Students looking to earn college credit during daytime hours without having to leave campus now have the chance to do so as they take Joseph Kirksey’s English IV course.

In the past students had to leave campus or stay after school if they wanted to take Austin Community College classes during the school year. Seniors can take English Composition One with Kirksey in place of English 4 to get a head start on college level writing classes.

“I never had this opportunity growing up,” Kirksey said. “Dual credit has become increasingly popular throughout the past decade.”

It’s Kirksey’s fifth year on staff as an adjunct professor at ACC and his second year teaching at Akins.

The writing intensive class prepares students for future essays their college professors will expect.

“Students get the opportunity to experience taking classes on the college level,” college advisor Sarah Simmons said.

Having taken four ACC classes outside of school, senior Tylena Hacker is happy that this year she can take an ACC class on campus during school hours.

“I want to see more people utilize the program,” Tylena said. “It helps a lot because you get high school and college credit at the same time.”

If students earn an “A” or a “B” in the dual credit class they earn an “Advanced Measure” on their transcript, carrying a weight of 5 points rather than the 4 that a regular class would earn.

With the ACC core curriculum dual credit program one can receive college credit that is assured transferable, meaning that public colleges and universities must accept the dual credit earned.

“If a student knows that they’re applying to a school in Texas the dual credit program can really benefit them,” Simmons said.

Kirksey hopes to see his seniors leave with at least 6 hours of college credit and have a solid understanding of the conventions of college writing.