Falcon FastTrack

To support Fairmont State’s mission and increase access to concurrent enrollment for high school students, we offer the Falcon FastTrack program. Concurrent enrollment is a low-cost, scalable model that has been shown to ease the transition of students from high school to college, shorten the time to degree completion, reduce the cost of a college degree, and increase degree attainment. At Fairmont State, we offer FastTrack courses in high schools, on our campus, and/or online. The cost of the FastTrack program for high school students is $25 per credit hour regardless of the mode of delivery for dual-enrollment courses. If the course is an early-college course for college credit only, the cost is $70 per credit hour.

The FastTrack program provides an opportunity for qualified high school students to enhance their education by enrolling early in low-cost college courses and allows them to progress toward their next academic goal without having to wait until high school graduation. Studies suggest that students who acquire college credits while still in high school are more likely to graduate from high school and continue their formal education.

 

 

What are the key benefits of the FastTrack program?

The FastTrack program:

• Allows students to receive high school and college credit simultaneously;
• Minimizes duplication of course content taken in high school and in college;
• Permits students to accumulate credits prior to entering college so they may graduate from college early or on time;
• Provides high school students with a wider range of courses;
• Provides an opportunity to complete general education courses required at most colleges while still in high school;
• Allows students to explore different fields before declaring a college major;
• Facilitates a seamless transition from high school to college. Students can get a taste of what college is like without being overwhelmed by a new environment. They can see how their high school classes compare to college courses and how college professors differ from high school teachers; and
• Lowers the cost of a college education.

Finally, as Fairmont State students, Falcon FastTrack students have full access to the resources and services provided on campus. FastTrack students:

• Receive expediated full admission to Fairmont State University;
• May take advantage of academic advising, accessibility, tutoring, tech commons, and career guidance services available on campus;
• Receive free admission to all athletic events;
• Have access to the library and may check out materials;
• May take advantage of intramural sports and/or the use of the Falcon Center; and
• Receive a student email account when they enroll in classes and have access to our Blackboard learning management system.

What should be considered before attempting FastTrack coursework?

It should be noted that there are some risks to taking FastTrack classes in addition to regular high school classes:

• Even good students may get a lower grade in their first college course than they usually earn in a high school course. If they are taking courses that also count toward the requirements for high school graduation, a low grade can negatively impact their high school GPA or their ability to graduate;
• Some students do not take their FastTrack class seriously and get a low grade as a result. This grade becomes a part of their permanent high school and college transcript and could bring down their college GPA once they move on to their post-secondary education; and, perhaps most importantly,
•  Failure to withdraw from a FastTrack course prior to the deadline, may impact a student’s future ability to receive financial aid. 

Regardless of where or how the FastTrack course is taught, all students should expect the course to be academically rigorous. Content is not altered to accommodate high school students, so students should expect to participate in college-level content and discussions appropriate for college learners.

What are the differences between FastTrack courses and Advanced Placement (AP) courses?

High school students who want to get a head start on college have a few options. In all cases, students are taking coursework that is more challenging than normal high school classes and students are held to higher standards both academically and socially. The primary difference comes at the end of the course when FastTrack students receive their college grade and credit for the work done throughout the semester provided they receive an A, B, or C grade.

In order for AP students to receive college credit, they must take a final examination at the end of each course. Student earning certain scores on the final examination may be eligible to earn college credit, but each college has specific policies regarding accepting AP scores for college credit.

What is meant by Dual Enrollment?

Dual Enrollment describes an enrichment opportunity allowing high school or home-schooled students to earn college credits for courses taken through an institution such as Fairmont State University while still being enrolled in high school and earning high school credit. Because students in these courses can earn both high school and college credit, they are often referred to interchangeably as “dual-credit” or “dual-enrollment” courses. Sometime this arrangement is also referred to as “concurrent enrollment,” “dual credit,” or “college in high school.”

What courses are available for dual-enrollment students?

The dual-enrollment courses listed below are offered regularly. Check with your high school to determine which ones are offered at your school.

• ENGL 1101 — Written English I
• ENGL 1102 — Written English II
• ENGL 2220 — World Literature I
• COMM 2200 — Intro to Human Communication
• HIST 1107 — United States History I
• HIST 1108 — United States History II
• MATH 1530 — College Algebra
• MATH 1540 — Trigonometry
• FORS 2201 — Intro to Forensic Science
• POLI 1100 — American Government
• PSYC 1101 — Intro to Psychology
• SOCY 1110 — Intro to Sociology
• SPAN 1101 — Elementary Spanish I
• SPAN 1102 — Elementary Spanish II

What is meant by Early College?

Early College provides high school students the opportunity to fast track their college education prior to high school graduation. Because students in these courses earn college credit only, and not high school credit, they are referred to as early-college courses. Students interested in early-college courses, may select from the full range of 1000 and 2000 level courses offered by Fairmont State University.

What are the requirements for admission to the FastTrack program?

All students admitted to a FastTrack course must meet the following admission standards and expectations:

• Be enrolled as a junior or senior at their high school or homeschool (Students below the rank of junior may request permission from both the high school or homeschool and Fairmont State for an exception);
• Possess a 3.0 cumulative high school GPA at the time of admission and throughout their participation in FastTrack courses;
• Receive approval from their high school principal/designee, or parent if homeschooled;
• Receive parental consent to be responsible for any financial obligation which may be created;
• Meet any required course pre-requisites;
• Complete all required application documents and pay for all courses in a timely manner; and
• Adhere to all the departmental and institutional requirements for any courses taken 

How can a high school partner with Fairmont State for dual-enrollment?

High schools that wish to offer dual-enrollment courses on their campuses need to collaborate closely with the Director of the Falcon FastTrack program, Dr. Richard Harvey, to ensure all policies and procedures are followed for both institutions. Fairmont State recognizes the complications caused by the differing academic schedules of high school and the university.  For this reason, all high schools are encouraged to schedule a facilitating teacher who is able to cover the high school classroom on a daily basis. The Fairmont State faculty member will deliver the course primarily online, with support from the facilitating high school teacher.  University faculty members may visit the high school classroom on a regular basis as appropriate for the course.

Can homeschooled students participate in the Falcon FastTrack Program?

Yes, we welcome homeschoolers to participate in the FastTrack program. Parents should collaborate closely with the Director of the Falcon FastTrack program, Dr. Richard Harvey, to ensure all policies and procedures are followed for admission and enrollment. A Fairmont State faculty member will deliver the course online.

Is tutoring available for dual-enrollment courses?

Yes, as a student enrolled in a Fairmont State course, all dual-enrollment students have access to services provided by The LEAD Center. See the schedule on the LEAD Center page. While you may not be able to come to our campus, LEAD Center tutors are available online during their regular hours. Can’t make their regular hours? No problem! The LEAD Center offer appointments in select subjects as well. Please email lead@fairmontstate.edu if you have any questions or need assistance.

What else should I know about the Falcon FastTrack Program?

All FastTrack courses provide students with a college transcript. Any grades earned will be part of their permanent college transcript.  Students are eligible to enroll in two FastTrack courses per term. Currently, students may earn up to thirty (30) hours of college credit through the FastTrack program prior to graduation from high school. The university portion of the course credit and the resulting grade will be posted at the end of the regular university term. The high school portion of the course credit and the resulting grade will be posted at the end of the regular high school term. 

The college credit earned, with a grade of 'C' or above, should transfer to any four-year college or university in the U.S. However, Fairmont State cannot guarantee trasnferability. Additionally, a student's later choice of major may affect the transferability of program-specific courses.