What about essentially skipping high school and going straight to CommunityCollege?

[Dmmetler]

It also may be terminology. My DD started at the CC at age 12, but not as DE. She is classified as a non-traditional student with no high school diploma. DE requires that you be 16 and a junior. Just applying requires proof of ability to benefit, which can be shown via ACT scores. DE is paid for, up to 12 credits/yr. Taking classes, you're on your own unless you apply for and get financial aid or merit aid, both of which require a high school diploma, GED/HiSET, or 12 college credits completed.

[chiguirre]

This thread resurrection was a timely topic for me. I'm planning to go to our local public high school's DE information night where they'll go over the nitty gritty details about being "core complete". That's Texas speak for having completed all the general education requirements that are set out in state law for all public colleges. Most of the TX private schools have strikingly similar requirements and also accept CC transfer credits to fulfill them.

[MarkT]

Oops old thread. That is what I get for only skimming thread before posting. :lol:

revived thread - keep on posting 

[Guest2]

Yes, we are also looking very specifically into individual CC's , individual state universities, individual out of state universities and one of the forum members here is from my state and we are having private conversations that are super helpful.

 

I wanted to hear both aspects of it...both from a general/psychological/social/academic standpoint, as well as our individual state....

 

Thank you for the reminder, because more and more I am advised to look very specifically at the universities my son is interested in. One of them is out of state (Texas A&M) and would completely erase 90% of the problems we would have completing high school at home, plus they offer 100% peanut free dorm cafeterias. :o) But the others are more complicated.

i just wanted to give you a heads up. If you were counting on the OOS tuition waver at Texas A&M, it has become a little more difficult. I believe you now need a $4,000 scholarship. https://scholarships.tamu.edu/Non-Resident-Tuition-Waiver

 

Also , taking too many CC credits can be detrimental for admission programs such as Blinn team, engineering accademies, ect.at Texas A&M. Http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/coursework

I am personally hearing of more denials due to high school students having too many credits (if you have the SAT or ACT required, this isn't an issue). Many OOS like the Blinn team ect, because the cost of OOS tuition at the CC is far lower. It is a great school, just didn't want you to have any nasty surprises. Hth!

[chiguirre]

i just wanted to give you a heads up. If you were counting on the OOS tuition waver at Texas A&M, it has become a little more difficult. I believe you now need a $4,000 scholarship. https://scholarships.tamu.edu/Non-Resident-Tuition-Waiver

 

Also , taking too many CC credits can be detrimental for admission programs such as Blinn team, engineering accademies, ect.at Texas A&M. Http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/coursework

I am personally hearing of more denials due to high school students having too many credits (if you have the SAT or ACT required, this isn't an issue). Many OOS like the Blinn team ect, because the cost of OOS tuition at the CC is far lower. It is a great school, just didn't want you to have any nasty surprises. Hth!

 

OTOH, except for the engineering program, it would be hard to transfer to a desirable major if you are diverted to the CC or a regional campus for your first year or two. It's the same problem as UT Austin's CAP or Austin CC programs. You don't have to just worry about getting in to the university, you need to be sure you're accepted in your intended major. For a Texan, taking that chance might be worth it because your credits will transfer to other public universities that are less selective, but for someone who's OOS that's a major risk unless they're willing to transfer to Texas State or Steven F. Austin or Sam Houston State or finish up at TAMU Kingsville or who doesn't mind ending up with a degree in philosophy.

[...................]

OTOH, except for the engineering program, it would be hard to transfer to a desirable major if you are diverted to the CC or a regional campus for your first year or two. It's the same problem as UT Austin's CAP or Austin CC programs. You don't have to just worry about getting in to the university, you need to be sure you're accepted in your intended major. For a Texan, taking that chance might be worth it because your credits will transfer to other public universities that are less selective, but for someone who's OOS that's a major risk unless they're willing to transfer to Texas State or Steven F. Austin or Sam Houston State or finish up at TAMU Kingsville or who doesn't mind ending up with a degree in philosophy.

 

Yes, this is why we ruled out A&M.  YOu don't get accepted into Engineering (and I thin the Comp Sci is in the Eng school there)...you get accepted to the university and then you compete during the first two years for a spot in the Eng/Comp Sci program.  As an OOS student, this is way way too much risk obviously.  Having to transfer back here would make no sense.  

 

To update this thread, we decided to do 9th grade at home, which was a very good choice.  My son took a very challenging and advanced an 12th grade English and Composition, a 10th grade English, as well as finishing ALgebra 2 and half of Geometry (hope to finish over the summer).  It also gave him more time to decide what he really wanted and how he wanted to do it.  ....When AP/SAT Subject time came he basically was like, "Ummm...no.  This is not how I want to do life for the next four years."  He really enjoys studying for his courses, really learning the material, working for good grades.  He does NOT enjoy and absolutely was not into the idea of adding multiple AP and Subject Test cramming/studying on top of all the regular coursework.  

 

So it all became clear to him.  And, we believe he will test into college level math now, which is something I really wanted for him, not to be stuck with remedial courses and the type of remedial people taking those courses, the motivation factor might have been lost on him.  

 

Also, now I have only one year of driving him to and fro before he can drive himself.

 

All in all it was the right decision to hold off until 10th...and for some people it would be right to hold off until 9th.  Unless you had a really advanced student who would test right into college level math, then I would say to keep going until they would.

 

EDITED!  See my post below about taking a practice SAT first just to see where your kid is at on it!

Edited March 17, 2017 by Calming Tea

[DocMom]

If you take CC classes, and then say apply for admission to an upper tier college, they will likely look unfavorably upon CC classes. This was my experience many moons ago when I went to college. Is this still true today?

[...................]

If you take CC classes, and then say apply for admission to an upper tier college, they will likely look unfavorably upon CC classes. This was my experience many moons ago when I went to college. Is this still true today?

Totally depends- in my state students who go to the CC and get a high GPA and take the right classes have priority enrollment (they actually call it a guarantee but it's not

Exactly that) as transfer students to the top tier state universities and some private colleges as well which are also pretty top tier.

 

It just depends on GPA

[...................]

We totally changed course, because my son got a high SAT on his SAT practice test...so we will do admission by testing, and will NOT attend CC full time, early.  He can still DE a few courses, of course, for interest and the experience.

 

I encourage everyone to wait till the end of 9th or 10th grade and give a preliminary practice SAT just to see what kind of test taker your kid is!  Don't rush into full time CC before doing this because you never know. I didn't really think my boy would score as high as he did.

 

Also, I have done tons of research and I can't give you any quotes but it looks like a student can depend on bringing up their SAT score by 10% through studying and test prep. But, there are thresholds so the higher your student scores the first time, the less percentage they are likely to bring it up.  If your student is very very motivated and scores above average they can bring it up 20% through study and test prep for a few months.  But if your student scores in the top 90% you might expect only 10% improvement through studying.  

 

I just thought I would update again because I know other CA moms are out there planning and thinking about all of this.  

Edited March 17, 2017 by Calming Tea

[maize]

I'm also happy that this thread was revived as my 13 year old is talking about wanting to take college courses.

Edited March 18, 2017 by maize

[SparklyUnicorn]

If you take CC classes, and then say apply for admission to an upper tier college, they will likely look unfavorably upon CC classes. This was my experience many moons ago when I went to college. Is this still true today?

 

Varies from place to place.  Where I grew up, that was definitely the case.  Where I am now?  Nope.  They have tons of transfer agreements.  They use the same books for some of the courses.  There are a lot of students who take courses at the CC my kid goes to so they can save some money.

[katilac]

Our local university is not top tier and has a transfer agreement with the CC. Many students still get tripped up because they aren't expecting the uni classes to be so much harder.  You really have to take a long hard look at what is actually taught in each class, particularly classes that build on one another (pre calc at CC to calc at uni is pretty tough, for example). 

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Our local university is not top tier and has a transfer agreement with the CC. Many students still get tripped up because they aren't expecting the uni classes to be so much harder.  You really have to take a long hard look at what is actually taught in each class, particularly classes that build on one another (pre calc at CC to calc at uni is pretty tough, for example). 

 

How could one take a long hard look at that? 

[quark]

How could one take a long hard look at that?

Not katilac but one example is to look at what each class covers. When kiddo sat in at our flagship's multivariable calc class the same semester that he took multivariable at the cc, the flagship was definitely going much faster and deeper. At the uni, many profs post the syllabus on their class webpages and some creative googling could help unearth the difference.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Not katilac but one example is to look at what each class covers. When kiddo sat in at our flagship's multivariable calc class the same semester that he took multivariable at the cc, the flagship was definitely going much faster and deeper. At the uni, many profs post the syllabus on their class webpages and some creative googling could help unearth the difference.

 

Ah ok.  Didn't think about looking on-line for the syllabus.

[katilac]

How could one take a long hard look at that? 

 

Yes, look for the online syllabus and which text is used (with syllabus being more important). 

 

Also ask around. Get in on conversations about DE and, if possible, test scores. If students are doing great in math at the CC but don't have the ACT scores to match, that's a warning sign. Obviously I don't go around asking people how their kid scored on the ACT, but if you do any homeschooling events, it often comes up. Our state has a grant that ties in to ACT scores, so people will often say if their kid has or hasn't met the cutoff yet.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

Yes, look for the online syllabus and which text is used (with syllabus being more important). 

 

Also ask around. Get in on conversations about DE and, if possible, test scores. If students are doing great in math at the CC but don't have the ACT scores to match, that's a warning sign. Obviously I don't go around asking people how their kid scored on the ACT, but if you do any homeschooling events, it often comes up. Our state has a grant that ties in to ACT scores, so people will often say if their kid has or hasn't met the cutoff yet.  

 

I have gone and looked for textbook comparisons.  Problem with the syllabus is a lot of times instructors aren't that detailed.  None of mine have been. 

 

I really don't have anyone to ask. 

[quark]

It is usually not a straightforward investigation. Some ways I've found more info about the uni's classes is to google for the section numbers (via the schedule page) and see if other instructors have posted syllabi online for the same course but a different section and then compare that to the syllabus the CC prof gave. Another roundabout way is to look up rate my professor or other online review sites. Sometimes, depending on the prof, you will find reviews on stack exchange or forums like that too. Reviewers (especially on rate my prof that I have seen so far) don't always go into depth on what the prof covered but sometimes you find inklings of how challenging a class was. It isn't always easy to find these little snippets of info. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you have to guess. But people who really want to know before making a decision can usually get at least a tiny bit of info before signing up for a class.

 

We don't do this all the time. The only reason I know how to do it is because kiddo has a prof this semester that had a whole bunch of negative reviews but is teaching the only available honors section. So I did a little more digging and found glowing reviews for that prof (very few reviews altogether but more glowing than another site) on a more "technical type" site. Now halfway into the semester, I can see from kiddo's feedback why the prof has such mixed reviews. He seems to be a fabulous mathematician and researcher. Absolutely amazing guy. But his teaching skills need a lot of work.

[Kassia]

 

We don't do this all the time. The only reason I know how to do it is because kiddo has a prof this semester that had a whole bunch of negative reviews but is teaching the only available honors section. So I did a little more digging and found glowing reviews for that prof (very few reviews altogether but more glowing than another site) on a more "technical type" site. Now halfway into the semester, I can see from kiddo's feedback why the prof has such mixed reviews. He seems to be a fabulous mathematician and researcher. Absolutely amazing guy. But his teaching skills need a lot of work.

 

Can you share what other review site you use besides rate my professor?

[quark]

Can you share what other review site you use besides rate my professor?

 

Not all of them are review sites. Basically, it's whatever hits I get that sound reasonably reliable. For the math prof that I wanted to investigate, I found some hits on reddit, ninja courses and math.stackexchange

 

Hope that helps!

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

Although thinking about this some more...a lot of schools have internal information systems where they post that info.  They do not tend to post stuff like the syllabus on an on-line website. 

 

I feel as if the local CC is decent mostly based on going there myself and hearing good things from a few local homeschoolers.  But that's really barely anything.  I'm not particularly worried about my kid though.