New to Highschool

[Addicted2Coffee]

Next year DD13 could be counted as a 9th grader. She turns 14 on November 10th before the cut off date for our state but many parents kept there kids back anyways. I have a couple questions.

 

DD said she wants to graduate at 16 and start Community College. I'm not sure if that's the best idea. She could take AP Classes this year and next year and at 16 which would be her junior year, she could go to CC full time anyways and we could just count that on her highschool transcript, right?

I also want to outsource for most of her classes next year, especially for her AP Classes. Any suggestions for online classes?

Also are certain AP Tests harder then the other?

 

My heads still spinning at the thought of highschool :willy_nilly:

[River notes]

I don't if you have to meet state requirements, but yes you could count college classes part of her homeschooling. I know that there is a controversy where I live; some people believe you can't graduate in 3 years and other think you can't. You might want to look into what your state requirements are, if there are any that she has to meet. I k now in our state you have to have 4 years of english, 3 years of math, 3 years of social studies and 3 years of science and something else i can't remember right now, but as you can we could squeeze it in 3 years if we doubled up english. There is something to think about and to see what you have to squeeze in those 3 years.

[SkateLeft]

My daughter is a 15 year old junior who has been full-time at the community college this year. She was grade-skipped in kindergarten and has a late July birthday.

 

It's going really, really well. She still has to meet high school graduation requirements, so when registration rolls around, I tell her what she has left to take in high school. She lines that up with what she wants to take, and what fits our schedule, since we still have to drive her to and from class. She's on the engineering track, so we know a lot of her science and math courses might not transfer to a 4 year university. Our goal is to beef up her high school curriculum, so we're okay with that.

 

It's worked out brilliantly. She gets to take all the science classes she wants, and I don't have to worry about her blowing up our house in the process. ;)

[Lori D.]

DD said she wants to graduate at 16 and start Community College.

 

 

If your DD is very determined/excited about this idea, then it would be very worthwhile for the two of you *together* to research this possibility, and the options you listened, and discuss what is the best

 

- What are your state's high school graduation requirements? (what classes will she have to take to graduate)

 

- Will DD realistically be able to complete these required classes in 2 years? (for example, very likely, this will require 4 years of higher math and 3-4 years of science, and at least 2 years of foreign language)

 

- Is DD a self-motivated and self-disciplined person?

 

- Does she have the maturity and the study skills in order to be *able* to complete these classes in 2 years?

 

- Is she willing to give up summers, weekends, and evenings (over and over again) in order to "double up" and complete high school in 2 years?

 

- What experiences, opportunities, and extracurriculars, and just plain enjoyable activities will DD have to miss out on in order to complete high school early?

(hiking/horseback riding/martial arts class/ballroom dance, or other weekend or after school fun activity; sports team participation; music/art/drama lessons or classes; student council and/or teen social events; church youth group; special summer camp opportunities; science fair/robotics club/ or other academic opportunity; etc.)

 

- Why does she want to get to Community College at age 16? What especially worthy goal, program or opportunity awaits that won't still be there when she is 18yo?

 

- What is her goal for after high school? In other words, what is *worth* the push to get to early? And is this goal really *worth* the effort and sacrifice this is going to take (from DD, but also from the family!)?

 

- What are the advantages to early graduation? The disadvantages?

 

- Does DD do well with academics and a traditional learning environment? Or would she benefit by taking 3-4 years to complete high school and have more time to develop study skills, and mature into good academics?

 

 

Other things to consider:

 

- A majority of scholarships (university or CC) are based on high GPA, high SAT/ACT scores, and extracurriculars and volunteer hours. Will DD be able to devote time to BOTH early graduation AND those activities that can pay off in cash benefits? Or would taking the usual amount of time for high school better enable DD to achieve those scores and activities that will have real financial benefit?

 

- By devoting all the time/energy to just getting through the required classes, DD may "burn out" and not even want to continue with education for awhile after an early graduation.

 

- And she will have to make tough choices with her time, which may mean not getting to do some of the exploring of interests that she would otherwise have had.

 

- Taking more time to accomplish high school may mean higher grades and test scores, and looking better to potential employers, colleges, scholarships.

 

- Rather than being impressed by early graduation, colleges and employers may be wary of young graduates (concern about emotional maturity), and may be less interested in accepting DD for a job or a special program.

 

 

 

For me, I think it would boil down to:

 

1. WHY does my student want to graduate early?

2. What does my student plan to do upon graduation? ("Go to Community College" would not be good enough for me; I would want to hear a *very specific series of goals* from my student.)

3. Is it in my student's best interest LONG TERM?

4. How much is my student willing to sacrifice to make this happen?

5. Would early graduation allow ME the time/ability to accomplish what I feel is in my student's best interest to prepare my student for life? (i.e., allow them the time to mature fully AND to have enough time be able to teach my student crucial (non-academic) life skills such as: personal finance; communication skills; decision-making techniques; etc.)

 

 

I think your suggested compromise (start taking dual enrollment courses at 16) is a very good compromise, as the other posters have confirmed with their own experiences. The only downside to taking a lot of CC courses is that after 23 units (usually about 6-7 classes), the student loses freshman status, and there are a lot of in-coming freshman scholarships your student would no longer be qualified for. Also, most states which help pay for dual enrollment don't pay for more than 1-2 dual enrollment classes per semester, so your family would be footing the bill if your student takes a lot of dual enrollment classes in her junior and senior years. On the positive side, she would graduate from high school with a lot of CC credits -- maybe close to a 2-year degree's worth by the time she graduates high school!

 

BEST of luck as you and DD research those AP and Dual Enrollment questions for your state's universities and local community colleges, and in the two of you coming to a decision! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Lori D.

[Addicted2Coffee]

Thank you for all your thoughts! I think I'm sticking to having her start cc as a junior (earliest you can) full time (hopefully) and then count those classes as her 11th and 12th grade classes so she will graduate high school and have an aa in history. I think it's the best idea for both of us, she still will have an aa by the time she's 18 but won't have to rush through course work. She is excited about this idea too. Someone had the idea of having their dd getting a GED so they can get more priority then if they were just a high school student with dual enrollment, I'm wondering if theres any disadvantages to getting a GED if you also plan to graduate high school and college?

[Lori D.]

Someone had the idea of having their dd getting a GED so they can get more priority then if they were just a high school student with dual enrollment, I'm wondering if theres any disadvantages to getting a GED if you also plan to graduate high school and college?

 

 

From what I have read, I would strongly recommend *against* a GED unless there are extenuating circumstances -- especially since you WILL be graduating your DD from high school.

 

A GED is NOT a high school diploma, and is NOT proof of graduation from high school. In addition, because the GED only tests up to a 10th grade equivalency (not full high school graduate level) a GED can often be more of a detriment than a help, as employers usually consider a GED applicant as less intelligent or accomplished than a diploma applicant -- i.e. "dropout". And, the military *does* reduce the availability of eligible training and positions to those with a GED rather than a diploma.

 

Further, if you get a GED, if specifically asked, you MUST declare it on job applications and college applications. And even if your student were were to go ahead and still complete high school, the GED can, in a sense "trump" the after-the-fact homeschool high school diploma. (For example, again with the Military, or in other cases of applying to some specific civilian jobs and special training programs.)

 

In most cases, if for some reason a college is reluctant to accept a homeschool high school diploma, they *will* accept a certain minimum of CC credits (usually somewhere between 15-20 credits) without the need for a GED. (And it sounds like your DD will have way more than that if she starts dual enrollment at her CC in her junior year.) Interestingly, some states wouldn't even allow you to take the GED until at least age 18 or 19. Truly, a GED is ONLY meant for older students who did NOT graduate from high school and are required to show some sort of equivalency.

 

I understand why someone would suggest getting a GED so as to get priority at the CC -- in some areas of California, and in a few other states, so many adults are going back to the CCs, that high school students are getting bumped to the bottom of the priority list to be able to enroll in classes for dual enrollment. I would suggest you talk to local homeschoolers who have done/are doing dual enrollment at the CC you are considering to see if that is going to be any issue at all. I think if this were the case, I would far rather help my DD graduate early from homeschool and then start at the CC, rather than get that GED. I guess I am biased -- I see the GED as a "last resort" that you can't "undo", so I would want to think very long and hard before going the GED route to make sure any benefits outweigh disadvantages, and make sure I had absolutely NO other options at all FIRST before considering the GED, as I would hate to limit my DSs future choices in any way! :)

 

For more information, here is a compilation of articles on the GED and homeschoolers = http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/olderkids/GED.htm BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Lori D.