Summer Experience
June 15-August 7, 2026
FVCC's Summer Experience offers high school juniors and seniors from across Montana the chance to earn free college credits while getting a glimpse of what the college experience will be like.
This 8-week course for rising high school juniors and seniors is completely free, in addition to the six free credits through Running Start. Courses like College 101, Financial Literacy and another college class of your choice give you a jump-start on your college course count.
Registration is free and opens March 2. Space is limited, and classes fill on a first-come, first-served basis. Join a campus tour before classes begin on June 10 at 10am or June 11 at 2pm, meeting in Blake Hall.
Steps to Apply to Summer Experience
Visit Placement Testing for more information. Your application for admissions must be submitted and processed prior to taking placement tests.
Directions to access reading and writing placement tests.
If you have ACT scores, you are not required to take the placement test.
Complete the Summer Experience Registration Form and email it to runningstart@fvcc.edu.
Courses Available for New Summer Experience Students
All new Summer Experience students take COLS 105: College 101, a one-credit course focused on career exploration, collegiate expectations and experiential learning activities:
| Class Section | Class Meets 6/15-8/7 | Experiential Learning Activities Day |
|---|---|---|
| COLS 105-01 | Mondays, 12:20-1:20pm | July 9, 9am-3pm |
| COLS 105-02 | Mondays, 12:20-1:20pm | July 23, 9am-3pm |
| COLS 105-03 | Tuesdays, 12:20-1:20pm | July 9, 9am-3pm |
| COLS 105-04 | Tuesdays, 12:20-1:20pm | July 23, 9am-3pm |
Each student then chooses one additional class worth two, three or four credits:
| Course Title | Course Name | Credits | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSTR_101B_90 | Western Civilization I | 4 | MTh | 10-11:50am |
| PHOT_113F_01 | Magic of the Darkroom I | 3 | MTW | 9:30-11:50am |
| PHOT_154F_01 | Exploring Digital Photography | 3 | MTW | 1:30-3:50pm |
| PSCI_250B_01 | Intro to Political Theory | 3 | MTW | 10-11:50am |
| WLDG_100_01 | Intro to Welding Fundamentals | 2 | MTWTh | 9am-12pm |
| WRIT_101W_90 | College Writing I | 3 | T | 10-11:50am |
For more information, contact Running Start.