Dual Degree Program with McHenry County College
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The Dual Degree Program is an early college program created through a collaborative partnership between McHenry County College (MCC) and Woodstock Community Unit School District 200. The program provides academically motivated students enrolled in District 200 an opportunity to earn a high school diploma and an Associate of Arts degree simultaneously. During their four years of school, students will take a combination of Dual Credit courses offered through District 200 at each high school and MCC courses offered at the McHenry County College campus.
Students apply and are selected for this program during the 1st semester of 9th grade. To learn more about this fantastic opportunity, please check back in the fall of 2023.
Summer Course Information
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Dear Dual Degree Students and Parents:
Since many of you will be taking a class through McHenry County College (MCC) this summer, I wanted to remind you of a few things that will help you have a smooth start.
Your first step is to go to the MCC website mchenry.edu then to MyMCC at the top.
To find information on your class - click on Class Schedule.
To access a "Flexible Online" course, click on MCC's Canvas Online Learning (note this is NOT your D200 Canvas course - you need to access Canvas through your MCC portal).
Your MCC email is YourUsername@students.mchenry.edu. Hopefully, you remember your MCC username and password.
If you are struggling to login, please call the MCC IT Help Desk at (815) 445-8457 at least one day before your class begins.
You will not receive additional information before the start of the course. If you have questions, please contact your MCC instructor, which can be found in Class Schedule.
Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Shannon Landwehr
PS - You will be hearing more from me in the months to come since the Student Services Team has been restructured a bit, and I will now be the School Counselor for all Dual Degree students at both WHS and WNHS. I look forward to getting to know all of you!
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is the Dual Degree Program the right fit for my student?
The ideal student for this program includes any current 9th-grade student who is academically motivated.
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What year in high school do you start this program?
Students can apply to participate in this program during first semester of their Freshman (9th-grade) year. Courses would officially begin the summer after Freshman year.
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What is the Associate of Arts? Is that something I need?
The Associate of Arts is a two-year degree that is ideal for students looking to transfer into a four-year college to where they would complete another two years for their Bachelor's Degree. The Associate of Arts degree covers the courses typically referred to as the “Gen Ed Requirements”.
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What if I change my mind and want to explore a more science-based career?
A student will not be penalized if they choose to follow a different path. Participation in the Dual Degree Program will allow the student to accumulate college credits that will benefit them in the long run.
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How much will this cost our family?
Students will be required to pay for one-third of the tuition for any class taught by an MCC instructor. If the course is taught in District 200 by one of our staff, there is no tuition fee for that class, but there may still be class fees for individual classes. Students who participate in the National Free/Reduced Lunch Program will have their tuition waived in an effort to allow these students the opportunity to participate.
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What happens if one of the classes doesn’t run due to low enrollment?
Students would be encouraged to speak with their counselor about the best path to take. In some cases, it may be in the best interest of the student to catch up on missed credits by enrolling in classes offered at McHenry County College. Those classes may be offered outside the typical school day. Additionally, students don’t need to complete the Associate of Arts to participate (see the 12 in 200 initiative).
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Who is teaching these classes?
Woodstock North High School or Woodstock High School staff members would be teaching the course material taught in their buildings. Courses held at McHenry County College would be taught by faculty at MCC. This will allow for a wonderful opportunity for students to bridge the gap between high school and college.
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Is transportation provided to MCC for classes during summer or during the school year?
Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from their courses at McHenry County College (MCC). If transportation is an issue, consider speaking with your counselor about online course opportunities.
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Do you have to take summer school? Is it the same summer school schedule as D200?
The mandatory summer classes include MCC 101-The College Experience and PDV 110-Career Development. In order to stay on track to earn your Associate of Arts Degree, it will be important to take summer classes. The host of the summer school course will determine the schedule of meeting times. District 200 summer school will run for approximately 4 weeks during the month of June. MCC summer school courses typically run 8 weeks from mid-June to mid-August (check the MCC course-specific information).
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How does this impact athletics? Will this impact students who want to play in college since they will already have their Associate Degree?
Students involved in athletics should still be able to participate as the majority of the classes will take place during the regular school day. For classes taught at MCC, students will follow MCC’s academic calendar which may differ from District 200. Constant communication between instructors and coaches will be imperative. If you are looking into the possibility of playing at the college level, having your Associate Degree won’t impact your NCAA eligibility; you can still get 4 years of playing time and start working on your Master's Degree!
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How does this impact the Dual Language program and the Seal of Biliteracy?
Students should still be encouraged to participate in the Dual Language and Seal of Biliteracy program. Students who complete the Seal of Biliteracy have the opportunity to earn up to 12 credit hours at McHenry County College in the Humanities area. Speak with your school counselor about the individual impacts on scheduling these programs may have. In some cases, the student may need to choose which program they prefer to participate in.
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Can I still participate in additional electives (ie.Fine Arts, Career & Technical Education, and/or World Languages)?
The answer is YES, of course! This program isn’t meant to take away from an individual’s areas of interest; however, there may be times when a student will have to make some decisions based on course availability. A close working relationship with the school counselor will be very important.
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What’s the difference between AP and Dual Credit?
Advanced Placement (AP) credit is earned when a student pays for and completes a test at the end of the course. If a student receives a 3, 4, or 5, they have the ability to earn college credit for demonstrating knowledge in a particular area. Dual Credit is an opportunity for students to take a class that has a matching syllabus with a college. The student’s grade in this class is reported to the college and is transcripted with both the high school and college. With both AP and Dual Credit, colleges and universities have the ability to deny credit for a course at their own discretion. It is best if the student checks with the college/university they are interested in receiving their degree from to make sure the course will transfer.
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What if I can’t finish the full 60 credits?
Students are encouraged to take as many credits as they can to help them get a head start earning college credit (See our 12 in 200 initiative). A student can still participate in the program and not complete the full Associate of Arts degree. The level of recognition will look different from those students who do complete all requirements for the Associate of Arts Degree.
Application Process
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Thank you for your interest in the Dual Degree program.
The student application window for the 2022-23 school year has closed. The application process will be open again next fall for members of the class of 2027.