Program Information

Becoming a Degree NOW student

• All initial information about the program will be provided by each high school.
• Each high school has its own selection criteria and application process for acceptance into the program. 
• Selected students are expected to attend an orientation to learn more specific details about the program.
• Each high school provides student names and contact information to Heartland.
• At the appropriate time, parents/students receive instructions from Heartland about continuing the admission process.

Program Costs

Degree NOW parents/guardians are responsible for:

• Heartland tuition/fees for the courses taken on campus or online
• Any textbook costs associated with Heartland courses

Payment Information

Federal financial aid is not available for students until they have graduated from high school. 

• Go here to see payment options for your Heartland tuition bill. You should call our Business Office at 309-268-8140 for help paying your bill.
• Go here for information about other resources for paying for Heartland courses. You should contact our Financial Aid office by emailing FinAid@heartland.edu or by calling 309-268-8020 to discuss using IL 529 plans.

Registering For Courses

• You will work through your guidance counselor to register for your required high school courses, including any Advanced Placement (AP) courses and College NOW courses.
• A Heartland representative will contact you at the appropriate times throughout the 4-year plan with information about the enrollment process for the courses taken on Heartland's campus or online.

Changing Your Schedule

• To be a part of the Degree NOW program, you must commit to your 4-year plan as it is outlined for your cohort.
• Exceptions to the 4-year plan will only be considered on a case-by-case basis for extenuating circumstances.
• You should talk with your guidance counselor and/or the program coordinator at your school first to discuss your options.

Opting Out of HCC Course Enrollment

Parents/students may opt out of the program at any time for any reason. Each time the window opens for enrollment into Heartland's on-campus or online courses, parents will have the opportunity to signify withdrawal from the program here.

Accessing Your HCC Student Account

• Wait until you have been prompted to complete the Heartland student application. You will be provided with specific instructions for how to successfully complete this step.
• After your application has been processed, you will find your student login information provided on the top-right portion of your Heartland welcome letter (sent via email) and use these instructions for accessing myHeartland.

Accessing Your HCC Course Materials 

• After you have followed the set-up instructions to access your myHeartland account, you will see an option across the menu bar that says My Courses.
• You can also use your login information to access Canvas directly at https://canvas.heartland.edu.

Need Help?

Contact HCC IT Staff

Degree NOW students enjoy the same privileges as other Heartland students! You can:

• get a college ID card
• attend on-campus events
• use library & tutoring services
• work out at the Fitness & Rec Center
• hang out in the Hawks Nest game room

Student Withdrawals

A student may be withdrawn from the program if he/she:

• does not meet the prerequisites or placement testing benchmarks to take all required courses
• cannot commit to completion of the 4-year course plan/schedule as outlined for his/her cohort
• violates any codes of conduct of his/her high school or Heartland Community College  

Transferability Disclosure 

The Associate Science in Computer Science is a transferrable degree within the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) system. The IAI is a state-wide transfer agreement which guarantees acceptance of general education courses into participating schools. It is always recommended that students confirm the transfer requirements of their intended 4-year institution for acceptance into their major.