Start College Now is a dual credit program designed to introduce high school students to the exciting world of higher education. In addition to getting a first-hand view of the college experience, enrolled students will earn both high school and college credit at the same time.
Actively enrolled public high school juniors and seniors are eligible to take classes during the Fall and Spring Semesters. Credits earned can be applied toward a degree at Gateway Technical College or many other Wisconsin colleges.
Tuition and book costs for the program are paid by the high school. Some Gateway courses have additional expenses outside of tuition and fees that would be the responsibility of the student.
Getting Started
Step 1: Meet with your high school counselor to discuss your course interests and career plans to determine if enrolling in college courses through the Start College Now program is right for you.
Step 2: To apply, complete the program application and submit it to your high school by the required application deadline. Application deadline for the Fall Semester is March 1 and Spring Semester is October 1. Please note that you must obtain your parent or guardian's signature on the application.
Step 3: Once the application is approved by the district school board, it will be sent to Gateway for processing. Forms are typically processed within 10 days of when they are received. Once processed, students will receive a letter and email from Gateway with information regarding their course approvals and directions about course registration. In order to register for a requested course, students must meet all course requirements, which may include program admission and/or course requisites, and there must be space available in the course at the time of registration.
Available Classes
You will find many choices available at all of Gateway campus and center locations. Any associate degree, technical diploma or certificate program may be taken through Start College Now, as long as all course requisites, program admission and petitioning requirements are met.
We also have a list of introductory courses that are a good fit for high school students. There are many other course options available to students that meet the requirements. You can find the full list of Gateway classes on our Gateway Course and Section Search site.
Many Gateway courses have additional requirements that students must meet before registering. We recommend that students interested in Start College Now review our curriculum sheets for any specific programs of interest and connect with a Gateway Academic Advisor before choosing to request a course on their Start College Now Application form.
Course Textbooks
Students enrolled in approved Start College Now courses can purchase their required course textbooks using Start College Now funding at our campus bookstores or online. Please visit the Follett Campus Bookstore page to learn more. If you have questions about using your funds to purchase textbooks, please contact the campus bookstore.
Gateway Technical College High School Partners
Gateway partners with many public high schools to offer courses through the Start College Now program. Below are some districts that have additional information about dual credit programs and offerings at their schools.
Big Foot
Burlington
Delavan Darien
East Troy
Elkhorn
Kenosha Unified
Lake Geneva Badger
Racine Unified
Union Grove
Waterford
Westosha Central
Whitewater
Williams Bay
Wilmot
Additional Resources
Start College Now Applications Instructions | WTCS
Start College Now Checklist
Start College Now Guidelines
Start College Now FAQ's
If you have student-related questions, like how to register for classes or navigate My Gateway, you can explore our comprehensive listing of helpful how-to videos.