Ram to Wildcat
Overview
The “Ram to Wildcat” Program is a series of courses offered at West Valley High School that earns a student high school and college credits and follows the Central Washington University general education requirements.
Successfully completing a Ram to Wildcat course at WVHS earns a student one high school credit and up to 5 college credits per semester. This is called “dual credit” (since students are earning high school and college credits at the same time) and these courses are typically referred to as College in the High School or CHS.
CHS classes are taught by high school teachers approved to teach these classes as they would be taught at the college level. Successfully completing required courses in the Ram to Wildcat program earns students up to 50 of the 54 credits needed to fulfill CWU’s general education requirements.
The CHS program is aligned with CWU’s general education requirements, but may be transferred to other colleges as well. If you are interested in attending other educational institutions, we highly recommend students research the specific requirements of their school of interest to understand how transferred credits are accepted. Learn more about CWU’s General Education first year experience here.
Watch this webinar to learn more about CHS and the Ram to Wildcat program: https://youtu.be/_RAENe64ezw
Benefits
Save Money
- Students earn college credit for free!
As a comparison, an on-campus CWU student typically pays $1,374 for a 5-credit class and one year of tuition at CWU in 2021-22 cost $9,344. For students learning and living on campus costs totaled $23,131 for tuition and room and board.
- CHS students do not pay for books, courses, lab fees or other student fees
Earn College Credit
- Successful CHS completion earns up to 20 college credits per year on a college transcript.
- Credits earned are transferable to CWU and other colleges and universities.
Save Time
- One course earns credit for WVHS and CWU at the same time, so students can start college having already completed their general education courses.
Experience College with Support
- CHS allows you to experience college-level classes in a familiar setting with support.
- CHS students are officially “college students” but are able to enjoy their high school experience and that learning environment at the same time.
Explore Other Programs
- While completing Ram to Wildcat courses, students can fill their schedules with classes from other pathways to explore their interests and potential career opportunities. Our Ram to Wildcat and WVFutures programs are designed to complement each other so students can get the most out of high school and prepare for the next steps in their life after high school. Talk with a counselor today to plan your future.
Other benefits
West Valley School District is partnering with six Washington four-year colleges and universities to increase access and the ability to meet the career and college goals of students.
The partner institutions are Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, Pacific Lutheran University, The Evergreen State College, Washington State University, and Western Washington University.
These partners are offering guaranteed admission for students who meet set criteria.
To be eligible for the Guaranteed Admissions programs, students must:
- Have a minimum GPA as listed below
- Complete the College Academic Distribution Requirements
GPA requirements:
- CWU - GPA 3.0 and CADRs completion
- WSU - GPA 3.0 and CADRs completion
- EWU - GPA 3.0 and CADRs completion
- WWU - GPA 3.0 and CADRs completion
- Evergreen - GPA 2.5 and CADRs completion
- PLU - GPA 3.3, no CADRs requirement
If a student meets the criteria or is on track to meet the criteria by high school completion, they are guaranteed admission to the institution.
Eligible senior students will receive information from the participating colleges and universities via mail and/or email at the beginning of their senior year, or as they are becoming eligible through their first-semester schoolwork after first semester grades have been finalized.
This program allows students to skip applying to all these colleges and universities individually and waiting to see if they are accepted.
Once a student hears from the colleges and universities saying they are accepted based upon their GPA and CADRs completion, they should talk with their counselor to determine which institution best meets their needs and interests and will best prepare them for their career goals.
Students eligible for guaranteed admission must maintain eligibility throughout their senior year, complete an admissions application, and additional requirements by the institution.
Being eligible for guaranteed admission and being contacted by the colleges and universities does not mean that the student is obligated to attend one of them.
And not being eligible for guaranteed admission does not mean that a student can’t go to any of the colleges or universities. It just means that they did not meet the guaranteed admission qualifications based on their GPA and/or CADRs. They can still apply in the traditional way for admission by filling out college applications.
In order for the colleges and universities to know which students meet the GPA and CADRs requirements, WVSD, shares senior student information with them two times a year. This information includes the students first name, last name, date of birth, parent or guardian contact information, mailing address, phone numbers on record, emails on record, unweighted GPA, and transcripts. Only students who meet the GPA requirements have their information shared with the colleges and universities. Students and families may opt-out of WVSD sharing their information by completing an opt-out form.
The Climbing Higher: Expedition CWU series was created through a partnership between the South Central STEM Network Team at ESD105 and Central Washington University (CWU). This cohort-based model will provide students with the opportunity to meet other high school students from across the region who are interested in attending CWU, meet university staff who can help support the transition from high school to college, and receive much-needed resources and guidance. This is especially important for our low-income and first-generation college students. Through the three-part series of events, organizers will address barriers that prevent students from getting to and through a college degree and provide parents with the opportunity to hear from the parents of current university students to answer any questions they might have.
Contact Shelly O'Neill, CTE/Career Connected Learning Coordinator at ESD105, for more information.
“The Central Washington University College in the High School program is a great way for students to earn college credit without having to leave their high school. The program also saves families money as the cost of the program is significantly reduced compared to on-campus and provides students a jump start on their college education. West Valley School District and Central Washington University have a long-standing collaborative relationship and we both are always looking out for the best interest of the student.” - Kyle Carrigan, CWU Director of Concurrent Enrollment
How does Ram to Wildcat compare to Running Start?
Ram to Wildcat |
Running Start |
|
Credits earned |
HS & college credits |
HS & college credits |
| Location | WVHS |
YVC |
| Schedule | WVHS
Semester schedule (6 per semester) |
YVC
Quarter schedule (3 per quarter) |
| Tuition | None |
None |
| Fees | None |
Textbooks & course fees |
| Counseling | WVHS counselor |
Plan courses at YVC |
| Extracurriculars | Participate in WVHS extracurricular activities |
Participate in WVHS extracurricular activities |
| Complete program | Earns one year of CWU |
Earns two-year community college credits |
How to Enroll
- Schedule a meeting with your counselor to review the courses you are eligible for, and develop a plan for which courses you want to take and when you need to take them.
- Depending on the time of year, take the Accuplacer placement exam (it is used for some CHS course placements).
- Select the Ram to Wildcat CHS courses you wish to register for.
- Enroll in CHS course(s) and work with your instructor and CWU to complete your registration. (Visit CWU's Registration Page.)
- Complete your CHS course and review your grade on your CWU transcript.
- Continue to meet with your counselor, review your future plans, register for and complete more CHS courses.
Please visit CWU's Student Participation Guide online for more information on the registration process.
- Parents or caregivers must complete and sign the college registration form, and students must submit this form to their teacher.
- The District pays the student's tuition and registration fees to the college.
- If a student exceeds 20 credits in a year, the District will invoice the student’s parents for the cost of those courses.
- If a student earns a D or F grade, or withdraws from a college course, the parent will be required to reimburse the District for the course's cost.
- Reimbursements from parents are due immediately after the conclusion of the school year, and unpaid reimbursements will be applied as a student fine, which will restrict participation in activities and future college courses.
Available Courses
There are over twenty classes offered for this program that allow you to earn
college credits while exploring FUTURES pathways and classes. CWU requires the
following coursework to complete the Ram to Wildcat program. Check out the
course
catalog
to learn more about the courses below, and talk to a counselor to plan your
future today.
Course Requirements
|
Minimum Required
|
Course Options
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Math | Any 1 year-long CHS course | FIN 174, MATH 153/154, MATH 172/173, AP Stats (scores of 3+ MATH 211) |
| English & Humanities | ENGL 101, ENGL 102, and ENGL 105 |
ENGL 131 (transfers as ENGL 101), ENGL 170 (transfers as ENG 105), ENGL 102 (alignment in process) |
| Social Sciences |
ECON 101, ECON 102, and PSY 101 OR SOC 101 Medical majors rec. PSY and SOC |
HIST 144, SOC 101, PSY 100 (transfers as PSY 101), POLI 100 (transfers as POSC 210), ECON 101/102 (coming 2023-24) |
|
Visual and Performing Arts |
Any 1 selection |
MUS 103, AP ART 2D (scores of 3+ ART 103) |
| Sciences | BIO101 and CHEM 101/102 OR ENST 101/202 |
ENST 201/201, AP BIO (Scores of 3+ BIO 101), AP CHEM (Scores of 3+ ) |
| World Languages |
Two years of high school language or one year of college language before college graduation. Take all to count as one year of college language. |
SPAN 151, SPAN 152, SPAN 153 |
|
Elective Credit |
Dual Credit not part of Gen Ed requirements, but may be used depending on major and college |
|
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, most of the CHS classes take place during a traditional WVHS class period. When taking CHS classes, you are still a WVHS student and may participate in school activities.
While you’re not a fully registered traditional on-campus, you are a college student! You will have a college ID, a college transcript, and may participate in some college activities as an enrolled student.
Many college credits are transferable to other colleges. We recommended you check with the college or university you are interested in to learn more about their requirements.
See CWU’s Transfer Credit Policies and Information and Washington Student Achievement Council’s Transfers page for more information.
Please check with your CHS teacher with questions and click here to learn more about withdrawing from a CWU course.
No, you may take as many or as few as you like. If you want to try a few courses, we recommend you complete the first year academic writing and quantitative reasoning requirements since those will best prepare you for college.
See the Ram to Wildcat course planner for more information.
The college credits you earn stay on your college transcript and stay with your records. So, if you decide later that you want to go to college, you can request your transcript from the college where you earned your credits and be able to show that you’ve taken some classes. Keep in mind, though, that sometimes credits have a set number of years in which you need to use them toward a degree.
Students may choose to take any CHS course without registering for the college credit. You may take the course, earn a high school grade and credit, and since you’ve not registered for college credit it will not earn you a college grade or credit.
CHS courses get you closer to a degree without having to pay for the credit when you take 20 or fewer credits a year. This reduces your need for financial aid, but not your ability to get it.
Please note, high school students cannot qualify for financial aid until they earn a high school diploma.
Taking and successfully completing CHS courses at WVHS will not impact your financial aid. When it comes to state aid, there is no "cut off." Students have a total of 12 quarters of college-bound eligibility and 15 quarters of college grant eligibility so it is not an issue for state aid.
Federal aid is cut off at 270 quarter/180 semester attempted credits regardless of when those credits were earned so in terms of federal aid, it may impact your overall eligibility, but only when you reach the 270 quarter or 180 semester attempted credits.
Most CWU and other college programs average 120 semester credits to complete a degree.
Issues arise when a student makes a habit of withdrawing, dropping courses, or taking numerous credits (over 180 semester credits) without earning a degree. For more information, or to address specific questions about your situation, it is always best to contact the university or college you are interested in attending.