This beautiful Homeschooling for College Credit story was sent to me by the White family.They discovered Homeschooling for College Credit in 2020 and have used primarily Sophia, Studycom, and Straighterline to get her daughter through nearly 3 years of college during the last 2 years of high school!
Continue reading “Happy Story: 78 Credits & Heading to Liberty University”
This post shares the progress of a few families during their first year of HS4CC. It’s a little different than they expected, but flexibility is the name of the game.
Continue reading “Happy Story: Help Me Start!”
This HS4CC Happy Story features Jennifer C. of Iowa. You may remember that earlier this summer I shared her son’s happy story, but this is a reminder that moms earn college credit too – and Jennifer used hers for a degree!
Continue reading “Happy Story: Moms Can Earn College Credit Too!”
Thank you to HS4CC parent Jennifer C. from Iowa for sending in her son Brian’s HS4CC Happy Story. Brain’s story is so encouraging! He graduated high school and college with his Associate in General Studies degree, along with two welding certificates from Des Moines Area Community College.
Continue reading “Happy Story: Brian from Iowa”
Five years of Homeschooling for College Credit and one bachelor’s degree later, Riley’s mom estimated that they spent a total of $50 on her degree, and her new job offer will pay for her Master’s. This isn’t a typical story, which is why I know you’ll love it as much as I did! Pssst…. I spy a beautiful peacock blue HS4CC honor cord on her regalia!
Continue reading “Happy Story: Riley’s $50 Accounting Degree”
HS4CC parent Karen from North Carolina shares her son’s Happy Story:
My son learned he was awarded the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship this past weekend. We are very proud of him and give a lot of credit to HS4CC for helping him have a strong application. I encourage everyone to search and apply for scholarships—we really can win them!
Continue reading “Happy Story: Amazon Future Engineer”
I’m thrilled that Homeschooling for College Credit parent Chari is allowing me to share her son’s story with you. Chari’s son used Arizona State University Universal Learner courses for dual enrollment, but wasn’t strongly considering them for a bachelor’s degree. Read more about what changed her mind and the amazing scholarship her son got!
Continue reading “Happy Story: Accepted to ASU!”
Cherish, a HS4CC mom from Kansas, shares her story of how she homeschooled two of her teens through high school and college graduation at home, both earning bachelor’s degrees without debt.
Continue reading “Happy Story: Cherish x2”
This post shares Adeline’s encouraging story from a Homeschooling for College Credit student in Ohio through today, where she’s paying cash for her Master’s Degree at Liberty University. You’re going to love this!
Continue reading “Happy Story: From Homeschool to Grad School”
In 2019 we celebrated with Theresa. This was her announcement post:
“This is our daughter! Graduating high school a year early 3.9 GPA with 39 college credits. You can do this! She is not naturally brilliant. She worked hard– prioritized— waited to take the SAT/ACT so she could focus on her grades and dual enrollment classes through Belhaven University.”
Continue reading “Happy Story: Update from 2019 Theresa’s Daughter”
Misti K. has served as a Homeschooling for College Credit moderator for our Kentucky Facebook group since 2018. She really is a HS4CC rockstar, and just this year she graduated ANOTHER student debt free! Her daughter, Praise, graduated from Liberty University at age 16. Read Misti’s incredible story below. (and she’s not finished!!)
Continue reading “Happy Story: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6…. College Degrees = 0 Debt”
I love when parents send me updates. This message is from Heather in North Carolina who didn’t start homeschooling until the middle of high school!
Continue reading “Happy Story: Late Start with 37 College Credits”
Join me in celebrating the huge accomplishments of Sofia. Sofia is an HS4CC teen who just earned her high school diploma AND Bachelor of Arts degree – and she’s only 16 years old! Here is Sofia with her Homeschooling for College Credit honor cord!
Proud momma Sarahy writes:
She will finish her BA in Liberal Arts from Excelsior University in August and then spend a year in Germany as an exchange student through the State Department scholarship. She will stay with a host family in Germany and attend Language Camp for a month. Due to her age, she will also attend high school in Germany! and then she will move with a host family and attend a high school due to her age. Thanks HS4CC for all the great information!!
“The application was not challenging for her. They asked for personal information about her and our family. They required 5 essays about different topics, alongside recommendations from 2 or 3 people. From there, we submitted it to our state (this differs based on the state you reside in) and one of the affiliated organizations will reach out to you to guide through the process! Sofia had to do an online interview, but I know that other organizations had in-person interviews and such.”
The name of the scholarship is CBYX and you can apply through the State Department.
Texas HS4CC moderator, Drew Floyd Pinion, has used the past several years resourcefully and carefully planning her son’s high school plan. Read below how she injected college credit so he could earn his high school diploma, associate degree, and a 100% tuition scholarship at the state’s flagship university.
HS Diploma & AS Degree
Texas
Efficient, high quality education at an affordable price was our reason for Homeschooling for College Credit.
Grayson started slowly his first semester of his junior year (11th grade) taking 10 credit hours at our community college. We quickly realized that he could earn additional credits through CLEP testing, AP testing, Project Lead the Way, and dual enrollment.
Yes. Within 3 semesters he was “core complete” (a Texas term for general education requirements) and had enough credits for his Associate of Science degree by December of his senior year.
No! Because of his fast pace, Grayson was able to spend the spring semester of his senior year pursuing two passions: Science and Latin American culture. He applied for and earned an internship teaching science in Central America. He was the youngest person (17 years old) to be awarded this internship which is usually reserved for college juniors but because he had earned his Associate of Science degree as a high school senior, he was eligible. None of this would have been possible without Homeschooling for College Credit.
72
Grayson was accepted to University of Texas at Austin as a chemistry major. He earned a 100% full-tuition scholarship and a place among the Polymathic Scholars Honors Program.
The University of Texas at Austin is the #1 public university of Texas and the flagship institution of the state, and #10 in the United States of all public universities.
Through careful planning Grayson was able to transfer all 72 college credits.
We “laundered” our CLEP credits through the “core complete” status at his community college. What is credit laundering? Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get college credit. There is virtually no downside to clep unless your student has severe test anxiety. But even then it’s a no risk test.
He is will begin his freshman year in the fall with 72 college credits!! His honors advisor at UT stated that she had not had any of her students transfer in that many credits. She was surprised and impressed!!
4.0 unweighted GPA/ 4.55 weighted GPA
National Merit Commended
National Hispanic Scholar
3 AP classes (calculus, chemistry, world history)
1470 SAT (one sitting)
Pharmacy internship
International internship
AS degree
72 college credits
We are so thankful for this group and all the advice from everyone. We could not have done it without you! Thanks for letting me continue to moderate in the Texas group even though I no longer have a homeschooler.
(I pulled this portion from Drew’s advice to our Texas community in our HS4CC Facebook group)
These are my tips for SAT:
1. He reads for pleasure at least 30 minutes per day from an actual book not electronic book. We felt like this prepared his eyes and brain for reading passages. (I know the test is going electronic soon so this tip may not stand the test of time)
2. He has never had a math break. We do math year round and study to excellence not just understanding.
3. We do not use Khan Academy of other types of apps. We use the practice tests in College Board and dissect every question to understand why it was asked, what they are looking for and the skill/knowledge to successfully answer the question.
4 He always does the free response questions first. His thought process is that if he got behind in his time management, he still have a 25% chance of guessing correctly in multiple choice but virtually no chance at guessing the free response correctly in a rush.
Join me in celebrating this huge accomplishment from Homeschooling for College Credit teen who earned her high school diploma AND Bachelor’s of Arts degree this week! Proud momma Elizabeth writes “Rocking her HS4CC cord as we prepare to celebrate high school graduation and her BA from Excelsior University!”
Allow me to introduce you to homeschool graduate Wesley Shown. This photo is from Wesley’s 3-year work anniversary (2 years out of high school) and shows him just a few months before graduating from Southern New Hampshire University with his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration: debt free.
Continue reading “Happy Story: Winning at Walmart”
Thank you to Minnesota HS4CC parent Jean D. for allowing us to celebrate with her family! Her daughter Jaela hit the trifecta: earning her homeschool diploma, associate degree, and bachelor’s degree all without debt and during high school!
Continue reading “Happy Story: Jaela’s HS4CC Graduation Story”
Special thank you to Whitney in North Carolina for sharing her daughter’s HS4CC story! She finished 2 years of college in high school using dual enrollment and is off to the University of Alabama with a full ride scholarship! This mom actually slowed her daughter down a bit. You’re going to love this story!
Continue reading “Happy Story: Customized Degree for the Win!”
Thank you to a HS4CC parent Melissa for sharing. 58 college credits for $2699 
is a shining example of resourceful high school planning and example of how to cut the cost of a bachelor’s degree in half before you set foot on campus. I love stories like this, congratulations to this family. This young man is off to a strong head start. (Love the HS4CC honor cord!)
Thank you to HS4CC parent Pam S. for sharing her daughter’s happy HS4CC celebration story! We are so proud of her smart and resourceful high school planning! Read her story below.
“On May 1st, a day before her 17th birthday, Ella, our youngest daughter, graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA, earning her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Southern New Hampshire University. This Fall, Ella will pursue her Master’s degree from Texas Woman’s University, which she should earn the week she turns 19.
Continue reading “Happy Story: Ella’s Bachelor’s in Mathematics at 16”
It’s rare that I get to hear about ongoing success after a teen graduates high school! I love that HS4CC parent Pam took the time to share her daughter’s update and allow me to share it with you. Her story is a perfect example of how to disregard what “everyone else” is doing and find a path -make a path- for your teen that gets them over the goalpost!
“It’s so important for kids with learning disorders to try different paths to success.”
Pam shared that her daughter, 16 at the time, had “a history of Dyslexia, Dysgraphia and a touch of Dyscalculia and severe test-taking anxiety.” It was unclear if she’d be able to earn college credit or a degree. Pam writes:
“First, we signed her up for a CLEP test, with accommodations, but she became too stressed out about it. We canceled that.
Then, we got her signed up for the ACT with accommodations, but then she also became way too stressed out for that. I’ve postponed that, indefinitely.
But, accomplishing the Sophia 1 credit business course gave her the courage and self-esteem to begin and finish the two ALEKS Algebra courses! It took her a few weeks to do the College Algebra course, but once she got the rhythm going, she started flying through it. Also, a new, uncomplicated calculator from the Rainbow Sciences website and graphing paper helped tremendously.
Now that she realizes college work is doable….she plans to register for Straighterline courses and work on college credit during her Junior and Senior years of high school! I’ve already discussed accommodations with them for extra time for her testing. I’m beginning the process of getting documentation to them to support her Learning disorders and health issues, now. 7 college credits for $40!!!!! She has begun her journey! I’m so proud of her.”
Jennifer’s comment: So often we assume that there is only one path to college. One that is filled with honors courses, high SAT scores, extreme preparation, and stressful applications. None of that has to be part of your journey! I invite you to say “no” to all of that if it’s stressing you out. There are (many) other options for your teen’s degree.
“We weren’t shooting for high ACT scores for full-ride scholarships. I felt that would put too much pressure on her, due to her poor health and anxiety. Right now, one class for credit at a time, as she feels like it, is going to be perfect for her and affordable for us. Again, I’m so thankful for your books and direction. With her many learning challenges and health issues, this is the perfect path for her future. I’m so glad I found your books, website and FB page!”
My daughter graduated high school with 70+ ACE credits!
I just got my Associates in Applied Science from Pierpont in December of 2020! I’m 58yo and have had over 120 college credits for years and years, but they were through 7 colleges and multiple changes of degree programs. It’s always bothered me that after all of that hard work and money…..I had never gotten a degree. The sweet women in the Pierpont Governor’s degree office were so helpful!! They are truly on your side and pulling for you to obtain your degree. I did have to do an Information Literacy credit, before having everything I needed for my degree, because those weren’t around “Back in the day” 
! That was easy and cheap to do with Sophia.
I finished my degree at the same time that my daughter finished up her Bachelor of Science at Charter Oak State College!
I’m so happy that I found Jennifer’s book and encouraged my daughter to get her degree COMPLETED IN WHATEVER… JUST GET ONE FINISHED UP
! I’m so glad she didn’t end up like me at 57yo with no degree, just because I was always trying to figure out the perfect degree for the perfect career for my perfect future. It’s silly now that I look back on it. My life would have been so much easier if I had only finished ANY TYPE of degree, earlier in life.
Jennifer’s comment: Adults that would like to use their old college credits (or new college credits) towards the Associate Degree Pam earned, can join our adult cohort called “90-Day-Degree” click for registration info.
I would like to share that my daughter, who began doing college the HS4CC way at 16 years old, just graduated with her Masters degree from Belhaven University of Jackson, MS, one week after turning 22 years old….debt free!!! She persevered through many episodes of her chronic illness and would probably not have been able to finish her degree the traditional way. I’m so proud of her!
Thank you HS4CC for teaching us about your methods!! Yours was the best book I’ve ever purchased! 
A Godsent event for us! Your book was an $18.00 purchase which allowed us to save 10’s of thousands of dollars on our daughter’s degrees!
As the founder of HS4CC, I usually protect my kid’s privacy, but my youngest is graduating from high school this year, and his high school plan was so different from his older brothers, that it prompted me to write this post. I dedicated 80% of his homeschool courses to chasing high-interest courses. I hope it encourages parents who feel unsure about whether or not it’s ok to do things differently.
Continue reading “Happy Story: We Chased High-Interest Courses”
I am beyond excited to write this celebration post for our HS4CC family in North Carolina! This isn’t just your typical amazing degree graduation story, in this case, our member family took a theoretical plan and went all-in, planning and finishing a $2,000 bachelor’s degree.
Continue reading “Happy Story: The $2,000 NC Bachelor Degree”
This beautiful Homeschooling for College Credit story was sent to me by the White family. I’m sharing it with their permission. They discovered Homeschooling for College Credit in 2020 and have used primarily Sophia, Studycom, and Straighterline to get her daughter through nearly 3 years of college during the last 2 years of high school. They are using a very wise combination of career school and a bachelor’s degree.
Continue reading “Happy Story: High School Senior with 78 Credits”
Posted by Courtney, our Homeschooling for College Credit moderator for Pennsylvania.
“This is my eldest daughter who just finished her masters degree in Geropsychology at age 21.
She was my test subject for earning college credit. Utilizing the information I learned through Homeschooling for College Credit, she started taking CLEPs at age 12, and continued earning credit in various ways over the next few years. She graduated at 17 with more than half of her college credits, finished her bachelors through TESU at age 19, and has been working on her masters through GCU while working over the last 2 years (she also got married this spring!). We did this at very low cost and no debt.
I had no idea when we started how much fun this process could be, and I’m so grateful for the time and money it has saved us. Don’t give up! And ask questions! 
“
