How Do Students Qualify?

Running Start students are limited to "college-level" courses at the community college. Therefore, COMPASS, the college placement tool, is used to determine readiness for college work. Students must qualify for college algebra or above to take any math class. To take English 101, students must meet the qualifying standard. Students who qualify in reading only can access most college-level academic courses.

Students enrolling in Running Start must have junior standing or higher by the start of school in the fall. Home-school students not seeking a high school diploma and private school students must reconnect with the public high school district in which they live and obtain the signature of a school district official. Home-school students seeking a high school diploma from their local high school must enroll at the high school and be assigned a high school counselor.

Students who choose not to earn their high school diploma may earn a Washington State diploma by completing the AAS transfer degree. Both the diploma and degree are then awarded simultaneously.