Student Services

For important information pertaining to Dual Enrollment dates and deadlines, visit https://pasco.k12.fl.us/iasc/dual-enrollment

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for Dual Enrollment (DE) classes, students must meet the following requirements:

• Must have (and maintain) a minimum high school unweighted 3.0000 GPA.
• Must have the following PERT, SAT, ACT, or CLT test scores:
  • PERT: Reading-106, Writing-103, Math-114* (123 for College Algebra and beyond)
  • Digital SAT: Evidence-Based Reading & Writing-490, Math-480 (500 for College Algebra & beyond)
  • SAT: Reading-24, Writing-25, Math-24* (26 for College Algebra and beyond)
  • ACT: Reading-19, English 17, Math-19* (21 for College Algebra and beyond)
  • CLT: Sum of Verbal Reasoning/Grammar Sections-38, Math-16*

***If students meet reading and writing score requirement, but are unable to meet the math requirement, they are eligible to take up to 12 TOTAL DE credits. In order to take more than 12 DE credits, students must earn a math score that meets the eligibility requirements.***

Note: Once students start taking DE courses, they cannot let their Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) GPA fall below a 2.0000 and their high school GPA fall below a 3.000. If a student’s high school unweighted GPA goes below a 3.0000 or their PHSC GPA goes below a 2.0000, they are no longer eligible to take DE courses.

Dual Enrollment Parent Night Presentation

For additional information about the program, process, or all things related to DE, contact your child’s school counselor.

Dual Enrollment Registration Process

There are multiple steps that DE students must complete to register for courses each semester. These are included below:

1. Complete the Online Dual Enrollment Admissions Application at https://apply.phsc.edu/apply/.
   Once you create an account and login, you will select “New” student and “Dual Enrollment” as your student/enrollment type. Students can follow the status of their application in the PHSC Bobcat application portal. Upon acceptance, students will receive an electronic letter in the portal. Students must open the electronic letter to receive their PHSC ID number as well as their PHSC student email address.
2. For Pasco County Public School Students Only: We recommend students complete the Course Request Planning Worksheet, which is provided by Pasco County Schools, and submit to their respective school counselor by the designated deadline.
3. DE students must complete the New Student Orientation and Online Readiness Courses in their PHSC Canvas account prior to registration. There will be a hold on student registration until these are completed.
4. Students must complete the Dual Enrollment Online Request Form each semester to be able to register for classes the following semester (Request Form must be completed during the Fall to be able to register for Spring courses, and completed in Spring to register for Fall courses). The form can be accessed at https://accelerated.phsc.edu/dual-enrollment/public-charter
   • New DE students, you will need your PHSC email address to complete the Online Request Form. When you complete your application and log in for the first time, your default password will begin with “Ph” followed by your PHSC Student ID number (i.e. PhP00223344).
   • Complete the Online Request form with your demographic information, the courses requested, and the location you will be taking the courses for the current semester only.
     • Pasco County School Students: If a DE course is offered on your high school campus or via Pasco eSchool – you MUST take the course at whichever of these locations it is offered. If it is not, it can be taken at any one of the PHSC campuses or online through PHSC.
5. Once students submit their Online Request Form, parent/guardians will receive an email notification. Parents/Guardians must log in to the Dual Enrollment Online Request Form to digitally sign the Terms and Conditions for their child’s participation in the Dual Enrollment Program, and they must do so by the established deadline provided by the school district.
6. Once parents submit the Online Request Form, high school counselors process the request and submit supporting documentation (transcripts and test scores demonstrating eligibility requirements have been met) by the established deadline provided by the school district.
7. Once counselors submit the Online Request Form, the PHSC Academic Advisor reviews the request and approves or denies courses based on student’s academic history.
8. Student receives approval or denial of courses for the semester THROUGH THEIR PHSC EMAIL and follows registration policies, dates, and add/drop deadlines based on their grade level to register for the courses they will take during the upcoming semester.

*Note: Students who are taking a DE course(s) on their high school campus DO NOT have to register for those courses once their online request form has been approved by PHSC. Those class rosters are sent to PHSC for registration purposes. For DE courses taken through Pasco eSchool, there is an additional online form that has to be completed by students once their online request forms have been approved by PHSC. This additional form is open for a limited time once the initial Online Request Forms are completed. 

Students are advised to complete all of the required steps earlier than the deadline in case any adjustments to their Online Request Forms need to be made.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Advanced Placement (AP) and Dual Enrollment (DE)?

• AP courses are high school courses that teach college-level content. Students can earn college credit if they pass the AP exam at the end of the school year. The grades earned in AP courses go on the high school transcript, but do not go on a student’s college transcript. College credit is not earned UNLESS the AP exam is passed.
• DE courses allow high school students to earn high school and college credit simultaneously by enrolling in courses with the local state college, Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC). Unlike AP classes, which award college credit based on the AP exam, students earn college credit in DE based on whether or not they pass the course. Grades from DE courses go on both the student’s high school transcript as well as their college transcript. Thus, grades that students earn in DE courses follow them to college and impact their college GPA.

Am I able to drop a DE course?

• Students can drop a DE course without penalty during the first week of classes. After the drop window, students can withdraw from the course up until the deadline date listed for each term. The deadline to withdraw from a course is posted on PHSC’s academic calendar each term.

What happens if I miss the window to drop or withdraw from a course?

• Students have up to one year after a course takes place to apply for a late drop/withdrawal.
• Late Drop: Shows on a student transcript as a “LD”, indicating that the student was dropped due to extenuating circumstances (e.g., medical, death in family, etc.) that prevented the student from completing the course.
• Late Withdrawal: Occurs when a student missed the window to withdraw from the course, but is not passing the course and now wants to withdraw. To be considered for a late withdrawal, students must submit a personal statement and supporting documents to PHSC.

What happens if I fail my DE course?

• Students are permitted one attempt per DE course. Grade forgiveness is not available for DE courses. (A withdrawal counts as an attempt at a course.) Students must maintain an unweighted High School GPA of 3.0000 and PHSC GPA of 2.0000 in order to continue taking DE courses. GRADES FOR DE COURSES GO ON YOUR COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT.

Can my parents check my grades?

• Dual Enrollment grades are reported in the myPHSC Bobcat platform. Due to FERPA guidelines, parents of college students (including dual enrollment), do not have access to this platform unless the student shares this information. Grades for DE courses taken on the high school campus are also kept in the myPHSC Bobcat platform and not in myStudent. Once the grade is finalized by the professor at the end of the semester, the grade will be posted in the myStudent portal.

Do I get my 504 or IEP accommodations in my Dual Enrollment courses?

• For DE courses taken through PHSC, students with 504 and IEP accommodations can get their accommodations if they are approved by PHSC’s Student Accessibility Services department. It is the student’s responsibility to submit their 504 or IEP accommodations to PHSC for approval. Students do not need to request 504/IEP accommodation approval for DE courses taken on the high school campus or through Pasco eSchool. Accommodations are automatically provided in these courses.
• For more information about how to request accessibility accommodations through PHSC, visit https://accessibility-services.phsc.edu/start

What should I do if I have technical difficulties with my PHSC account, application, or Online Request Form?

• For assistance with technical difficulties, call the PHSC Help desk at 727-816-3311 or send an email (helpdesk@phsc.edu). Since the account, application, and Online Request Form are through PHSC, high school counselors do not have access to address technical difficulties.

Do I have to pay for anything?

• No. Dual Enrollment is free for high school students, including textbooks. If you are taking a class off campus at PHSC or online via PHSC, go to the Pasco County School DE website and click on the “Textbooks” tab for information about how to pick-up/drop-off your textbooks:https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/oll/page/dual-enrollment

Helpful Links

• PHSC Academic Success Center (FREE Tutoring)
• PHSC Student Success Resources (Academic Advising)
• PERT Study Guide
• PERT Review Booklet for Mathematics
• PERT Practice Test

Counselor Appointment Request Form

A Transitional Year

The transition from middle school to high school can be a stressful time for both students and parents. Being in high school comes with its own set of challenges, and when you couple that with the changes that students will be experiencing mentally, emotionally, physically, and socially, navigating through all of it can be difficult.  Because of this, we believe that it is imperative for students and families to plan carefully and accordingly early on in their transition into high school.

How students transition into the 9th grade not only has the potential to set the stage for how their next 4 years is going to look, but it can also have a major impact on the direction they take their lives after they are no longer students at Land O’ Lakes High School.

First and foremost, we believe that developing a solid support system both in and out of school is critical for success.  Creating good habits such as time management, prioritizing school work, organizational skills, test preparation/study skills, work habits/ethics, communication as well as good people skills will help each student create a foundation that will lead to their success. Encourage students to get involved at school and get to know the people who are here to assist them.

We encourage parents to review the school website, create a myStudent Parent Account, and check their child’s progress every few days to keep current with how their child is doing. We tell each student that their high school experience is going to be what they make it.  We encourage every student to invest in the experience fully and wisely, to listen to their parents, teachers, and staff, and to build memories that will last them a lifetime.

Keys to Success

• Communication Skills – Ask Questions, Listen to Answers.
• Advocate for yourself!
• Prioritize School.
• Develop a Support System.
• Join a Club, Sport, Social Organization, etc.
• Explore Career Options.
• Explore Career Training – College, Vocational, On-The-Job Training, Military.
• Get familiar with graduation, Bright Futures, and postsecondary educational requirements.
• Have Fun!

Counselor Appointment Request Form

Sophomore Year

This year is a year of personal and academic growth.  Tenth graders should identify personal interests, aptitudes and abilities as well as look for ways to further develop their talents and skills.  We recommend students and parents become familiar with their Xello account, which can be accessed on the myPascoConnect dashboard. This will help students learn about the different post-secondary academic and career options, as well as help families work with their students to set goals, explore pathways, and ultimately develop a plan for life after high school.

Some of the actions that students can take during their 10th grade year to set themselves up for success:

• Understand Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment options.
• Take the PSAT in October for practice. Work with your counselor and teachers to identify areas where improvement is needed. If needed, find a tutor and take an SAT prep class to improve test scores.
• Stay involved in extracurricular activities. Begin a resume of activities that you are involved in (sports, clubs, volunteer work, etc). Volunteering outside of school not only improves the community that we live in, but it also provides plenty of service learning opportunities for students as they prepare to become global citizens. Make sure to keep track of the volunteer hours you serve by filling out a volunteer form and submitting it to Ms. Colon in the College and Career Lab. Volunteer forms can be picked up in the Student Services office.

School Counselors visit the classrooms at a minimum of once per semester. During 10th grade, our visits include information on graduation requirements, course options for their Junior year, academic opportunities such as Dual Enrollment and AP courses, and College/Career planning in the Xello platform.

Counselor Appointment Request Form

11th Grade – Post-Secondary Preparation

Fall

1. Check your Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Status.
2. Determine post-secondary goals and the academic or career options open to you to meet those goals.
3. Check academic core credits for state university admission requirements. Remember that the two-year foreign language requirement must be met to attend a 4-year university.
4. Search 2-year and 4-year postsecondary options (i.e. Technical Schools, Community & State Colleges, Universities)
5. Consider talking to military recruiters to discuss opportunities.
6. Consider taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) for career aptitude information. Discuss results with your family.
7. Take the PSAT/NMSQT in October to be considered for the National Merit Scholarship Award.

Spring

1. Work on narrowing post-secondary options to five choices.
2. Take Advanced Placement Exams in May if you are enrolled in AP classes.
3. Plan to visit college campuses during the summer.
4. Start building your resume.
5. Take the SAT and/or ACT in April, May, or June.
6. Consider test scores (PSAT, SAT, ACT) to determine appropriateness of future goals.
7. Continue working toward your academic goals.
8. Accumulate community service hours during the school year and summer.  Turn in volunteer hours to Ms. Colon in the College & Career lab.
9. ESE students who need accommodations on the SAT and/or ACT should contact their case manager.
10. View Junior Summer College Planning Checklist to start taking steps toward your post-secondary goals.

Summer Before 12th Grade

1. Work on recovering any credits you are missing and/or boosting your GPA by replacing grades of “D” or “F” with “C” or higher.  See your School Counselor for credit recovery options. You must meet all credit requirements, have a 2.0000 unweighted GPA, and pass the Algebra 1 BEST and 10th Grade Reading FAST to be eligible to earn your diploma.
2. Begin your Scholarship search.  A wonderfully free and comprehensive site is Fastweb. Set up a profile and get to work on applying for scholarships.
3. Contact the admissions office and/or visit college campuses that you are interested in applying to.
4. Visit the college websites to learn the application process and deadlines. Many applications need to be submitted by October.  Others will give you until February or March of students’ senior year.  Do your research!
5. Community service!  Continue keeping track of your community service hours and make sure to submit them to Ms. Colon in the College & Career Lab.
6. Most of all, ENJOY YOUR SUMMER!

12 Grade Page