How many DE credits did your high schooler graduate with?

[madteaparty]

I'm just curious, and search function did not help me.

I learned today that local 4 yr uni has a limit of 24 credits you can take as unmatriculated student. And so I wondered what was special about about that number. And then I further wondered, if one makes liberal use of DE, how many credits your kids ended up with. Thank you.

[8filltheheart]

My oldest had 18. My youngest ds had something like something like 34 plus 16 AP credit hrs. My sr will have 3 plus around 30 in CLEP credit hrs.

[GoodGrief]

I can't recall numbers. My oldest was full time DE her senior year, so I am guessing around 24, but possibly a bit more? My next daughter only did 3 classes total, so definitely less than 24.

[Crimson Wife]

I assume you mean there is a limit of 24 credits for freshman admits as opposed to transfers? My oldest is currently aiming for the associate's-and-transfer-to-a-UC route so she'd have 60 credits. Our EFC is so far from reality that it's either that or gamble on her qualifying for merit aid at private or OOS colleges.

[Kassia]

I have one ds who went full time in his jr/sr year and he graduated with over 60 DE credits.  His twin brother went part time and only had six I think.  

 

My dd is a freshman and earned 14 credits this year.  She will probably take 15-18 next year, and then go full-time in her junior and senior years so she will have a lot.  

[madteaparty]

I assume you mean there is a limit of 24 credits for freshman admits as opposed to transfers? My oldest is currently aiming for the associate's-and-transfer-to-a-UC route so she'd have 60 credits. Our EFC is so far from reality that it's either that or gamble on her qualifying for merit aid at private or OOS colleges.

 

I only mean that one can take up to 24 credits as an unmatriculated student before they are required to matriculate at this particular university.

[madteaparty]

I have one ds who went full time in his jr/sr year and he graduated with over 60 DE credits.  His twin brother went part time and only had six I think.  

 

My dd is a freshman and earned 14 credits this year.  She will probably take 15-18 next year, and then go full-time in her junior and senior years so she will have a lot.  

That's amazing! And then will she apply as freshman elsewhere (that is to say, are all these for her high school purposes or will she transfer the credits)?

[winterbaby]

I think what's special about that number is that it's equivalent to a year of minimum full-time enrollment; but I've also seen 30 (typical full-time enrollment) and 36 (maximum full-time enrollment).

[Mom22ns]

There were no limits on DE credits at either school my kids attended (State U and CC). Ds only had 9 credits. Dd had 21, but graduated a year early. If she had stayed for her senior year, she'd probably have had over 40. 

[regentrude]

DD had 34 credits from our 4 year uni.

None of those transferred to her college, so that was no issue at all.

 

(Some might have transferred if she would have been able to use them, but she has no room for free electives, and the physics sequence was only the normal one, below the honors version they offered.)

Edited May 1, 2017 by regentrude

[clementine]

Our dd will have 25.  

[regentrude]

 

I learned today that local 4 yr uni has a limit of 24 credits you can take as unmatriculated student. And so I wondered what was special about about that number. 

 

full time student status is 12 hours/semester. 24 credits would be two semesters as a full time student.

[Kassia]

That's amazing! And then will she apply as freshman elsewhere (that is to say, are all these for her high school purposes or will she transfer the credits)?

 

She'll apply as a freshman when it's time.  I have no idea how many credits she'll be able to use towards her four-year degree - it depends on her major and what university she ends up attending.  It's been a good experience for her and any credits that transfer will just be a bonus.  :)

[madteaparty]

She'll apply as a freshman when it's time. I have no idea how many credits she'll be able to use towards her four-year degree - it depends on her major and what university she ends up attending. It's been a good experience for her and any credits that transfer will just be a bonus. :)

Yes, I agree; it's an amazing experience. That's our plan too, and I'm not planning on any transferring. I have this deep paranoia (despite being told repeatedly that this is not the case)that a large number of credits precludes a student from applying as freshman (even though they never enrolled anywhere). So I was wondering. Thank you all â¤ï¸ Edited May 1, 2017 by madteaparty

[Melissa B]

My eldest had 117 credits. My second will have around 70.

[regentrude]

My eldest had 117 credits. 

 

Are credits counted the same way? as in  semester-class-hours? That's almost a complete bachelors!

[madteaparty]

Don't many Universities require a certain number of credits to be completed at the U for their Bachelors?

Yes, I don't want anything to transfer.i want it all to be high school.

[regentrude]

Don't many Universities require a certain number of credits to be completed at the U for their Bachelors?

 

yes, typically 60, i.e. roughly half

[Melissa B]

Are credits counted the same way? as in  semester-class-hours? That's almost a complete bachelors!

 

Yes, the university accepted 114 of her semester credits (half came from the university itself so they were obviously going to be accepted.) She could have graduated in one year. However, she has decided to get a combo master/bachelor degree along with a second bachelor and a minor. She has a state scholarship that runs for four years and wanted to take full advantage of it.

[Guest]

Here in Texas, DE is free only for two classes per semester, for the fall and spring of the junior and senior years only.  (There are rare exceptions, of course.)  That comes to a total of 24 hours.

 

My older two boys took only 6 hours of DE.  My next son did 12 hours.  It looks like my upcoming senior will do 12 also.

[charlotteb]

DS had 27 DE credits upon HS graduation.  DD#1 should have 36 if all goes as plans.  She will graduate in 2018.  Our CC has no limit.  Some kids have even graduated HS with a full associates degree as well. 

[Dmmetler]

24 credits is what the state will pay for as a DE student in my state.

 

As far as I know, there is no limit on the number of credits you can take non-degree at DD's CC, but in order to lock in the catalog you entered on, you have to apply to degree seeking before starting the equivalent of a 3rd full-time semester. If you don't have a high school diploma or GED/HiSET you can't apply to degree seeking until you've completed at least 12 credits.

[amyx4]

72 credits. Started DE sophomore year. Went through the summers, too.

Edited May 2, 2017 by amyx4

[katilac]

Oldest had 33 credits, but did not transfer them all. She definitely transferred 12 hours of French and 9 hours of Spanish.

 

Youngest has 15 this year, her first of two, so will probably wind up roughly the same. She may wind up transferring more, as she is rather more interested in easier semesters than maximizing majors, lol. 

[luuknam]

yes, typically 60, i.e. roughly half

 

 

Huh, the ones I've looked at require only a minimum of 30 to be completed at their U. (of course, they also have a minimum number of upper division hours you need, so you might not be able to meet that number if you did DE only at the CC).

[StephanieZ]

My college girl had 41 credits when she entered college. 11 CLEP Spanish credits and the rest were APs.

 

Soon-to-be college boy will likely have around 45-49 IIRC, depending on his scores. 14 Spanish CLEP, and the remainder APs. 

 

Youngest kiddo, 8th grade, probably will get 4 for her 8th grade Env Sci AP exam and could likely already earn 8-14 Spanish in CLEP, but we'll wait for  a while for that. I expect she'll end up with even more credits than her siblings because she's more focused on that sort of thing and also because I am more aware of more and more opportunities to earn college credits, plus, since she's my last homeschooler, I'll have more time to drive her to campus, etc, if she wants to take a couple DE courses. . . I won't graduate her early, but I might let her use DE very liberally by her last year. It's super cheap and could be a good jump start on college.

[Matryoshka]

My older one who did DE did 35 credits at the CC and another 3 at a local 4-year (that wasn't officially DE).  She started doing DE her junior year.

 

My younger one started DE earlier (as a freshman), and is doing less online/at home and no APs at all, so she's going to have a ton - should be about 90 if she keeps on track.  She had planned to graduate a year early but changed her mind (I was rooting that she would), but she's now decided to get an AS in Graphic Design.  If she does well on a few CLEPs, she should also manage a Liberal Arts AA, as most of the DE for high school stuff (English, Science, Soc. Science, FL) was just about done with anyway, due to her wanting to be done early.

 

I'm guessing a bunch of the Graphic Design classes won't transfer (at best, they would be for free electives), but she'll have knocked out all her GenEds and done 4-5 classes toward a Business degree at a 4-year.  She's going to stick to a state school because she wants the transfer guarantee for those types of credits.  I think she will still be able to be counted a freshman as long as I time her hs graduation right.  But she'd like to be done in no more than 3 years, which should be very doable.

Edited May 2, 2017 by Matryoshka

[Luckymama]

D will graduate with 29 credits from our state flagship (not through a DE program) and another state's flagship (accelerated summer program), all in Arabic and Chinese. None of the credits will transfer. I'd say they would be used for placement purposes, but that's untrue as she will have to take oral and written placement exams in both.

 

Her university will accept 5 of her APs to satisfy core requirements for 16 credits. (She'll need to take only 3 other classes outside her major and the 2 languages, wfich may turn into majors.)

[EKS]

My older son had 55 quarter credits, which translates to about 33 semester credits.

 

If my younger son goes the dual enrollment route, he will have 90 quarter (54 semester) credits.

Edited May 2, 2017 by EKS

[Loesje22000]

We don't have DE here, but we also don't have gen.ed. requirements at the university.

[Rebel Yell]

Zero, for 2013 grad and 2017 grad (in 19 days!)

 

Just answering so that others who don't do DE know they aren't alone.

 

In my state, there is no free dual enrollment (maybe for cyber students, not sure), and no financial aid before graduation. We cannot afford $350-$500+ for each class, plus the extra costs for books and other fees, and driving several days/week for a single class would be a schedule nightmare.

 

It is a possibility for math classes for my youngest, especially if her schedule can be coordinated with her sister's at the same community college.

[madteaparty]

I'm using the term DE wrong, I guess. What I mean to ask, that you all have answered (thank you â¤ï¸) is how many college credits obtained during high school as an un-matriculated student will your child end up with.

There's really no formal DE here at the 4 year uni. There is filling out the form for unmatriculated students and paying the per credit cost.

Edited May 2, 2017 by madteaparty

[8filltheheart]

I'm using the term DE wrong, I guess. What I mean to ask, that you all have answered (thank you â¤ï¸) is how many college credits obtained during high school as an un-matriculated student will your child end up with.

There's really no formal DE here at the 4 year uni. There is filling out the form for unmatriculated students and paying the per credit cost.

Fwiw, there are written rules and then there are rules with exceptions. I would see where your university actually fits. The 2 local universities (different states) where my kids have taken courses have had rules that we have been able to work around.

 

One was the number of credits allowed to enroll in. (First semester they allowed 2 extra credit hours due to the labs in both classes) and then after he had the highest grade in both classes, they waived the hr restrictions.

 

The other was courses allowed to enroll in. The university has a fixed list of courses that high school students are allowed to select from. We made an appt with the registrar and he waved the restriction and allowed ds to enroll in the classes he wanted (upper level math and physics.) He was not enrolled as a DE student, but a different category. (I don't remember off the top of my head how they categorized him so he could take those classes, but technically speaking, it made zero difference on our side, only theirs.)

[Luckymama]

Seconding 8 re nonmatriculated students---At our state flagship, high-school-age nonmatriculated students are limited to 7 credit hours per semester. It took a short email mentioning her 4.0 for the restriction to be lifted for D to take 11 credits this semester. Online registration was blocked until then.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Ds 1 and 2 had 24-27 credits. Most was as early admission students. This allows high schoolers to take classes at the CC. Tuition is not waived.

 

DS1 took transfer credit for a couple courses, in particular chemistry and an English class. This let him start on his major specific courses early. He repeated calculus to be sure he knew the material to the level expected of an engineering student.

 

DS2 will probably not transfer much. His college doesn't do much transfer credit or AP credit. But I think the CC experience was an important part of his transcript.

[Melissa B]

What is the difference between DE and being a non-matriculated student? Isn't it primarily different wording for the same thing?

[Matryoshka]

What is the difference between DE and being a non-matriculated student? Isn't it primarily different wording for the same thing?

 

DE is usually an official program.  Some places give free tuition for DE, some give discounts (at our local CC we get 50% off), some give no discount but still have a program that usually is designed to work with local high schools, not homeschoolers (though they can still use it) and may or may not have limitations on # credits taken, types of classes.

 

A non-matriculated student is just someone who takes a class at a university without being matriculated/enrolled.  Can be of any age.  I doubt there would ever be a discount.  Homeschoolers could put that on a high school transcript, but the public schools DE is usually aimed at would not recognize a college course taken during high school this way and include it on the transcript.  I would think the restrictions as to # of credits taken as a general non-matriculated student would be more restricted at a 4-year school, as they are probably thinking the person taking classes this way is usually an adult and they want you to commit to their school.  

 

The summer class dd took a a local 4-year was just as a non-matriculated student.  It was full price.  The students ranged from high school age through undergrad, and also included some grad students and some adults that just thought it was interesting.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

What is the difference between DE and being a non-matriculated student? Isn't it primarily different wording for the same thing?

 

In some areas, the phrase dual enrollment refers to course taught by college instructors on a high school campus.  In some cases a semester college course it taught over a year.  [in my state, this system of college courses taught on high school campuses is called "Early College".]

 

In my state, the term "dual enrollment" isn't used "dual credit" is used here.  There are a couple different programs under which a student can earn dual credit.  Running Start is a common one for public school students.  They don't get a tuition break (although there are scholarships available for economically disadvantaged students).  The benefit of the program is that they get release time from the high school, and the courses are going to earn credit at both the college and the high school because of the understanding between the college system and HDOE.  Because private schools and homeschools don't have the same explicit agreement about accepting credit, those students enroll as Early Admission students.  Otherwise access to the courses is the same.

 

Another program is Jump Start, which allows high school students to enroll full time at the CC in career and technical programs.  So they are doing the courses and training that move them towards a technical certificate.  Again, for public school students, there is an agreement that allows their CC credit to also count towards high school graduation.

 

The CC here is open to students with a high school diploma, a GED or who are over 18.  All of the dual credit programs provide an access pathway for students who don't meet normal enrollment requirements.

 

Non-matriculated may be a term you would see at a 4 year college, where most students are enrolled full time and are degree seeking.  

[Julie of KY]

No dual enrollment here.

[Jann in TX]

My middle dd had 28 DE credits from local CC.  All transferred to the state U's she chose (TAMU then TX-State).  The DE allowed her to change her major 4 times and still graduate in 4 years (including one semester off before FINALLY deciding on a major to graduate with!).

 

This dd had terrible ACT/SAT scores (like well below the university minimum).  She did have a 4.0 gpa with her DE classes at the (well respected) CC.

This along with a writing sample were used for her acceptance into TAMU.

 

 

[Melissa B]

Hmm, I'm still not sure that I see any difference in the end. Some people have to pay and others don't. Some of the credits will transfer and some won't (but that is all dependent upon where the student chooses to go to college after high school.) In all of the scenarios the student remains a high school student earning college credits and will have the option to enter college as a freshman. Is that true? What is the purpose of separating which term is used when discussing college classes taken in high school? There are so many different terms. Is it just curiosity? Or when speaking of non-matriculated are we separating out the university credits from the community college credits? Or is it something else I am still not seeing?

 

 

So, my eldest dd actually earned 72 non-matriculated (which they call non-degree seeking) credits at university and 45 dual enrollment credits at the local community college. The university has a rule that only allows a maximum of 30 credits per year, though you can start any age with the proper test scores. You can take as many credits as you want at the community college though only for your junior and senior years. Every college/university in Florida sets their own terms, however, homeschoolers are required to receive the same options as public schooled students at each college - basically it is all free. To the best of my knowledge, all of the credits are treated the same throughout the state of Florida. My second dd's credits will all be dual enrollment from the local community college. :)

[Guest]

I'm using the term DE wrong, I guess. What I mean to ask, that you all have answered (thank you â¤ï¸) is how many college credits obtained during high school as an un-matriculated student will your child end up with.

There's really no formal DE here at the 4 year uni. There is filling out the form for unmatriculated students and paying the per credit cost.

Zero..that option has only very recently become available. Even with music ensembles, the under18s without a high school diploma could not register with the college for credit. Edited May 3, 2017 by Heigh Ho

[MarkT]

Hmmm....It looks like he'll have 63 de credits if he decides to do a full 15 credits in the spring of his senior year.  

15 college credits spring of senior year of HS ??  wow what about senioritis  (burn-out)?

[MarkT]

Hmm, I'm still not sure that I see any difference in the end. Some people have to pay and others don't. Some of the credits will transfer and some won't (but that is all dependent upon where the student chooses to go to college after high school.) In all of the scenarios the student remains a high school student earning college credits and will have the option to enter college as a freshman.

 

 

"high school student earning college credits" probably would be a better title for the thread - APs,  CLEP are other ways to get college credits while in HS - does it really matter how?

 

In our case,  AZ has very limited inexpensive DE classes available so most high achiever B&M students do AP,  for the homeschoolers spending $350 per course at the local CC might be the better route versus pricey online AP courses

[Lori D.]

Yes, I agree; it's an amazing experience. That's our plan too, and I'm not planning on any transferring. I have this deep paranoia (despite being told repeatedly that this is not the case)that a large number of credits precludes a student from applying as freshman (even though they never enrolled anywhere). So I was wondering. Thank you all â¤ï¸

 

Every university has their own policy on how many credits they accept, either for maintaining freshman status, or as transfer/credit-by-test.

 

Often, these are *separate* policies -- so the amount of credits that is allowable for DE and maintaining freshman status is different from the amount of credits allowed for transfer students (and that figure usually combines credits earned from courses taken at other colleges AND any CLEP or DANTE credits by exam).

 

The majority of universities do not limit the number of DE credits, and a student comes in as a freshman regardless of number of DE credits, but some limit it to 60 credits, some limit it to 23 or 24 credits, and I've also seen just a very few limit it to 12 credits.

 

Most of the time it is not a problem; just keep an eye on the universities your student is interested in attending as you progress through the high school years, and if most or all of them have an unlimited credit policy, or a very high maximum credit policy, you're probably going to be fine, even if your student ends up suddenly wanting to attend a university that hasn't been on your list.

 

One other thingsto bear in mind about DE credits: not all universities accept the specific credits as fulfilling their requirements toward a degree -- so not all of your DE credits will work towards knocking out college degree gen. ed requirements in advance; you need to look at the specific articulation agreements with the specific universities and see which courses "equal" their required courses. In those cases, the credit still counts as college credit, but only as an "elective" and not as a credit towards the specific degree program.

 

Hypothetical example: student takes HIST135: Early American History as DE at your local Community College. The course counts as both high school credit and college credit. Your student graduates high school and applies for a 4-year university; the university looks over the CC transcript, and matches up which credits transfer as matching up with their degree requirement. Nope, the closest CC course that matches the University's Social Sciences general ed. requirement is actually HIST130: American History, so no, the DE course of HIST135 only transfers as an elective, and not as fulfilling a gen. ed. towards the degree.

 

 

Good luck in your DE adventures! Warmest regards, Lori D.

[Lori D.]

...In all of the scenarios the student remains a high school student earning college credits and will have the option to enter college as a freshman. Is that true? 

 

Only partly true.

 

Yes, the high school student always remains a high school student until graduating from high school, even while taking dual enrollment (DE). (Side note: that also means the student is not eligible for college financial aid until the student either has graduated with a high school diploma or has taken the GED.)

 

But no, not all DE programs are also dual credit (DC) -- simultaneous high school and college credit. A student can be dual enrolled -- enrolled in both the college and in high school -- and not be earning college credit. There are some programs offered by some community colleges (CC) that provide *high school* courses (courses below the 100-level) at the CC, and those courses do not award college credit.

 

And no, not all students who earn college credit will have the option to enter college as a freshman. It depends on the credit policy of each individual university. Some universities place a limit on how many college credits a *high school* student may have earned, and still come in with *freshman status*. I have seen unlimited credits (the majority of universities), but I have also seen limits of 60 credits, 23-24 credits, and in a few cases, as low as just 12 credits. If the *high school* student takes more credits than that, to enter that particular university, the student will be considered a *transfer* student, not a freshman.

 

BEST of luck to all who are wading through what options are open to YOU locally, and what that might mean for future college attendance! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Lori D.