Can someone talk to me about using CC to supplement HSing high schoolers?

[melissel]

I'm confused about how people might use community college classes to fulfill high school requirements. What is the benefit of formal dual registration with the community college vs. simply registering, say, a 16-year-old for community college classes and including those classes on their homeschool high school transcript?

 

Is the latter even possible? I always assumed it was because I went to community college classes with a boyfriend when I was 16 (so that I could learn too, and help him understand the classes and work--don't ask, it's so codependent I can hardly stand thinking about it!), and the professor had no clue that I was not enrolled or didn't care at all that I was basically auditing his classes for free. I guess I sort of thought that anyone could enroll in a CC class (as long as they were not far, far younger than rest of the student body), and that using that class grade and description would stand in lieu of a class taught at home by mom. But then I started reading a few threads here on the ending of local dual registration programs and how upset some people were at the lost opportunities for their HSers, and I was confused.

 

Can someone give me the lowdown on how people do this? My expectation was always that I could farm out any more advanced high school classes to the local CC, but now I'm wondering if I misunderstood the possibility of this. Also, have people done this sort of college-class-as-high-school-requirement thing at regular colleges/universities too? One of the best colleges in the state is much closer to us than the local CC is, so I was wondering if people have found it just as easy for their HSers to take classes at those kinds of institutions too.

 

TIA!

[Mrs Mungo]

This is going to largely depend upon your state, the college your child plans to attend and what they allow. North Carolina will not allow you to do dual enrollment for foreign languages or math, but they will for science. Some colleges will consider non-dual enrollment cc classes as college credit which *could* mean your child may not be able to enroll as an incoming freshman. Various options have been discussed quite a bit on the high school and college boards.

[Jann in TX]

I took classes at a local university while in high school. In my case the classes were not shown on my high school transcript and it was considered 'concurrent' enrollment (full college credit but no high school credit).

 

My middle dd took classes at a local CC (27 credits). She was able to count the classes as both high school AND college-- this is 'dual' enrollment. Her classes will all transfer to her state university after she completes her first semester there-- so she will be halfway through her Sophomore year of college by this Christmas (she leaves for college next week!). I put an asterisk on her high school transcript next to the classes she took at the CC. The CC classes will also be shown on her college transcript as 'transfer credits'.

 

Requirements and programs differ -- check with the admissions counselors at the CC, university or college near you.

 

Our dd had to have completed her Sophomore high school credits and had to pass the CC placement test (reading, composition and math). She was allowed to take 2 classes each semester.

 

Even with her CC credits she was still considered an entering freshman for college application purposes.

[melissel]

This is going to largely depend upon your state, the college your child plans to attend and what they allow. North Carolina will not allow you to do dual enrollment for foreign languages or math, but they will for science. Some colleges will consider non-dual enrollment cc classes as college credit which *could* mean your child may not be able to enroll as an incoming freshman. Various options have been discussed quite a bit on the high school and college boards.

 

Oh my goodness. That is so much more complicated than I ever expected! Thanks, I didn't even think to look at the HS board :confused: I'm trying so hard to think ahead--I'd better spend some more time over there!

[melissel]

I took classes at a local university while in high school. In my case the classes were not shown on my high school transcript and it was considered 'concurrent' enrollment (full college credit but no high school credit).

 

My middle dd took classes at a local CC (27 credits). She was able to count the classes as both high school AND college-- this is 'dual' enrollment. Her classes will all transfer to her state university after she completes her first semester there-- so she will be halfway through her Sophomore year of college by this Christmas (she leaves for college next week!). I put an asterisk on her high school transcript next to the classes she took at the CC. The CC classes will also be shown on her college transcript as 'transfer credits'.

 

Requirements and programs differ -- check with the admissions counselors at the CC, university or college near you.

 

Our dd had to have completed her Sophomore high school credits and had to pass the CC placement test (reading, composition and math). She was allowed to take 2 classes each semester.

 

Even with her CC credits she was still considered an entering freshman for college application purposes.

 

Wow, that is amazing for her! I honestly wasn't even thinking of university credit for CC classes--I was simply thinking of them as fulfilling high school requirements that I didn't feel able to teach (sciences and upper maths). There seems to be much more to consider than that. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

[Mrs Mungo]

Wow, that is amazing for her! I honestly wasn't even thinking of university credit for CC classes--I was simply thinking of them as fulfilling high school requirements that I didn't feel able to teach (sciences and upper maths). There seems to be much more to consider than that. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

 

That is what "dual enrollment" means. You are getting high school *and* college credit, but they won't count against you as far as entering as a freshman. *Sometimes* (not always) non-dual-credit cc college credits will count against them as far as entering as a freshman versus a transfer student. Hope this helps! :)

[Dana]

Is the latter even possible? I always assumed it was because I went to community college classes with a boyfriend when I was 16 (so that I could learn too, and help him understand the classes and work--don't ask, it's so codependent I can hardly stand thinking about it!), and the professor had no clue that I was not enrolled or didn't care at all that I was basically auditing his classes for free.

 

In recent years, I think all colleges have gotten a lot more closed door about who's attending. I imagine at a class that's a large lecture hall, you could pretty safely sit in (I'm thinking those classes that seat 200+ students, more at a large uni), but I know at our cc, no one who isn't currently on the roster is supposed to be in the classroom. My classes are small enough (never over 30) that I know everyone in the class.

 

Our cc has an age restriction too. It's not clear on the website, but they don't want kids under 16 there. I'll be checking on that when my son is in hs.

[greenvneck]

The thing is, if a student is taking college classes NOT as dual-credit, the student is considered a college student, but you can't be a college student unless you graduate. If your student wants to enter a 4-year college as a freshman, there can't be any college classes taken after high school graduation; otherwise, s/he will enter as a transfer student.

 

I live in TX, this is how it works here, your state might work differently. One of my twins graduated early and will be headed off to college next week, the other is graduating next year when she "should." She is only taking dual-credit CC classes at this point, but if I declared her graduated she would have to actually matriculate at the CC.

 

FWIW, something I didn't realize is that any CC classes taken in a declared major might not transfer. My dd has 42 college credits, but only 12 are being counted as credits toward her degree. The classes she took in her major (Math) DO count as prerequisites, which is great, but do NOT figure into her total credits. Does that make sense? But, because she has already finished Calculus I, II, and III, she was able to register for Vector Calculus and Linear Algebra as a Freshman; if she didn't already have those credits, she wouldn't be able to take those classes for another year, maybe more.

 

I hope that made sense, my brain is totally fried right now!