Pullman High School

Running Start is limited to WA state high school juniors and seniors who:

• You must be a Junior or Senior as determined by your high school and/or school district.
• You must be currently enrolled in a Washington State public high school.
• If you are home schooled, or a in a private school, you will need to enroll in your districts public high school.

Students must submit the required form for Pullman High School Running Start. Home school or private school students:

• Must enroll through Pullman High School and have a junior or senior standing. However, you do not need to attend classes in the public high school.
• You must live in the State of Washington.

Running Start students attend regular college classes during the day, in the evening, or online, along with regular college students.

College credit is granted upon completion of the course requirements, and these credits normally transfer to most colleges and universities.

Your enrollment at the college creates your official college transcript. College transcripts are considered confidential information and are released to no one – including parents – without your permission (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).

At the end of each quarter, your grades are mailed to your high school and included in your high school GPA. Credits also apply to high school graduation according to individual school district policy.

The Running Start program requires maturity, independence and dedication. Classes move at a faster pace, and are more demanding. Students should carefully consider whether they are academically and socially ready for the college environment.

Students are not guaranteed space in preferred college classes, and college schedules may conflict with high school classes or extracurricular activities.

Colleges operate on a quarter system which is different from the high school academic calendar. Holidays and vacations are different. Students are expected to attend classes at the college, even though their high school may not be in session.

Careful planning should take place before making the commitment to participate in Running Start. Students should work carefully with their high school counselor to make sure they complete all high school requirements.

Important Running Start Considerations:

• Your college grades become part of your permanent high school and college record
• Mandatory fees, books and transportation are your responsibility to pay. 
• You will be exposed to alternative viewpoints and material of an adult nature.
• The college calendar does not match the high school calendar (holidays, finals, and vacations).
• College courses are faster paced, and typically requires at least two hours of homework for each hour of class.
• Students who are not academically ready can find the independence and speed of college classes overwhelming.

You must be in the 11th or 12th grade by your first quarter of Running Start. It is recommended to start Fall quarter, however; you can begin during any quarter as long as you meet eligibility requirements.

SFCC operates on a quarter system and WSU operates on a semester system – both of which are different from the high school academic calendar. Holidays and vacation periods are frequently different. Students are expected to attend classes at the college even though their high schools may not be in session. Careful planning must occur in order to avoid conflicts in family and school activities.

You can take all of your classes at the college, or some at the college and some at your high school.

The average credit load for Running Start students is 11 credits per quarter (approximately 3 classes). The maximum number of credits for which Running Start will cover tuition is 15 credits per quarter, providing you do not exceed the combined enrollment limit. 

Running Start students may choose from a full range of courses as long as they are college-level (numbered 100 or higher) and meet the qualifying criteria.

Running Start students will meet with the high school counselor every term to decide on best fit classes to meet graduation requirements.

Your high school counselor can answer this question when you meet with him/her to "forecast" your Running Start classes.

Different schools accept different courses from the college to meet specific requirements. It is critical that you work with your high school counselor to make sure that you are meeting your high school graduation requirements. 

If you earn your AA and transfer in state, all credits are sealed in your transfer degree.

If you do not earn your AA some colleges may not accept certain credits. Always contact the institution you are transferring to and ask them for input. Give them the class name and the description of the class in the college course catalog. 

You are responsible for your own transportation to and from college. If you do not have a car or a driver's license, public transportation is available through Pullman Transit. 

Home school or private school students:

• Must enroll through a local public high school and have a junior or senior standing. However, you do not need to attend classes in the public high school.
• It is the responsibility of the public high school to establish your grade placement.
• You must live in the State of Washington

It is the responsibility of the public school district to establish grade placement criteria for home schoolers who want to earn a high school diploma from a public high school.

Some schools consider age appropriateness; others review credits and prior learning. In other cases, a standardized achievement test may be used in the absence of adequate documentation of a student's home-based education.

Yes, it is possible to graduate from high school with an associate's degree at the same time – only from SFCC NOT WSU.

This takes careful planning, so be sure to ask the SFCC Running Start office for advice. If you do not plan to graduate from a public high school, you have the option of asking the college to issue a State of Washington high school diploma upon completion of an associate degree.

Students may still participate in any high school extracurricular activity, if time permits and consistent with Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) rules of eligibility.

The Running Start program covers the cost of tuition for college level classes (those numbered 100 and above), up to Full Time Equivalency (FTE).

Students must pay mandatory fees, books, and transportation to and from college.

FTE is calculated by how many minutes the student is in class at the high school during that semester. High school counselors determine the FTE.

Running Start students are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

Other funding programs are available, such as fee waiver program or book fund scholarship.