Meet an incredible HS4CC graduate from Ohio who earned 95 college credits during high school! Because of her hard work, she is only five classes away from completing her Bachelor’s in Psychology at Franklin University—but she’s taking a detour first.
Instead of rushing to finish, Mary is spending the next two years at a Bible college that holds a special place in her heart. Since childhood, she and her siblings attended music camp there, and now she gets to experience it as a college student—without the fear of falling behind her peers.
Her mom, Susan (a longtime HS4CC Ohio FB moderator), shared:
“I guess what getting all that college credit during high school has accomplished for her (besides saving money) is that it has allowed her to pursue this dream of attending Bible school without the fear of falling behind her peers. Even with this big diversion, though, which will probably be two full years because she loves it so much, she should still be able to finish her bachelor’s degree sooner than her typical peer. And since she’s so close to finishing the bachelor’s, I really don’t have any worry about her getting it done.”
This is what Homeschooling for College Credit is all about—giving families options. Whether it’s saving time, saving money, or creating the flexibility to follow passions and purpose, early college credit makes a difference.
A smart strategy Susan used with Mary’s dual enrollment was to take advantage of the harder, more expensive classes that would be part of her major.
“Mary had actually started out at Sinclair College, but then we switched to Franklin University when I realized that she could get almost all of her upper-level classes covered by our College Credit Plus (dual enrollment) program. We knew that money-wise, it would be best to do the upper-level classes during high school for free, leaving the cheaper stuff for what she would need to finish later–CLEP, Straighterline, etc. so we concentrated on all the major classes for her psychology degree. “
While taking upper-level 300 and 400-level classes is not always an obvious option for high school students, changing colleges or looking for alternatives is a smart way to find out. This is not Susan’s first rodeo, having ushered her older teens through HS4CC, she knew that there were many ways to use the early college programs in her state.
This story is a powerful reminder that success isn’t always about finishing the fastest— or finishing early. It’s about creating opportunities that align with your goals and values. Finding a way to make the most of what is available. Because of her hard work in high school, this student has the best of both worlds: an enriching Bible college experience and a nearly completed (and already paid for) bachelor’s degree waiting for her when she’s ready. That’s the power of resourceful planning, and we couldn’t be prouder! 🎉
