What if a student could finish a year of college classes in high school, which would benefit them in the career they choose? Well, students in Indiana have this opportunity. This academic accomplishment is called the Indiana College Core or also known as ICC. Any public college in the state of Indiana is now required to accept ICC, and some private schools may accept it as well.
The ICC is earned when a student earns 30 hours of college credit classes during high school. 15 of the credit hours must be through Indiana University, as it is the college that awards the credits to students. If the ICC is earned by a student, they will be guaranteed admission to any regional IU campus. Although 15 credits must be through IU, the other 15 credits can be through other ACP classes (such as Ivy Tech) or AP credits. For the AP credit to count towards the ICC for credit hours, you must earn at least a score of 3 or higher on the exam.
Another requirement for the student trying to achieve the ICC is that they must take a class from each of the six required categories and earn three credit hours from each. The six categories required are Written Communication, Speaking and Listening, Quantitative Reasoning, Scientific Ways of Knowing, Social and Behavioral Ways of Knowing, and Humanistic and Artistic Ways of Knowing. These categories cover the main core subjects and many basic required classes for any major.
Students who work toward achieving the ICC must work hard as they are enrolled and taking college-level courses as high school students. Although students must work hard, the ICC has many benefits. The main advantage of earning the ICC is already having the first year of college credits completed and being able to start the classes geared towards the students’ careers faster. This helps the student to finish their education and start their career sooner.
Another benefit of earning the ICC is having more opportunities to better your education. Some of these opportunities are studying abroad, getting chances for internships, and being able to possibly double major in college in order to make yourself more appealing in the job market.
Some high schools are not able to offer all 30 credit hours, but students who attend these schools can still earn ICC. Students are not required to take all 30 credit hours in-person learning. Students can take online classes, and as long as they meet the requirements, they can still earn the ICC.
The Indiana College Core is a great opportunity for students. It can benefit them greatly in the long run. Although it is challenging to be enrolled in dual credit classes, the hard work will pay off in the end. As a student plans their high school pathway, looking into the ICC and the credits their high school offers is important. Check with your counselors to see if the ICC program is right for you.
