If you have a dual enrolled hs/college student what 'year' do you refer to them at?

[Tap]

How do you handle it?

 

Ds16 is technically a Jr in High school but is also a Freshman in college. He is taking a full credit load at college in typical freshman classes (Chem, Chem Lab, Calculus, Am Lit) at a good local CC. He has all of his high school credits except 3 and those have to be completed in his 4th year of high school to count towards his diploma so he can't do them until next year.

 

When people ask me what year my son is, I typically over-explain the situation. If I say he is in Running Start student (program title) they often respond with oh, "he is taking classes on both the high school and college campus'?" Then I have to explain that no, in fact he is full time college because he tested in high enough to do so. This leads to more questions and it ends up being more of a conversation that I intended.

 

I have tried just saying he is a 'freshman at xyz college' but then they ask questions because he is only 16 and I had him at 22, so it seems odd for me to have a college age son.

 

 

I have tried saying he is a Jr. in high school, but then they ask which school.....and it goes on.

 

 

 

 

So, does anyone have any sage advice on what to say or how to lighten the explanation?

[Sandy in Indy]

I'd probably say he's a junior who is dually enrolled at the cc. "They" don't really need any more info than that.

[Pamela H in Texas]

It is a little tough because he really is both.

 

We used dd's age-based grade before she graduated and now we use her college-based level. It makes sense to people because 15yos are high school students. People aren't nearly so weird about what level college student a 17yr old is, in our experience. Intrigued but not weird.

Edited October 16, 2010 by 2J5M9K

[Deece in MN]

I say what Sandy said when people ask in regards to my ds. He is 16 and is taking a full load of classes at the local cc so in a way he is a first year college student, but he technically is still in 11th grade since he hasn't officially graduated high school at this point.

So, all that to say, "11th grade dually enrolled at the cc" is much less of a mouth full. :)

[Ellie]

I'd just call him a junior. People don't need to know more than that. If they ask which school, either tell them that you're homeschooling or that he's taking classes at the community college, depending on how much discussion you feel up to. :-)

[Tap]

I failed to mention that the people who ask are homeschoolers, so they typically ask for more details...:D I run into people that I know from a former homeschooling hybrid, all over town. I used to work for the school district hybrid and mentored many families so they know me and my kids. It is a common "what are you doing this year" "how are the kids" "how is xyz (lots of hybrids/coops) working for you". I think that is why I stumble. I am a very forth coming person and pretty much tell anyone anything they want to know.

 

I think that is why I would like a quick..."he is blah, blah, blah" this year.

[Photo Ninja]

Just say he's a dually enrolled junior. Most people don't really want more info than that anyway. For those who really care, you can explain more.

 

My dd experienced this. She was a junior in high school and a sophomore in college, and getting ready to graduate (so she was in the position of a senior in high school). That's a lot to explain. So she ended up telling people she was a junior to make it simpler. But that was confusing to some people when she graduated at the end of the year, but people thought she was a junior, which she was. She graduated early because of all the college credits that counted for high school.

 

So in the long run, it is easier to tell people how old our dc are and avoid the entire conversation about what grade they are in. Most people are used to the ps system and don't comprehend how differently hsed students can be educated and the options they have that ps students usually don't have.

[tex-mex]

I'd probably say he's a junior who is dually enrolled at the cc. "They" don't really need any more info than that.

:iagree: If the person wants to know more -- let them ask. Keep it simple.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I failed to mention that the people who ask are homeschoolers, so they typically ask for more details.

 

That is a little different. If I think that the people asking would truly be interested and appreciate options, then I'd give the long version. Maybe start with ("oh, he's an 11th grader, but he's using that program over at XXCC which allows him to take a full courseload so he''ll have an associate's when he graduates high school").

[ktgrok]

I did that my senior year of highschool. I even lived in the dorm. I said I was an early enrollment student.

[K-FL]

For the general public we usually say, "If s/he were in ps they'd be a Junior, but we homeschool & s/he's dual enrolled at the cc." Like someone said, the masses use that as a age indicator or as a launch into dc's future plans, etc.

 

For hs friends they usually want to know how you do the paperwork to get them dual enrolled at that point.