Early Admit Program

Courses completed as a part of the Early Admit program become a part of the students’ college transcripts, but will not affect their high school records.

Who is Eligible?

With the permission of their high school or home school association, qualified high school juniors and seniors residing in Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties are eligible to enroll in college-level courses at Trident Technical College.

How Do I Qualify?

To qualify, students taking courses through Early Admit must meet the same requirements for enrollment into an individual course as other college students. Enrollment into most entry-level courses requires proof of academic readiness as indicated on the SAT, ACT or TTC ACCUPLACER Placement Test.

Students with SAT/ACT scores must take the math component of the TTC ACCUPLACER Placement Test for placement into upper-level math courses (higher than MAT 110 College Algebra).

For more information about the TTC ACCUPLACER Placement Test, study materials, contact information and hours of operation for testing, please visit our Testing Services webpage.

How Do I Apply?

Qualified students who wish to participate in the Early Admit program must:

• Have permission from parent/guardian and high school or home school association to enroll.
• Show proof of academic readiness for college courses as required by the college.
• Complete and submit an Early Admit application (apply online here).
• Submit Early Admit Signature Page and qualifying test scores.
• Signature Page must be signed by the student, parent/guardian, and high school counselor/principal or governing home school association indicating permission to enroll in specified TTC courses.

Applications are processed within two business days. The next step is registration!

How Do I Register for Classes?

Qualified students may enroll in courses that are offered at any TTC campus or site, or through TTC’s Online College. With the permission of the high school or governing home school association, these courses may be taken before, during or after school, or during the summer.

After submitting your application, please wait at least two business days for it to be processed.

Registration for students taking courses online or at a TTC campus or site must be requested by the student, following the steps below.

• STEP 1: View available course options through the Course Search webpage for each semester.
• STEP 2: Students can submit an online Dual Enrollment Add/Drop Request form to request registration for classes for their desired term/semester. This form is connected to the student’s my.tridenttech.edu portal account – only the student can complete and submit this form.

Students will receive notification via the my.tridenttech.edu student portal email once registration has been approved and processed

High school students interested in the Early Admit program are allowed to take any college-level course offered at TTC as long as the student meets the prerequisite requirements and receives approval from their high school or home school association to enroll in courses.

Most college-level courses are available to Early Admit students, EXCEPT courses in programs with special admission requirements.

What is the Cost?

Students taking courses through the Early Admit program are responsible for the cost of the tuition and books unless otherwise directed by their high school, home school association or school district. To view tuition and fees information, visit the Tuition & Payment page.

There are two types of financial assistance available to high school students:

1. SC Lottery Tuition Assistance currently covers nearly half of the total cost of tuition for students who qualify. It does NOT cover textbooks. SCLTA is available to students who meet the following qualifications:

• Must be enrolled in at least six college credit hours within the same semester.
• Must have lived in SC for 12 consecutive months prior to enrollment (Residency status may be appealed by contacting the Division of School and Community Initiatives at dualenrollment@tridenttech.edu).

Students do not need to apply for lottery assistance while they are enrolled in high school.

After high school graduation, students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to continue receiving lottery assistance. Please see Financial Aid for information regarding the SC Lottery Tuition Assistance Program.

The amount of lottery-funded tuition assistance is set by the state prior to the beginning of each semester. Students are responsible for paying any portion of the tuition not covered by lottery assistance.

2. Need-based scholarships may be available to high school students enrolled in at least six credit-hours per semester who qualify for free- or reduced-lunch programs and maintain a college GPA of 2.0 or higher. Verification of a student’s free- or reduced-lunch status must be provided by the high school counselor or school administrator. Please see your school counselor to apply. If you are a home schooled student, please contact the Division of School and Community Initiatives to find out how to apply for the need-based scholarship.

Students who are no longer identified as high school students by their high school are not eligible for need-based scholarships.

How Do I Pay?

Tuition for high school students is due before the end of the semester in which the student is enrolled. Payment can be made online through the student’s my.tridenttech.edu portal account (TTC Self Service > Financial Information > Student Account Activity and Make a Payment) or at the Business Office at any campus.

Will My Courses Transfer to Another College?

Most general education courses transfer to colleges and universities across the nation because TTC is a regionally accredited college. In addition, many applied technical or professional dual credit courses transfer to selected colleges and universities.

However, the receiving four-year college determines transferability of credits. Students assessing the transferability of dual credit courses should consult with the four-year institution to which they intend to transfer.

For more information regarding transferability of credits, visit our University Transfer page.

What About International Students?

International high school students may be able to participate in dual enrollment programs, depending on their legal status in the U.S. However, these students may be charged out-ofstate tuition costs, which can be higher than the normal rate for in-state, tri-county residents. Additionally, these students may not qualify for the eligible forms of state or federal aid provided to qualified dual enrollment high school students.

For more information, please visit International Students or contact the International Admissions Coordinator in the Admissions office at 843-574-6325.