Brooklyn Petro’s (Sesser) journey through dual credit and dual enrollment was more than just a way to get ahead — it was the foundation of her successful academic career.
“The enrollment process was fairly simple,” she shared. “I applied online, and once I received my acceptance papers, I signed up to meet with a Rend Lake advisor who came to our high school. That meeting helped me register for my first summer class, and everything moved smoothly from there.”
Petro took a mix of dual credit courses taught by Sesser-Valier High School teachers and dual enrollment courses taken directly through the College. Her first college course, Rhetoric and Composition I, felt different from high school classes, but thanks to a strong foundation laid by her high school English teacher, she transitioned with ease.
As she worked toward her high school diploma, she also took part in Rend Lake’s EDGE (Entrepreneurial Development Growth & Education) program. Designed to teach entrepreneurial skills to Franklin County high school students, the EDGE program prepares students to start and run businesses through classroom work, business tours, and hands-on presentations from guest speakers in the community.
“EDGE helped me earn the final credits I needed to graduate, but it also taught me real-world skills like public speaking and how to effectively communicate,” she said. “More than anything, it helped me build lasting connections. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone in the Franklin County area.”
Despite her success, Petro’s journey was not without its challenges. Struggling with health issues during high school, she and her family pushed for a 504 plan to ensure Petro received necessary accommodations.
“The staff there were incredibly kind and understanding,” said Petro. “They acted quickly to accommodate my needs as a dual-enrollment student. Rend Lake’s support was a breath of fresh air, and it made a huge difference to me during such a difficult time.”
With 64 credit hours under her belt, Petro earned an Associate in Arts and an Entrepreneurship Certificate. Following her high school and RLC graduations, she continued her education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the School of Business. She credits her dual credit and dual enrollment coursework with making her rapid academic momentum possible.
“The dual credit experience helped me learn to ask questions, reach out for help, and schedule academic appointments without feeling nervous,” said Petro. “This was such a valuable opportunity, and being able to take part in it at a discounted rate made it even more accessible. It truly made graduating possible for me.”
Summer Semester Junior Year of High School:
During the Summer Semester, Petro’s course was a dual enrollment class through RLC. This course was not offered at Sesser-Valier High School as dual credit.
|
Course |
Title |
Credit Hour Amount |
Course Type |
|
ENGL 1101 |
Rhetoric and Comp. I |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
*Total credit hours = 3.00
Fall Semester Junior Year of High School:
During the Fall Semester, Petro’s courses were dual enrollment classes through RLC. These courses were not offered at Sesser-Valier High School as dual credit.
|
Course |
Title |
Credit Hour Amount |
Course Type |
|
ENGL 1102 |
Rhetoric and Comp. II |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
PSYC 2101 |
Intro to Psychology |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
*Total credit hours = 6.00
Spring Semester Junior Year of High School:
During the Spring Semester, Petro’s courses were dual enrollment classes through RLC. These courses were not offered at Sesser-Valier High School as dual credit.
|
Course |
Title |
Credit Hour Amount |
Course Type |
|
COMM 1101 |
Effective Speech |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
MUSI 1110 |
Intro to American Music |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
PHIL 1101 |
Intro to Philosophy |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
*Total credit hours = 9.00
Summer Semester Senior Year of High School:
During the Summer Semester, Petro’s courses were dual enrollment classes through RLC. These courses were not offered at Sesser-Valier High School as dual credit.
|
Course |
Title |
Credit Hour Amount |
Course Type |
|
BOT 1101 |
Plants and Society |
4.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
MATH 1111 |
Statistics |
4.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
PHSC 1102 |
Principles of Earth Science |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
*Total credit hours = 11.00
Fall Semester Senior Year of High School:
During the Fall Semester, Petro’s courses were a mix of dual credit and dual enrollment classes through RLC. The dual enrollment courses were not offered at Sesser-Valier High School as dual credit.
|
Course |
Title |
Credit Hour Amount |
Course Type |
|
BUSI 1202 |
Employability Skills |
1.00 |
Dual Credit |
|
BUSI 1203 |
Entrepreneurial Skills |
4.00 |
Dual Credit |
|
GEOG 1101 |
Intro to Geography |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
HIST 2107 |
Latin American History |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
PHIL 2105 |
Non-Western Philosophy |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
*Total credit hours = 14.00
Spring Semester Senior Year of High School:
During the Spring Semester, Petro’s courses were a mix of dual credit and dual enrollment classes through RLC. The dual enrollment courses were not offered at Sesser-Valier High School as dual credit.
|
Course |
Title |
Credit Hour Amount |
Course Type |
|
ART 1101 |
Art Appreciation |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
BUSI 1101 |
Intro to Business |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
BUSI 1204 |
Business Functions |
5.00 |
Dual Credit |
|
BUSI 2105 |
Legal/Social Environment of Business |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
CULA 1205 |
Food Sanitation |
1.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
MGMT 2201 |
Principles of Management |
3.00 |
Dual Enrollment |
|
SOCI 1101 |
Intro to Sociology |
3.00 |
Dual Credit |
*Total credit hours = 21.00
RLC maintains an in-district tuition rate at $110 per credit hour and a universal fee (includes costs associated with textbooks, technology costs which directly support academic functions, and other general costs associated with academic services of the College) at $42 per credit hour.
The partnership between RLC and the high school allows us to offer dual credit FREE of charge. No fees or tuition will be charged for traditional dual credit classes. (Traditional dual credit classes are taught by qualified high school instructors using college curriculum at the high school campus during regular school hours.)
Tuition for dual enrollment will be half-cost for eight hours per semester. Any courses taken beyond eight hours are billed at the standard tuition rate. Students are responsible for course fees, supplies, and textbook costs.
To calculate your estimated cost of attending, use RLC’s free Net Price Calculator.
Juniors and seniors attending a high school in the Rend Lake College district may take advantage of dual credit courses per the terms and conditions set forth in 110 ILCS 27/1-30. Students must meet requirements and prerequisites prior to enrolling in courses. Students must be approved by their school counselor to participate in the program by being enrolled in a Dual Credit qualified class.
High school juniors and seniors, either home-schooled or attending a high school in the RLC district, may take advantage of dual enrollment by enrolling in courses which take place after the normal high school day. Students must meet placement requirements and prerequisites prior to enrolling in courses.
Visit RLC’s First-Time Students page to get started. Apply to RLC now by clicking here.