Three ways to earn college credit in high school
Arizona high school students have three common routes to college credit before graduation. Each one is a good fit for many students and a poor fit for some. Here is how they differ, with the numbers taken from the official pages in October 2026.
On a phone, the table scrolls sideways.
| Compare | Online ASU course | Community college dual enrollment | AP course and exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who offers it | Arizona State University, online, open to anyone. | A community college (in the Valley, one of the ten Maricopa colleges), in partnership with the high school. | The high school teaches the course; the College Board writes and scores the exam. |
| Where the credit lives | On an ASU transcript, only if the student chooses to add it after seeing the grade. | On the community college transcript as a regular college grade, from the day the course starts. | No college transcript. A score of 1 to 5; each college decides what score, if any, earns credit. |
| Cost, typical 3-credit course | $25 to start, $400 to add the credit to the transcript: $425 if the student keeps it, $25 if not.ulc.asu.edu, October 2026. | Maricopa in-county tuition is $97 per credit for 2026-27, about $291 for three credits plus a $15 registration fee, if the course is billed at that rate. The district's dual enrollment page does not publish a rate, so check the source and the college. Many districts and the Maricopa Grant cover some or all of it.maricopa.edu, October 2026. | $99 per exam in the U.S. for 2026-27, with a $37 College Board fee reduction for eligible students. The course itself is part of the school day. Some Arizona districts pay the fee.apcentral.collegeboard.org, October 2026. |
| Schedule | Online. Many courses start any day; others run in sessions of about 7 to 8 weeks. Pace within the session is up to the student. | Follows the school bell schedule or the college semester, with set class meetings. | A full school year in class, then one exam in May on a fixed national date. |
| Application or GPA requirement | None. No application and no GPA minimum. | Yes. Admission to the college, plus college readiness and course placement prerequisites set by the college and the high school. | Depends on the high school. Some schools have prerequisites or teacher sign-off; the exam is open to any student who orders it. |
| When you decide whether it counts | After the final grade. Pay the $400 only if the grade is worth keeping. | Before the course starts. The grade goes on a college record either way. | After scores arrive in July. The student chooses which scores to send, but colleges set the cut-off. |
| Best for | Students who want to try college-level work with little risk, need a flexible schedule, or want a subject the school does not offer. | Students who do well with a teacher and classmates in the room, and want a college grade that transfers inside Arizona's public system. | Students aiming at selective colleges, who like a year-long deep dive and perform well on one timed exam. |
"Counts" here means the college you end up at accepts the credit. Every college publishes its own rules; none of the three routes guarantees acceptance.
Most students who earn credit in high school mix routes. A sophomore might take AP World History at school, add a dual enrollment English class junior year, and use an ASU course over the summer for a psychology or business subject the school does not teach. The questions to ask for each course are the same: does the student have the hours, does the subject matter to them, and will the colleges on their list accept it. The Credit Map shows how UA and NAU count each ASU course, and the Course Finder narrows the ASU catalog by interest and time.
Bring the student's schedule and the colleges on the list. We will walk through which route fits each subject, including when the answer is AP or dual enrollment rather than ASU.
Book a free 20-minute call or ask a question by emailThe Arizona Credit Map · Course Finder · Will a course fit this week? · Plan from 8th grade · All guides and tools
Outside Arizona?
Students in any state can take the same online university courses at the same price, and Caveat's services cost the same. Arizona's public universities publish how they count each course, so Arizona families get the clearest picture. Elsewhere, each college decides for itself, so how far the credit goes depends on the colleges on the student's list. Caveat checks those colleges before the student enrolls.
Prices as of October 2026. Caveat Academic Services offers independent college preparation services and is not affiliated with Arizona State University, the Maricopa County Community College District or the College Board. Each organization sets its own fees, dates and policies. Each college decides which credits it accepts; Caveat does not promise that credit will transfer.