Homeschoolmom3 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Really debating what to do with my 9th grader next year. He still has 1-2 yrs. left with his science and math before finishing his all of his high school courses. We have gone through all high school courses in middle school with history and literature. I know I probably could keep coming up with a home made curriculum for the next couple of years I guess but was wondering how people are dealing with completing courses early. Have you considered college courses at community colleges, online college courses, dual enrollment options such as Liberty online, High Scholars at Belhaven (Potters). If they are able to get college credit early should we go and let them or just wait and try to find other courses to by some time? At times I feel why not instead of paying more money for curriculum to by time just have him take courses where it serves both high school and college credit? Or should I just wait a couple of years and just have him do dual enrollment for all of his courses? I have looked at many past posts but was wondering how the accelerated forum feels. Thanks for any advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 My oldest will most likely be taking American Sign Language next fall at CC. She really wants to learn ASL and I cannot teach it to her. So it's either a class or a tutor, and CC is the most affordable option. I'm planning on using it to fulfill high school grad requirements unless she decides to do early college FT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'm going to try to hold off until Jr. year to actually take classes for credit, because that's when the state DE money picks up. I can't count anything for high school credit officially until 7th grade, and then only math and foreign language, so for now, DD is officially a 4th grader and it's simply that her 4th grade curriculum list sometimes includes things not normally taught in 4th grade. She's in her 3rd online college class as a "lifelong learner" (a program normally designed for senior citizens) which works well because she has full access to the course lectures, discussions, and resources, but we can pick and choose what assignments she does since she's not getting credit or having any official records kept by the university. She's a good writer for a just turned 9 yr old, but she's not up to college level writing yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Really debating what to do with my 9th grader next year. He still has 1-2 yrs. left with his science and math before finishing his all of his high school courses. We have gone through all high school courses in middle school with history and literature. I know I probably could keep coming up with a home made curriculum for the next couple of years I guess but was wondering how people are dealing with completing courses early. Have you considered college courses at community colleges, online college courses, dual enrollment options such as Liberty online, High Scholars at Belhaven (Potters). If they are able to get college credit early should we go and let them or just wait and try to find other courses to by some time? At times I feel why not instead of paying more money for curriculum to by time just have him take courses where it serves both high school and college credit? Or should I just wait a couple of years and just have him do dual enrollment for all of his courses? I have looked at many past posts but was wondering how the accelerated forum feels. Thanks for any advice! I'm not sure I follow your post. What has he gone through that he has finished all high school history and literature in middle school? Through a school? Through a curriculum provider? We never complete any designated history or literature program, so using college history textbooks is not unusual for my kids (advanced or otherwise) and literature is wide open place for exploration. My dd read Dante and Milton last yr as an 8th grader and this yr as a 9th grader is focusing on Tolkien and what influenced his writings (so everything from Norse mythology to Beowulf to the legend of King Arthur). Her history is a college Western civ book combined with Teaching Company lectures. As far as dual enrolling, you need to do your homework and investigate where he wants to attend college. Some schools will not allow credit if the dual enrolled credits are meeting high school graduation requirements. So, if English comp is meeting a high school English credit, they won't give college credit for the same course. Some schools will. Some will only give credit if the course description matches theirs. With ds applying to colleges this yr, we saw schools that would not give credit for 3 hr English comp classes b/c they want students taking their 4 hr course and specifically stated on their website that 3 hr courses would not be approved. Another issue is whether or not schools will grant "for major credit" for dual enrollment credits or only elective credit. My kids start dual enrolling when they have surpassed all high school equivalencies in math/science. I personally can't see running out of history and lit that I can teach, so those continue at home. I am not a fan of our local CCs, so my kids dual enroll at local universities for core classes that they want to earn credit for. (and even then, it depends on where they go as to whether or not that is a reality or not. Many of the schools where my ds has been accepted will not allow him to start where he leaves off in dual enrollment. Some allow about 16 credit hours, some allow placement tests w/no credit being granted, some allow him to step right in with 2nd semester sophomore status.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschoolmom3 Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 He wants to attend Liberty u. but i dont want to cancel out any other possibilities. I know i probably dont make sense....rambling in my post....what do you use for a college level hist. And lit. To do at home before college? Any good curriculum you all recommend? I was thinking of holding off another year just wasnt sure what to cover....we used abeka this year but have used others in the past....loved vp omnibus rigor. Thanks for your post interesting thoughts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Since he wants to attend Liberty, have you looked at their online high school? http://www.liberty.edu/onlineacademy/ Or their website for transfer credits? https://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=20726 http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=28436 As far as history and lit, have you seen Teaching Company materials? http://www.thegreatcourses.com/ my 9th grader is using an edition of this book http://www.amazon.com/Western-Civilization-Boundaries-Thomas-Noble/dp/1424067820/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top combined with the Western civ lectures. For lit, I design my own lit courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 Both my kids audited their first college course in 9th grade (DD was 13, DS is 14). DD took her first for credit course at a four year university in 10th grade and has increased her class load since. She will graduate high school with 23 credit hours... not sure of any of those will transfer. Whether a college course taken in high school will actually transfer depends on a variety of factors such as the student's major, the college where he takes the course, and the college where he wants to attend later (some schools accept no tramnsfer credit whatsoever, some only from certain schools). As for "completing courses earlier": My kids have been working above grade level in all subjects. We have been using college level materials for all of their high school sciences and for much of their humanities. Teaching Company lectures constitute a major part of our curriculum; we use college level history texts, and literature comes without a "level". So, I am not quite sure what exactly you are asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschoolmom3 Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 I have looked at LU online but the program is not very rigorous. Their dual enrollment program looks doable but I contacted them and he can't start until he is in 11th grade so I am trying to figure out what to do with him for two years and maybe later going into that program not sure though. Will look into the teaching company as some of you all have mentioned. How do you all keep up with all of the reading and helping them along the way? I have other kids and am needing something that will be more hands off for me where they can complete it all on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 www.learner.org has free online video courses, as does www.coursera.org. Check Education Portal for links to lots of free online courses from various universities, some able to be done for credit from the university, some not (but you could give homeschool credit). www.education-portal.com I'm very impressed with what I've read of Lukeion, especially their college research writing class.www.lukeion.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Dual enrollment in our state begins in 11th grade, but does not have an age requirement. My son skipped kindergarten formally through a state charter program and so is already one year ahead. However, if I can show that he has homeschooling credits of a junior (normally involving normed tests, a portfolio, and documented credit hours) he can begin pulling dual enrollment. Junior means credit status, not age. It is the same as if your child skipped grades within the traditional public school system. They would have junior status, but be younger than the other students. You have to check with your state, the community college, the local school district, and have all your ducks in a row, but an age is rarely listed in the legal paperwork. This only works well, however, if your child wants a complete AA degree which can group transfer to in state schools. Otherwise, as stated above, the credits might not be worth the hassle when it comes to transferring later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 Dual enrollment in our state begins in 11th grade, but does not have an age requirement. My son skipped kindergarten formally through a state charter program and so is already one year ahead. However, if I can show that he has homeschooling credits of a junior (normally involving normed tests, a portfolio, and documented credit hours) he can begin pulling dual enrollment. Junior means credit status, not age. It is the same as if your child skipped grades within the traditional public school system. They would have junior status, but be younger than the other students. You have to check with your state, the community college, the local school district, and have all your ducks in a row, but an age is rarely listed in the legal paperwork. This only works well, however, if your child wants a complete AA degree which can group transfer to in state schools. Otherwise, as stated above, the credits might not be worth the hassle when it comes to transferring later. The only caveat with this is to be aware that the program may only be open to the student for two consecutive years based on grade. I have heard of families in our area being tripped up by this (not that that is EndofOrdinary's aim or situation). They figured that they could get the student in at a younger age by declaring junior status, and that then they would have access to the program until typical graduation age of 18 and could get in extra semesters of no tuition, but our program is not set up that way. The student has to show adequate progress toward graduation from high school in order to qualify, so early in = early out. Something that I have considered for our particular situation re: DE is to look into CLEP testing, primarily to verify completion of some of the courses offered in our DE program before she is old enough to enter. My daughter is on the very young end of the grade she would be in in public school as it is (Aug birthday) but looks older, so I'd rather not put her on campus by herself at the community college prior to the typical junior age for a variety of reasons. NC has specific academic tracks available to DE students rather than all courses, and one has to complete the requirements in the particular track before they will consider allowing the student to enroll in anything more advanced or a different topic in the same discipline. I'm considering whether to have her try CLEP for some of those required classes (it's cheaper than the books and fees usually, even with free tuition) in hopes of having access to other options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 As far as I know, there's no minimum age/grade requirement unless an individual U sets it here-but the state scholarship money that covers DE for anyone who has a 21 composite ACT requires junior or senior standing, and is limited to 2 years. The local university has told me to keep my own records and to come to them when DD is ready for DE because they'll evaluate on a case-by-case basis. I'm still kind of hoping to hold off until Jr. year if possible. I'd rather use our savings for college on a really, really good program somewhere, and use the state DE money for courses that are closer to high school than college level and that will serve only to help support her homeschooling transcript. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted January 31, 2014 Share Posted January 31, 2014 I don't think CCs are as flexible as universities. I would suspect it is b/c most of them are facing over-enrollment due to the economic state of the country. We have found university admissions are more willing to bend their stated rules with evidence of necessity. But with the advent of MOOCs, online classes, etc, DE is not really imperative at a young age except for the rare few that can't be served any other way. There are ways to stretch them until they are in their mid-teens. I think admissions see a big difference in seeking dual enrollment for a 12 yr old and a 15 yr old. This past yr a professor wanted to take ds and one other physics student on a research trip. The university had approved the funding for the trip until they realized ds was a minor. They were completely inflexible. Period. He was not granted permission to go. So while some hurdles can be overcome, others might not be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Dual enrollment at our community college starts at 9th grade, no minimum age limit and is free (other than books). My 14 yr started this year at the CC and takes all of his classes there. My 16 year old is a junior in college now but started taking college classes through dual enrollment at a four year university at age 12. That university also had no age limit. (Both required qualifying SAT/ACT scores for admisson). We have found that dual enrollment is/was an excellent way for our advanced students to keep at an appropriate level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy G Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Check your situation with the college. When DS was in 8th grade he took AP and CC classes. The CC had a minimum of 9th grade but when they saw his ACT scores and his math background they made an exception- it was much easier than I thought. We homeschool and it was harder getting the high school to allow him to take the AP course than to get the CC to allow him. He ended up setting the curve in the AP class and subsequently was told he can take any class he wants- so getting in the door can be beneficial. We have also done college level classes at home and then taken AP tests. I know people who have done it younger than us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I started my eldest at the local university in 9th grade. But here, dual enrollment is free so it makes financial sense and she plans to attend this university after graduation so there was no question as to whether or not the credits will transfer. I've already made different choices for the next child as her goals are quite different. With the eldest I made no attempt to "finish high school courses" before enrolling her in college. For her, the college classes take the place of her high school classes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschoolmom3 Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 We are in VA, from what I have been told our 4yr. university won't allow dual enrollment until 16, but maybe I was mislead. (Will check on that one again) Melissa, I am curious or anyone else.....what "high school" courses did your child finish before moving on the the university? That would be a great question for all!!!! I keep thinking he needs to finish all hs courses before moving on but that is not what I am hearing from others. He has taken most everything but Physics and Pre-Cal but wondering if I should just move on and have him take them there? I am lost in these areas and self paced courses I feel are somewhat hard in the science and math areas. Our cc here is allowing him to take what he wants as long as his SATs are strong. (He is taking them in March.) Yes our cc is so much cheaper than outsourcing to online courses and then some classes I feel need to be done in a classroom setting. Thanks for all your postings, a lot to think about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 .what "high school" courses did your child finish before moving on the the university? .... I keep thinking he needs to finish all hs courses before moving on but that is not what I am hearing from others. I don't see why - college courses can be the perfect level for an advanced student's high school studies and be taken instead of a typical high school level course. It is also not clear what the term "all hs courses" is supposed to mean, since there is no universal definition of what constitutes a high school course. Lastly, most students take a mix of college and at-home courses, because most colleges will not allow a dually enrolled student to take a full class load, nor would that be a wise course of action. DD took five semesters of physics at the university, but did all the math prerequisites with us at home. She took five semesters of foreign language after having a start of two years at home. She took English at home in 9th and 10th and at the university in 11th and 12th. Everything else we do at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 We are in VA, from what I have been told our 4yr. university won't allow dual enrollment until 16, but maybe I was mislead. (Will check on that one again) Melissa, I am curious or anyone else.....what "high school" courses did your child finish before moving on the the university? That would be a great question for all!!!! I keep thinking he needs to finish all hs courses before moving on but that is not what I am hearing from others. He has taken most everything but Physics and Pre-Cal but wondering if I should just move on and have him take them there? I am lost in these areas and self paced courses I feel are somewhat hard in the science and math areas. Our cc here is allowing him to take what he wants as long as his SATs are strong. (He is taking them in March.) Yes our cc is so much cheaper than outsourcing to online courses and then some classes I feel need to be done in a classroom setting. Thanks for all your postings, a lot to think about! We used to live in VA and were successful in enrolling our ds at a local university earlier than their stated policy. However, I do not believe you would be successful in the situation you describe. Why? B/c you haven't exhausted high school level work. Pre-cal and cal are really not necessary to take at a university. Students can take them successfully at a high school level before they ever need to step foot on to a college campus. Once he has finished all high school equivalences, they probably would. FWIW, this is how we did it. I made an appt with the admissions rep responsible for dual enrollment. We had his test scores (PSAT and his ACT scores from 8th grade which he had taken for CTY purposes) and his AP scores. We had 2 older siblings that were currently dual enrolled at the 2 CC systems (different systems, not branches) that were within commuting distance and were definitely not satisfied with the quality of ed for this particular child b/c he was functioning at such a higher level than the students on the CC campuses. (All content in a class is not the same even if they are using the same textbook. The students on the CC campus were definitely not the "we thrive in challenge" type students.) When we met with the admissions officer, we presented his transcript, the scores, and our concerns about pursuing higher ed on the CC campus and really wanted him in the type of academic atmosphere available on their campus. They had us fill out an application and that was that. But, when I had simply called on the phone, the response was no. Go in person. Be armed with your evidence. Have your student advocate for themself. (I let ds do most of the talking to demonstrate his determination and level of maturity.) FWIW, he started dual enrollment with multivariable calculus (after a 5 on the AP) and cal-based physics. Another FWIW, dual enrollment at the university was incredibly expensive but worth it. All of the universities that have been out of state public that he has applied to have told him that they would not accept his transfer credit from a CC but will accept or review the courses since they are from a 4 yr regional university. Also, the offerings of upper level courses at the CC are unpredictable. They may or may not have sections b/c they simply do not have that many higher level students attempting to enroll and they only go through 200 level courses. He has only been taking 300 level courses this yr, so he would have had to pursue outside a CC system anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 We had similar situations to the above posters. My older child had finished one year of highschool (he was grade accelerated and 11 yrs old) and the level was still much too low. He started the next year taking all of his courses at the university. They allowed four per semester so he carried a full course load. That program was setup for 11th/12th graders, but with his scores, and a letter of recommendation from the director of his high school, he was admitted. As mentioned above, he was well beyond highschool level courses by that time which made it easier for the admin to bend the rules. Our younger child never went to highschool. He started at the CC after 8th grade. His SAT scores were all he needed. The CC allows three classes per semester, including the summer, so he carries a full load there as well. (we had moved so the university dual enrollment program in which the first child was enrolled was not an option for this one) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Melissa, I am curious or anyone else.....what "high school" courses did your child finish before moving on the the university? She took very few high school level courses. In 8th grade I had her take four honors level high school classes through our state virtual school for outside verification of her ability. It wasn't necessary and basically a waste of time. (I have since apologized for that. :) ) The only thing we really need is test scores. A student must maintain a 3.0 GPA at the university in order to stay in the dual enrollment program, so students that shouldn't be there are weeded fairly quickly. I did have her take two classes her 8th grade year that were important and I will do the same for my other children. The first was a solid computer class. Almost everything about the university is done online. From registration through final grades, every syllabus and reading assignment, every submitted paper, every notification, most quizzes and even some exams. It is important to be comfortable using their internal computer system. I have no right or ability to intercede on her behalf. I cannot contact any professor or even the IT department. Students that are not computer savvy do suffer a bit at this university. The other class I had her take was a Great Books I online class through Escondido Tutorials. This class made sure she was capable of reading, discussing and writing at an intro college level. It also got her used to the sixteen week term and meeting reading and writing deadlines. Other than those two classes I basically threw her to the wolves - and she loved it. :D In order to avoid any confusion, I do plan to make up her high school transcript entirely of college courses. Classes she has taken at home we are considering to be extraneous (for the sake of simplicity.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I do plan to make up her high school transcript entirely of college courses. Classes she has taken at home we are considering to be extraneous (for the sake of simplicity.) You won't be able to make up a transcript for dual enrolled courses. She will be required to send the transcripts directly from the CCs or universities where she has taken the courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 You won't be able to make up a transcript for dual enrolled courses. She will be required to send the transcripts directly from the CCs or universities where she has taken the courses. I have to provide a high school transcript as well as sending the university transcript. They will look exactly the same, except that the high school transcript will be ordered according to subject. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Yes, when my older child applied to colleges (as an entering freshman, not dual enrolled) I prepared a comprehensive transcript that listed the courses from the one year of high school and all of the university courses. I also had the university send official transcripts. On the transcript I created I listed everything by subject rather than year. It was less confusing since high school for him did not take four years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azalea Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Our younger child never went to highschool. He started at the CC after 8th grade. His SAT scores were all he needed. The CC allows three classes per semester, including the summer, so he carries a full load there as well. (we had moved so the university dual enrollment program in which the first child was enrolled was not an option for this one) Will you need to create any kind of high school transcript? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 All of the schools we researched when my older child was applying required a homeschooling umbrella transcript created by me along with official transcripts from whatever course providers were used (high school, virtual, college, etc.). So yes, I will create a homeschool transcript for this child also. As mentioned by the poster above though, this one will look exactly like the CC transcript (unless he decides to take some outside course or something). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 I have to provide a high school transcript as well as sending the university transcript. They will look exactly the same, except that the high school transcript will be ordered according to subject. I would describe that as more as compiling vs."making up" or creating. :) Basically, you have not generated course names or course descriptions; you are simply listing and stating that the universities/CCs will be sending their transcripts which are going to be the transcripts that matter. That really is different from creating a homeschool transcript. OP, fwiw, it is not an issue for VA universities that I am aware of, but you should be aware that there are universities that will not grant credit for courses used to fulfill high school credit. So, for example, if ds had dual enrolled for English and it was meant to fulfill both high school and college credit, at least 2 of the schools he applied to would not allow him to transfer in the English credit b/c it was fulfilling both. His math credits, otoh, did not b/c he had already fulfilled the high school math requirements prior to dual enrolling. (it gets complicated, but it is really the difference between what is considered accelerated enrollment and dual enrollment.) Dual enrollment can be a mixed bag and the best course of action is to simply spend time investigating yourself b/c there is no simply answer unless you are simply planning on attending where dual enrolling or a school with an articulation agreement. B/c once you move beyond those scenarios, there is absolutely no single answer. Ds's scenario right now is everything from placement purposes only with no credit, only a few courses being accepted, only allowing 16 hrs of credit, or basically entering as a 2nd semester sophomore. It gives me a headache trying to play guidance counselor. Just trying to point out that dual enrollment is not a panacea. There are drawbacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 This biggest drawback to dual enrollment in my opinion is the effect it can have on the college GPA. If you're not positive your child can do well in a college course than I would hold off on enrollment. Those grades from college classes taken when the student is, say 15, will follow them when it comes time for medical school, law school and grad school applications down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 This biggest drawback to dual enrollment in my opinion is the effect it can have on the college GPA. If you're not positive your child can do well in a college course than I would hold off on enrollment. Those grades from college classes taken when the student is, say 15, will follow them when it comes time for medical school, law school and grad school applications down the road. That is true. I am on a college loop and this is an issue that does come up quite a bit. If a kid is not completely on autopilot and self-directed, I would hold off until more mature. They have to understand that these grades are permanent. They cannot selectively choose what courses to submit to schools and what courses not to (or which CCs/universities' dual enrolled courses to include and what not to) Schools expect you to send transcripts for EVERY course from EVERY school. Not only can those courses impact admissions, many schools actually incorporate those grades into your student's GPA. So a C from age 15 can impact them all the way through their college career. I have never had any concerns about my kids taking dual enrollment classes b/c they don't dual enroll until they are 100% solid in foundation and I don't have to know anything about their coursework at all. (I am completely clueless about my kids' outside classes. I only worry about those I am directly teaching......with the exception of paying the bill. :tongue_smilie: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Yes, maturity is a big necessity when taking college courses. The child has to handle all facets of the class, including going to office hours and speaking to the prof if necessary. It's very hands-off as a parent. There are no parent-teacher conferences in college! You as a parent don't even have access to your child's grades, etc unless given third party access by the child. (even if they are 12!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homeschoolmom3 Posted February 2, 2014 Author Share Posted February 2, 2014 Great things to think about....thanks so much for all of your input! And yes, I know some of you all mentioned what the end of HS courses would mean anyway. I guess for me is when I can't possibly help him anymore and I am about there with a few subjects like Math and Latin and was trying to see which jump to make. Online courses I think are great for some classes but not all and then as everyone knows every university/cc colleges are not ranked equal. It is such a tough decision and him being my oldest he is my guinea pig. :-) I don't want to push him and am wanting to hold him back even though he is biting at the bit and ready to go...ha ha! It is so hard to let your children go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Yes, maturity is a big necessity when taking college courses. The child has to handle all facets of the class, including going to office hours and speaking to the prof if necessary. It's very hands-off as a parent. There are no parent-teacher conferences in college! You as a parent don't even have access to your child's grades, etc unless given third party access by the child. (even if they are 12!) Did you ever have to remind your child that he can access office hours? Especially in the beginning stages of starting off on his own? What if you have a highly capable kiddo who is also absent minded and forgets he can go speak to the prof instead of getting frustrated after spending hours at something or maybe only emailing the prof for clarification, for example? I'm trying to understand what hands-off means since it can look different in different homes. And apologies for asking but I do over-think these things terribly too. Is saying something like "you do know you can go ask your prof right?" to a 11yo ready for higher level classes considered being a pushy/ not-ready-to-let-go parent? I'm quite used to staying out of his way usually. Just trying to figure out how much more of my tongue I will need to bite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 This would be different for each kid. There are some 18 year old college students that need a lot of handholding! I think reminders for an absent-minded but otherwise capable child that they should go see the prof if there is a problem would be fine. Accompanying the child to go see the prof would not. Knowing the deadlines of research papers or essays and checking in that these things were being done might be okay. If I had to bribe, threaten or cajole the student to get these things done that would be a sign to me that the child was not mature enough for that environment. To prepare my older child for the college environment we toured the school the weekend before classes started. We showed him where we would drop off and pick up, how to get to each of his classes, how to get to the student union and library, and where his profs' offices were. In his second semester he had to take a college shuttle to an outlying location so we showed him the stops and went over the bus schedule. I see nothing wrong with providing some guidance, but I would not have escorted him to and from classes. If he could not have navigated the campus I would not have let him enroll. (this is concerning my children only, not judging others who made different choices) My oldest was 12 when he started takng classes but was very mature. Though shy, he was capable of speaking for himself. He was comfortable and knew how to act around adults. Some kids may be able to handle the academics but won't be ale to handle the adult environment and responsibilities. It's very much an individual decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Thank you Butler. That was very helpful and very much what I had thought too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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