Tips for Dual Enrollment

K-12 students complete the steps themselves (with parent support)

A key benefit of Dual Enrollment is that K-12 students become familiar with college admission and registration processes. To dual enroll, K-12 students need to complete the same steps as college students – and more. It might feel daunting, but we are here to help!

Dual Enrollment is also the beginning of a student's permanent college record. FERPA protects the privacy of every El Camino student's education records regardless of age, though we are happy to provide parents with general information to support their student.

Read everything

There is a lot to learn if you are a first-time Dual Enrollment student, including both El Camino College basics and items specific to Dual Enrollment while in high school.

Our webpages are loaded with links and up-to-date information to make sure K-12 students have the resources and guidance they need – all in one place, available 24/7. We even have our own Frequently Asked Questions!

Know what type of Dual Enrollment you are doing

El Camino College offers K-12 students the opportunity to dual enroll in traditional El Camino College classes alongside college students (online and on-campus) – or to dual enroll in classes offered in partnership with their high school (often at their local high school campus) – or both!

The Steps for Dual Enrollment are the same for both types, but K-12 students need to register themselves for traditional El Camino classes, while those participating in classes in partnership with their high school only complete Steps 1-2.

Complete the steps early

Completing the Steps for Dual Enrollment takes time – usually 5-7 business days, but possibly longer during peak times (like the beginning of a semester) or if additional approvals (like Division Dean Approval) are required.

While there is no "deadline for Dual Enrollment," there are important dates when class registration begins and ends. El Camino College classes can also become full as students register for them, and some classes are more impacted than others.

By completing the steps as early as possible, you can save your seat in the class of your choice!

Provide complete and accurate information

The information you provide when you apply to El Camino College for the first time is used to create your El Camino student account. This will be your account both while you are a K-12 student and if you attend El Camino after high school as a college student.

We recommend using an email address that is not your school email address, as you will lose access to this email after high school.

Students need to complete Admissions Forms to change this information later, like a name change or email address change, or to update their social security number.

Know and provide your ECC ID Number

El Camino College Student ID Numbers are 7 digits (no letters) like 2591234. Students receive this number in their Welcome Email, and it is different than your CCCID and Confirmation Number.

It's important to remember your ECC ID Number for your records, and to provide it on your Dual Enrollment Application Form and when connecting with El Camino staff in order to correctly identify your student account.

Make sure you can access MyECC

MyECC is El Camino's secure online student portal where students perform a variety of tasks, like register for classes and view grades. For this reason, it is important that new students be able to sign into MyECC using their @elcamino.edu email address and initial password, then create a new secure password when prompted.

Students receive their MyECC username and initial password in their Welcome Email.

These same MyECC login credentials are also used to sign into Canvas (for online class content) and Office 365 (for Word, Excel, email, etc.) 

Get permission for two (or more) courses on your Dual Enrollment Form

Your completed Dual Enrollment Form approves you to register for up to 11 units during the fall and spring semesters – see How many classes can I take through Dual Enrollment?

Approved courses need to be specified in Section III, which has fields for Course #1 and Course #2.

Even if you would only like to dual enroll in one class during a term, we recommend seeking approval for two or more courses on your form. This can be useful as a backup in case your Course #1 choice is full, or if you change your mind.

Courses are identified by subject and number, like Psychology 101 or History 102. A Dual Enrollment Form with these courses listed in Section III would grant a K-12 student permission to register for any class section of Psychology 101 and History 102. You could then register for one or the other – or both!

Check your @elcamino.edu email address regularly

Every El Camino student has an @elcamino.edu email address (including K-12 students), and any important communication from the college or your instructors will be sent here.

The easiest way to check your email is to go to outlook.com/elcamino.edu from your web browser and sign in with your MyECC login credentials. You can also add your @elcamino.edu email address to your mobile device as an Exchange or Office 365 account.

Join us for help and events

We offer Dual Enrollment Zoom Help every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4:00-5:00 p.m. and by appointment. This is a great way for K-12 students who have questions or issues to share their screen and receive assistance with the Steps for Dual Enrollment.

We also host virtual Information Sessions for each term, as well as online Registration Assistance workshops on the day/evening that K-12 students can register for classes.

Join us by visiting Help & Events!

Subscribe to Dual Enrollment Updates

Want to receive updates with important information for K-12 Dual Enrollment students? Like reminders when the start of registration is right around the corner? Or that the latest Class Schedule is now available online?

We added a new Dual Enrollment Updates feature to our homepage. Sign up for for text message notifications, or join Remind to receive notifications via email or using the Remind app.

Don't delay, reach out for assistance

We check the dualenrollment@elcamino.edu email address daily and respond to questions, troubleshoot issues, and provide links and referrals.

Part of navigating the college experience is knowing how/who to ask for assistance. The Dual Enrollment Office acts as a single point of contact for all K-12 students to make sure they are supported through the admission, dual enrollment, prerequisite, and registration processes – and more! Please let us know how we can help.