Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the College Challenge Program?

The College Challenge Program is a cooperative agreement between Indiana State University and participating high schools that enables high school students to earn college credit in courses taught at their local high schools. The program is designed for high school students, typically juniors and seniors, who have a desire for more advanced course work. Students in the program earn college and high school credit simultaneously for each course successfully completed.

College Challenge courses are taught by high school teachers who have been approved to teach college-level courses by Indiana State University. Courses are conveniently taught within a typical high school setting so students do not have to attend class outside school hours. Courses are taught at a special, reduced tuition rate.

Q. How much does the College Challenge Program cost?

Students enrolled in the College Challenge Program receive a significantly reduced tuition rate, adjusted specifically for this program.

• The current fee rate is $25 per credit hour.
• Partial payments are not permitted.
• Fees are payable by Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order.
• Checks and money orders should be made payable to Indiana State University.

Only students eligible for the free/reduced lunch program are eligible for a waiver of all tuition/fees for College Challenge courses. The student' high school counselor must supply the necessary documentation of the student's eligibility for the free/reduced lunch program.

Q. Do scholarship opportunities exist for students who participate in the College Challenge Program?

Yes. Students who meet scholarship requirements and successfully complete at least one College Challenge course with a "C" or better receive a one-time scholarship in the amount of $250. This scholarship is non-transferable and must be used at Indiana State University. To receive the scholarship, the student must apply and be accepted unconditionally to ISU by March 1 of their senior year.

Note: Students do not receive $400 per successful completion of each College Challenge course for which they enroll; this is a one-time scholarship that is disbursed during the student' freshman year if the student is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at ISU.

Q. How do students qualify for the College Challenge Program?

Indiana students who have completed the regular curriculum through the tenth grade and who are entering their junior or senior year of high school are eligible for College Challenge enrollment if they have a 2.5 or higher cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

Qualifying students must submit a College Challenge application and a high school transcript to meet admission criteria. Eligibility requirements must be verified by a high school official prior to acceptance into the program.

Q. What are the advantages of participating in the ISU College Challenge Program?

• Students and parents save money as College Challenge fees are far less than on-campus fees for the same courses. College Challenge courses cost just $25 per credit hour, compared to $304 per credit hour for the same course on campus.
• Students experience college-level course work and earn college credits while still in high school.
• Enrolling in College Challenge courses gives students a jump-start on college as these courses can be used to fulfill college graduation requirements at ISU or may be transferable to another university. All College Challenge courses can be found on Indiana' transfer portal, www.transferIN.net.
• College Challenge students may use ISU library resources and on-line databases.
• College Challenge students have the convenience of taking college-level courses without having to travel to a college campus as all course work is completed in the students' high school classrooms.

Q. Will College Challenge credits transfer to other universities?

Students who successfully complete College Challenge course work will earn ISU credit, which is recorded on a transcript that becomes part of the student' permanent record and can be sent to any college or university at the request of the student by contacting ISU' Office of Registration and Records at http://www2.indstate.edu/registrar/. Any college or university that accepts ISU credit should accept credit earned through College Challenge.

However, recognition of credit attained at another university is always the choice of the receiving institution. Refunds will not be issued if another institution does not accept ISU credits. It is the student' responsibility to determine transferability of ISU credits before enrolling in College Challenge courses.

To view how some ISU College Challenge courses transfer to other Indiana public institutions, visit Transfer Central.

Q. How do College Challenge courses differ from Advance Placement (AP) courses?

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are generally recognized as equivalent in content to college courses, with the exception being that the student must score high enough on the end-of-course exam to qualify for college credit. College Challenge courses are often aligned with AP courses, offering the student the choice of enrolling for college credit or opting to take the AP examination. Choosing to enroll in a College Challenge course guarantees that students earn college credit from day one, as long as they pass the course. Both College Challenge and AP offer an accelerated curriculum, but earning credits through College Challenge reflects ongoing evaluation of performance that is comparable to a college course, not just the results of a one-time examination.

Q. What can I do if my high school is not a partner with the ISU College Challenge Program and I am interested in enrolling in College Challenge courses?

Make your guidance counselor or teacher aware of your interest in ISU's College Challenge Program and refer him/her to the program's Web site to contact the program through the information listed. New partners and new teachers are always welcome in this valuable program.