We recommend you discuss participation in Running Start with your parents/guardians and your high school counselor before you apply.

Grade Level

• You must be a high school junior or senior.
• You must be enrolled in a public high school or a public school district home school network

Eligibility

• You can participate in Running Start for up to 6 quarters from the fall of your junior year to the spring of your senior year.
• If you do not participate in Running Start, you cannot "save up" quarters to use later; after your senior year, you are no longer eligible.
• Second year seniors are not eligible to participate in Running Start.

Academic Readiness: Testing

Participation in Running Start is determined by the COMPASS placement test.

• You must place into college level English 101 in both reading and writing.
• You may retake the test, but you cannot combine reading and writing scores from different test sessions.

Academic Expectations

As a college student, you are fully responsible for your education and academic success.  

• You must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above. Running Start students are held accountable to the same academic standards as other college students.
• Do your best: The grades you earn at Cascadia will go on both your high school and college transcripts.

Running Start Responsibilities

As a Running Start student, you have these responsibilities:

• Each quarter, before registering for classes, you must meet with your high school counselor to determine your class schedule and fill out and sign your Enrollment Verification Form. Please see Running Start: How to Apply for a link to the Enrollment Verfication Form.
• Turn in your form prior to registration. You cannot register for classes until you have turned it in. If you wait, you may not get into the classes you want.
• Read your email!  You will be informed of registration deadlines and other important Running Start events via email. If we do not have an email address for you or if you have recently changed it, please write to runningstart@cascadia.edu.

Costs

The Running Start Program covers only tuition for up to 15 college credits based on the number of courses enrolled at the high school each semester.  The chart below provides the maximum allowable credits paid by Running Start based on high school enrollment.  Fall semester at high school = Fall & Winter quarter at college.  Spring semester at high school = Spring quarter at college. Students will be charged full tuition and fees for each credit beyond the allowable maximum.  Credits will be charged at the 1-10 credit rate.  See the tuition chart. 

*Students taking 3 High School courses may take exactly 10 college credits and not incur college tuition charges.

Students are responsible for other costs, including:

• State mandated fees for all Cascadia Running Start students

  • $4 per credit technology fee (minimum $10, maximum $40 per quarter) assessed to all enrolled Running Start students

• State mandated fees assessed on a course-specific basis

  • eLearning fees (online, hybrid, ITV course): $43.25 per course

  • eLearning fee (telecourse): $32.45 per course

  • BIT Technology Lab Fee: $2.75 per credit (maximum $27.50 per quarter)

    • BIT Intensive Technology fee: $4.50 per credit (maximum $45.00 per quarter)

    Note: There is a fee waiver available for the state mandated fees only. To qualify, a student must be currently eligible for the free/reduced price lunch program, or have been eligible in the past 5 years. A letter from the school district indicating eligibility for the free/reduced lunch program is required, along with a Running Start Fee Waiver Form. [PDF]

• Any non-tuition costs such as books, course fees, and supplies.

• Parking and transportation.

• Tuition for each credit beyond 18 credits.

• Full tuition and fees for any non-college level classes (classes numbered under 100), such as Math 075, 085, and 095.

• Running Start does not cover Summer quarter.