Last month, nearly 1,600 high school students throughout the Las Vegas Valley gathered to celebrate their achievement of completing high school. What set these students apart from others in their graduating classes was UNLV’s Rebel red graduation stole draped proudly over their shoulders, proclaiming them as recipients of early college credit.

UNLV’s Rebel College Accelerator program allows students to earn high school and college credits concurrently. They gain valuable skills, including time management, communication, and critical thinking, while learning and preparing for the challenges of college.

“I feel like I found my own voice,” said an Ed W. Clark High School graduate. “The course was more time-consuming than my regular high school courses, but anyone could do it if they put the effort into it. I feel more prepared for college and will be attending a trade school!”

Most of the courses offered through Rebel College Accelerator are delivered through high school partnerships, giving students the opportunity to take college courses during the regular school day, taught by their high school instructor. High school students are also welcome to participate in UNLV campus-based dual enrollment, where classes are taught by UNLV faculty on the university's campus or online. This option offers a greater class variety, ideal for students who would like to study specific areas that might not be taught at their school.

“I liked the class because I learned a lot of things I did not know. I thought I knew a lot about it, but I was like ‘wow,’” said another Ed W. Clark High School student. “I do feel more prepared for college. I will be heading to UNLV in the fall to study film.”

UNLV partners with 17 high schools, employs nearly 80 instructors, and offers more than 30 courses through the program. “When we launched our concurrent enrollment program with just 100 students, I could never have imagined how fast we’d grow,” said Michelle De La Vega, assistant director of Early College Programs. “Every May I’m honored to see our students walk the stage with college credit already under their belts. Rebel College Accelerator not only saves them time and money, it dramatically boosts their chances of finishing high school, enrolling in college, and persisting toward earning their degrees.”

High school seniors are not the only population that may benefit from earning early college credit. In the fall 2024 semester, UNLV served more than 2,100 concurrently enrolled students in various stages of their high school careers.

Several students who take advantage of UNLV’s early college credit programs plan on becoming full-time Rebels upon their graduation and find the transition to college life much smoother and more comfortable. In the 2024-25 academic year, more than 17% of UNLV dual or concurrent enrollment students applied and attended UNLV in fall 2024. 

For information on UNLV's early college opportunity programs, email michelle.delavega@unlv.edu.