Dual Credit Strong Start Guide

To ensure a successful start to your journey as a dual credit student taking classes on campus or online at College of Western Idaho (CWI), be sure to review the steps and information below. Should you have any questions along the way, our team is here to help.

1. Sign In to Your Student Account
As a dual credit student, you will be provided with an official CWI account. The username and password will be used to access myCWI, Blackboard, your student email, and more.

CWI Login Information

Visit Logon Help, and select Enroll.

Sign in with your username and password.

Username: Your username is typically a combination of your first and last name (e.g., johnsmith). In cases where multiple individuals share the same name, a numerical identifier might be included in your username for distinction (e.g., johnsmith5).

Password: The temporary password is your first initial capitalized + last initial capitalized + 'logon' + the last four digits of your social security number (e.g., FLlogon1234).

If you have not provided your social security number to the College or do not have one, please use the last four digits of your student ID number.

Follow the prompts to set up security questions.

Reset your password to a custom password of your choosing.

For login assistance, please contact the Help Desk online or by calling 208.562.3444.

Once your account has been enrolled, you may use Logon Help to reset or change your password and recover access to your account.

Logon Help
2. Verify Academic Skill Level
To ensure you are placed in the correct math and English classes, CWI uses placement exams to verify your academic skill level. Placement testing is required for students taking dual credit classes taken on campus or online at CWI.

Accepted placement exams:

ACT

SAT

Advanced Placement (AP) math and English classes completed in high school

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CWI Write Class (English) Placement

CWI Math Placement

Math or English classes taken at other colleges or universities

Schedule a Math Placement Exam Complete the Write Class Placement Online
3. Access myCWI & Your Student Email
myCWI and your student email will be essential to your success as a dual credit student. You will use your CWI username and password to log in to each system.

myCWI

Stay connected and on track with myCWI, your customizable hub for quick access to:

the Self-Service Toolkit

Blackboard

links to resources and services across the College

and more!

Access myCWI on the go with the CWIMobile app, free on Apple and Android.

Log In to myCWI

Email

You will be provided with an official CWI email account through Outlook. Be sure to check your student email regularly as this is where you will receive important information and communication from the College and your instructors.

Access Your Student Email
4. Explore Blackboard
You will use Blackboard to access information and resources, submit assignments, take exams and quizzes, and view important announcements and updates for each of your classes.

Review the details below to learn what types of information is available in the Institution Page, Activity Stream, Courses, and Organizations sections located in the left menu within Blackboard.

1. Institution Page

Find free academic and support resources available to students from Tutoring Services, the Writing Center, Library, and more.

2. Activity Stream

View upcoming, completed, and past due assignments.

3. Courses

View dual credit classes you are registered for on campus or online at CWI. Select a course to view details including:

Syllabus: class expectations and resources, instructor contact information, and assignments

Weekly Modules: a breakdown of your assignments by week

My Grades: current grade for the class

4. Organizations

Access to myCommons where you can view tutorials and resources that support and extend your learning and earn badges for mastering a topic or skill. For example, you may choose to earn the Blackboard Basics badge. To earn this badge, you will learn how to navigate Blackboard then complete a quiz with an 80% or higher. Earning badges is not required in general but may be required for specific class assignments.

Log In to Blackboard
5. Locate Your Student ID & Profile
Student ID

Your student ID number may be located in your Self-Service Toolkit on myCWI.

Log in to myCWI.

Find the Self-Service Toolkit card, and select Log In.

Once you are logged in to the Toolkit, select User Options from the left menu, then User Profile.

Your student ID number is listed beneath your name in the top left section of the page under Colleague ID.

Profile

Scroll down on the About You page to review your personal information and make updates as necessary.

Changes to your address, email, or phone number can be made directly in the Toolkit.

To update your name, complete a Student Information Update Form and send it along with a copy of your photo ID to registrar@cwi.edu from your student email account.
6. Find Your Class Schedule
Your class schedule may be viewed in Student Planning on myCWI.

Log in to myCWI.

Find the Student Planning card, and click on the image to access the system.

From Student Planning, select Go to Plan & Schedule.

The current semester will be shown first. Click on the arrows to switch between semesters.
7. Purchase Textbooks
Students who complete classes on campus or online at CWI are responsible for purchasing textbooks at the CWI Bookstore.

From the Bookstore page, click on CWI Bookstore Online.

To find which textbooks are required for your class(es), enter your student ID number under Get Your Textbooks.

Some textbook and course material costs may be paid as part of your tuition and fees. Visit Course Materials to learn more.

Advanced Opportunities funding does not cover the cost of books.

CWI Bookstore
9. Discover State Funding Options
Advanced Opportunities

To support students in opportunities to earn college credit, Idaho’s Department of Education provides several programs through the Advanced Opportunities initiative. Through the initiative, high school students in Idaho are allocated funds to use toward the cost of college credits, training, and courses as outlined below. Advanced Opportunities funding does not cover the cost of textbooks or additional fees.

Public School

Grades 7 – 12

$4,625 allocated to use toward eligible expenses

No state funding limit

Dual Credits: college course taken by high school students that are transcribed on both their high school and college transcripts

Exams: college credit bearing or career-technical exams (e.g., Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or Career & Technical Education (CTE) exams)

Public Schools Approved Exams & Costs

Workforce Training: regionally-approved workforce training courses at Idaho public colleges

Overload Courses: high school level course taken in excess of the student's regular school day

Out-of-District Funding: Covered when course has approved Advanced Opportunities funding. If funding is not approved for a course, students may submit a Certificate of Residency to their county.

Nonpublic School

Students attending a Cognia accredited Idaho nonpublic school in grades 7 – 12

$2,500 allocated to use toward eligible expenses

State funding limited

Program Funding Allocation Procedure

Dual Credits: college course taken by high school students that are transcribed on both their high school and college transcripts

Exams: college credit bearing or career-technical exams (e.g., Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), or Career & Technical Education (CTE) exams)

Nonpublic Schools Approved Exams & Costs

Workforce Training: not included

Overload Courses: not included

Out-of-District Funding: Not covered by Advanced Opportunities funding. Student may submit a Certificate of Residency to their county.

For more information regarding Advanced Opportunities funding, please contact your school counselor who can help you decide which classes to take and complete any necessary paperwork.

Apply for Advanced Opportunities
10. Pay Tuition & Fees
Tuition and fees for dual credit students are due by the end of the semester.

Payments can be made:

in-person at One Stop Student Services

over the phone by calling 208.562.3000

or from the Student Finances section of your Self-Service Toolkit on myCWI.
11. View Grades & Transcripts
Grades

Final grades may be viewed in your Self-Service Toolkit on myCWI.

Log in to myCWI.

Find the Self-Service Toolkit card, and select Log In.

Select Grades to get started.

On this page, you will see a list of your in-progress and completed semesters.

Expand each semester to view your grades for each class taken that semester using the arrow on the right.

Note: Only final grades will show in Self-Service. In-progress grades may be viewed in Blackboard.

Transcripts

Students who complete dual credit classes at their high school will have a high school transcript and a CWI college transcript.

The letter grade will be consistent between both transcripts.

Students who complete dual credit classes on campus or online at CWI or at their high school must receive a D or higher in order for the class to count toward a degree, certificate, or prerequisite. Some classes may require a C or higher depending on major requirements.

Although not eligible to count toward degree or certificate requirements, F and X grades on your transcript will be reflected in your GPA.

If you are planning to transfer to another college or university, contact them directly to verify how your CWI credits will transfer.

Unofficial Transcripts

Your unofficial transcript may also be viewed in your Self-Service Toolkit on myCWI.

From your Toolkit, select Academics from the left menu options.

From the drop-down, choose Unofficial Transcripts.

Official Transcripts

Visit Transcripts & Verifications to request to have your official CWI transcript sent to another institution.