Cascadia College > Advising and Counseling > High School Completion

High School Completion

Cascadia offers a high school completion program for adults (anyone 18 and over by the first day of the quarter) who want to complete requirements to earn a high school diploma.

Earn a High School Diploma at Cascadia

  • Washington State residents 18 and older can enroll in Cascadia courses to meet Washington State high school graduation requirements. Any Cascadia course numbered 100 or above (such as English 101) earns high school and college credits. Classes numbered below 100 (Such as English 96) will earn high school credits only.
  • Students can take classes any quarter. Fall, winter and spring quarter are 11 weeks in length. Summer quarter is 8 weeks in length.
  • Each 5-credit Cascadia course earns 1 credit towards high school requirements. A student’s high school graduation requirements are determined the year the student entered 9th grade.
  • Students who are 19 and over pay reduced tuition of $11/credit. Students are responsible for fees, books and parking/transportation. Reduced tuition is available only for classes needed for the high school diploma. Students will pay full tuition for any classes not needed to earn the high school diploma. Students who are 18 pay full tuition for all classes.
  • Students must earn a 1.0 (D) in each course to apply it to high school graduation requirements. No more than 5 college credits of a D grade can apply to Cascadia Associate Degree requirements.

How to Get Started

1. Plan Early

You will have a much better student experience if you register for classes at least 3 weeks before the beginning of the quarter.

2. Request Transcripts

Request an official high school transcript from every high school you attended. A transcript is official if it is in a sealed envelope from the school. You can’t register for classes until your official high school transcript is received and evaluated.

3. Meet with Advisors

Meet with the Cascadia College advisor, Kris Panton. Kris will be your advisor throughout the time you are working on your high school diploma. Based on your official high school transcript, Kris will help you determine how many credits are required to graduate. Kris will also be able to answer your questions about the program and help you plan your next steps. Please contact Kodiak Corner at 425-352-8860 to schedule with Kris. To ensure enough time to answer all of your questions, please make sure to tell the scheduling staff that you are interested in high school completion.

4. Apply for Admissions to Cascadia

Apply for Admissions Online by the application deadline noted in your packet and on the Enrollment Calendar

5. Take the Accuplacer Placement Test

  • Based on your assessment results, you may take college level classes that count toward both your high school diploma and a college degree.
  • You must earn a 2.0 or higher grade point average (GPA) in each course required for the diploma, in addition to completing a minimum of 5 credits at Cascadia.
  • Depending on the date you originally started high school, you may also be required to meet Washington state requirements.

The test is optional IF you submit placement results from another college OR transcripts showing successful completion of college-level English (completed at any time) or math (completed in the last 24 months).

Information about Accuplacer Placement Test.

6. Send Your Transcripts to Cascadia

Send official copies of your transcripts sent to Cascadia from any high school(s) and/or college(s) you have attended. Cascadia must receive the transcripts at least 48 hours before your advising appointment (see next step). Failure to provide Cascadia with official transcripts in a timely manner may prevent you from starting classes until the following quarter.

7. Pay Tuition and Fees

Send official copies of your transcripts sent to Cascadia from any high school(s) and/or college(s) you have attended. Cascadia must receive the transcripts at least 48 hours before your advising appointment (see next step). Failure to provide Cascadia with official transcripts in a timely manner may prevent you from starting classes until the following quarter. See How to Pay.

8. Purchase Your Parking Permit or Buss Pass

9. Get Your Student ID Card

To get your Student ID card, go to the Bock Learning Center or Kodiak Corner with your valid photo ID and a printout of your student schedule online from ctcLink to show you've paid tuition.

10. Set Up Your Computer and Email Account Information

To set up or access your student accounts online, visit the Accessing Accounts webpage. When the campus is open, you may go to the Bock Learning Center. You must go in person; you cannot complete this step online or by phone. Bring a valid photo ID and a printout of your student schedule online from your ctcLink account to show that you have paid tuition. Launch ctcLink in the Firefox browser or on your mobile device.

10. Buy Your Books

You can purchase online at the University Bookstore website.

11. Attend Classes

Age & Residency

  • If you are 18 years of age and have been a Washington state resident for at least one year, you pay full resident tuition. You must show your driver's license or Washington state ID as proof of residency. If you have not been a Washington state resident for at least one year, you pay full nonresident tuition.
  • If you are at least 19 by the first day of the quarter, you qualify for reduced tuition through a state waiver.

Please see the High School Completion Pathways to determine your option or pathway.

Receiving Your Diploma

When you register for your last quarter of classes before you expect to graduate, complete a Graduation Application with an Academic Advisor during drop-in hours at Kodiak Corner/Student Services Center. If you meet the graduation requirements, we will send you details on graduation. We encourage you to participate in the commencement ceremony held each spring.

Your diploma will be issued by Cascadia College.