Concurrent Enrollment (CE) allows eligible high school students to take college-level courses while they are still enrolled in high school. You have the opportunity to earn both high school and college credit at the same time. Concurrent Enrollment courses may be offered at your high school, at a PPSC campus, or online, depending on the program and options available through your school or district. You should work with your high school counselor or designated CE contact to determine which option best fits your academic and career goals.
Ready to take the leap? Learn what you need to do to become a successful Concurrent Enrollment student at Pikes Peak State College.
All Concurrent Enrollment students must first apply to Pikes Peak State College. The application is free, PPSC is open enrollment, and applying does not commit you to attending PPSC.
If this is your first time applying to PPSC, select First Time Applicant to create an application account. You should use a personal email address instead of your high school-assigned email, so that we can continue to help you after your high school graduation.
Once your application account is created, complete an application for the earliest semester you plan to take PPSC classes.
Important Application Tips for High School Students
High School Information: Search for and select your current high school and enter your expected high school
graduation year. For example, if your expected graduation date is May 2030, enter
2030 as your graduation year.
Student Type: Select “Yes” when asked if you will be a high school student while taking college classes/concurrent enrollment.
Academic Plan/Major: Not sure what to choose? Select All Academic Programs under Area of Interest to view all of the available options. Undecided/General Transfer programs are common choices for high school students who are still exploring. If you already have a specific program or career path in mind, you can select that instead. You can always change your program later.
Social Security Number: If you do not have your Social Security Number available while completing the application, save your application and return to finish it later once you have the information you need.
After You Apply
You will receive an acceptance email containing your PPSC student ID number, also
known as your S#, and instructions for accessing your PPSC student portal. Keep your
S# handy! You will use it throughout your time at PPSC.
Submit any placement information or test scores you already have to Testing.Center@pikespeak.edu and include your PPSC S#. Examples may include:
Submitting these records helps us determine the order in which you should take certain courses.
Once you have your S#, connect with your high school counselor, homeschool/district contact, or designated CE contact to determine your next enrollment steps.
Concurrent Enrollment works a little differently at each high school and depending on the type of classes you are taking. Your contact can help you understand:
No matter which type of Concurrent Enrollment course you take, keep your high school counselor or CE contact informed about your PPSC courses and any schedule changes.
Before registering, make sure you understand the requirements for the course you want to take. You can work with your high school counselor or the PPSC team to make sure your courses align with your goals.
Placement & Test Scores
Submit available placement information as early as possible after receiving your S#.
Placement information may include a high school transcript, ACT/SAT/PSAT scores, AP
scores, or previous college coursework. Send placement documents to Testing.Center@pikespeak.edu and include your PPSC S#.
Prerequisites
Some PPSC courses have prerequisites, which are requirements you must meet before
registering for the course. Other courses may have corequisites, which are requirements
or courses that must be completed at the same time.
Depending on the course, students may be able to demonstrate readiness through previous coursework, placement information, or qualifying test scores.
Students should submit relevant scores or coursework early and confirm that prerequisites have been met before registration opens whenever possible.
How you are registered depends on the type of Concurrent Enrollment program you are participating in.
PPSC Campus or Online Courses
If you are taking approved PPSC campus or online courses, you may be able to register
yourself! Before registering:
Career Start
If you are a Career Start student, you will not self-register for your Career Start
courses. Work with your high school counselor and follow the Career Start application
and district process. PPSC will register you for the appropraite and approved Career
Start courses.
Campus Pathways
If you are a Campus Pathways student, you do not self-register for your Campus Pathways
courses. Work with your high school counselor or CE contact and follow your school's
process. PPSC will register you for the appropraite and approved Campus Pathways courses.
Before classes begin, make sure you can access your PPSC student portal and course information, understand how to access D2L when applicable, and obtain any required textbooks, supplies, uniforms, or equipment.
Coverage for books and materials varies by school and district, so check with your high school counselor or CE contact before purchasing materials if you expect your school or district to cover the cost.
Continue checking your PPSC email for important information about registration, course access, billing, deadlines, and other next steps. Even when your high school is helping coordinate your CE enrollment, important college information may be sent directly to your PPSC account.
Students approved for Concurrent Enrollment sponsorship may have their college tuition paid through their participating high school or school district. Approval matters! Registering for a PPSC class does not automatically mean the school or district will pay for it. Depending on the school or district, sponsorship may cover different expenses. Fees, textbooks, supplies, uniforms, equipment, and other course costs may or may not be covered. Before registering, confirm with your counselor if your course is approved for sponsorship, what your school or district will pay for, whether there are limits on the number or type of courses you can take, and what expenses you may be responsible for.
High school students who are not approved or sponsored for a particular course may still be able to take PPSC classes. In that situation, you would be considered a self-pay student, and you would be responsible for paying the applicable tuition, fees, books, materials, and other charges. Before registering for a class you expect your school or district to pay for, confirm that the course has been approved for sponsorship.
PPSC Tuition & FeesThe College Opportunity Fund (COF) is a State of Colorado tuition stipend that helps reduce tuition costs for eligible students. As a Concurrent Enrollment student, you should complete the required COF steps and authorize COF as part of your enrollment responsibilities. You should also review your student account to make sure COF has been applied correctly.
Learn More about COFMake sure you have the textbooks, supplies, uniforms, equipment, or other materials required for your courses before classes begin. Coverage varies by school and district. Some high schools or districts pay for textbooks and materials for sponsored CE students, while others may not. Don't purchase materials out of pocket until you understand your school's process! Career Start students should follow the Career Start process for required textbooks and materials.
How to purchase PPSC textbooksBrowse school/district-specific requirements below, or view the school/district webpages for more information.
Explore answers to your most asked questions.
We recommend using a personal email address that you check regularly rather than a high school-assigned email address. This helps ensure you continue to have access to important information from PPSC, even after your high school graduation.
Save your application and return to finish it later. You can log back into your application account once you have the information you need.
Your S# is your PPSC student identification number. You will receive it after your application is processed. Keep it handy! You will use your S# throughout your time at PPSC, and when you communicate with our team.
Not necessarily. PPSC can use different types of information to determine whether
you meet placement or prerequisite requirements. This may include your high school
transcript, previous coursework, ACT/SAT/PSAT scores, AP scores, or other applicable
records.
That's why it's important for you to submit your records to testing.center@pikespeak.edu after you've been accepted to the college. Always include your full name and S# when
communicating with us, so that we are sure to get your information added to your student
record.
A prerequisite is a requirement that must be met before you can register for a particular
course. Prerequisites help ensure you are prepared for the level of coursework in
the class. For example, some math courses may require previous math coursework or
qualifying placement information, while some Spanish courses may require previous
language experience, placement, or faculty approval.
Learn more about prerequisites
They may. Qualifying AP exam scores can sometimes demonstrate that you have already met certain requirements or are ready for a higher-level course. This can be especially helpful for subjects such as math or Spanish. Submit your AP scores for review as early as possible.
High school approval and PPSC course eligibility are two different things.
Your school may approve a course for Concurrent Enrollment sponsorship, but you must
still meet any PPSC prerequisites, placement requirements, or other registration requirements
for that course.
Reach out to the PPSC team if you're not sure what you're missing!
All three allow eligible high school students to earn college credit, but where and
how you take the classes can be different.
Career Start focuses on career and technical education programs.
Campus Pathways brings PPSC courses directly to participating high schools.
General Concurrent Enrollment may allow students to take approved PPSC courses on
a PPSC campus or online.
Your high school counselor can help you determine which options are available to you.
No. Career Start students follow their high school or district's Career Start process. The PPSC team will take care of registration for you!
No. Your high school provides PPSC with the appropriate roster or student information, and we take care of registration for you!
Do not try to register yourself!
Registration for these programs is completed through a roster process and may not
happen at the same time as general registration.
Check with your high school counselor or CE contact if you have questions about your
status.
Yes! Homeschool students can participate in Concurrent Enrollment. Your process may look different depending on whether you are receiving sponsorship through a participating school district.
If you want your courses covered through Concurrent Enrollment sponsorship, work with the appropriate participating school district to determine whether you are eligible and which courses it will approve. You can still take classes without sponsorship, but you'd be responsible for the full bill!
You may still be able to take PPSC classes while you are in high school. However, without an approved sponsor, you may be considered self-pay and responsible for tuition, fees, books, and other course costs.
Concurrent Enrollment can allow approved high school students to take college courses
without paying the sponsored tuition themselves, but what is covered varies by school
and district. Your school or district may have different policies for tuition, fees,
textbooks, supplies, uniforms, equipment, or other expenses.
Always confirm what is covered before registering or purchasing materials!
Ask your high school counselor or CE contact before registering. Being a high school student or being eligible for Concurrent Enrollment does not automatically mean every PPSC course you choose will be sponsored.
You may still be able to take the course as a self-pay student, but you would be responsible for the applicable tuition, fees, books, and other expenses.
It depends on your high school or district. Some cover textbooks and course materials
while others do not or have a specific process students must follow.
Before buying your books, ask your counselor whether your school covers them and how
you should obtain them.
The College Opportunity Fund (COF) is a State of Colorado tuition stipend that helps reduce the cost of eligible undergraduate college tuition.
Yes. Concurrent Enrollment students should complete the required COF steps and authorize PPSC to use their COF funding. This is an important part of the Concurrent Enrollment tuition process.
D2L is PPSC's online learning system. Depending on your course, you may use D2L to access assignments, course materials, grades, announcements, and communication from your instructor.
Your course must first be registered on your PPSC record before you can receive access. After registration, system access may take some time to update. Career Start and Campus Pathways students should not self-register if their course has not appeared yet. Contact your counselor or CE contact if you are concerned about your registration.
Check it regularly. PPSC may send important information about your courses, registration, deadlines, student account, and other next steps to your PPSC email.
Talk with your high school counselor or CE contact before making changes to your PPSC schedule. Dropping or changing a college course can affect your high school schedule, graduation requirements, sponsorship, and college record. Do not simply stop attending a course. Make sure you understand and complete the appropriate drop or withdrawal process.
Yes. Concurrent Enrollment courses are real college courses, and your enrollment and grades become part of your college academic record.
Parents and guardians are welcome to ask general questions, but PPSC must follow FERPA,
a federal law that protects student education records.
This can limit the specific information PPSC can share about an individual student's
account without appropriate student consent.
Your high school counselor or CE contact is usually the best starting point for questions
about sponsorship, approved courses, high school requirements, books, or district-specific
policies.
PPSC can assist with questions related to the college application, placement, prerequisites,
registration, and PPSC student resources.
