Start College Now allows students who are high school juniors or seniors the opportunity to take college courses at a Wisconsin technical college during the regular academic year while also completing high school.

If you're an interested junior or senior, meet with your high school guidance counselor to discuss your career plans and determine if enrolling in college courses through the Start College Now program is right for you.

Reasons to Take College Courses in High School:

  1. Earn both high school credit and college credit.
  2. Explore your options before committing.
  3. Research credential opportunities.
  4. Save time & tuition.
  • General Information

  • Eligibility Requirements:

    Your student may be eligible to take courses at a technical college while still in high school if they:

    1. Have completed 10th grade
    2. Are in good academic standing
    3. Submit a written request by March 1 (for fall courses) or October 1 (for spring courses)
    4. Are not identified as "at risk" (per state guidelines)
    5. Are not ineligible due to past participation or performance


    Admission to the Technical College:

    • The student must meet course requirements and prerequisites
    • Admission is based on space availability


    Credits & Graduation:

    • Students can earn both high school and college credit
    • The high school will review if the college course meets graduation requirements

    Transportation:

    • The school district does not provide transportation to the technical college

    Start College Now | Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Statute 38.12(14)

  • Student Success Plan

  • Our Student Success Plans (SSP) focus on three areas:

    1. Career Assessments
    2. Academic Map & Support Services
    3. Financial Budget

    In summary, we sit down one-on-one with a student and have a conversation about what the student would like to do in the future. We begin by discussing students’ Xello results, if they’ve completed them, or guiding them through an alternative career assessment if they prefer. If a student already has a clear career direction, we continue the conversation with thoughtful, guiding questions. These discussions are valuable because they help us support students in selecting courses that will benefit them in the future. We also dedicate time to students on the University Transfer list or those who don’t plan to attend Southwest Tech after graduation but are interested in getting a head start on college coursework. Finally, we cover the financial aspects—what the high school will pay for, what Youth Apprenticeship may cover, and what expenses may fall to the student.

    Student Success Plans (SSPs) help guide students toward informed, future-focused decisions. By addressing career goals, academic planning, and financial awareness through individualized, one-on-one conversations, SSPs ensure that each student receives personalized support aligned with their aspirations. The use of career assessments like Xello helps students identify potential paths, while academic and financial planning ensures they understand both the educational steps required and the costs involved. This holistic approach empowers students to make confident, informed choices—whether they plan to attend Southwest Tech, transfer to another institution, or enter the workforce—maximizing both the relevance and value of their high school and dual credit experiences.

    Student Success Plan Template

  • Career Pathways

  • The college has created flyers highlighting popular pathways for Start College Now students, featuring recommended courses based on programs of interest. While these are merely suggestions, students are free to request nearly any course at the college and are not required to take all of the courses listed. Most courses are offered online asynchronously unless marked with the on-campus symbol.


  • How to Apply

  • If you have completed the 10th grade (Program is available to 11th and 12th grade students) and are in good academic standing you can apply to the Start College Now Program. Here's how to apply!

    1. Complete the Start College Now Application
    2. Submit the completed form to your school district by March 1 for fall semester courses and October 1 for spring semester courses.
      • The application will be presented at a school board meeting and following approval, it will be sent to Southwest Tech.
    3. Apply Electronically to Southwest Tech.
      1. Visit www.swtc.edu/apply
      2. Login (or create an account) and start a new application
      3. Choose Start College Now
      4. Choose Season 20XX
      5. Complete the remainder of the application.
    4. Once our Dual Enrollment Team has received and reviewed your application from your school district, we will reach out with further details for next steps.


      5. Application Instructions

  • How to Register
    1. Ensure your Southwest Tech Student Email is activated. If you have taken Start College Now, CollEDGE Up, or Undeclared in the past, you most likely have your student email address activated. However, if you are new to the college, or have not previously set up your account, you should have received an email with the subject "Welcome to Southwest Tech". Please search for this email as it holds important information on the following:
      • Your SWTC email address and temporary password to activate your account
      • Setting up Multi-factor identification (Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) - Overview)
      • Changing your temporary password to a password of your choice.
      If you are having issues logging into your account, you will need to call our IT department at 608-822-4357. They are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.

    2. Please ensure you are able to access you MySWTC Student Portal and complete the following required documents.
      1. Go to MySWTC Portal.
      2. Click on the Student Portal Homepage tile.
      3. Authenticate following your welcome email instructions.
      4. Select "Student Portal Homepage".
        • You should now be logged into your portal

    3. Complete any required forms.
      1. Click "My Profile" on the left-hand side and then select 'Document Center".
      2. Select ALL PROGRAMS on the Document Center page, in the dropdown program menu.
      3. c. If you have either or both of the following forms listed in your Document Center, you will need to complete them before you are able to register.
        • SA – Financial Responsibility Agreement
          Click on the document name to open it and electronically sign the document
        • AM – Secondary Demographic
          Please document the final grade level you have completed for the Highest Level of Education (ex. If you are a senior, you will mark the highest level of education as 11th grade because you completed that grade level).

    4. Click on “Academics” on the left-hand side, and then select “Registration”.

    5. Follow the instructions below to register for the course(s) you’ve been approved to take:
      1. Select Start College Now from the Program drop-down.
      2. Choose Season 20XX from the Term drop-down.
      3. In the course search bar, you will search course number using the table above. Then you will look for section number for that course.
      4. Continue following the instructions to click the green plus button, register/unregister, and then register.
      5. You can confirm your course registration by clicking “academics” on the left-hand side, and then “my class schedule”.


    Registration Instructions

  • Cost

  • Statute 38.12(14)

    • The school district pays for eligible courses taken for high school credit, including tuition, fees, and books
      • Each high school must pay for up to 18 college credits per State Statue. If districts choose to pay for more, they can do so but are NOT required.
    • Students/Families do not pay, unless the course is similar to one already offered at the high school OR the student exceeds the 18-credit maximum high schools have to pay for.
    • Programs like youth Apprenticeship can also help families and districts pay for courses.
  • Supports & Services

  • We have a number of supports and services that Start College Now students have access to use as they are Southwest Tech students.

    These supports and services are listed on our Knox Learning Center Website and our Academic Services Page.