complete an Accelerated Pathways Registration form to register for classes. This can be done through the online link below. Please review the helpful video before using the registration tool.

How do Accelerated Pathway students remain eligible?

Students must maintain a term 2.0 college GPA and continue to meet the high school GPA requirement. Students who fall below the GPA requirement may not be eligible to continue in the program. A student who withdraws from a Dual Enrollment course must return to the assigned high school for class assignment by the principal or designee.

Do Accelerated Pathway students receive report cards?

Accelerated Pathway students receive their final grades and will have access to them through their FSW portal and through Canvas, the college’s learning management system. They will not be sent a report card, but may request for their official transcripts to be sent to their desired location. The fee for official transcripts is $5 per transcript. Final grades will be sent to the high school.

How do students start the process to do dual enrollment or early admissions?

Students interested in either dual enrollment or early admissions will need to have a FSW Dual enrollment/ Early Admission application on file. Once the application has been processed, the student will receive a Buc ID (@00--------) through their email. The student may now register to take the PERT or submit ACT/ SAT scores to become eligible. Once test scores have been submitted, the student will work through their school counselor to develop a schedule of courses. Students will then register through a paper form called the Accelerated Learning Registration Form at any of FSW’s campuses or centers with a photo ID or through your counselor using a secure DocuSign process. Students will not be able to register online through their FSW Portal.

What if I do not do well in my college coursework?

As a college student, you are building a permanent college transcript. Many state and private universities have specific admission requirements, including a college grade point average. Doing poorly in your courses can affect your high school graduation requirements, stop admissions to other post-secondary institutions, affect scholarships (like Bright Futures), and financial aid opportunities when you graduate.

Why choose Accelerated Pathways over other college-level programs, such as Cambridge AICE, Advanced Placement, or International Baccalaureate?

Choosing which accelerated program is a decision for each student and their academic goals. Accelerated Pathways offers students a flexible college schedule, the ability to take courses in which a student would excel in, and the opportunity to receive high school and college credits. Over 3,200 students in the five counties (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee) have accessed FSW Accelerated Pathway courses with a 93% success rate (C or higher) in their coursework, have earned over 48,000 credits last year, and saved over $7 million in college tuition and textbooks costs. More students are leveraging what their high school offers with FSW courses to maximize their time and effort. With FSW’s flexibility in where you take the course (on-campus, online or at the high school) allows for all students to earn college credit while in high school.

As a parent what should I know?

Accelerated Pathway students are technically college students. While they may be under the age 18, they will fall under the same policies as traditional college students. One in particular is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which protects the privacy of student education records. Without a FERPA waiver signed by the student, FSW cannot speak with parents about a student’s academic standing. At home, you may want to review the student’s Canvas courses to ensure they are on track and doing well academically, even if they have been academically strong before. As a parent, you should also encourage your student to engage in FSW’s resources and utilize professor’s office hours.

Florida Gulf Coast University

Admission Criteria for Application Review

• Completion of a minimum of 4 semesters of high school (student should not have completed sufficient units to qualify for high school graduation, and must apply all credits earned to meeting high school graduation requirements and University criteria for degree completion).

• Be a full time resident of Collier, Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, or Lee county. 

• Demonstrated exceptional ability and academic performance.

• Completed ACE online application and associated forms by the published deadline.

• Approval of parent or guardian.

• Attendance at one (1) Public Information Meeting during the application cycle for which you are applying.

• Completion of one 20-minute interview with members of the ACE Admission Committee.

• Approval of the Director, Early College Programs and the ACE Admission Review Committee. 

• Attain minimum high school GPAs and standardized test scores (SAT, ACT, or CLT) by the published application deadline:FGCU accepts the SAT, ACT, or CLT test scores for admission consideration to the ACE program. Score minimums must be met at the time of application. When signing up for the SAT, ACT, or CLT, please select FGCU as one of the schools that you would like your score report sent to. This reduces the amount of time it takes to receive your official scores for review.

Prospective ACE applicants must have a 3.0 unweighted and a 3.7 weighted high school GPA at the time of application. Per state statute, homeschool students are exempt from the GPA requirement. 

SAT

Minimum Total Score: 1100 

Minimum Math Section Score: 500

Minimum Evidence-Based Reading & Writing Section Score: 500

Applicants must meet the total score and section score minimums to be considered for admission. 

ACT

Minimum Composite Score: 22

Minimum Math Sub-test Score: 19

Minimum English Sub-test Score: 19

Minimum Reading Sub-test Score: 19

Applicants must meet the composite score and sub-test score minimums to be considered for admission. 

CLT

Minimum Total Score: 72

Minimum Quantitative Reasoning Sub-test Score: 17

Minimum Verbal Reasoning + Grammar/Writing Sub-test Scores: 39

Applicants must meet the total score and sub-test score minimums to be considered for admission. 

• Dual Enrollment Program students cannot repeat courses until after high school graduation.

• Dual Enrollment Program students cannot use grade forgiveness until after high school graduation.

• Dual Enrollment Program students must meet specific semester and cumulative GPA requirements.

• Dual Enrollment students are not permitted to enroll in summer courses.

• Dual Enrollment Program students are not permitted to withdraw from classes after the add/drop period.

Information on the application process for the Dual Enrollment Program and additional program details can be found on the Office of Early College Programs.

Dual Enrollment Program students can take between 12-16 credit hours per semester while enrolled in the program. Students must take at least 12 credits of an academic core (of 3-4 credit courses) each fall and spring term to meet the enrollment requirements for high school.

Students in the Dual Enrollment Program typically focus on the General Education requirements, and courses that fulfill their remaining high school requirements.

Students in the Dual Enrollment Program typically focus on the General Education requirements, and courses that fulfill their remaining high school requirements.

Once admitted, students meet with an advisor in Exploratory Advising for an Dual Enrollment Program admissions meeting where they will review the Dual Enrollment Program and register for their first semester of courses.

Prior to completing the application steps below, a student should:
Meet with their high school counselor to discuss eligibility and attend an ACE Public Information Meeting.     

Visit our Admissions Page for all the information you need.