Is it considered a negative to do electives during the summer months instead

[GVD22]

of with the other classes during the "regular" school year. We're gearing up to start back fulltime tomorrow(we school part time in the summer). DD is starting 9th grade and will be taking two classes through Florida Virtual. They have a few course schedule recommendations for homeschoolers and one of them is to take 4 classes AUG-MAY and 2 electives MAY-AUG (obviously at an accelerated pace). I initially had her schedule worked out to take 7 classes during the school year(1 being an elective) but I'm really considering doing the 4+2 schedule. Any thoughts?

[regentrude]

of with the other classes during the "regular" school year. We're gearing up to start back fulltime tomorrow(we school part time in the summer). DD is starting 9th grade and will be taking two classes through Florida Virtual. They have a few course schedule recommendations for homeschoolers and one of them is to take 4 classes AUG-MAY and 2 electives MAY-AUG (obviously at an accelerated pace). I initially had her schedule worked out to take 7 classes during the school year(1 being an elective) but I'm really considering doing the 4+2 schedule. Any thoughts?

 

Considered by WHOM? And who would know?

The transcript lists the grade - or, if you list by subject, not even that.

 

We focus on core subjects during the regular school year and use summer to work more on electives. Some students use summers to work on core requirements. I can't see how it would matter.

[justamouse]

*looks around*

 

Ummm....no. We do school all year long, so if I can do that, you can do electives.:D

[jamajo]

I think its a great idea especially if you need extra time during the "school year" for core subjects. Thanks for this idea I just may do this for Health which I couldn't figure out how to fit in.

[GVD22]

Considered by WHOM? And who would know?

The transcript lists the grade - or, if you list by subject, not even that.

 

We focus on core subjects during the regular school year and use summer to work more on electives. Some students use summers to work on core requirements. I can't see how it would matter.

 

:lol: Colleges. I guess I got the idea from a transcript example I saw where they stated that they "didn't have a traditional school year and so there would be some overlap from school year to school year". I was wondering if that would be the best way to word it or would colleges look down on not having a "normal" course load during the traditional year.. I think all my little worries about starting high school are surfacing.:001_huh:

[KAR120C]

:lol: Colleges. I guess I got the idea from a transcript example I saw where they stated that they "didn't have a traditional school year and so there would be some overlap from school year to school year". I was wondering if that would be the best way to word it or would colleges look down on not having a "normal" course load during the traditional year.. I think all my little worries about starting high school are surfacing.:001_huh:

The way I'm doing it (with the caveat that we're not at college yet - I'm not speaking from experience!!) is to stick any course in the year that it was completed. We do generally finish things within the usual 9 months, but not always the "regular" 9 months. Spanish for instance, we do year-round, so it's going to be 1 in one year, 2 and 3 the next, and 4 the third. And an elective completed over the summer (like between 9th and 10th) would go with the following year (10th). I doubt anyone is going to ask for specific dates, but if they do I'd be happy to tell them more than they ever wanted to know about it... lol...

[K-FL]

As to colleges, as long as you're done by say July of the senior year they wouldn't know if you took the class in January or June.

 

You send the 1st transcript while you have classes in progress for the senior year anyway. When you send the completed transcript they have no way of knowing a particular class was taken at a particular time.

[Rhonda in TX]

PS kids take summer school classes to free up space in their schedule. I took World History in summer school for that very reason. I would think it would be the same in your case.

 

Colleges shouldn't care if some classes were done in summer school. They do that all the time. I took Calc 3 in a special 3.5 week summer school session.

[regentrude]

I guess I got the idea from a transcript example I saw where they stated that they "didn't have a traditional school year and so there would be some overlap from school year to school year".

 

I am not sure why anybody would want to confuse the poor admissions officials by a statement like this... I can not imagine they care. I would leave well alone if I were doing any nontraditional scheduling and make the transcript look as normal as possible.

We have several electives which are a work in progress over several school years - credit is given whenever the elective is completed.

[Photo Ninja]

It doesn't matter. The course content is completed, and that is what colleges want to see. Completing a course or two during the summer term can be a good idea. It frees up time during the school year for more time-consuming courses, work, or interest areas, and it can show that the student is motivated. Most students won't take courses during the summer because they want a break. When I see students taking summer courses, I consider them motivated.

 

FWIW, my dc completed courses during summers and no college ever questioned it. I just listed it on the transcript with the courses taken during the school year, with an asterisk noting that it was a summer course.

[GVD22]

Thanks so much for your responses. :)

[Lori D.]

List your courses by subject, not by school year:

MATH . . . . . . . . CREDIT
- Algebra 1 . . . . 1.0
- Geometry . . . . 1.0
- Algebra 2 . . . . 1.0
- Pre-Calculus . . 1.0

SOCIAL STUDIES . . . . . . . . . CREDIT
- History: Ancient World . . . . 1.0
- History: 20th Cent. World . . 1.0
- History: American . . . . . . . 1.0
- History: Church . . . . . . . . . 1.0
- American Government . . . . . 0.5
- Economics . . . . . . . .. . . . . 0.5


If required (usually it is to show proof that it was a class done in high school, NOT in middle school), just put a month/year date for completion date:

SOCIAL STUDIES . . . . . . . . . CREDIT . . . . AWARDED
- History: Ancient World . . . . 1.0 . . . . . . . 04/2008
- History: 20th Cent. World . . 1.0 . . . . . . . 01/2009


Or, if required to list by school grade year, then find out how your local public schools count courses done in summer school -- most likely they are listed with courses done during the previous school year. So if course work is done in the summer between 9th and 10th grades, it gets counted under the grade 9 course work listing.

Warmest regards, Lori D.

[GVD22]

List your courses by subject, not by school year:

 

MATH . . . . . . . . CREDIT

- Algebra 1 . . . . 1.0

- Geometry . . . . 1.0

- Algebra 2 . . . . 1.0

- Pre-Calculus . . 1.0

 

SOCIAL STUDIES . . . . . . . . . CREDIT

- History: Ancient World . . . . 1.0

- History: 20th Cent. World . . 1.0

- History: American . . . . . . . 1.0

- History: Church . . . . . . . . . 1.0

- American Government . . . . . 0.5

- Economics . . . . . . . .. . . . . 0.5

 

 

If required (usually it is to show proof that it was a class done in high school, NOT in middle school), just put a month/year date for completion date:

 

SOCIAL STUDIES . . . . . . . . . CREDIT . . . . AWARDED

- History: Ancient World . . . . 1.0 . . . . . . . 04/2008

- History: 20th Cent. World . . 1.0 . . . . . . . 01/2009

 

 

Or, if required to list by school grade year, then find out how your local public schools count courses done in summer school -- most likely they are listed with courses done during the previous school year. So if course work is done in the summer between 9th and 10th grades, it gets counted under the grade 9 course work listing.

 

To help allay fears about high school (lol), if you would like my newly-revised packet on preparing for high school, how to make a high school plan, transcripts, GPA, record-keeping, and a "calendar" of key events throughout high school and when to be planning for them, just email me at: neferlla AT hotmail DOT com Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

Thanks, Lori and I already have your packet.:lol:

[Lori D.]

Thanks, Lori and I already have your packet.:lol:

 

 

:D

[Ellie]

Mr. Ellie, and probably millions of other California students, went to summer school every year for three years (after 9th, 10th, and 11th grades) and took core classes, such that in his senior year he took almost all fun electives.

 

I don't know how those looked on his transcript, though; IOW, I don't know if they were listed as summer term or added to the previous school year or what.

 

IOW, it doesn't matter when your dc completes those courses. :)

[Miss Marple]

of with the other classes during the "regular" school year. We're gearing up to start back fulltime tomorrow(we school part time in the summer). DD is starting 9th grade and will be taking two classes through Florida Virtual. They have a few course schedule recommendations for homeschoolers and one of them is to take 4 classes AUG-MAY and 2 electives MAY-AUG (obviously at an accelerated pace). I initially had her schedule worked out to take 7 classes during the school year(1 being an elective) but I'm really considering doing the 4+2 schedule. Any thoughts?

 

I took summer classes in PS in order to obtain enough credits to graduate early. My kids have taken summer courses offered by local homeschool co-ops and 2 have entered college just fine. For simplification purposes I apply the summer to the coming year. In other words, a course taken in summer 07 goes on the fall 07 semester on the transcript.

 

My oldest son (college) has taken courses at our local college during the summer in order to free up his next semester at college. No problem there, either.

 

I don't think there would be any problem listing the summer courses on the transcript as "summer 07" (or whatever year) on the transcript. I just had a hard time finding a spot when making a one page transcript. I cannot think of any reason summer courses would be frowned upon by schools unless the student wasn't taking a fairly normal load in the fall/spring semesters.

 

FWIW, my latest graduate had a really unique schedule for senior year. He took compressed courses in the early part of the semester at our local CC then he did a 2 month semester in England for the last half of the semester. No problem with his transcript being accepted.

[GVD22]

Mr. Ellie, and probably millions of other California students, went to summer school every year for three years (after 9th, 10th, and 11th grades) and took core classes, such that in his senior year he took almost all fun electives.

 

I don't know how those looked on his transcript, though; IOW, I don't know if they were listed as summer term or added to the previous school year or what.

 

IOW, it doesn't matter when your dc completes those courses. :)

 

I took summer classes in PS in order to obtain enough credits to graduate early. My kids have taken summer courses offered by local homeschool co-ops and 2 have entered college just fine. For simplification purposes I apply the summer to the coming year. In other words, a course taken in summer 07 goes on the fall 07 semester on the transcript.

 

My oldest son (college) has taken courses at our local college during the summer in order to free up his next semester at college. No problem there, either.

 

I don't think there would be any problem listing the summer courses on the transcript as "summer 07" (or whatever year) on the transcript. I just had a hard time finding a spot when making a one page transcript. I cannot think of any reason summer courses would be frowned upon by schools unless the student wasn't taking a fairly normal load in the fall/spring semesters.

 

FWIW, my latest graduate had a really unique schedule for senior year. He took compressed courses in the early part of the semester at our local CC then he did a 2 month semester in England for the last half of the semester. No problem with his transcript being accepted.

 

 

Thanks for your responses.

[1Togo]

We will be finishing a core course next summer and doing a complete core course as well. I am putting them in with the 9th grade courses. Online schools; i.e. Landry Academy, Memoria Press, etc. offer summer courses.