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.
The FastTrack program:
Finally, as Fairmont State students, Falcon FastTrack students have full access to the resources and services provided on campus. FastTrack students:
It should be noted that there are some risks to taking FastTrack classes in addition to regular high school classes:
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.
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.
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.”
The dual-enrollment courses listed below are offered regularly. Check with your high school to determine which ones are offered at your school.
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.
All students admitted to a FastTrack course must meet the following admission standards and expectations:
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.
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.
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.
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.