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Dual Enrollment
at Cornerstone University

As a high school student, you can take advantage of dual enrollment at Cornerstone University and earn college credit while still in high school. Take challenging college-level courses on campus and get a taste of the Cornerstone experience. This credit may apply toward your high school diploma and is easily transferable to other colleges.

The purpose of the Dual Enrollment program is to supplement and enrich the academic programs of ambitious high school students by widening their options and offering them the challenge of taking courses that are unavailable at their high schools. Dual enrollment students are categorized as non-degree seeking students, limited to enrolling in two courses—totaling a maximum of seven credits—per semester. Apply today!

Dual Enrollment Application

To apply for dual enrollment at Cornerstone, high school sophomores, juniors and seniors must have a 3.0 or higher cumulative high school GPA and meet our general student admission requirements.

Fall 2024 Deadline: Aug. 5

Benefits

With dual enrollment, you can finish college early, save money and earn college credit while still in high school. Dual enrollment also gives you a first-hand experience of college life and expectations your professors will have for you.

01

Experience Christ-Centered Education

At Cornerstone, our professors are dedicated to leading students to reach their God-given potential.

02

Prepare for College Academics

Taking a college-level course as a high school student prepares you for your next step after high school. It introduces you to the types of class work and expectations you will experience while at a university.

03

Save Money on Your Degree

By earning college credits before becoming a full-time college student, you can potentially save money and shorten the time it takes for you to complete your degree.

Resources

Want to learn more about dual enrollment at Cornerstone? Take a look at the resources below to help determine if our dual enrollment program is right for you.

Dual Enrollment Class Options

A variety of 100 and 200 level in-person classes are available for dual enrollment students. Classes are held on Cornerstone University’s campus with the exception of high school partnership locations.

Recommended Courses for Dual Enrollment

You must be admitted to CU before you can register for courses with an academic advisor. Recommended dual enrollment courses include the following:

  • ENG-114: College Composition.
  • ENG-212: Writing in Culture.
  • COM-112: Communication in Culture.
  • PSY-111: General Psychology.
  • MATH-121: College Algebra.
  • BIO-111: Introduction to Biological Science.
  • BIO-151: General Biology.

Course descriptions are available in our guest course catalog.

Course Registration Process

Once students are admitted to Cornerstone, an academic advisor will be in contact to begin the course registration process. Students can expect an email from an academic advisor within approximately three business days of an admission decision.

In the meantime, students can explore our guest course catalog to learn more about our recommended dual enrollment courses and prepare to talk with an academic advisor.

Cost and Billing

High school juniors and seniors might have the option of having the cost of dual enrollment classes covered by the State of Michigan. Contact your high school guidance counselor or Cornerstone’s Admissions Office to find out if you qualify for this opportunity.

  • Cost per credit: $191 per credit hour

All students must have approval from their school to be dually enrolled at Cornerstone (including homeschool students). Once approval is given, bills are sent to your school. However, it is ultimately up to the student to ensure that the bill is paid. Be sure to communicate with your school to find out whether or not you will be responsible for paying or if your school will cover the cost of your dual enrollment courses. Dual enroll students do not qualify for financial aid.

Dual Enrollment vs. Dual Credit

Before you jump into your dual enrollment application, it’s important to know there is a difference between dual enrollment and dual credit. Dual enrollment is earning college credit while you are still enrolled in high school.

If you are interested in having your Cornerstone course credits apply to your high school credit requirements, please contact your high school.

Grand Rapids Initiative for Leaders

Cornerstone is thrilled to partner with the Grand Rapids Initiative for Leaders (GRIL) to support local students. GRIL is a faith-based organization created by alumni of the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative (DVULI). GRIL invests in emerging leaders by providing training over a nine-month period using the scripturally based DVULI curriculum to help leaders expand or develop the core values of balance, accountability, empowerment, interdependence, leverage and diversity—working toward a racism-free community. This process helps leaders plan and implement personal, professional and ministry growth more effectively with the youth and the people they serve. The mission of GRIL is to strengthen leaders to transform communities.

CU Courses for GRIL Students

Cornerstone and GRIL have partnered to provide a college and career readiness path for GRIL participants. This partnership incorporates two college-level academic courses focused on leadership, empowerment and college readiness to prepare students for life after high school. This is a faith-based curriculum accredited through Cornerstone.

Students are able to take GRIL I and GRIL II or choose to take only one course. Students must be GRIL participants to enroll in these courses.

  • IDS-280 GRIL I (Fall)—Preparing to Lead: Leadership, Empowerment and Your Future (2 credits)
  • IDS-281 GRIL II (Spring)—Preparing to Lead: Leadership, Empowerment and Your Future (2 credits)

Students will earn two credits per course with a cost of $191 per credit. For more information, see the payment details below.

Application Process

Students must apply for admission to Cornerstone as non-degree seeking dual enrollment students and submit their high school transcripts. Students are responsible for communicating with both their high school counselor and CU admissions counselor throughout the application process.

Payment Options

Students can be billed directly and pay out of pocket. Qualified students can speak with their high school counselor and receive federal funding for dual enrollment. Cornerstone will bill the high school for the student’s courses.

Assignments & Grading

Students will be given access to Moodle and will submit all assignments per the syllabus through the moodle platform. Grades will be administered by Denise Fase via Moodle and final grades will be shown on an official CU transcript.

Transferability

Credits typically transfer to other institutions as an elective but students will need to contact the school they wish to transfer the credits to for confirmation on transferability.

Cornerstone Transcripts

All CU transcripts and grades at the end of the semester will be sent to the student’s high school. Students can request additional transcripts by contacting the CU Registrar’s Office.

For more information, please contact Denise Fase.

Transferring Credits

Dual enrollment credits are transferable to most colleges and universities. For dual enrollment students looking to transfer credits from another college to Cornerstone, please contact the Registrar’s Office for a final decision on whether the credits will transfer.

Tips for Dual Enroll Parents

We are so excited that your high school or homeschool student is interested in dual enrollment at Cornerstone! There are so many benefits to dual enrollment courses, and we hope that you will share with your student about the impact of getting a head start on college credits. Below are some helpful tips on how you can support your student as they explore the possibilities of enrolling at Cornerstone.

Your Student’s Application

It’s important for all applications to be an authentic reflection of the work of the applicant. Parents are encouraged to review their students’ application and support them in obtaining required information and documentation to complete it. See what documents your student needs using the button below.

Your Student’s Courses

Parents are welcome to get involved with ensuring their student is upholding the academic commitment and integrity that comes with taking dual enrollment courses. Below is a short list of some of the ways you can assist your student during their course:

  • Review your student’s syllabus and course expectations with them.
  • Assist your student in obtaining all needed materials for each course.
  • Encourage your student to connect with other classmates.
  • Ensure your student has a full understanding of all learning platforms used in their course.
  • Encourage your student to connect with their professor outside of normal class time.

How to Seek Additional Help

Cornerstone staff are happy to discuss the dual enrollment process with parents. However, one of the goals of our dual enrollment program is to help students prepare for the realities of post-secondary education. Because of this, we encourage students to contact their high school counselor or CU staff, as needed.

If students have questions regarding the dual enrollment process, they should begin by looking at the list of frequently asked questions. If the student still has additional questions, they may follow up in person, via email or phone with CU staff.

Information for High School Counselors and Administrators

Cornerstone offers high school and homeschool networks the opportunity to partner with us to create a specific program that meets the needs of your students. On-site partnership programs are all unique. A partnership with CU provides you with the opportunity to develop a culture of early college amongst your students and help them gain access to post secondary education earlier.

Cornerstone currently partners with Southfield Christian High School. Southfield Christian offers two dual credit courses on-site at Southfield Christian campus. Classes are taught by Certified Southfield Christian teachers, and approximately 125 students have completed dual enrollment course work through this partnership.

Student Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the student to complete their application and ensure all materials are turned in through the appropriate channels. Students are responsible for communicating with their admissions counselors and for completing their registration preference form. Once students are enrolled in courses, all course work and requirements are the responsibility of the student. When working with students regarding the dual enrollment process, please have them start on our admissions process page.

Registration Process

Students must contact their CU admissions counselor for further details about the registration process.

Withdrawing from Courses

Please contact the Registrar’s Office with questions about withdrawal deadlines for students.

For questions about withdrawing from courses and refund policies, contact the Financial Aid Office at 616.222.1424.

Academic Integrity Policy

Our university policies are available for students to review in the Cornerstone University Student Handbook. Encourage your students to review the handbook as they begin the dual enrollment admissions process.

FERPA and Privacy Policy

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended, it is necessary for Cornerstone officials to obtain written consent from a student prior to releasing information from the student’s financial record to most sources outside the university. FERPA policy also allows the release of directory information.

If your student wishes to release FERPA, they can call the Registrar’s Office at 616.222.1431. Requests can be placed through the form on the Registrar’s web page.

Admissions Office

Contact

F:
616.222.1418

Hours

MON - FRI: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
SAT & SUN: Closed

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