Early College Academy

• Overall minimum grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 unweighted scale*
• Approval from Early College Academy office*
• Counselor or Principal approval/consent**
• Parent or legal guardian approval/consent**

• Overall minimum grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 unweighted scale*
• Counselor or Principal approval/consent**
• Parent or legal guardian approval/consent**

• Counselor or Principal approval/consent**
• Parent or legal guardian approval/consent**

*Fee listed is Application Fee ($15 at MoWest)

*Additional materials and fees dependent on course

*Additional materials and fees dependent on course
** Based on 2025 MDHE data

ECA courses help students earn college credit, save money on future tuition, gain valuable experience for college-level coursework, and build confidence toward their post-secondary options all before graduating high school. Students have mostly full access to resources, departments, and auxiliary offerings (Athletics events, etc) that MoWest has to offer, age dependent.

Students can click here or on the Apply button at the top of our homepage (in the gold bar) to open their Slate application. For first time users, students will need to set up an account. For returning users, students will need to log in using the email on file (not your MoWest email).
Once an account is created/signed into, a short application is filled out to verify student eligibility and information. After submission, students are able to select the course(s) they desire using the ECA Slate Portal. Information on Campus Network Information, Multi-factor Authentication, and ECA Updates are also on your portal.

Used fairly interchangeably, dual credit and dual enrollment differ in who is teaching the course. Dual Credit courses are taught at the high school by a qualified high school instructor while Dual Enrollment courses are taught by University faculty, either collaboratively at the high school with a high school instructor, online, or at MoWest. Both provide students a chance to take college-level courses that count toward their high school and college graduations.

While both work towards college credit, Dual Credit courses and AP courses differ in a variety of ways. Primarily, with AP courses, the awarding of credit is not based on the course itself, rather a final, national cumulative exam that is taken at the end of the course. Depending on the score, students may or may not receive college credit. Additionally, instructors do not need to meet a minimum qualification to teach these courses.

Dual Credit courses guarantee college credit, as the entire course will count towards completion. Instructors are qualified through HLC and the state of Missouri to teach these courses and these instructors are held to the same standards as MoWest faculty. Finally, students who take any ECA courses have mostly the same access and opportunities to resources as all MoWest students, where AP students do not.

Course prerequisites can be found in the MoWest Catalog. For the following courses, students must meet either the ACT, ACT On-Campus, placement exam or alternative qualifying prerequisite:

• ENG104 College Writing and Rhetoric
  • English ACT score of 18 OR a passing score on the Writing Placement Exam OR junior/senior standing with a GPA of 2.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale   
• General Studies Math (MAT110 Contemporary Problem Solving, MAT111 – Introductory Statistics, MAT112 – Finite Math, MAT116 – College Algebra)
  • ACT math score of 22 OR passing score on the Math Placement Examination OR high school math GPA of 3.0 or higher w/ completion of Algebra II
• MAT119 Trigonometry
  • ACT math score of 22 OR passing score on the Math Placement Examination OR C or better in MAT110 or higher.
• MAT167 Calculus
  • ACT math score of 25 OR grade of C or better in MAT116 AND MAT119
• CHE111 General Chemistry
  • ACT/Pre-ACT math score of 22 OR C or higher in MAT110 or higher OR concurrent enrollment in MAT110 or higher OR passing score on the Math Placement Exam OR a GPA of 3.0 or higher in Algebra II.

These are in addition to meeting the eligibility criteria to take ECA courses.

The number of courses a student can take depends on a number of factors. Typically, school districts and school counselors will help determine proper guidelines and availability of courses based on schedule, academic standing, and district policy. Students should check with both their counselor and their parent/guardian to determine the right fit for them.

Absolutely! The ECA team is always willing to sit down with a student to determine what courses may fit their college ambitions or what options are available to them. To do this, students can click here to request an advising appointment or can call the ECA Office at 1-816-271-4121

Most ECA courses have online textbooks and materials or utilize the ECA library to lend textbooks for select courses. Some courses do have a MoWest Express charge (materials provided by Barnes & Noble). Students are responsible for the proper care and return of all borrowed materials, whether from the ECA library or from Barnes & Noble. Failure to return items in a timely and proper manner may result in a charge for replacement of materials.

All applications have a $15 registration fee once per semester. Any other fees are listed per course on the students ECA Slate Portal.

Bills are due three months into the semester (specific dates listed on our ECA Calendar). This is different from our undergraduate practice as we do not want to deter any student from taking ECA courses. Failure to pay will result in a hold put on the students account which will restrict future registration. For questions or issues, students can contact the Business Office at 1-816-271-4324 or the ECA Office at 1-816-271-4121.

Yes! The state of Missouri provides a Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship that is accessed on eligibility rather than determined by award ranking. High school students who are eligible are highly encouraged to apply for the scholarship that covers tuition and fees for their dual credit or dual enrollment courses. More details on this scholarship can be found here.

Additional financial support may be available at your school district. Please check with your school counselor for more details on any programs they offer.