experiences with community college for 16 year old

[Jeannie in NJ]

my dd is in public school (9th grade) for the first time.She is doing well all a's and b's but the attitudes of the kids in her classes really bothers her (disruptive, cursing, etc). she would like to come back home for 10 th grade and then start on her associate's degree at our local community when she is 16 . I checked with our local cc and she can do this. Only req, is to take their placement test. After taking classes at cc for 2 years (academic classes) then she wants to go to the culinary school also located at the cc (has to be 18 to take culinary classes).

 

Anyway, I am hoping for stories from those whose dc has done this, i.e. taking cc classes at age 16, .

 

p.s. dd has always related more to adults and older teens rather than with teens her own age, so i am not worried about the other students being older than her. Also she would start with just 1 class and I will be driving here.

[AngieW in Texas]

My oldest starting taking cc classes the summer after 10th grade (earliest our cc will allow). Under dual credit rules, she can take up to 2 classes each semester at no charge (still have to pay for books).

 

She has enjoyed all her cc classes so far, even the one that she wasn't too thrilled about taking (Intro to Psychology). She took that one just because it was the least awful course she could find listed available for 2nd summer session. There were several she was interested in that ran the entire summer, but we were going to be gone for 10 days during the 1st summer session, so she couldn't do a full summer class or a 1st session class.

 

I am hoping to get permission for her to take an overload next semester. Our cc will allow dual credit students to take more than 2 courses in a semester (have to pay for extra courses) with the dean's approval if several requirements are met: (1) have already taken at least 12 credit hours, (2) have at least a 3.5 GPA either on high school transcript or cc transcript, and (3) have at least minimum scores on SAT (570CR and 590math) or COMPASS (88reading/69writing/69math). Even when you meet all the requirements, the dean doesn't have to give approval.

[Basketmaker Amy]

We've had great success with my ds (17). He started last year and took two classes each term. This year he has taken 13 hours per term and is doing great. He enjoys getting college credit for college work. Many of his ps friends take AP classes...but then never pass/get the college credit. He is on track to graduate next year (when he will be a "senior"?) with his AA degree. One benefit that I didn't realize ahead of time, is that it is nice to be able to help them adjust to college while still at home. He has learned how to plan ahead for his classes, how to schedule enough time for writing papers, has found a nice librarian to help him at the library, and is learning great study habits. I can see how so many college freshmen going away to school can get so far behind. Last year I had to kind of gently stay on him...this year....he is on his own!

 

He also has an "older spirit" and cracks me up sometimes. Some days I will get texts that say, "some people really shouldn't be in college!" Another funny thing...he complained last year doing Apologia's Chemistry book..."he needed a real teacher"....well...last semester he took Chemistry I at the college and said, "that book was actually really good! I knew a lot of stuff my friends from the local high school didn't know." I will take validation any way I can!!!

 

I think you should let her try it...sounds like it would be a good fit.

 

Good luck!

[Jeannie in NJ]

Angie, does the dual credit rule work (as in no charge up to 2 classes) for homeschooled kids or is your dd in public school along with the cc classes?

[Miss Marple]

No problems here. Both older dss have started university courses at age 16. Oldest left with 35 credit hours at 4.0 GPA. For us, dual enrollment offers an excellent opportunity to take on heavier courses, learn responsibility, and get a jump on credits (as well as those credits being cheaper than we would otherwise pay). Their professors like them and consider them very studious (compared to the average freshman), they have done well with the other students when doing group projects, and it gives us an opportunity to get some of those very important letters of recommendation when applying for college and/or scholarships.

[Bev in B'ville]

and she's 16 yo. She took 3 classes in the Fall (and made Dean's list) and she's taking 4 classes this semester. She also managed to get a job at the CC as a math tutor in the Student Success Center. She's loving the CC experience.

[AngieW in Texas]

The dual credit rule is different depending on the state you live in. I think it may even vary by community college district.

 

Where I live, all high school students who have finished 10th grade can participate (have to take the COMPASS test for placement first) whether they are in public school, private school, or homeschool.

[Brindee]

The dual credit rule is different depending on the state you live in. I think it may even vary by community college district.

 

Where I live, all high school students who have finished 10th grade can participate (have to take the COMPASS test for placement first) whether they are in public school, private school, or homeschool.

So where you live they go by grade, not age? Some places say you must be 16. Some kids are not 16 until their senior year, so they wouldn't be able to accomplish as much if they could only go to CC one year....

 

I'll have to check our local CC and see what their requirements are for the program.

[Ellie]

Both my dds began taking c.c. classes when they were 14. If I had it to do over again...I'd still let them. It was great for us.

[Pamela H in Texas]

My dd was 15 when she started at the comm. college for credit. My daughter still was a bit frustrated with classmates lack of ability and the pace, but that probably was going to be the case just about everywhere when you're taking basic classes. She did prefer the ones on campus over the ones online.

 

OH, as for requirements. One area we were in said 16 period. The one we moved to said finished with 10th grade. We had to have a transcript to prove that. She also had to pass their test (THEA, but there are a few other choices).

 

Oh, and we didn't pay tuition (but did pay the general fee and for books) for the first two classes. Additional classes were at full price.

 

Anyway, I would prefer college to high school for most capable kids.

Edited March 25, 2010 by 2J5M9K

[K-FL]

Here in FL, they can start dual-enrollment ($$ from state) after they "finish 9th grade" so for my dc, they're 15yo. Dd#1 did 3yrs @ cc; graduated with her AA when her peers were finishing hs. Dd#2 has 1 more year & is planning to do the same. They're both Dean's List, & Phi Theta Kappa (cc Honor society). Dd#1 started w/1 academic & 1 fun class. Dd#2 started w/4 classes--mixed academic & fun. Even the fun are for credit though since they're Art.

 

I'll dance in the street w/ds is fully enrolled @ cc!!! He's eligible this summer.

 

Here they can take the ACT, SAT or the CPT which is un-timed & free. They must place in the college level classes--no remedial classes.

[Mejane]

My daughter started at 14. She's now 17 and has ten classes under her belt. She loves the intellectual atmosphere of college, however finds many of the younger students unmotivated. She seems to get along best with the older, more serious students.

[AngieW in Texas]

On the website, they say "finished with 10th grade". They don't mention an age. My middle dd won't turn 16yo until one month into 11th grade. I'm hoping they won't give me a hard time about it since it doesn't say 16yo anywhere on the early college start page. I know she'll do very well on the COMPASS test. She'd do a great job on it right now.

[Catherine]

My son started taking CC classes when he was in tenth grade. The first semester we learned that some CCs are "remedial" and some are "honors". The first we tried was remedial, though we did not realize it at the time. He spent a useless semester taking chemistry with adults who do not know their multiplication tables.

 

This fall he started physics without calculus at a different CC. It is a *hard* class. many students failed it in the fall, most got Cs or Ds. He was very happy with his B, which he worked very hard for. This spring he is taking it again, plus English 101, a basic college writing course. It's not quite a joke, but it's over 1 month into the class and he's just handed in his first 5 paragraph essay. And this prof came recommended by a friend.

 

I would first recommend getting as much information as you can about the prof. Check RateMyProfessor, a website with reviews. Ask around about the prof and the school's reputation. I live in an area with an excellent magnet public school, so I can choose a very good high school instead of the CC, which is not free for us. So for me anything otehr than a very good class is probably not going to satisfy me. My boys are into math and science, and in the future, we will not use CC unless we can be absolutely sure it's good. I'll go with a 4 year college class or a good online class (PA homeschoolers has some good ones).

[TravelingChris]

My dd took her first CC class just after she turned 15. She was in honors Psychology and had no problems. Since it was an honors class, it was at a good level, and not dopey.

[Gratia271]

I am thrilled to hear all of these positive CC experiences because I am getting ready to pursue this for my oldest. I have been wondering how it works out for young kids doing this kind of thing.

[Brindee]

This is what I found out about the program at our CC:

 

Eligibility Requirements:

 

• Have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or above.
  
• Must be a high school junior or senior as determined by the high school.
  
• Qualify for college level courses in writing, reading and/or mathematics on the Accuplacer Assessment.
  

I didn't find anything about whether homeschooling students/transcripts have any problems being accepted into the program. I don't think so. I have friends whose kids have been in it, and one friend whose 16yo is in the program right now.

 

I like the fact that it goes by grade, NOT age, we can work with that! :)

 

[Dee_Garretson]

Just one little safety note, especially if she'll be taking any night classes-Make sure she knows to be wary where she's walking. I taught at a tech/community college for 9 years and always worried about some of the younger students getting to their cars at night. Since I'm a mom/worrier, I tried to make sure no one walked to a remote parking lot on their own, but I'm sure many other instructors wouldn't even think about that. Some community college campuses are large, and with budget cuts, security is not always what it should be.

[Kareni]

My teen also had positive experiences with taking community college classes. She began with 13 hours as a junior in high school which she took along with a couple of AP classes elsewhere. She continued to take between 8 and 13 hours per quarter in subsequent terms. She took no remedial classes. She also found that the other students varied tremendously in their own interest in being there and ability level.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Guest Katia]

I've had two dc go the community college route with classes while still in high school.

 

Both started classes when they were 15yo, and oldest dc went full-time at 16yo and graduated with his AA degree the same time he was a high school senior. Youngest dc just opted to take classes.

 

Both had terrific experiences and learned a lot (besides what was taught in the classes) about different types of teachers, different students and keeping their own schedules. We'd do it again in a heart-beat.

[Janet in WA]

Both of our homeschool-graduate sons took cc classes through our state's dual enrollment program. They both had very positive experiences, and we'd absolutely do it again if we had the choice.

[Lux Et Veritas Academy]

I actually wrote about this back in december on my blog after we completed our first semester. My dd is 15 and we have loved it- it was an adjustment though!

 

http://www.domesticlifestyle.com/?p=1475 written on her first day

 

http://www.domesticlifestyle.com/?p=2411 written on the last day of fall

 

Hope our experience helps

[Nan in Mass]

I would definately do it again. And I wish I had done it with the oldest, public schooled child.