Dual credit: which classes did your dc take? Also, any of these at Christian colleges online?

[profmom]

I'm looking at dual credit as a way to add "advanced measures" to my dd's transcript, but we are probably going to stay with TPS's Classical Track, which will cover all of her history and English. So, I'm looking for ideas for dual credit classes, especially other than history and English.

 

Also, what options have you found for taking online dual credit from Christian colleges/universities?

[creekland]

Besides English, middle son did Microbio and Effective Speaking. Both were useful. So far youngest has done Bio, but that was through our high school (still supposedly a college level course for which he has credit if he goes to a college that accepts it).

 

We did our DE at the local community college as I wanted them to have the classroom experience, not just the content, so I have no idea about online options.

[JuanitaL]

http://www.bryan.edu/de_online small college in TN, regionally accredited.

[regentrude]

My DD is taking French. I do not speak French, so our ability to study French at home was limited to the beginning years. She is in her third semester of French at the university.

She is also taking calculus based physics.

[Lori D.]

We outsourced foreign language through dual enrollment at the community college. Older DS took Spanish, younger DS took ASL.

 

Our community college has a good rep and courses from it transfer not only to all 3 of our state universities, but to many other colleges/universities around the country. While the CC was secular, the classes our DSs had were quite good. They had super teachers, and their fellow students being mostly either adults returning to work on a degree, or college-age students working towards a degree -- so no negative influences there. ;)

 

I say that to suggest you might want to go ahead and look into the reputation and transferability of dual credit classes that would be available through your local CC or university -- and that many classroom experiences can be great!

 

Classes you are more likely to get material you would find inappropriate for a Christian teen will be in the humanities, anthropology, sociology, and some literature/writing courses. Art instruction will include live nude models (just as classic art instruction always has), while art appreciation will include classic works by the masters which include nude figures, so you have to decide if your student is ready for that or not. Choice of materials used varies from teacher to teacher. Fortunately, you can often find a syllabus online in advance and see what will be used in a class.

 

Classes less likely to have material you might find inappropriate for a Christian teen would be the foreign languages, math, the sciences with labs, computer courses.

 

Also, talk to other homeschoolers in your area who have done dual-enrollment locally to get recommendations (or vetos) on specific teachers. Our older DS is knocking off the first 2 years of college at the community college, and through a recommendation by a fellow homeschool grad, he is getting to take 2 of his 3 humanities courses as Literature of the Old Testatment, and Literature of the New Testament, being taught by a local pastor. DS is loving it!

 

While online classes are good, do realize that a college online course is going to move at a brisk pace, and your high school student will not have the opportunity to learn some valuable college classroom skills -- note taking, class discussion, approaching the teacher with questions or concerns, etc. Just an extra thought!

 

BEST of luck in your high school dual enrollment adventures! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[AngieW in Texas]

My oldest took:

English I and II

Japanese I and II and II

Drawing I and II

Digital Imaging I

General College Physics I

Introductory Chemistry

Elementary Statistics

Trigonometry

Psychology

 

My middle dd took/is taking:

English I and II

Spanish I and II

Chemistry I and II (for science majors)

Government I and II

Programming Fundamentals

Psychology

 

My youngest is only in 9th grade. She won't be able to take cc classes until summer next year.

[Musicmom]

Cedarville University has a dual enrollment program with online courses. Most of the course offerings are in the humanities, but they do also have math courses and a biology course available. My dd is taking Composition right now. The quality has been excellent. As Lori D. indicated, though, the pace is brisk. Also, the workload is substantial. The same could well be true of other dual enrollment programs online, so you might want to carefully consider how/if that will balance with TPS. If TPS courses are a lot of work, adding an online university course could be overwhelming.

[Lori D.]

...dual enrollment program with online courses... the pace is brisk. Also, the workload is substantial. The same could well be true of other dual enrollment programs online, so you might want to carefully consider how/if that will balance with TPS. If TPS courses are a lot of work, adding an online university course could be overwhelming.

 

 

 

:iagree: Exactly.

 

I recommend caution. ONE online class or dual credit course to start with, for the first semester, or even whole first year of trying out your outsourcing. Only add a second if your student is handling everything well.

 

And, you discover that ALL online or outside-the-home classes suddenly have to become the priority in your schedule, both for attendance, but also for homework and studying. So be prepared for the fact that part of the price you pay for "added measures to the transcript" via outsourced classes will be making your homeschool courses take a backseat.

 

BEST of luck! Warmly, Lori D.

[history_junkie]

Cedarville University has a dual enrollment program with online courses. Most of the course offerings are in the humanities, but they do also have math courses and a biology course available. My dd is taking Composition right now. The quality has been excellent. As Lori D. indicated, though, the pace is brisk. Also, the workload is substantial. The same could well be true of other dual enrollment programs online, so you might want to carefully consider how/if that will balance with TPS. If TPS courses are a lot of work, adding an online university course could be overwhelming.

 

This.

 

I'm a Cedarville Grad and I took TPS like classes (from Shaunna Howat, in person) and I completely agree about the workload. I think it is all manageable and great prep for college, but you want to enter it gradually, as other posters have said.

 

My brother and sister both took Politics and American Culture and Humanities online from Cedarville and did very well.

[bugs]

My daughter is taking a full load as DE at our local cc (SHE wants to get an AA while finishing high school). It is definitely fast paced; she is doing well but she is on/off stressed-out. The cc is on the quarter system. She's had to date:

Computer Literacy

English 101

Spanish 1

Western Civ (from 1700)

Spanish 2

Nutrition

 

Math is not a strong area for her so she's been completing Alg II at home; we have had to postpone completing it until summer because her 15 cr. course load overwhelms her at times. I originally thought she could complete Pre-Calc at the cc but I think that kind of pace would push her over the edge. (She does not want to do anymore math but I will insist on Pre-Calc at home).