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.
Terms to Know
- DE =dual enrollment (a college class taken during high school)
- PSEO=dual enrollment (a college class taken during high school)
- asynchronous= course delivery that does not require logging in at a specific time.
- “W” = withdrawal (entered in place of a grade on a college transcript)
Allie writes “My son is taking his first DE class through Florida College this term. He is taking Spanish 1 as an asynchronous, fully virtual course. We picked this course because he has a couple years of informal Spanish exposure, so the content wouldn’t be 100% new. This has been perfect first course for him for so many reasons. First the DE coordinator and his professor are very helpful and quick to respond to questions. Second, the course is set up with multiple chances for success, with clear feedback on each assignment to guide his subsequent attempts. Work is assigned in one-week sections, which gives my son a bit of freedom, but also keeps him on track. It feels very much like the professor wants his students to succeed and learn, not just turn in assignments.
I have been able to teach him how to take notes on virtual lectures, slide presentations, and textbook readings, how to look in his textbook for clarification when he is stuck on an assignment, how to manage his time and stay on top of grading and feedback, how to resubmit work, and how to clearly and respectfully email his professor.Thanks for all you do, we wouldn’t be here without all we have learned from HS4CC.”
Jennifer writes “My son took Biology over the summer and it was very time sensitive. Lots of homework, labs, quizzes. Other than that, wasn’t too bad. This was my kid’s second attempt as the first time she had to take a “W” because the professor was technology challenged and a poor communicator.”
PRO TIP: Don’t be afraid to take the “W” when the alternative is a poor or failing grade. “W” allows your student to take the course again and does not lower their grade point average.
Erin writes “My 15 year old just took the Biology CLEP yesterday and passed with a 66.”
Nicole writes “This fall is his first DE experience and he is taking accounting and computer science. We didn’t realize they are both accelerated pace courses and it’s been killing him! I am concerned about the workload!”
Amanda writes “Our middle daughter, Emma, is currently a 10th-grade homeschooler and will be the first one in our family to participate in our state’s 10th-grade PSEO program. PSEO is most commonly known in our state as an option for 11th and 12th graders, however in recent years, they opened up this option for 10th graders with slightly different requirements. Emma will begin her 1 credit Exercise Fitness class in a couple of weeks and then as long as she earns a “C” or higher (I’m confident she will), she’ll be eligible to take any course from the same community college spring semester. I’ll have her enroll in a communications class and a personal finance class, both of which will fulfill degree requirements at the college she is considering. After 10th grade, she plans to do full-time PSEO at Crown College and work toward an A.A. Degree using a PSEO Pathway plan designed by the College to make sure her classes and electives are chosen effectively to fulfill degree requirements for a 4-year degree.
Our oldest daughter will graduate next spring with her A.A. Degree and additional credits to fulfill degree requirements toward her passion, a Dairy Science Degree! Having the experience with my oldest daughter, along with incredible wise guidance from homeschool moms who paved the way before me, in addition to the extremely helpful HS4CC website, I have been able to plan well for Emma. I hope to do the same with my younger daughter, Nora, who is just in 7th grade. I highly encourage others to explore dual enrollment options; a little can go a long way and being informed ahead of time makes the process and planning significantly less overwhelming. What a fantastic feeling for both me and my girls to have such a jumpstart on their college journey!”
Whitney writes “I learned with my oldest that there’s no need to rush. My youngest (current 8th grader) probably won’t start taking college classes until 11th grade… I can’t guarantee they will get the kind of education I want them to have in college, so it’s in everyone’s best interest that I ensure that they are getting it with me… But having had a profoundly gifted kid, and having walked with her through this whole process, from HS4CC through graduation and into college, I am glad in the end that we decided against making the credit game the be all and end all of our school.”
Jenny writes “My daughter is taking a DE statistics class online. I offered to learn it with her. Agh! We are learning formulas but have no idea how it applies to real life.”
Need support or have it to give? We invite you to connect with parents just like you in any of our 60 Homeschooling for College Credit Facebook groups.
