Dual Credit Student

The GCCC’s Dual Credit EDGE program enables eligible high school students to enroll in college-level courses and accumulate credits toward their future college degree while still in high school, giving them an edge on their post-secondary education.

EDGE Dual Credit at GCCC logo

Getting Started

If you are a high school student in our Service area you should contact your high school counselor first.
For students outside our Service Area, please contact the Dual Credit office at 620-276-0441 for more information regarding enrollment procedures.
For more information regarding policies and procedures, as well as student rights and responsibilities, please refer to the Student Edge Handbook:

Student Edge Handbook

Eligibility & Prerequisities

High school sophomores, juniors or seniors (or 9th grade students identified as gifted with a current IEP) may enroll in selected college classes offered at, and in cooperation with, their high school.
Some courses have prerequisite requirements which ensure that you are academically prepared to be successful in your college course.
GCCC has multiple ways to qualify for courses: GPA, ACT/SAT and Accuplacer scores. Reading, English and Math are the most placed courses for high school students.

Class Options

Online/Zoom – Classes taught completely online by GCCC instructors via Canvas, our online learning platform. School districts may provide students with access to a teacher during their school day to offer support.
Dual enrollment – During the academic year or summer, prior to high school graduation, students can travel to the college campus to take courses.
Concurrent enrollment – Classes taught at the high school, with an approved high school teacher, who teach college credit during the normal school day.

Tuition, Fees, & Payment

As a high school student there are several factors that determine the cost of a course.

ONLINE courses	$134/credit hour
CONCURRENT courses for Finney County residents	$134/credit hour
CONCURRENT courses for non-Finney County residents	$138/credit hour
ON CAMPUS courses for Finney County residents	$134/credit hour
ON CAMPUS courses for non-Finney County residents	$138/credit hour

Financial Assistance

Excel in CTE

What is Excel in CTE (previously SB155)?
- The Kansas State Senate passed Excel in CTE, which authorizes GCCC to waive the cost of tuition for high school students who meet Kansas residency and other requirements for enrollment in any approved career technical course.
- Textbooks, program fees and other additional fees may apply.

What are the eligibility requirements for a CTE waiver?
- To be eligible for a CTE tuition waiver a student must:
  - be a high school junior or senior
  - have at least a 2.0 GPA in their high school courses
  - have completed at least half of the credits required for graduation

- Students not meeting the above requirements can still enroll in an Excel in CTE course; however, they will not be eligible for the CTE tuition waiver.

What courses at GCCC qualify as tiered under CTE?
- GCCC offers several CTE program courses on our campus, as well as a variety of online offerings.
- These include but are not limited to: Allied Health, Automotive, Carpentry, Computer Science, Early Childhood, EMR/EMT, Fire Science, Industrial Machine/Maintenance Technology, Robotics, and Welding.

Buster Boost

Garden City Community College is committed to decreasing barriers to higher education for high school students in its service area. The Buster Boost program waives the cost of tuition and student per-credit-hour fees for dual-credit courses taken by service area high school students.

Income Eligibility Guidelines School Year 2023-2024

Household Size	Free Benefits	Reduced-Price Benefits
1	$ 18,954	$ 26,973
2	$ 25,636	$ 36,482
3	$ 32,318	$ 45,991
4	$ 39,000	$ 55,500
5	$ 45,682	$ 65,009
6	$ 52,364	$ 74,518
7	$ 59,046	$ 84,027
8	$ 65,728	$ 93,536
For each additional household member, add
	$ 6,682	+$ 9,509

FAQ

What does the program cover?

The Buster Boost program covers the costs of tuition and student per-credit-hour fees for all high school students in the College’s service area counties, including Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Lane, Scott, and Wichita counties.

The cost of electronic textbooks is included for most classes offered at GCCC. Students who wish to rent physical textbooks pay an additional flat rental fee ($9.99 per textbook, including tuition). For more information, and to rent a textbook, contact the College bookstore.

No combination of scholarships or potential tuition waiver may exceed the cost of tuition, fees, or books.

How do I know if I qualify for free and reduced lunches?

This is something that must be worked out with the local district’s counselor and administration, as Garden City Community College has no direct access to this information. If an individual has a question regarding the program, please feel free to email Dawn Tucker, Dual Credit Coordinator (dawn.tucker@gcccks.edu).

What happens if I fail a course?

If a student fails a course, they risk harm to their GPA and future progress in higher education. The first time a student’s semester GPA falls below a 2.0, the student will be placed on academic probation and will only be allowed to enroll as a part-time student (fewer than 12 credit hours) in future semesters. The second time a student’s semester GPA falls below a 2.0, the student will be placed on academic dismissal and will be required to apply for reinstatement. For more information on this process, contact Dean of Students Tammy Tabor (tammy.tabor@gcccks.edu).

When must I have all the paperwork turned in to be eligible?

All paperwork must be received at the time of course enrollment for any given semester.

What if I am a high school student outside of Garden City Community College’s service area, would I qualify for this Scholarship?

No, the Buster Boost program is specifically limited to students who reside in Garden City Community College’s service area.

What is the College’s 7-county service area?

The College service area includes 7 counties: Finney, Greeley, Hamilton, Kearny, Lane, Scott, and Wichita counties.

How long will the Buster Boost program last?

The College’s intention is to fund the Buster Boost program indefinitely. However, the program will be evaluated on an annual basis and may be discontinued or reduced at any time. The College will guarantee the program for, at minimum, the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semester and will re-evaluate financial viability on an annual basis.

Is there a cap on the number of hours a student can take throughout high school? Are there credit limits for each semester, summer, and Late Fall sessions?

No, there is not a limit. However:

A high school Counselor and/or Site Coordinator, working collaboratively with the student and based on academic history, schedule, etc., may recommend a cap on the number of credit hours for a student;
Enrolling in 10 or more credits per semester will require approval from the high school Counselor as well as either the College’s Dean of Academics or the Dean of Technical Education and Workforce Development.

Is a student immediately eligible if they just moved to a qualifying high school? What about exchange students?

Yes, if their permanent residency is in an eligible county. Exchange students are not eligible as their permanent address is not within an eligible county.

Does this include students who are home-schooled?

Students who are home-schooled may be eligible for the Scholarship; as long as their permanent address is within the College’s 7-county service area; the same applies for students in private schooling.

How do you determine eligibility for home schooled or students who attend private schools?

Eligibility will be determined by the families adjusted gross income. Eligibility is determined based on the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) income eligibility guidelines for Free and Reduced Meals each year.

Is this eligibility verified?

Yes, the College will verify eligibility from home schooled and students who attend private schools by using their household size and income from their previous year tax documents. Those should be submitted to Dawn Tucker, Dual Credit Coordinator (dawn.tucker@gcccks.edu) at the time of course enrollment. Once approved, the scholarship will be available for the entirety of the academic year, but must be renewed on an annual basis, as eligibility guidelines change each year.

*Once this eligibility is verified, the GCCC does not retain or report this information.*

How do I get access to my textbooks?

If I utilize this program, am I eligible for additional scholarships through GCCC?

No. The program covers the cost of tuition and student per-credit-hour fees, meaning for most high school students all costs have been covered. No combination of scholarships or protentional tuition waiver may exceed the cost of tuition, fees, or books. This includes GCCC scholarships administered by service area high schools.

Can the Buster Boost be awarded retroactively for any courses previously taken from GCCC?

No, the benefits of the program cannot be retroactively applied.

Who should I contact at the College for further information?

If you are interested or have questions regarding the Buster Boost opportunity, please contact Dawn Tucker dawn.tucker@gcccks.edu

Direct to High School Scholarships

What are the guidelines to be eligible for the scholarship?
Any student attending a high school in the GCCC service area: Syracuse High School, Lakin High School, Deerfield High School, Holcomb High School, Garden City High School, Garden City Achieve, Garden City Virtual Academy, Dighton High School, Scott Community High School, Wichita County High School, Greely County High School.
Be enrolled in a non-technical (CTE) course at GCCC.
How much are scholarships worth and what do they cover?
GCCC annually provides all high schools in our service area with scholarship funds. The high school counselor or other designated representative at each high school has complete discretion as to how funds are dispersed.
How do I apply?
Students who are enrolled in courses at GCCC should contact their local high school counselor or site coordinator.

Contact Us!

Dawn Tucker, Dual Credit Coordinator
(620) 276-0441
dawn.tucker@gcccks.edu