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We might have a chance to officially dual-enroll at the community college. Up until now, we've been just taking classes and counting them as high school and not worrying too much about whether they transfer when he gets to college. Are there any disadvantages to doing it officially? The advantage is that we might get some money back for tuition.

-Nan

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We might have a chance to officially dual-enroll at the community college. Up until now, we've been just taking classes and counting them as high school and not worrying too much about whether they transfer when he gets to college. Are there any disadvantages to doing it officially? The advantage is that we might get some money back for tuition.

-Nan

 

From what I'm seeing on college apps, they ask if he's taken any college classes & will want a transcript from the cc. It doesn't matter to the U how you've regarded them, they're still college classes. "Freshman w/college credit" is common enough to have a tag on the apps too.

 

If you can get some $$ back, I'd go for it. If the next college will accept the transfer credits is up to them. Here in FL (& many other states) all the state schools must accept credits from any state cc or U & many of the privates do too. Since we can do dual-enrollment for free (ex. books) we're taking all we can.

 

I hope that helps you. :)

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First, it gives my daughter the opportunity to take college classes while she's still under my supervision. I can help her get organized if necessary, talk to teachers with her, and ultimately, turn her loose.

 

Second, the small colleges I've talked to want homeschooled kids to have college experience just to prove they can do it. And they don't care how you count the credits. Austin College in Sherman, Texas, (a great little place) told us they could look at her credits and probably accept a lot of them, or we could count them as all high school credits and start her off as a freshman.

 

Thirdly, it gives my daughter confidence. She's taking a beginning French course right now and has learned how to follow a syllabus, get her homework done and study for tests administered by someone other than her mother. Hard to put a price on that.

 

Pam

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I've heard that some states will not allow students to enter as freshmen and consider them for freshmen scholarships if too many credits are accrued ahead of time, so I'd check with potential schools to see what sort of policy they have in place.

 

Gwen in VA should probably enter this conversation since she has BTDT.

 

The point that I want to make is that students apply to schools and learn about their scholarships before AP scores from senior year coursework arrive or grades are given for any CC or university courses taken in that final semester. Since most schools want students to take challenging coursework, I don't think that they would discourage students from this process or completely deny scholarships to capable students who have accumulated college credits. "Too many" may be the key words here. Yes, I agree to check with the college...

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That "or" is one of the things I'm wondering about. I'm worried that somehow this will turn into a technicality that means that his college classes don't count for college, only for high school. It is the weird and unforeseen technicalities that worry me.

 

Right now, he's taking CC classes, but not under the heading of any particular program. He didn't check off the box for STEP student (ones whose college courses transfer to their high school) because *I'm* the one who decides whether they transfer or not and I don't need the extra paperwork. He didn't check off the box for full-time or part-time student in a degree program. He didn't check off the box for transfer student (ones who take the first two years of an engineering or liberal arts degree at CC with the intention of transfering somewhere else to complete their bachelor's degree). He just check off the box that said "Taking a few courses for my own interest" (or something to that effect). He are under the heading of Special Student (since he hasn't graduated from high school yet). He isn't fully matriculated. He didn't have to apply and be accepted. He DID have to take the placement tests. He isn't in any department. He is over 18. And he already has been accepted to the 4-year college he wants to go to after high school.

 

He doesn't have to worry about having too many credits to be a freshman because his 4-year college has so many requirements that even if he graduated with a full associates degree from high school, it would still take him 3 whole years and some summers to get his bachelor's degree. They are used to people arriving with college classes and working experience in the field under their belt. They have people from other countries who have already graduated from their own country's maritime academy and worked for a few years, but want a US license. They have 50 year olds who want to switch careers entirely and come in as freshmen. This is not a problem. Now for the next child, I do worry. But I think he's going to go into engineering, possibly to a polytechnic, and I suspect it is going to be the same story there - the college has plenty of students entering with CC classes and isn't worried about it. Outside scholarship programs are probably more of a problem, but I don't think my children are good enough (or interested enough) scholars to get that sort of scholarship. And we probably don't qualify for the financial ones. I'll worry about that when the time comes. I'm sure the people at the CC, which has an engineering transfer program, will have info, and we'll contact our local colleges and make enquiries.

 

For what it is worth, I asked the CC dean if there were any disadvantages to matriculating and she said no. I'm not sure she knows much about homeschoolers, though.

 

To my son, this feels like a step backwards. Instead of being a CC student who happens to be studying a few things independently (with his mother's help), he will become a high school student who happens to be taking a few college classes. I can see what he means. I guess that is how I've been thinking of him, too. He's an older student (repeated public kindergarten), so he is the same age as many of the regular CC students.

 

Money would be nice, though, if we get it.

 

-Nan

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Second, the small colleges I've talked to want homeschooled kids to have college experience just to prove they can do it. And they don't care how you count the credits. Austin College in Sherman, Texas, (a great little place) told us they could look at her credits and probably accept a lot of them, or we could count them as all high school credits and start her off as a freshman.

 

 

 

 

:confused::glare: What an annoying and clueless thing for a small college to say----homeschooled kids have MORE than proven not only are they able---but usually do better in college than PS counterparts! I consider statements like this to be a setback for the homeschool community----and certainly NO offense to you Pam :)

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Two thoughts --

 

1) Not all colleges accept CC credits. The college my kids attend will not accept any CC credits under any circumstances. Period.

 

2) What we found was that some colleges that would accept CC credits would NOT accept the CC credits if the class were taken as a required course in high school. In other words, if the CC course were algebra 2 or the CC class was taken in lieu of a high school English class, the college would not count the CC class, but if the CC class were Advanced chemistry then the college might accept it, since Advanced Chemistry is not a high school requirement.

 

That's the bad news.

 

That said, I certainly think CC classes are worthwhile. The kid gets used to college-level classes, dealing with professors, and different teaching styles. And he will end up with a more impressive transcript, whether or not he gets actual college credit for the classes.

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We've chosen not to have our daughter matriculate at the community college. There are disadvantages to following this plan -- for example, we could not claim the educational tax deduction which is only available to college students who have graduated from high school.

 

The reason we've followed this plan is due to the fact that we wish her to enter a four year college as a freshman. I've heard that some colleges will not accept students as freshmen if they have college credits that they have earned post-high school graduation. We would like our daughter to be considered a freshman and be able to benefit (we hope) from scholarships that are available only to entering freshmen.

 

We are at peace with the fact that her credits will likely not be transferred with this scenario and are happy to count them as high school credits only. If she ends up having to repeat a composition class, for example, we are certain she will still learn new things.

 

Regards,

Kareni

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:confused::glare: What an annoying and clueless thing for a small college to say----homeschooled kids have MORE than proven not only are they able---but usually do better in college than PS counterparts! I consider statements like this to be a setback for the homeschool community----and certainly NO offense to you Pam :)

 

 

Actually, one of the colleges my twins looked at had the opposite experience. I had a long talk with them about homeschoolers, and they said that they've admitted way too many who fail out quickly and are not up to the work. In order to get in as a homeschooler a kid has to jump through a lot more hoops to prove that he/she is up to the school expectations. We found this attitude to be common at several of the schools we looked at.

 

Ria

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between high school and the four year college.

 

First, it gives students a chance to practice time management. This is one of the greatest weaknesses of college students. Having class three days a week means that you have to space out the home work. Sounds easy, but many kids take awhile to get this. CC classes taken during high school give them an opportunity to practice time management under your watchful eyes.

 

Second, it can give them an opportunity to make some basic mistakes college freshman. However, you'll be there and have the opportunity to encourage and guide them.

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I think the college that accepted my son just looked at his CC classes and ignored everything else. At his interview, the interviewer just said he didn't know much about how homeschooling worked and moved on to ask about his CC classes. I wouldn't be surprised it they judged my son by his brother (public schooled and already there), his SAT scores (mediocre at best since he doesn't test well), and his CC classes. The other colleges we talked to were more interested in the CC classes and SAT scores than anything else, either. When they heard about the CC classes, the impression I got was that they were relieved that they weren't going to have to judge him solely on his SAT scores and my word.

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between high school and the four year college.

 

First, it gives students a chance to practice time management. This is one of the greatest weaknesses of college students. Having class three days a week means that you have to space out the home work. Sounds easy, but many kids take awhile to get this. CC classes taken during high school give them an opportunity to practice time management under your watchful eyes.

 

Second, it can give them an opportunity to make some basic mistakes college freshman. However, you'll be there and have the opportunity to encourage and guide them.

 

:iagree:I have to agree with this! I went to an "elite, college prep" high school. And guess what. I practically failed out freshman year due to inability to manage my time. I am watching my 10th dd manage her own study time in order to do the things she wants to----ballet, guitar, hanging out with friends. I just schedule her work---she takes care of the time management. I am very impressed. No CC even remotely close here----so off to a 4 year school and on her own it is in 2 years. I personally would be very suspect of any school that stated in broad terms that homeschoolers failed out more than PS'ers. I would ask for a side by side comparison to "regular" school kids---and for numbers. I am VERY protective of homeschooling and how much better it is----if its not obvious already ;)

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In fact, you have to go through her in order to sign up for classes.

 

I asked how home school students who are concurrently enrolled perform at her school. She told me that they tend to perform better than the rest of the students. She felt they were better able to manage their time as compared to the average freshman student.

 

Again, time management being a critical component to college success...

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We have a limit on the number of credit hours kids can have and still be freshman entering our state schools. I forgot what the number was, but when we mapped out my daughter's senior year we chose her courses based on that number.

 

Kids go to college and do well. Kids go to college and flunk out. This happens with public school kids, private school kids, homeschool kids. Sometimes their school (and yes, that can and does include public and private schools as well as homeschools) did not prepare them adequately for the rigors of college life. Sometimes they are too young and immature and would have benefited from a year off to work full time and just grow up a bit. Sometimes they find out that the stairwell of their dorm has the most amazing accoustical properties and they spend hours there with their guitar and forget why it was Mom and Dad sent them to this place. :glare:

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The schools around here don't have any limits on the number of dual-enrolled hours a student can have and still enter as a freshman (i.e. competing for non-transfer-student scholarships).

 

We found it advantageous to have both AP exams and dual enrollment classes on a transcript. The colleges then could see the challenges and successes on several levels. My older dd entered college this fall with 47 college credits and received that college's full-tuition-plus-room-and-board scholarship. Younger dd will enter college with even more credits than that.

 

We have an additional advantage of having a wonderful private (non-CC) university right around the corner from us. While our CCs are great they are farther away and this particular private university not only allows dual enrollment for high school juniors and seniors but lets them take classes at a greatly reduced tuition rate. The per-credit-hour tuition is cheaper there than the CC rate for dual enrolled students. Can't beat it.

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:confused::glare: What an annoying and clueless thing for a small college to say----homeschooled kids have MORE than proven not only are they able---but usually do better in college than PS counterparts! I consider statements like this to be a setback for the homeschool community----and certainly NO offense to you Pam :)

 

I didn't consider the comment annoying or clueless. Many colleges still don't accept a lot of homeschoolers. I don't have facts and figures in front of me, so I hope no one will ask. The Austin admissions counselor said the classes simply bolster the homeschooled kid's application. But he also said any homeschooled student is considered for entrance whether she's had any college classes or not. He liked my daughter and has written to her several times since we had our visit.

 

I can see where some people would find this annoying. But if it were up to me, I'd be impressed with any application that contained college-level courses already taken whether the applicant was homeschooled or not.

 

I'm also sure I didn't set the quote up correctly. I hope this doesn't come across looking weird.

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