Jump to content

Menu

AP vs. dual enrolment (college/high school) help me think it through


Recommended Posts

I am going back and forth trying to decide what to do for ds. He can do dual enrollment in 11th and 12th and get a AA diploma from the community college. I am not certain if I like this option from a social point of view. It can be pretty isolating and can be unnecessary difficult, lowering the students college GPA in the long run.

 

We can do AP credits instead, keeping him with his peers for a class or two a day and utilizing the AP tests to challenge him academically.

 

I can see pros/cons to both, he doesn't feel passionate one over the other. I really need some direction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In WA, students can be enrolled for 11th & 12th grades. They can take classes in Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters (for a total of 6 quarters). Students pay if the decide to take summer classes, and pay for all textbooks used in those two years.

 

Kimm in WA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In WA, students can be enrolled for 11th & 12th grades. They can take classes in Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters (for a total of 6 quarters).

 

Okay, then your ds do have both options of AP path and AA degree path. I guess the answer is depends on what your ds wants. AA degree path as dual is usually good option if kids want to transfer credits later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll share our experience....my daughter is a 15 year old 10th grader and strong academically. In our state, you are supposed to be an 11th or 12th grader to qualify for dual enrollment. However, after a visit to the local CC chancellor, she was allowed to take courses as a 10th grader because of her ACT scores and because of recommendations from professors that knew her. This year she's taken two math courses, one psychology, and one western civ. class. In addition, she is self-studying at home for the AP biology test (next week). Our experience has been that CC work has been ridiculously easy and not a very efficient use of time. The math courses were only a repeat of what she'd already had at home rather than a continuation and strengthening of concepts. We should have tested out of them. The history class was a complete joke. In all classes, she has over a 100 average (how is that possible? Bonus points for showing up, watching movies and writing three sentences about them, etc.) So while my daughter has four A's in 'college-level' classes:glare: to add to her transcript, she's learned FAR more in studying for the AP test. We're probably going to pursue more of these next year. Some positive things I can say about the CC experience is that she's gained confidence, she's learned about different teaching styles and dealing with them, and she's become a better manager of her time. (The professors loved having a student that showed up, listened, took notes, and studied...apparently not the norm.) However, I really have learned that I want her to have the benefit of strong knowlege along with that strong transcript. Our CC lacks the rigor to give her that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

. . . and can be unnecessary difficult, lowering the students college GPA in the long run.

 

Tap, can you explain a bit more why you are concerned the dual-enrollment would lower his college grade? While it varies from college to college, our experience has been that the CC classes were easier than the AP classes. In fact, on a AP US government listserve thread this year, the high school AP teachers widely agreed that their intro gov class in college was easier than the AP class they were teaching. I do not intend to start a debate on which is easier. :001_smile: YMMV and all that.

 

I did want to point out, however, that my ds is mourning that he won't be able to roll the A's for his AP classes into his college GPA. He'll get the credit, not the grade. And, for the record, he's had a mix of dual-enrollment and AP credits. We saw an advantage to both for certain subjects and tried to cherry pick to fit his needs and schedule.

 

Lisa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am going back and forth trying to decide what to do for ds. He can do dual enrollment in 11th and 12th and get a AA diploma from the community college. I am not certain if I like this option from a social point of view. It can be pretty isolating and can be unnecessary difficult, lowering the students college GPA in the long run.

We can do AP credits instead, keeping him with his peers for a class or two a day and utilizing the AP tests to challenge him academically.

I can see pros/cons to both, he doesn't feel passionate one over the other. I really need some direction.

 

Isolating? Well, here in this county probably a good 90% of the 16 and up homeschoolers are at the CC full time. I kid you not. I see more homeschoolers there each week than anywhere else. lol The majority of my son's classes are older adults retraining and various high schoolers, since we have that Early Start thingy here too.

 

Difficult? Hmmm. Not so much, here. My ds gets all A's at the CC, WAY better than what he did at home. But then at home the level of work was far, far more difficult. He's got some great teachers but it is what it is.

 

IMHO, AP classes from an online school and/or good AP test scores are far more attractive on the student's transcript if you are looking at a more selective school. If you're going to transfer into the state uni system to complete a 4 year degree, that's different of course.

 

hth,

Georgia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some positive things I can say about the CC experience is that she's gained confidence, she's learned about different teaching styles and dealing with them, and she's become a better manager of her time.

:iagree:This statement is true about my ds's experience this year. And my big guy will work for the CC grade, but not for the mommy grade.

 

Mandy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can I just be totally honest?

 

I have taught at a well respected university and at local community college. I would be careful sending my kid to any community college after that experience. It was a complete mixed bag of problems, and I found many of the kids to be just well plain (trying to think of a nice word)....let's say not kids I would let any of my children hang out. Maturity has a lot to do with it. If you are sending them at 16 vs 19 that is two totally different things.

 

AP is so much more respected, but a harder road. I think you would have to decide what your child's college road is going to be. The kids from the university had their problems as well, but the level of respect and decency was so much greater.

 

FWIW- good luck deciding!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...