UT OnRamps
Why OnRamps Dual Credit from UT?
Many of our best-prepared students –even those who have taken the most rigorous coursework offered to them-still struggle in entry-level courses at universities. OnRamps Dual Credit gives high school students the opportunity to earn college credit from The University of Texas at Austin while engaging with rigorous content and practicing crucial skills to prepare them for success in university-level coursework.
Not only is OnRamps Dual Credit a cost-effective way for students to earn college credit, these Dual Credit courses provide some safety nets for students that is typically not part of the Dual credit experience, making OnRamps Dual Credit a solid option for students in WISD.
What is OnRamps Dual Credit from UT?
OnRamps Dual Enrollment is a blended learning course to be offered to juniors and seniors for dual credit from the University of Texas at Austin.
OnRamps Dual Enrollment is an opportunity for students to receive UT content and UT credit without having to pass the TSI assessment. OnRamps Dual Enrollment courses are developed by the faculty at The University of Texas at Austin. WISD teachers receive course materials that:
• Align directly with content and skill expectations of entry-level university classes
• Applies the latest research about how students learn best.
OnRamps Dual Enrollment is an economical way for high school students to earn three to six hours of college math credit or college english credit prior to high school graduation.
Special note about FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) and UT Austin Dual Enrollment Courses:
Dual Enrollment students participating in OnRamps are college students and are subject to FERPA. This means that the University of Texas will only communicate with the student about the college credit grades just as if the student were enrolled as a full-time student at UT. WISD instructors are able to discuss the high school credit grades with parents, but unfortunately cannot discuss any college academic information about OnRamps courses or participating students.
OnRamps Dual Enrollment Course Guide Supplemental: Click on the image below to see a supplemental course guide that will give more detail about the OnRamps courses offered in Weslaco ISD.
Frequently Asked Questions for UT Austin Dual Enrollment "OnRAMPS":
Q- What is the cost of Dual Credit through UT Austin with OnRamps?
A- There is no cost for any student.
Q- How do students earn college credit?
A- During the Fall Semester of OnRamps PreCalculus and OnRamps Statistics, teachers use the OnRamps materials to teach the first semester of their high school course. Students who complete the first semester at a college-ready standard established by the UT faculty (usually a minimum semester grade), are eligible to enroll in the 3-credit undergraduate course for the spring semester. Students who do not meet the college-ready standard will continue to be enrolled in the high school course.
During the Spring Semester, high school teachers continue to teach the high school course using the OnRamps materials, assigning and grading work as they usually would. At the same time, OnRamps provides a UT Austin college instructor to the course. This instructor coordinates with the high school teacher to make sure required assignments and assessments are completed by the students and that students demonstrate mastery over the course material.
For the English 1301/1302 and US History 1301/1302, each semester will begin designated as the college course. For example, in the Fall semester, all students in OnRamps English will be enrolled in Rhetoric 306 (which is 1301), and mid-October UT will score a writing project that will determine if the remainder of the Fall semester will count for Rhetoric 306 (1301) college credit. Students may or may not qualify, but each OnRamps course offers several different opportunities to qualify for credit. Your OnRamps instructor can provide additional detail for each specific course. Students that qualify for the Fall semester opportunity of Rhetoric 306 (1301) credit with a college course grade of 70+ will automatically qualify for the Spring semester opportunity for Rhetoric 309 (1302) credit. Similarly, there are additional eligibility determinations that can be made for the spring semester opportunity, such as an appeal approval, or even the TSI Assessment (see below).
For all OnRamps courses, at the end of the Spring Semester, based on their performance, students who are enrolled in the college course are awarded a grade by their high school teacher for the high school class and a college grade by their instructor. Students who are enrolled in the college course and complete it successfully will receive a UT Austin transcript, should they so choose.
TSI Usage for UT OnRamps Dual Enrollment courses
For entrance in to UT OnRamps courses, the TSI Assessment is not required. In some cases, however, after the first qualifying score for an OnRamps course, a student may opt to use his/her TSI Assessment score in an attempt to qualify for the semester to count for an opportunity at college credit. We recommend that a student attempt all UT courseware first in an attempt to gain the opportunity for credit and then if needed, a TSI Assessment can be used. Please note, that using the TSI Assessment to qualify for the opportunity for credit does not "undo" the low qualifying score for the UT course. Using the TSI for qualification may be a case by case, or course by course basis.