At Homeschooling for College Credit (HS4CC), we love celebrating a happy story in our community. Today, we’re sharing a story that highlights the resourceful planning by Raina, HS4CC parent in New York. She estimates they’ve saved “between $20,000 and $30,000 for both daughters.”
In April 2023, Cayla and Iris’s proud mom shared an exciting update with us:
“I just wanted to pass along some good news. My daughters will both be attending SUNY Stony Brook this fall, and all 64 of their dual enrollment credits were accepted, including those that fulfilled requirements for their majors. Their credits came from Genesee Community College, Arizona State University, Suffolk County Community College, and a CLEP exam (which didn’t transfer exactly as they hoped, but did fulfill a requirement). Teach your kids early to advocate for themselves and maintain excellent records because it took a little bit of red tape and communication to get things figured out. Hold onto those syllabi!!!!”
Cayla’s hard work in high school positioned her to enter college as a junior right after graduation. Through resourceful high school planning, her mom, Raina, ensured that every dual enrollment credit worked toward her academic goals. With college credits from Arizona State University, Genesee Community College, and Suffolk County Community College, Cayla saved time and money—starting her college career two years ahead.
But the story doesn’t end there.
This week, Cayla’s mom shared another proud milestone in our HS4CC New York Facebook Group:
“Proud mama moment! I just wanted to share some amazing news. My daughter Cayla was homeschooled all the way through and dually enrolled in college during high school, so she entered Stony Brook as a junior right after high school graduation. Finishing her undergraduate in 2 years, now at the age of 19, she was just accepted into graduate school to become a Speech Language Pathologist. Don’t ever let anyone dissuade you from homeschooling. You know your kids best. Support them as they follow their passions and dreams ❤ Many thanks to the HS4CC Community. We couldn’t have done this without you!”
Iris’s path is equally inspiring. After graduating in the spring, Iris plans to take a year to travel, work, and save money before entering graduate school, most likely in Environmental Studies or Sustainability. Her focus on creating a positive impact on the environment highlights her dedication and thoughtful planning for the future.
This inspiring journey is a testament to the power of resourceful planning and parental guidance. While most of the world would have you step back and step out of the picture, we know that parental guidance is key to accomplishing big goals.
You are your teen’s best guidance counselor.
Cayla and Iris’s mom emphasized how essential it was to stay organized:
“They did know what they wanted their majors to be when starting dual enrollment, so there was a lot of careful degree planning through high school, keeping in mind the New York 24-credit equivalency diploma and Stony Brook University’s requirements. They did a combination of Arizona State University, Genesee Community College, our local community college, plus one CLEP exam. Stony Brook University has a Linguistics major with a Speech Language Pathology pathway and plenty of opportunities for Environmental Studies. Fortunately, all the transfer credits worked out and saved us a lot of money. In terms of Stony Brook University, just be aware that they want to see all four years of high school homeschool paperwork (quarterlies, IHIPs, testing, etc.), so do a very thorough job as you go and it’ll all be done for you once it’s time to apply.”
For Cayla and Iris’s family, that attention to detail and commitment to homeschooling paid off—literally. When asked in our HS4CC New York Facebook Group how much money they saved, Raina estimated “between $20,000 and $30,000 for both daughters.” Both Cayla and Iris benefited tremendously from their dual enrollment credits and their mom’s careful recordkeeping.
Cayla and Iris’s story also offers key advice for other homeschooling families:
- Start with a Plan: Knowing Cayla and Iris’s majors early allowed their family to tailor dual enrollment courses to meet degree requirements. If your teens don’t have targets in mind, it’s ok to go slowly and NOT accumulate a lot of credit.
- Keep Excellent Records: Thorough documentation of homeschool progress and dual enrollment syllabi smoothed the application process and ensured credits were transferred.
- Advocate for Your Students: Navigating the red tape of credit transfers and homeschool applications can be challenging, but persistence pays off.
- Leverage HS4CC Support: As Cayla and Iris’s mom said, “There’s so much support in this group. Keep asking questions, you’ll find the best path.”
Cayla and Iris’s journey is a shining example of what’s possible with the right combination of planning, perseverance, and a supportive homeschooling community. At just 19 years old, Cayla is on her way to becoming a Speech Language Pathologist, while Iris is preparing to make an impact in Environmental Studies and Sustainability.
To every parent out there wondering if homeschooling and dual enrollment are worth it, Cayla and Iris’s story is a resounding YES. Congratulations to Cayla, Iris, and their amazing family!
Join our Facebook page on the last day of every month to share YOUR happy news! Big or small, we celebrate it all.
