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Edmonds CC >> Running Start

Running Start

Running Start Parents FAQ

Answers:

1. Is it too late for my son/daughter to:

a. Apply for Running Start?
Running Start applications (obtained from your son/daughter's public high school counselor) are accepted during the following application periods only:

Winter Quarter 2009: October 13 - December 12
Spring Quarter 2009: January 20 - March 6
Late applications are not accepted.

b. Take the Assessment Test?
Once we've received your son/daughter's application for Running Start, it's in their best interest to take the Accuplacer Assessment Test as soon as possible. There are several steps they will need to follow after testing if they are eligible for Running Start. Testing is available at Enrollment Services on a walk-in basis between 9am and 6pm Monday through Thursday and between 9am and 5pm on Friday (summer Friday hours are between 9am and 10am only).

c. Register for classes?
If they are eligible for Running Start, your son/daughter will need to complete the online orientation before they will be able to register for classes. Registration for the next quarter begins during the current quarter. Check the Quarterly Class Schedule or the Academic Calendar for exact dates (link to Academic Calendar). Running Start students usually have priority registration and can register sometime during the first 2 days of registration, if they are ready (have gotten paperwork signed). We strongly recommend students see us at least two weeks prior to the start of registration for signatures so they will be ready. Classes will close to Running Start students and fill up quickly once registration begins. Running Start students are competing with 11,000 other students on campus for seats in classes.

2. My son/daughter has taken a placement test. What does he/she do next?

Placement test results will be mailed to your son/daughter approximately one week after they test. The letter mailed with the results will state whether your son/daughter is eligible for Running Start and give them the steps to follow in order to participate in Running Start.

3. Can I take the Running Start Online Orientation for my son/daughter?

No. Students must complete this step themselves since they need to learn about the program's specific policies and procedures. They must submit the orientation quiz results electronically to the Running Start Office (they will be prompted at the end of the quiz). We assign Running Start Live! session when we receive the results. Both the online orientation and the Running Start Live! session are required before your son/daughter will be allowed to register.

4. My son/daughter did the online orientation last night. Do I make his/her Running Start Live! appointment now?

No. We'll assign a Running Start Live! session based on when we receive the results from their online orientation. We'll mail your son/daughter a letter with the details about their assigned session.

5. Can I come to the Running Start Live! session with my son/daughter?

Yes, you may attend the Running Start Live! session with your son/daughter. Students are required to attend this session; parents are not required to attend, but are always welcome. Please understand that the main focus of this session will be on the students and answering their questions. If all of your questions are not able to be answered during this session, please contact the Running Start Office during our drop-in hours or call 425-640-1761 and our staff will assist you.

6. Where does my son/daughter get the Quarterly Enrollment Authorization form?

Your son/daughter will need to get this form from their public high school counselor, since the counselor will need to sign the form and specify the classes each student has permission to take through Running Start. Local area high school counselors get these forms from the Running Start Office.

7. Do I need to sign the Quarterly Enrollment Authorization form if my student is 18?

Yes. We always need a parent/guardian signature on the Quarterly Enrollment Authorization form because there are disclosures there for parents/guardians to know about.

8. Will Running Start pay for Bridge classes?

Running Start will pay for any class numbered 100 and above, as long as the student has satisfied the pre-requisites and his/her high school counselor has listed the course on the Quarterly Enrollment Authorization form. Classes numbered under 100 are considered self-pay classes.

9. How much will it cost for my son/daughter to participate in Running Start?

Students are responsible for cost of books and supplies and college fees.

10. Will all my son/daughter's classes transfer to the 4-year university they will be transferring to?

Unfortunately, we cannot say. Since the receiving institution determines which classes they will accept as transfer credits, please contact them about their transfer policies.

If your son/daughter is planning to transfer to a four-year university, he/she should make an appointment with an Edmonds CC adviser to discuss how their classes will transfer.

11. Should my son/daughter stay at Edmonds to finish their AA/AS degree before transferring?

There are advantages to do so in transferring to a 4-year university in Washington (universities which have "transfer agreements" with Edmonds). At some universities in Washington, it may be difficult to transfer with an assortment of credits if you do not complete an AA Degree. This is a good question to ask the university to which you plan to transfer.

12. How many credits does my son/daughter have to take per quarter in order to be in Running Start?

Running Start does not set a minimum number of credits - some students take only a 1-2 credits, while others carry a full load. The decision about whether to take Running Start full-time or part-time should be considered carefully by the student, parents, and high school counselor. Every student must be a full-time student somewhere - either at the high school, the college, or between the two. The maximum number of credits allowed by Running Start is 18. Any credits over 18 are considered self-pay.

13. Does my son/daughter have to take English and/or Math to be in Running Start?

We require each student to take a placement test in both English and Math. We use the English placement results to determine eligibility for Running Start and use the Math placement results in advising. Neither course is required by the program; however, course selection is determined by both the student and the High School Counselor, may depend on outstanding high school graduation requirements, and whether the student has met the course prerequisites.

14. Can my son/daughter take online courses?

Online classes are not recommended for Running Start students. Students new to the college environment are making many transitions and a change in class format is an additional issue that we don't advise they take on during their first quarter.

We strongly recommend students review the information for prospective students on the Distance Learning web page (see the Distance Learning link off the Edmonds CC homepage - www.edcc.edu) and carefully consider if they are ready for the online format and the dedication and focus required for online classes.

Running Start will pay for an online class, but we caution students to carefully consider their likelihood of success.

15. We are going on vacation during the quarter. Can my son/daughter miss his/her classes for a week?

No. Our college's vacation time and the high school's vacation time, does not usually occur at the same time. If you are planning a family vacation during your son/daughter's high school's vacation time, this may not be the quarter for your son/daughter to take Running Start. Our courses only run 11 weeks. It is very difficult to make up the material missed in a week of lectures and discussions. To miss a week of college classes will put your son/daughter at risk in their classes and may lead to a failing grade.

16. My son/daughter is in Pre-Calculus in high school, but he/she scored into Math 90. Can he/she just bring their transcript from high school and qualify for a higher math class?

No. High school classes do not transfer to the college. All students must take the placement exam. Students who do not place where they expected have the option of re-testing (one time per quarter), or continuing to study math at their high school.

Advanced Placement is available provided the student has taken the AP course and exam and scored an appropriate level. Students must provide test scores and have them evaluated by Edmonds CC (complete a form at Enrollment Services).

17. Can my son/daughter register for classes online so we don't have to come back to campus?

No. Running Start students can never register online due to sponsorship parameters and the original signatures needed for registration. Your son/daughter must come into the Running Start Office, with their completed Quarterly Enrollment Authorization form and their Registration form, for our signature and then go to Enrollment Services in person to register. Running Start Office hours are posted on our door and on our website each quarter.

18. Can I register my son/daughter for classes since they're in school during their registration appointment time?

No. Running Start students are now considered regular college students and are therefore responsible for conducting all college business for themselves.

The registration appointment chart lists the EARLIEST time a student may register for classes each quarter. It's fine to register any time after that, so students may do so after the end of school that day. Check out the office hours for Enrollment Services. Students must remember to get paperwork signed in the Running Start office prior to registering.

If there is a true emergency, and someone else must make a transaction for them, (register for classes, drop a class, add a class, etc.), they will need a signed letter from the student giving them permission to make that transaction.

19. Can I talk to my son/daughter's instructors about how they're doing in class?

No. Edmonds Community College follows federal guidelines concerning student privacy rights and access to student records. Instructors are not required to have conversations about academic progress with anyone other than the student (Family Educational Rights Privacy Act - FERPA). No information will be released without the student's written permission. Records information will be disclosed to parents if a written consent by the student is received or if the parents establish the student's dependency, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service, by completing an affidavit available at the Enrollment Services Office. Families may discuss the Running Start student's progress with the high school counselor.

We do recommend that all Running Start students complete a FERPA form to allow their parents access to their records and the ability to find out and pay their tuition and fees.  If you have questions regarding this process, please contact Enrollment Services at 425-640-1458.

20. What support services are available to help my son/daughter be successful in his/her classes?

• The Learning Support Center provides tutoring and a writing support center. Drop-in tutoring is available in several subjects including accounting, sciences, foreign languages, math, psychology, sociology, and statistics. The Learning Support Center provides free, one-on-one assistance. Students may bring in assignments or papers from any class for positive feedback and discussion in a comfortable atmosphere. The Center also offers math success workshops.
• Services for Students with Disabilities helps students with all types of disabilities such as: deaf, mobility, language, learning disabilities, blind/visual, chronic health, neurological, psychological, or emotional. SSD assists in obtaining reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities to ensure academic success. Services include priority registration, alternative testing, interpreters for the deaf, scribes, readers, taped books, note-takers, and referrals to off-campus agencies. A computer lab with adaptive equipment is also available.
• The Equity and Diversity Center assists both women and men in achieving individual, educational, and career goals through short-term counseling, career information and referral, access to scholarship information, crisis intervention, and referrals to community resources. Special programs, lectures and workshops about career planning, financial management, and job search skills are scheduled throughout the year. The center's mission is to educate the college community in diversity awareness and gender issues. It also provides students with one-on-one support and encouragement.
• The Advising Resource Center houses various resources designed to assist students with the enrollment and transfer process. Stop by and pick up university applications, course equivalency guides, or browse through university catalogs. Students may also look at the four-year visit schedule and make an appointment with a four-year representative.
• The Counseling and Resource Center provides short-term counseling for career planning and exploration, academic concerns, and personal issues and crisis intervention. Sessions are free and confidential. The Counseling and Resource Center also houses a wide variety of community resource information, including referrals to mental health providers in the community if long-term counseling is needed.

21. My son/daughter is sick. Can you let the instructors know he/she can't attend classes?

Each student is given a course syllabus at the beginning of each class per quarter, which lists the attendance policy for that class and contact information for the instructor. The student should contact the instructor and inform him/her of the situation and make sure they obtain notes from another student for the lectures/discussions they miss.

22. Can you tell me if my son/daughter already registered for classes? What grade they've earned?

No. Edmonds Community College follows federal guidelines concerning student privacy rights, and access to student records. Instructors are not required to have conversations about academic progress with anyone other than the student. No information will be released without the student's written permission. Records information will be disclosed to parents if a written consent by the student is received or if the parents establish the student's dependency, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service, by completing an affidavit available at the Enrollment Services Office. Families may discuss the Running Start student's progress with the high school counselor.

23. Are there places on campus for my son/daughter to get something to eat?

There are a couple of options for food on campus: Triton Marketplace (the cafeteria) is located in Brier Hall and offers a salad bar, soup, pizza, and grilled items, as well as daily/weekly specials; Mulligan's Café, located upstairs in Triton Union Building offers a selection of sandwiches and burgers. There is also a coffee stand (Heavenly Cappuccino) which serves pastries and a variety of hot and cold beverages. Many vending machines on campus offer snacks and cold drink options. The EdPass Card can be used as a debit card for purchases at any of these places - simply add money to the student's EdPass Card at Cashier's, and then the student presents the card with their purchase.

24. Is parking free on the campus?

Yes, parking is free. However, finding a student lot parking space on campus, especially in the morning, can be a challenge. Your son/daughter should allow ample time to find a parking space when attending classes on-campus. They may want to consider alternative transportation options, such as using their EdPass as a free Community Transit bus pass. They can access a parking map and other transportation information on the web.