Navigating the Admissions Process: Earning College Credit in High School

A photo of a classroom with many students. The photo is focused on a male student sitting in the center of the classroom. The student has black hair and is wearing a bright blue sweatshirt. He is leaning on his arm with his chin resting on his hand. The student is looking up attentive and listening. In the foreground, is a student wearing glasses wearing a grey hat and an orange, blue, and grey pullover jacket. There are another three students in the background also listening in the classroom.

November 02, 2023
Lindsey Spencer, Transfer Admission Counselor

In recent years, high school students have had more access to earning college credit. This has created great opportunities for students – the chance to experience college-level rigor, the possibility of earning transferable credits, and greater learning.

However, as you contemplate your next steps, this may make the college admission process feel more complicated! Here are some common questions we see:

Do I apply as a transfer student if I have college credit as a high school student?

No. Transfer students are students who earn college credit AFTER graduating high school. If you are still in high school, but earning college/transfer credit, you would apply as a first-year student with college credit. This means you will apply using the first-year application. You can see more about the first-year timeline and process here.

How does my credit transfer?

All college credit is evaluated on a course-by-course basis. You can see how past courses have transferred by checking out our Transfer Credit Database. Please note: the Transfer Credit Database may not include ALL courses that could transfer to Gonzaga. We also have transfer agreements for specified Associate’s degrees, along with Core waivers, that you can read about here.

When do I need to send official transcripts from colleges?

Students can send official transcripts at any time, though we encourage students to send college transcripts after being offered admission. If admitted, you should request official college transcripts (from all institutions awarding college credit) to be sent to Gonzaga University. This will allow GU to provide you with a transfer credit report so you can view how your credits will transfer to Gonzaga.

When do I find out how my credit transfers to Gonzaga?

After admission decisions are sent AND after Gonzaga receives official college transcripts from the institutions awarding your credit, you will receive a transfer credit report. This report outlines how your courses transfer to Gonzaga. Students will typically receive this within 3-4 weeks of official college transcripts being received.

How do I get college credit for AP/IB/Cambridge/German Abitur credits?

For Advanced Placement (AP) scores, we require a 4 or 5 score to award credit. You can see here what courses are eligible for specific scores.

For International Baccalaureate (IB) scores, we require a 5 or higher (or 6 for some tests) score to award credit. You can see here what courses are eligible for specific scores.

For Cambridge International A and AS Level Exams, we require an A or B score to award credit. You can see here what courses are eligible for specific scores.

For German Abitur scores, we require a 10 or higher score. You can see here what courses are eligible for each exam.

 

I hope this helps answer any questions you may have! If you would like more information about being a first-year student with college credit, please contact your admission counselor.

 

For more information, check out the links below!: