Explore Dual Enrollment, CLEP, ACE, and Transcript Tips to Help Your Teen Earn College Credit at Home.
Under 13? Read Our Posting Policy
At Homeschooling for College Credit (HS4CC), student safety and privacy are always our top priorities. If your college credit earner is under age 13, please note: we do not allow…
January 2026 Scholarships
A new year full of new opportunities! Your teen can kick-start the new calendar year by applying for thousands of dollars worth of contests and scholarships found in this post!…
High School Science Planning When Your Teen Is Considering Pre-Med
If your teen is even thinking about pre-med, it is easy to feel excited and load up their high school years with college-level sciences. Many parents wonder about using AP…
Two Degrees Too Many. There is Nothing Smarter About Two Bachelor’s Degrees.
More families than ever are discovering how to earn a low-cost bachelor’s degree in high school, but some are being sold the idea that it’s just a placeholder. “Get one…
Failed a Class? Here’s How to Handle It.
What if your teen fails a class that generated a paper trail? Prior public or private high school attendance, dual enrollment or others? If your teen earned an “F” you…
Extra Recognition for Your Homeschooler
Would you like your homeschool graduate to have a little extra bling on their diploma or transcript? If your student has done extra work in a single area, you might…
Health Care Courses for Dual Enrollment
This post features 4 exciting courses being offered through Arizona State University that your teen can take during high school for college credit. All courses are delivered online and are…
Dates Matter: College Credit Before and After High School Graduation
Wondering if it matters *when* your teen graduates from high school? It matters a lot! Especially if they are earning college credit in high school and want to go to…
FAFSA for Homeschoolers
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid isn’t fun, and no one wants extra paperwork! But during a webinar I attended this afternoon, there were many parents who thought they…
12 Reasons to Earn College Credit Anyway
Ok, what? If your teen isn’t going to college, then why should they earn college credit? In this post, we’ll look beyond their immediate plans and I’ll give you 12…
Language Arts After English Comp 2
When teens take English Composition 1 & 2 in high school for college credit, parents often wonder what to do for Language Arts in 12th grade. Some hit that question…
Dental, Medical, Veterinary, Pharmacy, and Optometry School Without Debt
I first discovered many of these options while helping a family member almost 10 years ago. Not only do they still work today, but since writing Creative College Funding, I’ve…
My Teen Doesn’t Love School
Do you love learning? When someone asks me that question, I always answer “yes” because I can devour a topic like nobody’s business! But, when I think more carefully about…
$350,000 in Scholarships: Apply Now
How is it that we are looking at the end of 2025 already? Amid recovering from tryptophan and carb overload, decorating for Christmas, and preparing for another holiday season, I…
Where is College Credit Stored?
If your teen is earning college credit during high school, you might wonder: “Where is this credit kept until we need it?” That’s a great question, because when your student…
CLEP is the Best Kept Secret in College Prep
If you’ve been around Homeschooling for College Credit for more than five minutes, you’ve probably heard me talk about CLEP. I talk about it a lot. Why? Because CLEP is…
Your Gift Today Helps a Family Tomorrow
When parents join Homeschooling for College Credit, they are usually looking for two things. Clear information and someone who understands the path ahead. HS4CC provides both. For more than a…
Helping 75,000 Families Earn Their First College Credit
The heart of Homeschooling for College Credit has always been simple. We help families learn how to bring college credit into their homeschool in ways that save time, save money,…
Can Your Teen Test Out of Math?
If your high school student has already finished Algebra 1, there are some college credits you might want to pick up for very low cost- one of them is even…
The Power of Volunteers Who Stay
Homeschooling for College Credit is built on something rare. Not money. Not marketing. Not corporate funding. We are built on people who stay. Our entire organization is volunteer powered. Eight…
How to Study (to pass every CLEP exam)
I recently read a parent’s comments that his son studied for a CLEP exam for 2 months but failed. Statements like that require deeper investigation, because studying for CLEP the…
Fueling the Mission That Fuels Families
Every day, Homeschooling for College Credit walks alongside families who want to help their teens earn real college credit in high school. We do this because we believe in resourceful…
Transcript Life Saver! Make 2 Transcripts
Of all the various tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years, the one that has proved itself time and time again is to make and keep 2 transcripts for…
Fixing Academically Unmotivated Teens
This post is especially close to my heart since I have four “less motivated” sons and have spent the past 12 years helping other parents of unmotivated teens drag their…
HS4CC Events in December & January
Baby, it’s cold outside, but let us help you stay warm with these informative live events while you’re snuggled up with your favorite cozy slippers. See more HS4CC events coming…
Kicking Out the Fortune Teller
Are you listening to fortune tellers? I’m not talking about the lady in the fancy robe looking into a crystal ball. I’m talking about the psychological effect of “cognitive distortion”…
McDonald’s Tuition Program
Parents can help teens fund their degree by Homeschooling for College Credit, but the teens can start working part-time at McDonald’s for a paycheck *plus* some great tuition assistance benefits.…
Which Should We Take First? Microeconomics or Macroeconomics?
Great question! In a typical high school economics class students get both micro and macro, but in a college class, you’ll choose between the two or take both. These are…
Getting College Credit from a MOOC
Massive Open Online Courses (M.O.O.C.) are a great way opportunity to take free classes from universities like Harvard, MIT, Stanford, CalTech, Hillsdale and other “big names,” without the pricetag, but is…
An Old School Anatomy Class You’ll Love
Every year or so, I love to share my FAVORITE anatomy class with you! These lectures are from the famous neuroscientist Professor Marian Diamond who was known not only for…
Take These 2 CLEP Exams in 12th Grade Before Graduation!
There are two CLEP exams every homeschool student should take before graduating high school. These two exams are within reach for most of your high school seniors and they can…
Parent Question: How & when do I send our DE transcript to our future college?
This is a great question for those of you with graduated teens! If you’ve collected college credits on a college transcript (or many transcripts), this will become part of your “to-do”…
More Free Tuition 2026-2027
We are seeing a nice bit of peer pressure among institutions to offer income-based free tuition. I love this kind of one-upmanship because we all benefit! Many of these programs…
CE Classes to the Rescue!
In today’s post, I want to highlight one strategy I used with my youngest, who was not ready “academically” for regular college classes, but he wanted to take the welding…
New in the Hub: Course Description Guide!
I just finished developing a huge Course Description Guide for you! It’s over 60 pages and includes 250 ready-to-go course descriptions you can copy, paste, and edit. Best of all, these are…
DIY Statistics Course for those who Struggle with Math
I’ve only met a few people in real life who’ve taken Statistics, and of those who did, most told me that it was pretty awful. When I found out that…
Advising 101: Transfer Credit Limits
Understanding the transfer limits of a degree is really useful for resourceful high school planning. Does your future college accept 15 credits or 51? Knowing the answer is worth tens…
The Winter Break Minimesters: 3 College Credits
A great way to squeeze a little extra college credit out of this academic year is through a winter break minister. We see a trend among colleges to fill each…
Do Homeschool Students Cheat?
Inside Higher Ed reports that 75% of all college students in the United States take at least one online class. In our HS4CC, where parents are using dual enrollment and…
End of Grad PLUS Loans in 2026 (Finally!!)
Grad Plus loans allow students to borrow 100% of the cost of attendance for any master’s or doctorate program, even if they are enrolled part-time. This loan has had a…
CLEP Equivalency Score to Letter Grade Chart
Though CLEP exams don’t award letter grades, it’s fun to look up what your teen’s score might have been if it were assigned a letter grade. This table tells you.…
As Your Teen Approaches 30 College Credits
Too much of a good thing? Actually, yes. As your teen approaches 30 college credits, the goals need to shift from exploration to precision. This is the time to stop…
The Only Dual Enrollment Program with an Academic Safety Net
Dual enrollment programs come with risk. When your teen takes a college class, the grade they earn becomes part of their permanent college record forever. For some teens, this is…
Procrastination in Self-Paced /On-Demand Classes
One of our most popular programs, Arizona State University Universal Learner Courses, offers a self paced on-demand option for dual enrollment. Parents love this because it gives their teen a…
How (and why) to Test Out of Psych 101
Introduction to Psychology is a favorite course for many teens, but College-led psychology courses (depending on the teacher and textbook) can skim over mature content, slam into it head-first, or…
BIG Transcript Class: Last Day to Register!
Learn how to master transcript writing even if you’re brand new to homeschooling. Our BIG Transcript Class is a one-day whirlwind- you’ll leave confident and prepared! $49. The BIG Transcript…
Can We Homeschool for College Credit at a Private High School?
The short answer is YES! But you might not like the long answer – let me show you how to do both. Homeschooling for College Credit parents look for ways…
Overwhelmed by Options? How to Narrow Down the Best Choices for Homeschooling for College Credit
Starting Homeschooling for College Credit (HS4CC) can feel like stepping into a world with endless possibilities and endless choices. Between dual enrollment, CLEP exams, AP courses, community college options, and…
Today & Tomorrow: Learn About ASU!
Join our informational sessions this Friday and Saturday to learn about how HS4CC is now bringing you Arizona State University’s Universal Learner Courses at a huge discount! These events will…
BIG Transcript Class: Registration Open!
Learn how to master transcript writing even if you’re brand new to homeschooling. Our BIG Transcript Class is a one-day whirlwind- you’ll leave confident and prepared! $49. The BIG Transcript…
What Does “Potential College Credit” Really Mean?
If you’ve followed Homeschooling for College Credit for any length of time, you’ve heard me use the phrase: “potential college credit.” Huh? That’s not an accident. I say it on…
🚀Learn About the Launch 🚀
We’re celebrating the launch of our new HS4CC Academy with 2 infomational sessions this weekend so you can learn exactly how this program works and ask questions. These events will…
$400,000 in Scholarships with November 2025 Deadlines
This month’s scholarship list has over $400,000 up for grabs! It’s never too soon to apply and start stocking up on funding. Don’t wait until your student is in 12th…
Path to Pro Training for Your High School Student
For students who want to learn more about trades without committing to a program will really enjoy this short Path to Pro Training program from Home Depot. The program is…
Coming November 1st 🔥Discount Pricing ASU Universal Learner Courses
If you love the ASU Universal Learner Courses, we are about to save you some serious $$$. I’m proud to announce that HS4CC has secured a premium partnership with ASU…
Raise Your Hand – Volunteer with Homeschooling for College Credit
You don’t have to be an expert to raise your hand, but you’ll become one as you serve with us! Training, support, and encouragement are part of every HS4CC volunteer’s…
Teen Hate Writing? Let’s Change That.
If you missed the wonderful webinar presentation from Written Out Loud, click below to catch the video replay! We are forming a special HS4CC Crew for those interested, link in…
Pumpkin Spice Homeschooling and Other Misdirections
I read an article in Forbes that featured the most outlandish pumpkin spice products they could find. If you can believe that you can find pumpkin spice flavored hummus, noodles,…
Starting vs Growing vs Finishing: Why Each Stage Requires a Different Strategy
When you land in our community, you’ll likely be immediately overwhelmed by the jargon, success stories, and sense of urgency. If you want to be successful, put on blinders -…
CLEP in Your Homeschool: Step by Step for Beginners
One of the best ways for your teen to earn college credit in high school is to incorporate CLEP exams into your planning. If you’re nervous about getting started, these…
Quick College Lingo You Need to Know
“But my 10th grader IS a college student, why is the college saying he isn’t?” Understanding the lingo is super helpful as your teen earns college credit. Here are a…
HST 109: American History Dual Enrollment
“A gentle first college course.” For students who enjoy history or want to start dual enrollment with a strong humanities course, HST 109: United States to 1865 is an excellent…
Help! We Need a Letter of Recommendation from a Teacher
It’s no surprise that homeschooled teens don’t have the deep bench of teachers on standby in the same way public-schooled teens do. If your teen needs a letter of recommendation…
Last Q&A Hour of 2025
You won’t want to miss our final Question & Answer Hour of the year this month on October 26th at 4 pm Eastern Time. Bring your questions about getting started,…
High School to College Credit Match Up
Does College Algebra replace high school algebra 2? Can you use CLEP to replace American Literature? On this page, you’ll learn how to replace your teen’s high school classes with…
Build Your Transcript This Week
The HS4CC Transcript Template has been used by over 10,000 parents in our community. Easily organize your entire 4-year program on one page (high school and college credit), in 11-point…
Rack Rate is Coming. Do These 3 Things Before Graduation
Every college has a “rack rate.” It’s the sticker price of tuition, the published rate that few students actually pay but that everyone should understand. The rack rate is what…
Is AP Really Worth College Credit?
If you’ve ever wondered whether Advanced Placement (AP) is worth the extra work, you’re not alone. Parents often assume that taking an AP course means earning college credit, but that’s…
BIO 100: The Living World (A great 1st course!)
For families interested in starting dual enrollment with Arizona State University, BIO 100: The Living World is one of the most recommended first courses. Designed as a biology course for non-science…
Perfect Match: Math CLEP & High School Math
At some point in your teen’s math sequence, they will probably cross over into math topics that are also part of a typical “college math” sequence. This transition begins just…
Creating Professional Course Titles: Tips for Your Transcript
A well-crafted course title on your transcript conveys the subject without sounding overly complicated or confusing. And what about dual enrollment? While I do not think we should “overthink” our…
Complete List of All CLEP Exams
For the last decade, Homeschooling for College Credit has helped parents use CLEP in their homeschool program. As a perfect “final exam” a CLEP exam is worth potential college credit…
Free Early College App This Week at The University of Alabama
Apply now! The University of Alabama Early College Dual Enrollment offers the lowest cost dual enrollment in the country for out-of-state homeschoolers. At just $33/credit, homeschoolers from any state can…
Look inside #1 Favorite ASU Course
Our Homeschooling for College Credit community constantly shares feedback about their experiences with all of the Arizona State University’s Universal Learner Courses. Our community’s favorite is Introduction to Health and…
Planning to Use Scholarships to Pay For College?
Only 1% of students will get scholarships big enough to cover the entire cost of their education, so what should you do? By the time you learn your teen’s scholarships…
Can I CLEP Out of an Associate’s Degree?
In 2025, you can’t CLEP out of an “entire” associate’s degree, but using this plan, you can CLEP out of most of your Associate of Science in Business Administration degree.…
CLEP and Your GPA
Since CLEP credit is recorded on your college transcript as pass/fail, what does that mean for your teen’s GPA? Does it help? Does it hurt? Let’s look at two possible…
A Student Loan is Not a Plan
When families talk about paying for college, the conversation often turns to borrowing. Many parents believe, “We’ll just take the loans and figure it out later.” Loans are easy to…
October 2025 Scholarships
This month’s scholarship and contest opportunities are available for students from kindergarten through college. It’s never too early to start saving money for higher education expenses. And, the great thing…
Y Combinator’s Startup School: A Free Opportunity for Teens in Tech Startups
If your teen has ever dreamed of starting the next big tech company, there’s an incredible free resource available that can help them explore that path: Startup School by Y…
University of Alabama Dual Enrollment?
If you’ve started using the University of Alabama’s Dual Enrollment program, we want to hear from you! Love it so far? Hate it so far? Hard? Easy? Clear? Confusing? At…
The “College Experience” That Costs More Than Tuition
Dorms and meal plans at many colleges now cost between $10,000 and $15,000 per year. For many families, that number feels impossible. While some justify high price tags for education,…
Look Inside: University of Holy Cross Dual Enrollment
At $250, University of Holy Cross Dual Enrollment is among the best price options in the USA. UHC is a Catholic institution rooted in the traditions of the Marianites of…
SAVINGS HACK: $300 Degree From UMGC
In this savings hack, I’ve broken down how you can earn a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies from the University of Maryland Global Campus in 2 1/2 years after…
Why Was My Homeschool Transcript Rejected?
Important Caution About Third-Party Transcript Services Recently, I helped a homeschooling parent in our community with an urgent transcript problem. Her daughter had been using her local college for 2…
How Can I Find Guaranteed Merit Aid?
I LOVE a guarantee! Guaranteed credit transfer, guaranteed partnerships, guaranteed articulation agreements, and best of all…. guaranteed MERIT AID! These are scholarships that are automatically awarded to any student who…
2 CLEPs to Take in 10th Grade
10th grade is a great time to plan a CLEP if you have a teen who studies well and retains information. While I consider 11th and 12th grades to be…
Fact Check: Can I Really Get a $40k Degree for $11k?
I received a Facebook message from a HS4CC parent in Texas who asked “How can [company name] sell degrees for so cheap? They advertise that if I pay them, they…
3 Scholarships Your Trades-Bound Homeschooler Can Apply for This Weekend
What do carpenters, construction workers, HVAC workers, plumbers, and electrical workers have in common? Growing demand, wage resilience, and future-proofing! While some “knowledge economy” jobs are vulnerable to AI automation,…
Coming Soon: 🔥HS4CC Academy Flat-Rate Pricing ASU Universal Learner Courses
If you love the ASU Universal Learner Courses, we are about to save you some serious $$$. I’m proud to announce that I have finally secured a premium partnership with…
High Achievers: Show Me the Money
Many parents of high achievers feel confident about the college journey. If your teen has top grades, test scores, and accomplishments, it is easy to think that scholarships are guaranteed…
Fun Free Mini-Newsletter
Get a new Creative College Funding strategy every day for 10 days in this fun, free mini-newsletter! The best time to start thinking about college funding was yesterday. The next…
Hot off the Press: Degree Plan for CSU Global $45,000 Degree for $10,275
Your teen can take affordable self-paced classes *right now* during high school that will count towards a bachelor’s degree at Colorado State University Global. Of course CSU won’t help you…
Working During College
A concern I often hear from homeschooling parents is this: “My teen can’t possibly work their way through college because wages are just too low.” On the surface, that feels…
Look Inside: Pierpont Dual Enrollment
Coming in at $180, Pierpont Community and Technical College’s Dual Enrollment is among the best price options in the USA, and they open their program to homeschool students from any…
CLEP Pass Rates (2024)
Ever wonder how many people pass or fail specific CLEP exams? Me too! The Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) publishes the following pass rates for College-Level Examination Program…
Cedarville University: Get a Bachelor’s in 3 Years
Cedarville University in Ohio is a popular Christian University that offers free dual enrollment to our Ohio families, and $185 per credit to the rest of us. I want to…
Slam Dunk Admissions with a 3.0 GPA
One of the most common fears I hear from homeschooling parents is how to boost their teen’s GPA. Will they even get into college? If that thought has crossed your…
Fast Degree Planning with AI
You can create a master prompt that helps you plan your degree like an expert! Let me show you what you can do in 10 minutes that used to take…
If My Teen Has College Credit, Does He Skip the SAT?
That’s a great question! If the credit was earned during high school, your teen is still considered a first-time freshman for admissions and FAFSA. If the college requires all incoming…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.