When do you start giving High School credit?

[Love2Learn]

This question has probably been asked by many and answered, but I am new to the high school thread. I will have an 8th grader next year. She may go to public school for 9th grade - the jury is still out on that one!

 

My daughter will be taking 3 high school level classes next year: Algebra I, Spanish I, and Honors Literature (high school class through a co-op). I am undecided as to whether I should include credit for these courses on her high school transcript. In our county, the public school allows 8th graders to receive high school credit for Algebra & Spanish.

 

We use an umbrella school for record keeping. When I asked the school if my daughter could acieve high school credit for these courses the response was:

 

"It is our policy to credit accept only high school Math and Science courses taken prior to high school enrollment. We are, however, open to the option of allowing parents to decide whether they would like to add certain additional courses with a cautionary understanding that the addition of these courses may "FLAG" them at certain colleges/universities. If these courses are "FLAGGED" it may cause the university to reject the credits for the course or they may choose to reject all credits on the transcript. It is totally their discretion to do so."

 

I'm not sure if there is any advantage to assigning high school credit for classes taken in 8th grade -- but, then again, this is all very new to me. My daughter is in a college prep track and will take advanced classes and hopefully aquire college credit prior to graduation. She does plan to attend college.

 

Thank you for any advice. The threads on this board have been so helpful to me!

 

 

[Jane in NC]

Here in NC we are not supposed to give any high school credit for courses taken in 8th grade. It is clear from my son's transcript that he had Algebra I and Latin I in 8th. Given that he won't be facing any credit shortages, this is not a concern from my perspective.

 

Some people have suggested listing courses in categories (not years) to work around the grade when the course was taken.

 

Jane

[KAR120C]

Here in NC we are not supposed to give any high school credit for courses taken in 8th grade. It is clear from my son's transcript that he had Algebra I and Latin I in 8th. Given that he won't be facing any credit shortages, this is not a concern from my perspective.

We had an admissions guy from UNC-CH at our homeschool group meeting, who specifically said he wanted to see Algebra 1 on the list no matter when it was taken. He said "high school level" and then specified Algebra 1 as an example. I had always heard the same thing you have, so it was surprising.

 

I figure if I keep the records, then I can adapt the transcript to whatever it is the specific college wants at the time... I'm sure it will have changed before we come around to that. ;)

[mcconnellboys]

I assigned high school level credit when high school level work was completed. I did not create a transcript using dates.

 

If you plan to homeschool all the way through high school, it really shouldn't matter how you choose to create your transcript, as most colleges don't care about this nearly as much as high schools, who have a vested interest in maintaining any type of beraucracy which might accrue in any way to their benefit.

 

If you think your child might return to high school at some point, then you should check out whatever school you might enroll them in, to try to ascertain what their position on this might be.

[newbie]

I just posted this issue on Math thread, I am apparently having credit issues.

 

Was trying to get dd in differen VA for summer to wrap up Algebra, because current is too hard. So they requested grades, I sent the page that shows dates take, courses and grades rcd. from an accrdited VA. They said cant accept want to see credits. Now I am back to drawing board.

 

So, maybe crdts do count, but not grades, so confused.

Jeannette

[Pamela H in Texas]

My opinion:

 

No way would I even consider the lit one. That is a *flag* waiting to happen.

 

For math and Spanish, it's just unnecessary because it's obvious that a student that has successfully taken Algebra II and Spanish II has taken the first course of each. The MOST I'd consider doing it putting it in a note section on the transcript but I personally don't think it's necessary UNLESS you don't do enough credits in those areas in high school so NEED them. That could be problematic also though.

[mcconnellboys]

So what does the "flag" mean? If she gets credit for a lit class at high school level done in eighth, then she transfers to another school and continues with other, higher level lit courses, completing those successfully supports the fact that she was able to do the original class at the time she did it. So what's the problem? If the programming purports to be high school level, but really isn't, and doesn't prepare her for the next level of work, then there might be a problem. Otherwise, being able to do the next higher level course of any subject implies that you were able to do the lower level course, too.....

[Pamela H in Texas]

Regena, well, of course you can look at it that way if the high school lit classes are leveled. I've not heard of that, but that doesn't mean it never happens. So then you could work it the same way you decide to for Math and Spanish....either give high school credit in 8th grade or assume they are smart enough to figure that the latter courses required basic knowledge of the former courses.

 

But again, *I* wouldn't do it. I have an idea in my head about it but I just can't get it written. I'm hoping someone else expresses the idea so I can agree :D

[Reya]

After a LOT of thought, I've decided to take the same position as Texas law:

 

When a child completes a HS-level course, it MUST be counted for HS credit, no matter what the age of the student.

 

I am not going to grade for a few years yet, so the grades will be P/F for a while, but this means that DS has started earning a portion of his first foreign language credit in Kindergarten. His first math credit, for Algebra, might be as early as first grade.

 

I might also note that I am organizing my transcripts as they were organized in my college--by subject rather than year. I might add a secondary transcript that has a category for each of the last four years and another for work completed prior to the "freshman" year.

[nrg]

we do list those courses in their own category on the transcript. This gives admissions officers an understanding of the more advanced courses starting in grade 9. Also, in California, high school students must pass Algebra 1, so it must show on the transcript. More advanced math courses do not imply that Algebra 1 has been completed (absurd, I know).

[Reya]

So what does the "flag" mean?

 

There are a number of colleges that have entrance reqs. that apply ONLY to the last four years of school. So if there is a req for 4 math credits and your DC had Alg I in 7th, Geo in 8th, Alg II in 9th, Precal/Trig in 10th, and Calc in 11th, all the courses taken in middle school would be "flagged" to not be counted and he'd only have three courses that counted toward the requirements, so he'd be rejected. BUT if your DC took Calc III in 12th, everything would be great.

 

Most colleges--not all, but most--greatly prefer to see all HS courses taken even if they are not counted toward entrance reqs.

[outtamyshell]

My dd attended PS through 9th grade and has a public school transcript from NC. I followed their format which includes high school classes taken in 8th grade (including grades) but does not count them as highschool credit and does not include the grade in the gpa. I think you would raise eyebrows counting 8th grade courses to fulfill highschool graduation requirements, but I don't see any problem including it for reference.

[SheWhoWaits]

My opinion:

 

No way would I even consider the lit one. That is a *flag* waiting to happen.

 

For math and Spanish, it's just unnecessary because it's obvious that a student that has successfully taken Algebra II and Spanish II has taken the first course of each. The MOST I'd consider doing it putting it in a note section on the transcript but I personally don't think it's necessary UNLESS you don't do enough credits in those areas in high school so NEED them. That could be problematic also though.

 

Grade is nothing more than the age at which the child took the course. If the child is 13, he's an 8th grader, if he does the exact same work a year later, he's a high schooler. That makes no sense whatever to me. If the work is up to a level that's typically taught in high school, give high school credit. That's what I'm doing.

[lv2sing]

When taking the Transcript Boot camp with Inge Cannon, it was my understanding that some classes could be taken and counted before formal highschool studies were started. We have only done this with Spanish.

[kate in seattle]

the real question is not "can it count for high school?" (because the answer to that is - of course, you are homeschooling. raising chickens, painting, drawing, breathing, whatever you want, can count as your high school course work)

 

The real questions is "will some outside authority, maybe a public school or a college consider this high school work, and will it make a difference?"

 

The answer to this question is much more difficult. In some school districts (mine for example) anything done at home (even if it were calculus or AP Physics) is not 'transferable'. So I could theoretically have a 17 year old student with AP scores, etc., who, if she/he transferred to my local public high school, wanting a diploma, would have to start as a freshman. Other public schools operate under different rules. A fellow homeschooler (still in WA state, but a different disctrict) had ALL of her homeschool 'credits' accepted and her son was able to graduate from both high school and community college under our state's dual enrollment program.

 

There is no across the board 'college standard" on what is accepted and what is not. Some colleges don't take into account ANY 'mommy grades' (regardless of the year you give them out) relying instead, on test scores and outside verification of abilities. Some colleges want portfolios, essays, letters. Some colleges (UWashington) will only look at the last four years before the year you are applying for (as a previous poster mentioned)

 

You need to ask yourself - where is this student going? Will she transfer to a local public school - go talk to them now and see what they want/will accept? Will she take classes at a local community college? Those grades will weigh much more significantly than grades/credits you award. Will she be at home until applying to a 4 year college? make a list now of 10 - 12 potential schools and research their homeschooling admission standards.

 

Will they count? As a homeschooler, yes, absolutely. Anywhere else? you will have to ask and research.

 

 

Kate in Seattle

 

ETA: Some use an umbrella or some other outside school (NARS for example) to have a 'transcript' that one can use in these transfer situations. I don't know how well these really work. Since I am doing the 4 years at home, then comm. college transcripts are not a big deal for me. Another consideration (not for me, but for some) is ensuring your student's NCAA status if they will be playing a college sport. I know NARS has had trouble with this (NCAA doesn't consider them to be accredited?). Margaret in CO had to keep up with this for her daughter (I believe the one at the Naval Academy).

[Gwen in VA]

Great answer, Kate.

 

That is the best summary of the "when do what credits count for whom?" question I've heard!

 

Thanks for posting!

[Kareni]

Great answer, Kate.

 

That is the best summary of the "when do what credits count for whom?" question I've heard!

 

Thanks for posting!

 

I totally agree!

Thanks, Kate.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Karenciavo]

in high school.

[Laura K (NC)]

I am only giving high school credit for those subjects finished in high school.

 

My son finished two years of high school Latin (Cambridge) and one year of high school-level music history before he got into high school. Those won't be counted.

 

Now, there's another situation that I am considering... my son will be 17 when he graduates and we are considering allowing him 5 years of high school. I don't have any idea how I would count his schooling if we do that. I may just count from 10th grade through 13th grade, but I don't know.

[summer]

I would definitely assign for Algebra and Spanish. For me, I would count all high school level courses.

[Carmen_and_Company]

I began issuing high school credits when Taz entered 9th grade. The only high school level math courses on Taz's transcript were pre-calculus & calculus. His ACT/SAT and AP math scores proved he mastered the lower level mathematics courses.

 

Our transcript also is by subject, and not by year. None of the school questioned anything on the transcript, which was required or within Taz's portfolio, which was not.

 

Also, here in Minnesota, many students complete algebra in 8th grade, but the students do not earn high school credit.

[Reya]

Grade is nothing more than the age at which the child took the course. If the child is 13, he's an 8th grader, if he does the exact same work a year later, he's a high schooler. That makes no sense whatever to me. If the work is up to a level that's typically taught in high school, give high school credit. That's what I'm doing.

 

Depends on when the kid graduates! This makes it even crazier--and more nonsensical.

[Reya]

Also, here in Minnesota, many students complete algebra in 8th grade, but the students do not earn high school credit.

 

Yet in Texas, they MUST earn high school credit for ALL high school work. I had Spanish and Algebra on my transcript from middle school. I took extra classes, too, so I had a fairly massive number of credits when I graduated when all that was combined with our trimester system. No college questioned it.

 

That seems much more logical to me, so that's what I'm going with!

[Michelle in MO]

the college or university (or other school) determines whether or not they will accept your high school credits. FWIW, they could, potentially, decide whether or not they will accept credits even from a local public high school, although if that h.s. is accredited the issue rarely comes up.

 

Now, we are in the middle of transitioning our girls to a Catholic school. The school itself has been fine about accepting some of my oldest daughter's high school credits which were taken prior to 9th grade. However, I realize that the college she will ultimately attend will have the final say in this matter, which is why I want her to continue to pursue a strong academic curriculum, to make sure she covers all of the bases.

 

Our local public h.s. does accept 8th grade Algebra and one other class (I forget which one) for high school credit, if a homeschooler enrolls in that school. The guidance counselors at both the public h.s. and the Catholic h.s. seem to have quite a bit of leeway as to what they will accept.

 

Carmen & Co., I didn't realize you were in Minnesota! That's my home state! The University of St. Thomas is a very good school; I had some classmates who went there!

[Kanga]

I organize my transcripts by subject instead of by year, so I can include classes taken in junior high if necessary with out creating any "flags".