Quick Links

FAQs.

Topics

Absences
Advice & Support
Course Selection & Enrollment
Eligibility
Graduating Early
High School & College Credits
High School Graduation
IEP/504 Plan
Placement Tests
PE Credits
Sports
Textbooks
Tracking Student Progress
Transferring to College

Questions & Answers

Absences

How do I handle an excused absence?
If you have to be absent from class for any reason you must notify your college instructor immediately. A student who misses too many classes at Foothill could be dropped from the class. The CollegeNow! Advisor cannot excuse you from your class.

Advice & Support

What questions do I ask my CollegeNow! Advisor and which ones do I direct to my Foothill College Counselor?
Most questions should be directed and/or discussed with your College Now! Advisor first, unless you are considering the option of transferring to a 4-year college as a Junior. Foothill College Counselors can advise students who wish to transfer to a four-year college as an entering Junior.

Who do I contact if I need help?
College Now! students have full access to all Foothill College support services. Your College Now! Advisor can direct you depending on the nature of the help you need.

Course Selection & Enrollment

What is the earliest date I can register for my college classes?
College Now students receive priority registration and can register for classes with "new, non-matriculated college students." Refer to the Foothill Dates & Deadlines for the specific registration dates for each quarter.

What are the chances that I will get the classes that I want each quarter?
Excellent. There is no guarantee, but your College Now! Advisor will assist you in getting the classes you need to meet high school graduation requirements.

Eligibility

When can I enter College Now!?
You can enter the program at two different times each year: at the start of the fall and winter Foothill quarters if space is available. You are also eligible to attend Foothill's Summer program for a maximum of 6 units.

Graduating Early

Can I graduate early from high school if I complete all my graduation requirements?
Technically, yes, but if you do, you will then no longer be a CollegeNow! student and you will have to pay for all college fees.

High School & College Credits

Will I earn college and high school credits at the same time?
Yes. Your college credits will also satisfy the high school graduation requirements. For example, a 4-unit college class will generate 8 credits on your HS transcript. All Foothill classes will also appear on a separate college transcript that will travel with you as you complete your collegiate work. Caution: Once a college class is entered and grade is received, that entry is permanent and cannot be changed.

Can I take more than 15 college credits each quarter?
Yes, you can enroll in up to 21.5 units each quarter by completing the Petition for Excess Units, but there are two important considerations:

1. The Education Code will not allow the college or the high school to subsidize your fees, therefore the student is responsible for paying full tuition for all the units (not just the incremental units) the student enrolls in (i.e., quarterly registration fee of $55 and a per unit fee of $31 for each unit, each quarter).

2. If you plan on applying for admission to a four-year university directly out of high school, your prospective college may limit the number of college credits they will allow you to transfer. Please contact your prospective colleges regarding their transfer credit policy.

If a student can only take 15 units per quarter at Foothill, where does a student complete the other high school graduation requirements?
There are a number of options:

Credits are doubled at Foothill so most students are able to complete all high school graduation requirements at Foothill.
Students can submit an excess load petition approved by parents and the CollegeNow! Advisor. Under this option students can take up to 21.5 units each quarter but parents will have to pay for all fees.
Students can also request a referral from the College Now! Advisor to take independent study classes through the MVLA Moffett independent study program.
Students may also be eligible to take courses at their home high school if the class is required
- to meet a high school graduation requirement that is not offered at Foothill College
- to fulfill a required sequence of courses for college admissions
- to continue a special high school elective program e.g., performing arts, CTE, athletics or similar

Note: The last option is very challenging to manage because of transportation requirements to and from the high school and college campuses and the schedule conflicts between the high school and college courses. Courses that meet early in the morning or after the regular school day work best (e.g., early jazz band, sports)

High School Graduation

Can I still participate in my high school graduation ceremony and senior-year activities?
Yes. You may participate in graduation and all other senior end-of-year activities that do not conflict with attending your Foothill classes. You may also participate in all collegiate extracurricular activities (except college sports) and are eligible for all support services available to other college students on the Foothill campus.

IEP/504 Plan

What do I do if I have an IEP or Section 504 Plan?
Provide a copy of your IED or Section 504 plan to the College Now! Advisor and the Foothill Disability Resource Center. Please complete the online registration at the Disability Resource Center. After you complete the online form, a Foothill counselor will get in touch with you.

Placement in College Classes

Do I have to take the placement test to take classes at Foothill?
Students can determine their eligibility for Foothill Math and English classes by providing a copy of their latest high school transcript to the Foothill Testing & Assessment Office (Bldg. 8200, Rm. 8212). Transcripts can be dropped off in the Assessment Office or emailed to [email protected]. Students should consults with the College Now! Advisor for placement in language and science classes. Allow at least one week for processing, prior to registration.

PE Credits

Can I enroll in a Foothill PE class?
Yes, you may, but be advised that most Foothill PE courses only earn 1 unit of credit (i.e., doubled to 2 credits of PE on your high school transcript). If you need 10 credits of high school PE, you need to take 5 Foothill PE courses.

Sports, Performing Arts, Clubs & Other Activities

Can I play high school sports if I enroll in College Now!?
Yes. A student must be enrolled in 20 high school units per grading period (i.e., 10 college credits) and have those courses appear on the high school transcript to be eligible to play high school sports at their home high school. You must also maintain a 2.0 GPA. Remember that college credits will be doubled on your high school transcript. Also be aware of the logistics and time required to participate in a sport, making sure that sports do not conflict with your college schedule. High school students cannot play sports at Foothill.

Can I continue with my performing arts classes and clubs at the high school?
Yes, students can continue participating in clubs and activities as long as they do not conflict with their college classes.

A student may also be eligible to continue performing arts or other classes at their home high school if the class is required

To meet a high school graduation requirement that is not offered at Foothill College
To fulfill a required sequence of courses for college admissions
To continue a special HS elective program e.g., performing arts, CTE, athletics or similar

This option is challenging to manage because of transportation to and from the campus and the schedule conflicts between the high school and college courses. It requires the student to sign a contract (ask the College Now! Advisor) that needs to be approved by the College Now! Advisor, the High School Principal and the High School Teacher.

Textbooks

Do I have to pay for my college classes and college textbooks?
No. Your college application fees & unit fees are waived by the college, so long as you are still considered a high school student and enroll in no more than 15 units per quarter. Your college textbooks are paid for by the high school. If you take more than 15 units, you are responsible for paying ALL of the tuition and fees.

How do I get my college textbooks and who pays for them?
As a College Now! student, you are still considered a high school student. Therefore, the high school district will pay for your books. Simply go to the bookstore and show your student ID and your textbooks will be charged to the College Now! account. (Refer to Buy Books on the Enroll tab for instructions on how to order books online from the Foothill Bookstore). Important: Submit your receipts to Annett Trail in Rm. 2152 (or email them to [email protected]). And remember to return all books in their original, unmarked condition to Rm. 2152 before the last day of finals to avoid being charged for the books. If you would like to highlight or mark the books, you must purchase them yourself.

Tracking Student Progress

Can my parents contact the college or a college instructor about my progress?
No. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations do not allow the college to give out any information to anyone other than the student him or herself. If there are questions about the student's progress, your parents should discuss these questions with the CollegeNow! Advisor.

If I don't like the grade I am getting in a college course, can I drop the course or ask that the course not be put on my college transcript?
The college determines the last date a student can drop a class without penalty. You are responsible for checking what those dates are each quarter. This information is available on the Foothill calendar under Dates & Deadlines for each quarter. You must also understand that once a grade has been entered on your college transcript, that grade CANNOT be removed. It will travel with you as you transfer to any other college or university. However, most classes can be retaken to improve your grade.

Transferring to College

A Foothill College Counselor can advise students who wish to transfer to a four-year college as an entering Junior. You can set up an appointment online.