High school credit in 7th grade???

[Pam B]

My next question is whether or not it is possible to have my son earn a high school credit in 7th grade. He is doing spanish and I'd really like to give him the HS credit. How do I go about it, or can I even do that?

[Teachin'Mine]

When I was in school, we started Spanish, or French, in 7th grade. 7th grade Spanish and 8th grade Spanish combined were counted as Spanish I. I don't think the grades were put on our high school transcript, but they did count as high school credit. If you're doing a full high school Spanish I curriculum in 7th, I'd count it and put the grade on the high school transcript. :)

[Pam B]

It is a full course. It has the grammar, reading, writing, all of it. My daughter is in 9th grade and doing the same one.

[Kathy in Richmond]

I'd give her the credit & put it on the transcript. As a homeschool, you can do what you want. Even in public and private schools, it's not uncommon for high school level course in math, science, and foreign languages taken in middle school to be given high school credit. My daughter had quite a few early credits in those areas. She started high school level math and Latin in sixth grade. She earned the credit, so I gave it to her. Her transcript had a separate column for credits completed in grade 8 or younger. All of the colleges she applied to were fine with this.

 

~Kathy

[FaithManor]

Things must be tougher in our area. None of the schools list high school credit earned in 7th or 8th grade on high school transcripts. Michigan colleges and uni's only want to see what was done in the last four years of school or if the student is accelerated and graduating early, the last three years. They expect to see that the minimum number of credits needed to graduate have been filled with classes beyond what was done in middle school. So essentially, the student receives acknowledgement from the school that a pre-requisite to some other high school class has been met. Therefore, algebra in 8th grade is not on the transcript. The transcript will begin with geometry in 9th grade and since the student needs three maths in order to graduate, would then include potentially geometry, algebra 2 and trigonometry or accounting, stats and analysis, or calculus depending on the student's choice. The same with foreign languages. If language 1 was completed in middle school, the transcript began with language 2. The college knows to assume that the pre-requisite was met earlier.

 

Though homeschoolers are free to do their transcripts however they so choose, we found when dd was applying to colleges that her transcript presented in it's best light by following some basic rules such as not including material covered in middle school, using a standardized method of calculating GPA, determining if the institution wanted to see only letter grades or also wanted percentages, etc.

 

Faith

[KnitWit]

Things must be tougher in our area. None of the schools list high school credit earned in 7th or 8th grade on high school transcripts. Michigan colleges and uni's only want to see what was done in the last four years of school or if the student is accelerated and graduating early, the last three years. They expect to see that the minimum number of credits needed to graduate have been filled with classes beyond what was done in middle school. So essentially, the student receives acknowledgement from the school that a pre-requisite to some other high school class has been met. Therefore, algebra in 8th grade is not on the transcript. The transcript will begin with geometry in 9th grade and since the student needs three maths in order to graduate, would then include potentially geometry, algebra 2 and trigonometry or accounting, stats and analysis, or calculus depending on the student's choice. The same with foreign languages. If language 1 was completed in middle school, the transcript began with language 2. The college knows to assume that the pre-requisite was met earlier.

 

Though homeschoolers are free to do their transcripts however they so choose, we found when dd was applying to colleges that her transcript presented in it's best light by following some basic rules such as not including material covered in middle school, using a standardized method of calculating GPA, determining if the institution wanted to see only letter grades or also wanted percentages, etc.

 

Faith

:iagree:

[Kareni]

My daughter took Algebra I and Latin I in 8th grade. I chose not to put them on her transcript as she took an additional four years of Latin during high school as well as four subsequent years of math. Those follow up classes indicated that she had clearly covered the basics at some point. Had my daughter taken a high school level class in 8th grade and then not taken a follow up class, I would have considered putting that class on her transcript.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Pam B]

So, wait until he is finish with high school to evaluate if it should be on it or not?

[creekland]

Things must be tougher in our area. None of the schools list high school credit earned in 7th or 8th grade on high school transcripts. Michigan colleges and uni's only want to see what was done in the last four years of school or if the student is accelerated and graduating early, the last three years. They expect to see that the minimum number of credits needed to graduate have been filled with classes beyond what was done in middle school. So essentially, the student receives acknowledgement from the school that a pre-requisite to some other high school class has been met. Therefore, algebra in 8th grade is not on the transcript. The transcript will begin with geometry in 9th grade and since the student needs three maths in order to graduate, would then include potentially geometry, algebra 2 and trigonometry or accounting, stats and analysis, or calculus depending on the student's choice. The same with foreign languages. If language 1 was completed in middle school, the transcript began with language 2. The college knows to assume that the pre-requisite was met earlier.

 

Though homeschoolers are free to do their transcripts however they so choose, we found when dd was applying to colleges that her transcript presented in it's best light by following some basic rules such as not including material covered in middle school, using a standardized method of calculating GPA, determining if the institution wanted to see only letter grades or also wanted percentages, etc.

 

Faith

 

This is the same way our ps does things and the same thing we found at colleges we visited and applied to with my oldest. All said we could put it on if we wanted to, but they wouldn't count it as a credit. We ended up putting an asterick next to those courses that said they were taken in 7th or 8th, but not adding them in for credits or toward the GPA.

[mcconnellboys]

I did it, because I was hoping to move my older son along and into college earlier. When he changed his mind and wanted to return to a traditional high school setting, I didn't end up needing all the credits because I wanted him to just go in with his age mates (he's a little young, anyway, as he has a mid-summer birthday).

 

If you think you might have any difficulties with any high schools in your area (in case your child might end up going back to school), or if you think that the universities that are of interest to you might balk, then you might want to save yourself the trouble.

 

Otherwise, I think you let them do the level of work that they need and if it truly is high school level work, then they should get the credit for it. Many school districts throughout the country make special arrangements for gifted kids to be able to do higher level work earlier. Many kids in my town now go into high school with geometry or Algebra II as their beginning math; many go into honors or sophomore level foreign languages, etc. That may mean that they just take more of that subject at advanced levels in high school, or it may mean that they move into dual credit, college level work while in high school. It depends on what that particular school offers/allows and what the child needs/wants.

 

The point is, there is such a huge amount of variety in what's acceptable from one school to another in the same city, much less across the country, that you'd need to look at your very specific set of circumstances to know what will work out best for you in your area....

[EKS]

I would keep records as though you are going to count it, and then when it comes time to prepare the transcript you can decide whether to keep it.

[creekland]

I should add that I think it's wise to do languages earlier as opposed to later due to the way our brain learns language. That said, for credit in later years a college is likely to require more study in the high school years (not a bad thing in my mind).

[Ellie]

If you're doing it for your own use, as in when to decide to graduate your dc (Il doesn't have any requirements for hsers to graduate), sure.

 

But if your dc wants to use that credit in applying to college, it could be problematic. More than one person has posted here that some colleges to which their dc applied specified that courses on the transcripts had to have been completed during the immediate four years preceeding the application.

[KAR120C]

I would keep records as though you are going to count it, and then when it comes time to prepare the transcript you can decide whether to keep it.

I'm keeping all the records. Who knows what the specific colleges DS wants to apply to will require when he applies! There's no way to ensure you're doing it right, now, when you're four or five years away from even knowing what college to ask. So keep the records. At worst, you'll be in practice for when you need them. :) We had an admissions officer specifically tell our homeschool parents group that he wanted to see Algebra 1 on up, with complete course descriptions and textbooks used and evaluations (grades) no matter when it was taken.

 

Generally speakng though, it's unlikely that you can take credits in 7th grade to excuse yourself from work later (that is, do two years of language in 7th and 8th and then nothing more - that probably wouldn't work!) But if you're taking language now and intending to continue (Spanish 3, 4, AP, Literature, etc.) the 7th grade credits probably won't be necessary.

[Pam B]

okay, so I guess it will be a play it by ear kind of thing. I don't want to run into troubles, but I don't want him to have to re-earn a credit either! :glare:

 

thank you sooo much!

[Julie in MN]

My oldest son (public schooled) took algebra 2 in 8th grade and it was not on his high school transcript, but his school copied his middle school transcript on the back of his high school transcript. He still had to meet high school math requirements, but was able to go farther. If you go farther in foreign language, it might mean taking a college level class, but that would be an extra opportunity for your dd that she gets because of her hard work in the younger grades.

Julie

[Joan in GE]

I'm keeping all the records.

 

This is what I'm starting to do for my 7th grader now... as it seems to depend upon the state and the college...

 

In PA, you can't give credit for work done in 7 or 8th grade. But the work does count toward required subjects for graduation (and they seem to have more than some states). I think it is a little unique, but am not sure about all 50 states...

 

Now if you applied to a school outside the state, then it seems dependent on the school.

 

Ds was doing high school level French work in 7th and 8th (and did the AP French exam in 9th) and I was going to give the credit for 8th grade French. But now since he has continued on with the French (since he may be studying in French and I didn't want him to lose his skills), he would have way too many French credits and it started to look silly. :001_smile:

 

And even though you can do the work of "world history" in 7th grade, since it is a credit that you generally need for high school credits, you might want to wait to do it in high school if you can only do it one year. If you are doing the WTM sequence, you'll be doing world history all along. This is just one example in another subject area for anyone else interested in the subject...

 

Joan

[Laura Corin]

Only if the child doesn't believe in Santa.... (running away).

 

Laura

[Kathy in Richmond]

I'll give my reasons, since I'm one of the few who did put those early credits on the transcript.

 

First, the gifted magnet schools in my county in Virginia do give high school credit for math, science, or foreign language courses taken at the high school level in middle school. (My son was in this program for a while, and he qualified for sixth grade algebra; I still remember the parents worrying about how these grades would affect their high school gpa's, because they did "count"). So I just wanted the kids to look similar to other strong applicants from this area.

 

In my daughter's case, I just wanted her application to highlight her very deep interests & talents in math and Latin. Yes, I could have left the early courses off the transcript. The colleges surely would have understood that she'd already had algebra 1, 2, and geometry & also Latin 1,2,and 3. But she also had Number theory at an early age, and I wanted that on her transcript. If I put in one math course, why not put them all in? In addition, she had some national-level math and Latin awards from those years, and she was vying for some honors/scholarships in math and Latin. I wanted to include the course descriptions, too, to show that her work really surpassed most classes of the same name.

 

We didn't need any of those courses to count for high school credits! She had four more Latin courses (through post-AP level) and nine more math credits (yes, that is her passion :D).

 

Maybe I should have left them off the record. I'm sure the colleges wouldn't have cared. But my point is that it did not hurt her credibility at all (accepted at Princeton, MIT, Stanford, etc :)).

 

ETA: I don't mean this to come off as argumentative at all (I'm working through the pain of a cracked rib and feeling sort of cranky right now:tongue_smilie:) ; just wanted to share our experiences & point out that many ways of writing a homeschool transcript might be equally acceptable to college admissions offices. We all just need to do what works for our own kids and tells their story in the best way possible to the colleges.

 

~Kathy

Edited November 4, 2010 by Kathy in Richmond

[Kareni]

I ... just wanted to share our experiences & point out that many ways of writing a homeschool transcript might be equally acceptable to college admissions offices. We all just need to do what works for our own kids and tells their story in the best way possible to the colleges.

 

 

 

Well said, Kathy. I agree that there is not one right way that fits all children.

 

(And I hope you recover quickly from your cracked rib.)

 

Regards,

Kareni

[regentrude]

I would put on DD's transcript courses that are clearly beyond the level of an average high school class if taken in 8th grade.

She is currently following a College Physics class - not formally enrolled, but attending lectures, doing homework, taking exams. I can see two scenarios for which I would put it on her transcript: if she does not take any further physics (which is unlikely; she'll probably do calc based physics later on at which point nobody will care that she did an algebra based class in 8th), or if she develops strong extracurricular interests/travels abroad etc which will cause us to stretch earning the required credits for highschool over a period of five rather than four years in order to make time for these special interests.

[angela in ohio]

Only if the child doesn't believe in Santa.... (running away).

 

Laura

 

:lol:

[8filltheheart]

I'll give my reasons, since I'm one of the few who did put those early credits on the transcript.

 

First, the gifted magnet schools in my county in Virginia do give high school credit for math, science, or foreign language courses taken at the high school level in middle school. (My son was in this program for a while, and he qualified for sixth grade algebra; I still remember the parents worrying about how these grades would affect their high school gpa's, because they did "count"). So I just wanted the kids to look similar to other strong applicants from this area.

 

In my daughter's case, I just wanted her application to highlight her very deep interests & talents in math and Latin. Yes, I could have left the early courses off the transcript. The colleges surely would have understood that she'd already had algebra 1, 2, and geometry & also Latin 1,2,and 3. But she also had Number theory at an early age, and I wanted that on her transcript. If I put in one math course, why not put them all in? In addition, she had some national-level math and Latin awards from those years, and she was vying for some honors/scholarships in math and Latin. I wanted to include the course descriptions, too, to show that her work really surpassed most classes of the same name.

 

We didn't need any of those courses to count for high school credits! She had four more Latin courses (through post-AP level) and nine more math credits (yes, that is her passion :D).

 

Maybe I should have left them off the record. I'm sure the colleges wouldn't have cared. But my point is that it did not hurt her credibility at all (accepted at Princeton, MIT, Stanford, etc :)).

 

ETA: I don't mean this to come off as argumentative at all (I'm working through the pain of a cracked rib and feeling sort of cranky right now:tongue_smilie:) ; just wanted to share our experiences & point out that many ways of writing a homeschool transcript might be equally acceptable to college admissions offices. We all just need to do what works for our own kids and tells their story in the best way possible to the colleges.

 

~Kathy

 

I'm following this plan as well. :001_smile:

 

I know a young lady at one of the local magnets who is a 9th grader in Spanish 3. The ps does include 1&2 on the transcript since they are required for a diploma. ;)

[Moni]

I'd give her the credit & put it on the transcript. As a homeschool, you can do what you want.

 

Sure, I'd give high school credit.

Do it in 7th as a (mother-required) "hobby." ;)

"Offer" the course in 9th grade.

As the administrator/teacher, you determine the student has Competence/prior knowledge in the first minute of the first day of class.

(Ping!) award the credit in 9th grade that first day and be done with it.

 

:seeya:

[Beth in SW WA]

I'm following this plan as well. :001_smile:

 

I know a young lady at one of the local magnets who is a 9th grader in Spanish 3. The ps does include 1&2 on the transcript since they are required for a diploma. ;)

 

My dd is on track to take Spanish 3 in 9th. She received high school credit for Spanish 1 at our ALE last year and is working on Spanish 2 now.

[Carrie12345]

I'll give my reasons, since I'm one of the few who did put those early credits on the transcript.

 

First, the gifted magnet schools in my county in Virginia do give high school credit for math, science, or foreign language courses taken at the high school level in middle school. (My son was in this program for a while, and he qualified for sixth grade algebra; I still remember the parents worrying about how these grades would affect their high school gpa's, because they did "count"). So I just wanted the kids to look similar to other strong applicants from this area.

 

In my daughter's case, I just wanted her application to highlight her very deep interests & talents in math and Latin. Yes, I could have left the early courses off the transcript. The colleges surely would have understood that she'd already had algebra 1, 2, and geometry & also Latin 1,2,and 3. But she also had Number theory at an early age, and I wanted that on her transcript. If I put in one math course, why not put them all in? In addition, she had some national-level math and Latin awards from those years, and she was vying for some honors/scholarships in math and Latin. I wanted to include the course descriptions, too, to show that her work really surpassed most classes of the same name.

 

We didn't need any of those courses to count for high school credits! She had four more Latin courses (through post-AP level) and nine more math credits (yes, that is her passion :D).

 

Maybe I should have left them off the record. I'm sure the colleges wouldn't have cared. But my point is that it did not hurt her credibility at all (accepted at Princeton, MIT, Stanford, etc :)).

 

ETA: I don't mean this to come off as argumentative at all (I'm working through the pain of a cracked rib and feeling sort of cranky right now:tongue_smilie:) ; just wanted to share our experiences & point out that many ways of writing a homeschool transcript might be equally acceptable to college admissions offices. We all just need to do what works for our own kids and tells their story in the best way possible to the colleges.

 

~Kathy

 

I'm glad to read this (minus the cracked rib! :grouphug:).

I pretty much figure my ds will have plenty of high school credits, regardless of whether we include earlier years, but I still don't want to ignore or downplay any earlier (h.s. appropriate) accomplishments.

 

So long as ds continues to work hard so there are no discrepancies, I don't understand why this would be considered a draw back. Ignored by admissions, maybe, but a negative? :confused:

 

Now, if my kid slacks off in 9-12, I'd take the middle school stuff off right after smacking him upside the head. :tongue_smilie: No need to highlight a downturn!

[creekland]

I don't understand why this would be considered a draw back. Ignored by admissions, maybe, but a negative? :confused:

 

 

I think this is more likely it. It's not necessarily negative unless more of the same type of subject (math, language, etc) is not taken while in high school. However, schools we talked with said they totally ignored it.

 

Some schools also told us that while they want to see other courses on a transcript, they only count the GPA of the 4 major subjects (math, science, history, and English) and will refigure a GPA to make sure it isn't padded by gym, health, and other things they consider "fluff." They told us this in a big session. It applies to ps as well as homeschooled students. Naturally, it only applies to those going into those sorts of majors and not theater, art, or music, etc.