Dual Enrollment vs. Online - Physics? Calculus?

[Shelly in VA]

I am having a mini-panic attack trying to decide how best to handle these subjects for my rising 12th grade ds. I shouldn't be, but I am. :huh:

 

What I am really feeling overwhelmed by is the dual enrollment vs. school-at-home choice. We have a decent CC near us, but the logistics of taking a class are a little bit difficult as ds has a part-time job T/Th afternoons. Part of me wants to just have him take a few CC classes to get accustomed to working with someone else's deadlines, part of me wants to just do the classes at home to reduce the cost, part of me wants to knock out a few classes at the CC price. At the same time, I don't feel strongly that a lot of credits are necessary going into college, and I don't want too many "electives" taken care of so that ds (who wants to major in math) is overwhelmed at college by his courseload.

 

Fwiw, I currently have an older daughter finishing her freshman year at a 4-year university, and she had just 6 dual enrollment credits going into college. Her advisors seem to think she is in a fine position to still graduate in 4 years, in the honors program, with a minor in addition to her BS in nursing.

 

Also, while I've looked at physics options like Derek Owens or Landry Academy, I balk at paying nearly the price, or more, of a CC physics class that earns dual enrollment credit.

 

Any advice on how you have or would handle these courses? Maybe just putting this into words will help with my overwhelmed attitude.

 

Thank you!!

 

[3byzaz]

Only replying to commiserate!  I am having the same dilemmas - although i add in trying to decide between at home vs. DE vs. AP vs. CLEP...weighing the cost, what "looks good", and what will be best for son who is also running his own businesses!  I won't do an online one that IS more than our CC and/or any AP and CLEP options.  So, hoping to hear lots of wisdom.  :0)

[MarkT]

Does the CC offer online classes or mixed online lecture with actual labs?

[Erin]

So then the question becomes:  Will schools be as apt to want those classes from a CC?  Or is it a valid concern that they might reject them for being too "fluffy?"  Or are we not really worried about transferability so much as fulfilling high school credit with the experience collegiate-ish level work?

Or maybe CCs aren't really as "light" as I think they are and it's just a bit of elitism on my part...  :o

[Kareni]

Does your son have a preference?  His input might clarify matters.  (Or not!)

 

Regards,

Kareni

[ChristineP]

My dd attended a cc as a DE student her jr. and sr. years.  The classes were not fluff at all and were equivalent to the 4 yr classes she is taking now at a university for a Chem E degree.  They prepared her well!  It is known as an excellent cc though.

[kiana]

Ask your CC how well their transfer students do in subsequent classes. Also check with universities your student may want to attend.

 

My brother transferred from a CC to an Ivy League school. He found that his "x for non-majors" classes were weak, but his "x for majors" classes prepared him well.