Think back on your first two years of college. Did you ever notice that it felt like you were taking many of the same classes you took in high school all over again? It would have been nice to take those classes once and get credit for both your high school and college graduation, right? The need for college degrees for adequate employment has increased, along with the price of getting those degrees. If they are up for it, beginning to work on college courses while in high school can give them a huge jump start!
Not sure if you are comfortable with your child attending college yet?
Many colleges have online courses your student can take in the comfort of his own home. Science courses with labs usually must be taken in person, but since the onset of COVID-19, more colleges have worked to make the labs available at home as well, although usually with an extra lab cost. The professors my children worked with treated them with the same respect they gave the older students. When my teens chose to take a course that needed to be taken at the college, they usually chose to take it during the summer when a friend, traditionally schooled or homeschooled, could join them, or with a sibling needing the same course. My oldest did take classes on her own at the local community college and enjoyed her experience as well.
Dual Credit vs. Concurrent Enrollment
Have you tried to maneuver through understanding the difference and still felt at a loss? There are few sites that clearly differentiate the two.
Dual Credit
Dual Credit students are enrolled with a public or charter school. They work with that school and their parents to get approval to take certain courses through the college nearby and receive both high school and college credit for the course. Their tuition is waived.
Concurrent Enrollment
Concurrent enrollment students are public/private school students who are taking college courses for college credit only, OR are students who are homeschooled or attending a school that is not state funded and are taking college courses for both college and high school credit, or college credit alone. These students do pay for all of their tuition and books, but if you check with the college or community college you are working with, many have reduced tuition rates for high school students. I also found that when I have put my children’s college tuition and book costs in my federal taxes, I received much of what I paid back in the form of a tax refund.
Where do I start?
1-Apply at the local college.
On most of the college websites you will find the option to apply, or instructions on how to do so, under the tab entitled, “Future Students.”
2-Decide what courses you want to take.
Most students do not have their life planned out quite yet. It is always safe to start with classes such as First Year Composition (usually ENG101, ENG102,) a mathematics course, psychology 101, or a foreign language. These courses almost always transfer to any college your student may be interested in down the road. If your child believes he knows what he wants to get a degree in, or if he has taken most of the basic prerequisites, I recommend having him complete what I refer to as a “quick college prep course," which is laid out here. Once they know the degree they want to work toward, they can plan out the best sequence of classes.
**Tip: Courses with a number below 100 will not give you credits you can use towards a college degree. I usually recommend using other online resources to boost a student’s skill level in the areas they don’t test high enough in and retaking the exam. This will save you from paying for a course that won’t give them credit toward a degree.
3-Take any needed placement exams.
Most community colleges require placement exams before registering for many of their courses. These are usually listed under the prerequisites for the course, but the office or advisor can usually help you know which are required as well. Usually these consist of the Accuplacer and Writeplacer exams. You can choose to take all of the exams together, or take only the ones necessary for the courses you want to enroll in that semester. You can use the links below to find practice tests and resources to prepare for these tests. Remember, you can always take them again if you don’t get a high enough score the first time.
Accuplacer practice links:
**Tip: On the math placement exam, make sure your student knows to click on at least Algebra 2 on the highest math completed. I love math and we sometimes stray from the book, so my daughter, trying to be honest, didn’t click on Algebra 2 because we never officially finished the book. She said the test only gave her easy problems and didn’t give her a high score. We went back a week later and clicked on Algebra 2 and took the test again and she tested into Pre-Calculus.
4-Check if there is mandatory advising or any other requirements prior to registration.
Many colleges require new students or those with fifteen or less credits to have mandatory advising prior to registering. I recommend going in with confidence and being prepared.
**Tip: Be prepared to share your goals, the courses you feel will help you accomplish them, and act confident!
My daughter knew what courses she wanted to take and when she needed to take them so she would be eligible to apply to her program of choice when she graduated high school. The advisor tried to talk her into taking easier courses to start, but when the advisor saw how confident she was with her decision and the work and thought she put into it, the advisor allowed her into the courses even before she had finished one of the placement exams. Confidence and being prepared can make a huge difference!
5-Register for your classes, the earlier the better.
Classes fill up. Registering early in the process allows you to pick times and instructors that work best for you.
**Tip: You can look at reviews of professors on sites such as RateMyProfessors.com. Be careful to read why the professors received good or bad reviews. Many negative reviews stem from a lazy student disappointed in having to study, instead of on the instructor’s ability or competence.
6-Check the bill.
Make sure you weren’t charged out-of-state tuition or didn’t receive any high school student discounts available. This does happen occasionally. Lastly, keep that receipt and file for taxes in the spring. It is a great tax deduction!
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