College Credit & Certification Opportunities

Mercy McAuley offers many opportunities for students to earn college credits, or gain specialized certifications, while still in high school. These opportunities provide students with rigorous academic coursework to help prepare them for college AND can reduce their time and costs of attending college after high school. There are several ways for students to earn college credits (or gain specialized certifications) during their years at Mercy McAuley. These include:

• College Credit Plus (CCP) courses – College Credit Plus is the State of Ohio’s dual enrollment program that allows students to earn college and high school credits at the same time. Learn more about CCP offerings at Mercy McAuley HERE. 

• Advanced Placement (AP) courses – Mercy McAuley offers several Advanced Placement (AP) courses. At the end of the course, students may take the AP exam. If they score a 3, 4 or 5 on the exam, they will likely get college credit; it is up to the discretion of the college. AP courses offered at Mercy McAuley can be found in our Course Description book, which is updated annually.

• Mount St. Joseph University Dual Enrollment courses – Several AP courses, offered through Mount St. Joseph University's Dual Enrollment program, are offered to our students. These dual credit courses are taken at Mercy McAuley and taught by Mercy McAuley teachers. These courses offered at Mercy McAuley can be found in our Course Description book, which is updated annually.

• UC Early IT Program – Mercy McAuley offers six Information Technology courses through the University of Cincinnati’s Early IT Program, which are taught by Mercy McAuley teacher Mrs. Beth Merk. Mercy McAuley students who successfully complete the required courses in high school are offered automatic admission to UC's IT school to complete a bachelor's, a master's and 20 months of work experience in just four years after high school. Learn more about these courses taught at Mercy McAuley HERE.

• Xavier University Cabrini Program – As part of the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Fellows Program, students can take Xavier University’s Intro to Education I and II courses at Mercy McAuley in a blended format (online and in-person). With this opportunity, students earn college credits only; not high school credits.

• Butler Tech CNA & MA Programs – Mercy McAuley partners with Butler Tech’s Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) program. Students take the semester course, taught by a Butler Tech instructor, at Mercy McAuley. At the end of the semester, students are prepared to take the CNA exam and be licensed through the Ohio Department of Heath. NEW in 2026-27, we will offer a year-long Medical Assistant (MA) course at Mercy McAuley, also through Butler Tech. The CNA and MA courses will be offered in alternating years. These courses are great stepping stones for students who wish to pursue nursing or medical degrees in college. Although these do not provide students with college credits, they do provide the opportunity to become certified as a Certified Nurse Aide or a Medical Assistant.