When students pick their courses, they often wonder which course fits them. Some students think ACC, some think UT On-Ramps, and some don’t know what either are. Figuring out the pros, cons, and differences between them is essential to their future enjoyment and suc- cess. If you find yourself struggling to find out the similarities and differences between both courses, and don’t know what route to take, we encourage you to take your time and read this article to find out!

ACC/Dual Credit is a college level course that partners with Austin Community College in order to earn high school and college credit at the same time. To take it,
you must pass the TSI exams, which may be found through your teacher or a presentation in Naviance. (more info). However there are two major cons to taking ACC courses. The first one is that it’s an unreliable transfer, they tend to not transfer credits well (especially for out of state colleges). Your grade can also be risky due to the lack of online gradebook, sparse assignments (4-5 exams and one written assignment), and a lecture-style class setup that may be a difficult style to adjust to.

The other college-level course is called UT On-Ramps, which collaborates with the University of Texas to allow students to receive credit for both high school and college simultaneously. You must demonstrate high achievements, have a desire to take a college-level course, and be driven to work on college-level material outside of the school day in order to be eligible to enroll. But just like any other course, there are drawbacks. One is that High School and College grades may differ so you have to carefully manage your grades. Another reason is collaborative group work; if you are a person who does not enjoy working with other people, then you might want to re- consider changing paths. Finally, while credit is automatically accepted into UT, it is also a gamble for other colleges (specifically out of state ones).

Now that you have read through these options and considered each alternative, hopefully you are now ready to pick an option and succeed! If there are any concerns, you are welcome to contact your counselor. Happy course hunting