Shape Your Future With Us

Prepare for Your Future Earn College Credit at Cleveland STEM HS

We are excited to announce to students as they begin registering for classes for the next academic year or for prospective students and families the various options available to earn college credit while attending classes at Cleveland. Our goal is to encourage students to take advantage of our dual credit courses, which allow them to earn college credit right here at Cleveland. By staying at Cleveland, students can benefit from a supportive and familiar environment while still gaining valuable college credit requirements.

School Counseling Services & Support

Academic, Career, and Social Emotional Support For Students

• Individual and small group counseling
• Support for attendance and coursework challenges
• Confidential referrals to outside agencies
• High school class registration and course planning
• Class changes and waiver requests
• Post-high school planning through college and career guidance lessons in Naviance
• Student and Family Events
• Scholarship, financial aid, and college application information

Dual Credit Courses at CHS

Refer to the list below for the range of opportunities for students to earn college credits in English/ Language Arts, Math, Science, World Language, and Music. For more details refer to our Course Registration Handbook.

• UWHS ENGL 131, ENGL 111, and BIOL 100
• AP Chemistry, AP Physics,
• AP Environmental Science,
• AP Computer Science (Principles & Projects), Anatomy & Physiology
• AP Calculus, AP Statistics, Math 130
• AP Chinese, AP Spanish
• AP Music Theory (coming soon), Recording Arts
• Filipinx Studies, Latinx Studies

Skills Center

The Seattle Skills Center is a free program in Seattle Public Schools that prepares students for careers, college, and life. This training is provided through regular school year courses and a summer program off-site from Cleveland. Skills Center offers either AM classes from 8:50 – 11:15 a.m. or PM classes from 12:45-3:15 p.m.

Skills Center provides an opportunity. for students who are on-track with their graduation requirements to take other exciting career-based elective courses. Skills Center Deadline May 1, 2025.

Running Start

Running Start is an optional program that allows students in 11th and 12th grade to take college courses at Washington’s 2-year and technical colleges. Running Start tuition is free. Students need to pay for books, class fees, and transportation to the college. Students eligible for free and reduced lunch can have some fees waived. Students can choose from a full-time or part-time Running Start schedule with some or no classes at Cleveland.

Student Running Start Information Sessions for current students: Thurs. Jan. 30 during lunch in the auditorium and Thurs. Feb. 27 during lunch in the auditorium. Running Start Deadline May 2, 2025.

Running Start Doesn’t Mean Rush

• It’s ok to spend 4 years in college.
  • You are eligible for financial aid for 150% of degree time, so 6 years for a 4-year degree.
• Time in college makes you more competitive for future job or graduate school applications.
• Job or grad school applications expect experience in addition to your degree.
  • Like involvement in clubs, internships, research, etc. which takes time in college to get.
• Job or grad school applications require references or recommendations.
  • Which are harder to get if you haven’t been in college long enough to develop relationships with professors.

Being Competitive for College Admissions

• Academic record (#1 factor in college admissions!)
  • Cleveland offers lots of great AP and College in the High School classes.
  • Cleveland classes prepare you well for college because of the learning environment and gaining deeper understanding.
  • Support like CASH, Student Success Center, Scholar Saturday, College Acces Programs (like STEMsub, CSF, Upward Bound, etc.
• Teacher Recommendations
  • Better relationships with Cleveland teachers than RS professors.
  • Cleveland teachers are experienced at writing recommendations.
• Extracurriculars and Leadership
  • Club meetings, sports, after-school activities at Cleveland.
  • Leadership opportunities to build on gth and 10th involvement.

Credit Transfer Possibilities

• Running Start is a Washington-specific program
  • Other states may have similar “dual enrollment” or “dual credit” programs but they will not necessarily know the name “Running Start”
• Not all out-of-state colleges will accept your transfer credit
  • The more selective the college, the less likely they are to accept your Running Start credit
• In Washington, not all courses transfer the same
  • Check credit equivalencies before registering for classes to make sure your RS Courses will transfer the way you want them to transfer.

Running Start and College in the High School Grades Follow You

• Obviously grades matter when applying to college.
• Your Running Start and CIHS courses will be on your transcript the first day you start at a 4-year school.
• Your Running Start and CIHS grades and classes affect admissions to your major, financial aid eligibility, and more.

Math Science Upward Bound, University of Washington