8 regionally accredited colleges and universities are offering 1 or more free dual enrollment course that your HS4CC teen can sign up for spring semester! Your teen can live in any state and participate as a distance learning student. Most are open to those in 11th or 12th grade, but a few are open to any grade. You’ll find general education, business, electives, and computer courses!
Continue reading “8 Colleges Offering FREE DE this Spring”
Dual enrollment is not a universally defined phrase. I use the term “dual enrollment” or “DE” as a generic catch-all term to mean a college course taken by a student for both college and high school credit. In the case of homeschooling, the parent awards the high school credit while the college awards the college credit. Students enrolled in private schools, public schools, and umbrella schools will not have the same autonomy as a homeschool family, and should consult their school officials for guidance.It can be confusing, but different states and different college systems use a variety of terms to mean dual enrollment. If you don’t know the name of a college’s program, you might accidentally end up looking at requirements for regular students instead of for high school students.When you search our Master List of College Credit, you’ll see that dual enrollment is most likely to transfer because it is the only type of credit that is “actual” college credit. All other types under dual enrollment are “potential” college credit.Examples of dual enrollment program names you’ll encounter:
The student attends class, online or in person, along with the regular college students. Dual enrollment students complete the same requirements as “regular” college students, including receiving grades and a college transcript.There are versions of dual enrollment used in public schools where the teacher holds regular class for the high school students for “college credit.” This type of DE is growing in popularity, but generally speaking, those programs aren’t open to homeschooling families. Before you feel upset by this exclusion, you should know that outcome data says that students who take courses directly with the college are more successful than those who take their dual enrollment courses with a high school, so given the choice, elect to enroll with the college directly.Registration for homeschool students is nearly entirely done directly with the college. Since there are no restrictions placed on where you register, parents can select a college(s) based on their budget, interests, religion, or learning preferences. With nearly 3,800 colleges in the United States, most allowing participation, this opens up a fantastic opportunity for homeschooled teens.
When your teen takes a dual enrollment college course, they earn high school credit much faster than when they take high school classes. In the first table, the student earned 1 high school credit in English after taking 32 weeks of high school English and 0 college credit. That is the typical schedule for a teen. In the second table, the same student could earn 2 high school credits and 6 college credits in the same time period.
| FALL 16 weeks | SPRING 16 weeks |
|---|---|
| 12th grade Honor High School English | 12th grade Honors High School English |
| 0.5 high school credit | 0.5 high school credit |
| FALL 16 weeks | SPRING 16 weeks |
|---|---|
| English 101 | English 102 |
| 1.0 high school credit/ 3 college credits | 1.0 high school credit/ 3 college credits |
CAUTION: Dual enrollment courses won’t be censored for your teen. Maturity should always be considered.
As a homeschool family, your teen’s access to dual enrollment is often better than if they were in public school. In many states, the public school’s guidance counselor chooses which students and which courses are offered, and generally, only the top scoring students are eligible. As the homeschool administrator, you can choose whether or not your teen participates, and if they aren’t eligible to participate locally, you can choose to use a different college outside your state. If you want to learn it, it’s out there to learn!
Though this isn’t the case in all 50 states, nearly every state (38) has determined that general education college courses taken for dual enrollment credit at a public college or university are guaranteed to transfer into the other public colleges and universities of that state. 35 states guarantee that the associate degree will transfer perfectly into the state’s public colleges and universities. Not having that guarantee doesn’t mean that it won’t transfer, but having the guarantee is an added peace of mind! Even in these guaranteed transfer states, a private university often marches to their own drum and can reject the transfer of credit with otherwise excellent transferability.Pro Tip: General Education courses like English, math, science, world languages, or history transfer much better than career and technical or occupational courses like business, information technology, management, health, hospitality, agriculture, or skilled trades.
That depends- a lot. Some of you will live in states with free dual enrollment tuition, others will have access to reduced tuition, and some will pay full price. No matter what YOUR STATE OFFERS, you can always shop around! For instance, there are out of state opportunities as low as $25 per credit that are open to anyone, so if your state’s best price for reduced dual enrollment tuition is $100 per credit, you can find a lower price if you want to.Since saving money is a key advantage of Homeschooling for College Credit, we always compare prices. One of our lists will shop the cheapest (or free) dual enrollment programs that are open to anyone. It’s important to remember that transferability has nothing to do with price. In many cases the most transferable courses are also the most affordable. Typically, a course taken at a community college during high school that is used later at the teen’s in-state university, will have the lowest cost and the best likelihood of transferability.During high school you have unlimited access to reduced or free tuition in any amount, but after high school you will absolutely with certainty pay full price.The following states offer free dual enrollment options in some amount.
Both! While your state may have limitations for what they pay for you can always choose the better fit for your family and you always have the final say on where your teens take college classes. For parents who want religious dual enrollment courses, I keep a list of religious colleges with proper accreditation and open to homeschooling students living any state.
The downside to dual enrollment is simple, if your child bombs the class, the grade is on their permanent record (college transcript). Colleges require you to disclose all previously earned credit under penalty, so that “D” may count against future college applications, but for sure counts in their college GPA. For that reason, do not rush your child into a course before they’re ready, and consider taking only 1 course at first. Adjusting to a college schedule is difficult for most people of any age.As the high school administrator, you can choose to or not to award high school credit for any course for any reason, so while you can keep poor grades off their high school transcript, it’s never possible to keep them from being disclosed. Almost every college and university participates in the Student Clearinghouse database, which is where and how future colleges will discover all prior college attendance.
Lastly, during the 20 years I taught college classes, more than 90% of the “F” grades I had to issue were simply a result of a student failing to withdrawal. Meaning, the student didn’t fail for “academic” reasons, they simply didn’t withdrawal properly! At the end of every term, a professor is required to submit a grade for your teen. Students who withdrew won’t get a grade, but if your student just stopped attending, it’s very likely that your student’s grade will be “D” or “F.” All colleges have a formal withdrawal process. NEVER allow your teen to just stop attending class—even if it’s an “online” class. If your teen is not going to pass their class, for any reason, withdrawal from the course immediately using the formal withdrawal procedure. You may or may not get any of your tuition back, but you are protecting their GPA, which is more important. Always withdrawal your teen instead of allowing a failing grade for the course.Pro Tip: the course syllabus will state the last date to withdrawal from a course and take the “W.” If it doesn’t, contact the college advisor directly and find out asap. Don’t let that date pass without certainty that your teen will pass their course.
College courses taken during high school do not turn your student into a transfer student/applicant. Your teen can earn as many credits as they want! The reason the number doesn’t matter, is because colleges are required to report enrollment data to the government, and the definition dictates that high school students must be classified as a first-time-incoming freshman. Be aware that some admissions workers, advisors, and customer service employees may not understand this and accidently give you incorrect information. As dual enrollment becomes more common, this lag should correct in the next few years.For the motivated student, it’s possible to earn an entire certificate, diploma, or associate’s degree along with his high school diploma. And yes, even if your teen earns a degree IN HIGH SCHOOL they will still apply to college and for financial aid as a first time incoming freshman. College credit earned AFTER high school can turn your teen into a transfer applicant, but credit or credentials earned DURING high school does not.
“The admissions rep pointed out that if a student completes two years at a community college and transfers into ANY North Carolina public college, then the savings is the equivalent of them winning a huge scholarship. I hadn’t thought of it like that. He said the savings is between $28,000 and $32,000. That’s pretty awesome!”
13 states (below) have free dual enrollment, 17 have situations where you may quality.
Continue reading “Dual Enrollment Costs by State”
If you’re looking for dual enrollment college classes, this is the list you need!
Continue reading “Dual Enrollment Master List”
The 35 colleges listed here allow homeschooled students from any state to participate in college classes via distance learning. A religious college either has a religious component in its operations or its curriculum, or exists primarily for the purpose of teaching aspects of a particular religion in their courses.
You are only reading a blog post. If you’d like to save this list, be sure to bookmark the page where you’ll be able to go back and access it all year. Religious Colleges Page
Looking for secular colleges? All public 2 and 4 year colleges are secular.
| Anna Maria College (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: FREE but selective, textbooks, lab fees and some materials not included, 11th and 12th grade, minimum GPA 3.0, maximum 2 courses per fall and spring semester bus since offered at the same time slot, you can really only take 1 class. very limited course selection, all courses are online synchronous. DE students who matriculate to Anna Maria College after high school graduation have their application fee waived and receive a Dual Enrollment grant. More Information |
| Andrews University (Michigan) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Guest Student Cost $140 per credit, 10th-12th grade, on-campus or distance learning, 30 credit limit. More information |
| Bluefield College (Virginia) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $100 per credit, books extra, grades 10+, no placement testing, 8-week classes. May take any course offered from the full catalog. Students from UT, NY, WI, KY, RI, or NJ are not able to participate. More information |
| Boyce College (Kentucky) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $103 per credit, books extra, 10th-12th grades, 8 or 16 week terms, placement test optional, restricted course list. More information |
| Brigham Young University (Utah) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Independent Study (NOT the “high school students” program)Cost $212 per credit, books extra, no age restriction, no placement testing, courses are self-paced, take any course from the Independent Study catalog. Note: If you live local, you can enroll in the concurrent program. More information |
| Calvary University (Missouri) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Early College Cost: $104 per credit hour (on campus and online) with a $100 fee per 8-week cycle. Some classes have additional course fees associated with them. Admission requires agreement with faith statement. 10th grade or higher. More information |
| Campbellsville University (Kentucky) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Credit Cost $91 per credit, 10-12th grades, books extra, classes are 8-weeks long, unrestricted course list for 100 and 200 level courses as long as prerequisites have been met. More information |
| Clarks Summit University (Pennsylvania) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $150 per credit, 10-12th grades with a 3.0 GPA, online and on campus, classes are 8-weeks online and 16-weeks on campus More information |
| Crown College (Minnesota) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: PSEO and Dual Enrollment Cost $85 per credit; books free; grade 11-12; minimum 3.0 GPA; no placement testing; 15-week classes. Classes free for MN residents. Asynchronous classes available More information |
| Colorado Christian University (Colorado) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Online Dual Enrollment (dual *credit* program for local high schools only) Cost $100 per credit, offers an Associate degree track that allows students to transfer in up to 75% of the credits (45 of 60), limited course catalog, no limit on number of courses, 10-15 week course length, accepts AP scores of 4+, though not on their website we have several parents who have confirmed their teens used Sophia and CLEP credits to CCU. More information |
| Columbia College (Missouri) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual enrollment Cost $75 per credit, classes offered 6 times per year lasting 8 weeks, 9th grade with test scores, 10th-12th grades with GPA, books included in the price. On-campus options for local students. More information |
| Concordia University (Wisconsin) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: PreCollege Cost $75 per credit for first 36 credits, must be in high school, 9th graders take placement tests, minimum 3.0 homeschool GPA. Restricted list of classes to choose from. All Concordia PreCollege programs are administered through the Wisconsin campus. More information |
| Crown College (Minnesota) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $83 per credit, grade 11-12, no placement testing, 15-week classes. Classes free for MN residents. More information |
| Dallas Baptist University (Texas) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Honors Scholars Academy Cost $150 per credit, apply after you’ve completed at least 4 high school courses with a minimum 3.0, online or on-site classes, 25+ classes offered More information |
| Elms College (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *Religious University Program Name: High School Dual Enrollment Cost: (undetermined) Student may take 1 course per fall and spring semester each of the 11th and 12th-grade years for a total of 4 courses. Transcript, letter of recommendation, and course selection is not guaranteed. More Information |
| Evangel University (Missouri) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $65 per credit, must be age 16+, 11th or 12th grade, 2 course max per semester, at the time of this writing they offer only 14 online courses to choose from, but 1 of those are available as self-paced and there are 7 in-person DE courses. Dual-enrolled students have access to the bookstore, library, and Student Success Center support. More information |
| Fairfield University (Connecticut) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Part-time visiting high school Cost: $855 per credit, students may take 1 course per semester, 10th-12th grades, offers regular and accelerated term lengths. Students must have a 3.2 GPA to qualify for enrollment, students may choose upper-level courses with permission as long as prerequisites are met. More information |
| Faith Baptist Bible College Theological Seminary (Iowa) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name (1) Semester-long Online Classes (Up to 16 credits per semester) Program Name (2) Summer Jump Start – Earn two or three college credits in a one-week in-person class. Program Name (3) Summer Online Classes Program Name (4) Term Classes (eight weeks) Cost $150 per credit ($99 promo cost for your first online class), 11th and 12th grade, two references required. Restricted list of classes to choose from. More information |
| Fisher College (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *Religious University Program Name: Dual Enrollment. Cost: (undetermined) 11th and 12th grade, students who complete a DE course with Fisher will qualify for a $22,000 annual renewable scholarship. |
| Freed-Hardeman University (Tennessee) Private 4-year university *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: $300 per course plus books; In-person or online (32 courses online); Grades 10-12 (early admit for grade 10); GPA 3.0 with ACT/SAT requirements OR 3.5 without; Tennessee students may be eligible for the TN Dual Enrollment Grant. More information |
| Gordon College (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: $600 per course, on-campus or online, 11-12th grade only, 3.0 GPA required, restricted list of classes to choose from. More information |
| Grand Canyon University (Arizona) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: High School Dual Enrollment Cost $52.50 per credit. 60 credit max, attend on-campus or online. Juniors and seniors with an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or above. Sophomores with an unweighted GPA of 3.25 or above. Homeschool coops can request to have a private cohort (only your students). More information |
| Hannibal-LaGrange University (Missouri) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Early Enrollment Cost $95 per credit, $25 application fee, $40 semester fee, textbooks extra, 11th and 12th grade only, 3.0 GPA, High School Transcript required, generally eligible to take any 200-level course offered, follows university semester. More information |
| Holy Apostles College and Seminary (Connecticut) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Take Credit! Cost: $595 per 3-credit course, maximum 38 credits, any 100- or 200-level class, 11th and 12th grade; fall, spring, and summer 15-week sessions. Sequence of course offerings offers a framework for selecting courses. A Cardinal Newman Guide Recommended Catholic College. More Information |
| Houghton University (New York) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Early College/Dual Enrollment Cost $60 per credit, short list of classes available each term, online, asynchronous or in-person, simple online application, no placement test, 11th & 12th grades only, max 2 courses per semester, 100- and 200-level classes only. More information |
| LeTourneau University (Texas) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Credit Cost: $90 per credit, textbooks not included, 3.0 GPA required, online and on campus available; 1 summer 15-week session, a few 5- and 7-week summer sessions, 1 fall and spring 15-week session; Free tutoring for all, plus additional support for students with Autism. Students who take ONE dual enrollment course at LeTourneau are eligible for a scholarship toward future degree. More Information |
| Liberty University (Virginia) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Liberty University Online Academy Dual Enrollment (A la carte) Cost: per course, but on a scale based on the number of credits ($274-$730), digital textbooks included, $38 fee for most courses; completion of 10th grade through 12th grade (age 14-20), minimum 3.0 GPA. If you do not choose a la carte, you are enrolling in their high school. It is not to yoru advantage to do that since as an a la carte student you can take all the same classes but retain your autonomy as a homeschool student. A restricted list of classes to choose from; all courses approved for NCAA Division I; tuition discounts for Liberty University for those who graduate from LUOA. Graduates of LUOA, associate degree program or certificate program are eligible to attend the university-wide graduation ceremony on the Liberty University campus. More Information |
| Messiah University (Pennsylvania) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: $150 per credit (maximum 7 credits at this rate; additional credits may be taken at part-time student rate of $1,650 per credit), textbooks not included, lab fees; 11th and 12th grade (minimum age 15), minimum 3.0 GPA; online and on campus available, 2 summer 6-week sessions, 1 fall and spring 16-week session, 2 fall and spring 8-week sessions, a restricted list of classes to choose from; some synchronous classes. More Information |
| Mid-American Christian University (Oklahoma) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Concurrent Enrollment Cost: $175 per course, maximum 6 credit hours per session unless permission granted by parent, 11th and 12th grade, minimum 3.0 GPA; AP score, minimum combined SAT score of 1030, or ACT score of 20 required, along with a government issued photo ID; online and on campus available, 1 summer 10-week session (seniors only), 1 fall 8-week session, 1 fall and 2 spring 9-week sessions, 1 fall 17-week session, 1 spring 18-week session, general education courses only. More Information |
| Northpoint Bible College and Seminary (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: $99 per credit, $100 technology fee per semester not included, 11th and 12th grade, 9 classes to choose from, maximum 6 credits per semester. More Information |
| Oral Roberts University (Oklahoma) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Advantage (parent feedback) Cost: $60 per credit, plus $70 fee for digital textbook (you may opt out by contacting the admissions director), maximum 10 credits per semester, 9th – 12th grade, 1 fall and spring 15-week session; 31 classes, including remedial (non-credit) options; other classes available by request; online and on campus available. The Advantage Roadmap details two pathways – toward Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts – which allow the student to complete one year of college. If the student attends ORU as a full-time, residential student, they receive a scholarship for all Advantage tuition paid (that is $2,640 for the BA). More Information |
| Regent University (Virginia) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Early College Cost: $75 per credit, textbooks not included, maximum 30 credits; 11th and 12th grade (minimum age 16), minimum GPA 3.0. 2 fall and spring 8-week sessions, 2 summer sessions, 32 recommended classes, although other classes available by request. Students who matriculate as full-time students after homeschool graduation receive a $1,000 annual scholarship; if Early College courses are taken, per credit cost is refunded as a first semester scholarship (up to $2,250 for 30 hours of credit). Accepted transfer credit includes ACE and ABHE; maximum transfer credit from any source is 30 credits for bachelor’s degree, 15 credits for associate’s (30 Early College credits plus 30 credits from other sources equals 60 possible credits earned in high school, if attending Regent after high school graduation). More Information |
| Sacred Heart University (Connecticut) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Taste of College Cost: $100 per credit, 3 credits per semester cap for a total of 12 credits max in this program. Eligible students are in 11th or 12th grade and must provide a letter of recommendation along with the homeschool transcript. More information |
| Taylor University (Indiana) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Pre-College Online Cost: $200 per credit, textbooks not included, maximum 24 credits; 11th and 12th grade (ages 16-19). Self-paced, 4-month courses (may be completed early), drop class within one week for no penalty, rolling admissions; choose from any 100-200 level course or 300-400 level with permission; dedicated High School advisor, course recommendations from Registrar for future TU students. Online and up to 2 courses per fall and spring semester on campus available (on campus program is called Pre-College Dual Enrollment). Memberships include Christian College Consortium (along with other Christian DE schools such as Asbury, Gordon, Houghton, and Messiah). More Information |
| The University of Holy Cross (Louisiana) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $150 per course, (international students $850 per course), textbooks not included, maximum 11 credits per session, 11th and 12th grade, minimum GPA 2.5 and minimum scores on placement tests (can be waived by proof of proficiency); 1 fall and spring 16-week session, 24 courses available online; online and on campus available; access to free tutoring service and developmental courses if needed. More Information |
8 regionally accredited colleges and universities are offering 1 or more free dual enrollment course that your HS4CC teen can sign up for spring semester! Your teen can live in any state and participate as a distance learning student. Most are open to those in 11th or 12th grade, but a few are open to any grade. You’ll find general education, business, electives, and computer courses!
Continue reading “8 Colleges Offering FREE DE this Spring”
“How can I make sure this class will transfer later?” is often asked and “Contact the college” is typically advised. Unfortunately, that’s terrible advice! If you want to get as close to certain as possible, I can teach you what you need to know in about 15 minutes.
Continue reading “Advising 101: Will it Transfer?”
Yes! You can get dual enrollment courses on any budget. Winners this year include courses for under $100 and several that are totally free! Colleges listed below allow homeschooled students to participate in college classes via distance learning. Some courses may have more or less credits, lab fees, textbook costs, etc. Please reach out to each college directly for the latest course lists, eligibility, deadlines, prices, etc.
Continue reading “UPDATE: Cheapest Dual Enrollment Colleges for 2023-2024 (Under $250/course)”
8 regionally accredited colleges and universities are offering 1 or more free dual enrollment course that your HS4CC teen can sign up for spring semester! Your teen can live in any state and participate as a distance learning student. Most are open to those in 11th or 12th grade, but a few are open to any grade. You’ll find general education, business, electives, and computer courses!
Continue reading “8 Colleges Offering FREE DE this Spring”
If you’re looking for dual enrollment college classes, this is the list you need!
Continue reading “Dual Enrollment Master List”
I’m thrilled we’ve been invited by Campus Scholars again to offer 1 free dual enrollment course to our entire HS4CC community!! Eligibility for this program requires the student be in grades 11 or 12 *and* age 15 or higher on day 1. No placement tests required.
Continue reading “1 Free DE course all HS4CC 11/12th grades!”
I’m thrilled we’ve been invited by Campus.edu Scholars again to offer 1 free dual enrollment course to our entire HS4CC community!! Eligibility for this program requires the student be in grades 11 or 12 *and* age 15 or higher on day 1. No placement tests required. These courses are regionally accredited. (not ACE)
Continue reading “1 Free DE course all HS4CC 11/12th grades!”
If you’re looking for highly prestigious dual enrollment, I’ve got 5 universities that will knock your socks off. Each of these programs are open to homeschooling students, for college credit, and taken as a distance learning student.
Continue reading “5 Prestigious Dual Enrollment Options”
We’ve added a new 4-year private dual enrollment university to our religious colleges list. Dallas International offers DE courses to students in grades 10-12 for $100 per credit. Details below.
Continue reading “New Religious College DE Provider Added”
Yes! You can get dual enrollment courses on any budget. Winners this year include courses for under $100 and several that are totally free! Colleges listed below allow homeschooled students to participate in college classes via distance learning. Some courses may have more or less credits, lab fees, textbook costs, etc. Please reach out to each college directly for the latest course lists, eligibility, deadlines, prices, etc.
Continue reading “UPDATE: Cheapest Dual Enrollment Colleges for 2023-2024 (Under $250/course)”
Dual enrollment is not a universally defined phrase. I use the term “dual enrollment” or “DE” as a generic catch-all term to mean a college course taken by a student for both college and high school credit. In the case of homeschooling, the parent awards the high school credit while the college awards the college credit. Students enrolled in private schools, public schools, and umbrella schools will not have the same autonomy as a homeschool family, and should consult their school officials for guidance.It can be confusing, but different states and different college systems use a variety of terms to mean dual enrollment. If you don’t know the name of a college’s program, you might accidentally end up looking at requirements for regular students instead of for high school students.When you search our Master List of College Credit, you’ll see that dual enrollment is most likely to transfer because it is the only type of credit that is “actual” college credit. All other types under dual enrollment are “potential” college credit.Examples of dual enrollment program names you’ll encounter:
The student attends class, online or in person, along with the regular college students. Dual enrollment students complete the same requirements as “regular” college students, including receiving grades and a college transcript.There are versions of dual enrollment used in public schools where the teacher holds regular class for the high school students for “college credit.” This type of DE is growing in popularity, but generally speaking, those programs aren’t open to homeschooling families. Before you feel upset by this exclusion, you should know that outcome data says that students who take courses directly with the college are more successful than those who take their dual enrollment courses with a high school, so given the choice, elect to enroll with the college directly.Registration for homeschool students is nearly entirely done directly with the college. Since there are no restrictions placed on where you register, parents can select a college(s) based on their budget, interests, religion, or learning preferences. With nearly 3,800 colleges in the United States, most allowing participation, this opens up a fantastic opportunity for homeschooled teens.
When your teen takes a dual enrollment college course, they earn high school credit much faster than when they take high school classes. In the first table, the student earned 1 high school credit in English after taking 32 weeks of high school English and 0 college credit. That is the typical schedule for a teen. In the second table, the same student could earn 2 high school credits and 6 college credits in the same time period.
| FALL 16 weeks | SPRING 16 weeks |
|---|---|
| 12th grade Honor High School English | 12th grade Honors High School English |
| 0.5 high school credit | 0.5 high school credit |
| FALL 16 weeks | SPRING 16 weeks |
|---|---|
| English 101 | English 102 |
| 1.0 high school credit/ 3 college credits | 1.0 high school credit/ 3 college credits |
CAUTION: Dual enrollment courses won’t be censored for your teen. Maturity should always be considered.
As a homeschool family, your teen’s access to dual enrollment is often better than if they were in public school. In many states, the public school’s guidance counselor chooses which students and which courses are offered, and generally, only the top scoring students are eligible. As the homeschool administrator, you can choose whether or not your teen participates, and if they aren’t eligible to participate locally, you can choose to use a different college outside your state. If you want to learn it, it’s out there to learn!
Though this isn’t the case in all 50 states, nearly every state (38) has determined that general education college courses taken for dual enrollment credit at a public college or university are guaranteed to transfer into the other public colleges and universities of that state. 35 states guarantee that the associate degree will transfer perfectly into the state’s public colleges and universities. Not having that guarantee doesn’t mean that it won’t transfer, but having the guarantee is an added peace of mind! Even in these guaranteed transfer states, a private university often marches to their own drum and can reject the transfer of credit with otherwise excellent transferability.Pro Tip: General Education courses like English, math, science, world languages, or history transfer much better than career and technical or occupational courses like business, information technology, management, health, hospitality, agriculture, or skilled trades.
That depends- a lot. Some of you will live in states with free dual enrollment tuition, others will have access to reduced tuition, and some will pay full price. No matter what YOUR STATE OFFERS, you can always shop around! For instance, there are out of state opportunities as low as $25 per credit that are open to anyone, so if your state’s best price for reduced dual enrollment tuition is $100 per credit, you can find a lower price if you want to.Since saving money is a key advantage of Homeschooling for College Credit, we always compare prices. One of our lists will shop the cheapest (or free) dual enrollment programs that are open to anyone. It’s important to remember that transferability has nothing to do with price. In many cases the most transferable courses are also the most affordable. Typically, a course taken at a community college during high school that is used later at the teen’s in-state university, will have the lowest cost and the best likelihood of transferability.During high school you have unlimited access to reduced or free tuition in any amount, but after high school you will absolutely with certainty pay full price.The following states offer free dual enrollment options in some amount.
Both! While your state may have limitations for what they pay for you can always choose the better fit for your family and you always have the final say on where your teens take college classes. For parents who want religious dual enrollment courses, I keep a list of religious colleges with proper accreditation and open to homeschooling students living any state.
The downside to dual enrollment is simple, if your child bombs the class, the grade is on their permanent record (college transcript). Colleges require you to disclose all previously earned credit under penalty, so that “D” may count against future college applications, but for sure counts in their college GPA. For that reason, do not rush your child into a course before they’re ready, and consider taking only 1 course at first. Adjusting to a college schedule is difficult for most people of any age.As the high school administrator, you can choose to or not to award high school credit for any course for any reason, so while you can keep poor grades off their high school transcript, it’s never possible to keep them from being disclosed. Almost every college and university participates in the Student Clearinghouse database, which is where and how future colleges will discover all prior college attendance.
Lastly, during the 20 years I taught college classes, more than 90% of the “F” grades I had to issue were simply a result of a student failing to withdrawal. Meaning, the student didn’t fail for “academic” reasons, they simply didn’t withdrawal properly! At the end of every term, a professor is required to submit a grade for your teen. Students who withdrew won’t get a grade, but if your student just stopped attending, it’s very likely that your student’s grade will be “D” or “F.” All colleges have a formal withdrawal process. NEVER allow your teen to just stop attending class—even if it’s an “online” class. If your teen is not going to pass their class, for any reason, withdrawal from the course immediately using the formal withdrawal procedure. You may or may not get any of your tuition back, but you are protecting their GPA, which is more important. Always withdrawal your teen instead of allowing a failing grade for the course.Pro Tip: the course syllabus will state the last date to withdrawal from a course and take the “W.” If it doesn’t, contact the college advisor directly and find out asap. Don’t let that date pass without certainty that your teen will pass their course.
College courses taken during high school do not turn your student into a transfer student/applicant. Your teen can earn as many credits as they want! The reason the number doesn’t matter, is because colleges are required to report enrollment data to the government, and the definition dictates that high school students must be classified as a first-time-incoming freshman. Be aware that some admissions workers, advisors, and customer service employees may not understand this and accidently give you incorrect information. As dual enrollment becomes more common, this lag should correct in the next few years.For the motivated student, it’s possible to earn an entire certificate, diploma, or associate’s degree along with his high school diploma. And yes, even if your teen earns a degree IN HIGH SCHOOL they will still apply to college and for financial aid as a first time incoming freshman. College credit earned AFTER high school can turn your teen into a transfer applicant, but credit or credentials earned DURING high school does not.
“The admissions rep pointed out that if a student completes two years at a community college and transfers into ANY North Carolina public college, then the savings is the equivalent of them winning a huge scholarship. I hadn’t thought of it like that. He said the savings is between $28,000 and $32,000. That’s pretty awesome!”
The 35 colleges listed here allow homeschooled students from any state to participate in college classes via distance learning. A religious college either has a religious component in its operations or its curriculum, or exists primarily for the purpose of teaching aspects of a particular religion in their courses.
You are only reading a blog post. If you’d like to save this list, be sure to bookmark the page where you’ll be able to go back and access it all year. Religious Colleges Page
Looking for secular colleges? All public 2 and 4 year colleges are secular.
| Anna Maria College (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: FREE but selective, textbooks, lab fees and some materials not included, 11th and 12th grade, minimum GPA 3.0, maximum 2 courses per fall and spring semester bus since offered at the same time slot, you can really only take 1 class. very limited course selection, all courses are online synchronous. DE students who matriculate to Anna Maria College after high school graduation have their application fee waived and receive a Dual Enrollment grant. More Information |
| Andrews University (Michigan) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Guest Student Cost $140 per credit, 10th-12th grade, on-campus or distance learning, 30 credit limit. More information |
| Bluefield College (Virginia) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $100 per credit, books extra, grades 10+, no placement testing, 8-week classes. May take any course offered from the full catalog. Students from UT, NY, WI, KY, RI, or NJ are not able to participate. More information |
| Boyce College (Kentucky) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $103 per credit, books extra, 10th-12th grades, 8 or 16 week terms, placement test optional, restricted course list. More information |
| Brigham Young University (Utah) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Independent Study (NOT the “high school students” program)Cost $212 per credit, books extra, no age restriction, no placement testing, courses are self-paced, take any course from the Independent Study catalog. Note: If you live local, you can enroll in the concurrent program. More information |
| Calvary University (Missouri) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Early College Cost: $104 per credit hour (on campus and online) with a $100 fee per 8-week cycle. Some classes have additional course fees associated with them. Admission requires agreement with faith statement. 10th grade or higher. More information |
| Campbellsville University (Kentucky) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Credit Cost $91 per credit, 10-12th grades, books extra, classes are 8-weeks long, unrestricted course list for 100 and 200 level courses as long as prerequisites have been met. More information |
| Clarks Summit University (Pennsylvania) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $150 per credit, 10-12th grades with a 3.0 GPA, online and on campus, classes are 8-weeks online and 16-weeks on campus More information |
| Crown College (Minnesota) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: PSEO and Dual Enrollment Cost $85 per credit; books free; grade 11-12; minimum 3.0 GPA; no placement testing; 15-week classes. Classes free for MN residents. Asynchronous classes available More information |
| Colorado Christian University (Colorado) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Online Dual Enrollment (dual *credit* program for local high schools only) Cost $100 per credit, offers an Associate degree track that allows students to transfer in up to 75% of the credits (45 of 60), limited course catalog, no limit on number of courses, 10-15 week course length, accepts AP scores of 4+, though not on their website we have several parents who have confirmed their teens used Sophia and CLEP credits to CCU. More information |
| Columbia College (Missouri) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual enrollment Cost $75 per credit, classes offered 6 times per year lasting 8 weeks, 9th grade with test scores, 10th-12th grades with GPA, books included in the price. On-campus options for local students. More information |
| Concordia University (Wisconsin) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: PreCollege Cost $75 per credit for first 36 credits, must be in high school, 9th graders take placement tests, minimum 3.0 homeschool GPA. Restricted list of classes to choose from. All Concordia PreCollege programs are administered through the Wisconsin campus. More information |
| Crown College (Minnesota) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $83 per credit, grade 11-12, no placement testing, 15-week classes. Classes free for MN residents. More information |
| Dallas Baptist University (Texas) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Honors Scholars Academy Cost $150 per credit, apply after you’ve completed at least 4 high school courses with a minimum 3.0, online or on-site classes, 25+ classes offered More information |
| Elms College (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *Religious University Program Name: High School Dual Enrollment Cost: (undetermined) Student may take 1 course per fall and spring semester each of the 11th and 12th-grade years for a total of 4 courses. Transcript, letter of recommendation, and course selection is not guaranteed. More Information |
| Evangel University (Missouri) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $65 per credit, must be age 16+, 11th or 12th grade, 2 course max per semester, at the time of this writing they offer only 14 online courses to choose from, but 1 of those are available as self-paced and there are 7 in-person DE courses. Dual-enrolled students have access to the bookstore, library, and Student Success Center support. More information |
| Fairfield University (Connecticut) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Part-time visiting high school Cost: $855 per credit, students may take 1 course per semester, 10th-12th grades, offers regular and accelerated term lengths. Students must have a 3.2 GPA to qualify for enrollment, students may choose upper-level courses with permission as long as prerequisites are met. More information |
| Faith Baptist Bible College Theological Seminary (Iowa) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name (1) Semester-long Online Classes (Up to 16 credits per semester) Program Name (2) Summer Jump Start – Earn two or three college credits in a one-week in-person class. Program Name (3) Summer Online Classes Program Name (4) Term Classes (eight weeks) Cost $150 per credit ($99 promo cost for your first online class), 11th and 12th grade, two references required. Restricted list of classes to choose from. More information |
| Fisher College (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *Religious University Program Name: Dual Enrollment. Cost: (undetermined) 11th and 12th grade, students who complete a DE course with Fisher will qualify for a $22,000 annual renewable scholarship. |
| Freed-Hardeman University (Tennessee) Private 4-year university *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: $300 per course plus books; In-person or online (32 courses online); Grades 10-12 (early admit for grade 10); GPA 3.0 with ACT/SAT requirements OR 3.5 without; Tennessee students may be eligible for the TN Dual Enrollment Grant. More information |
| Gordon College (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: $600 per course, on-campus or online, 11-12th grade only, 3.0 GPA required, restricted list of classes to choose from. More information |
| Grand Canyon University (Arizona) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: High School Dual Enrollment Cost $52.50 per credit. 60 credit max, attend on-campus or online. Juniors and seniors with an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or above. Sophomores with an unweighted GPA of 3.25 or above. Homeschool coops can request to have a private cohort (only your students). More information |
| Hannibal-LaGrange University (Missouri) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Early Enrollment Cost $95 per credit, $25 application fee, $40 semester fee, textbooks extra, 11th and 12th grade only, 3.0 GPA, High School Transcript required, generally eligible to take any 200-level course offered, follows university semester. More information |
| Holy Apostles College and Seminary (Connecticut) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Take Credit! Cost: $595 per 3-credit course, maximum 38 credits, any 100- or 200-level class, 11th and 12th grade; fall, spring, and summer 15-week sessions. Sequence of course offerings offers a framework for selecting courses. A Cardinal Newman Guide Recommended Catholic College. More Information |
| Houghton University (New York) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Early College/Dual Enrollment Cost $60 per credit, short list of classes available each term, online, asynchronous or in-person, simple online application, no placement test, 11th & 12th grades only, max 2 courses per semester, 100- and 200-level classes only. More information |
| LeTourneau University (Texas) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Credit Cost: $90 per credit, textbooks not included, 3.0 GPA required, online and on campus available; 1 summer 15-week session, a few 5- and 7-week summer sessions, 1 fall and spring 15-week session; Free tutoring for all, plus additional support for students with Autism. Students who take ONE dual enrollment course at LeTourneau are eligible for a scholarship toward future degree. More Information |
| Liberty University (Virginia) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Liberty University Online Academy Dual Enrollment (A la carte) Cost: per course, but on a scale based on the number of credits ($274-$730), digital textbooks included, $38 fee for most courses; completion of 10th grade through 12th grade (age 14-20), minimum 3.0 GPA. If you do not choose a la carte, you are enrolling in their high school. It is not to yoru advantage to do that since as an a la carte student you can take all the same classes but retain your autonomy as a homeschool student. A restricted list of classes to choose from; all courses approved for NCAA Division I; tuition discounts for Liberty University for those who graduate from LUOA. Graduates of LUOA, associate degree program or certificate program are eligible to attend the university-wide graduation ceremony on the Liberty University campus. More Information |
| Messiah University (Pennsylvania) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: $150 per credit (maximum 7 credits at this rate; additional credits may be taken at part-time student rate of $1,650 per credit), textbooks not included, lab fees; 11th and 12th grade (minimum age 15), minimum 3.0 GPA; online and on campus available, 2 summer 6-week sessions, 1 fall and spring 16-week session, 2 fall and spring 8-week sessions, a restricted list of classes to choose from; some synchronous classes. More Information |
| Mid-American Christian University (Oklahoma) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Concurrent Enrollment Cost: $175 per course, maximum 6 credit hours per session unless permission granted by parent, 11th and 12th grade, minimum 3.0 GPA; AP score, minimum combined SAT score of 1030, or ACT score of 20 required, along with a government issued photo ID; online and on campus available, 1 summer 10-week session (seniors only), 1 fall 8-week session, 1 fall and 2 spring 9-week sessions, 1 fall 17-week session, 1 spring 18-week session, general education courses only. More Information |
| Northpoint Bible College and Seminary (Massachusetts) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost: $99 per credit, $100 technology fee per semester not included, 11th and 12th grade, 9 classes to choose from, maximum 6 credits per semester. More Information |
| Oral Roberts University (Oklahoma) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Advantage (parent feedback) Cost: $60 per credit, plus $70 fee for digital textbook (you may opt out by contacting the admissions director), maximum 10 credits per semester, 9th – 12th grade, 1 fall and spring 15-week session; 31 classes, including remedial (non-credit) options; other classes available by request; online and on campus available. The Advantage Roadmap details two pathways – toward Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts – which allow the student to complete one year of college. If the student attends ORU as a full-time, residential student, they receive a scholarship for all Advantage tuition paid (that is $2,640 for the BA). More Information |
| Regent University (Virginia) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Early College Cost: $75 per credit, textbooks not included, maximum 30 credits; 11th and 12th grade (minimum age 16), minimum GPA 3.0. 2 fall and spring 8-week sessions, 2 summer sessions, 32 recommended classes, although other classes available by request. Students who matriculate as full-time students after homeschool graduation receive a $1,000 annual scholarship; if Early College courses are taken, per credit cost is refunded as a first semester scholarship (up to $2,250 for 30 hours of credit). Accepted transfer credit includes ACE and ABHE; maximum transfer credit from any source is 30 credits for bachelor’s degree, 15 credits for associate’s (30 Early College credits plus 30 credits from other sources equals 60 possible credits earned in high school, if attending Regent after high school graduation). More Information |
| Sacred Heart University (Connecticut) Private 4-year *religious college Program Name: Taste of College Cost: $100 per credit, 3 credits per semester cap for a total of 12 credits max in this program. Eligible students are in 11th or 12th grade and must provide a letter of recommendation along with the homeschool transcript. More information |
| Taylor University (Indiana) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Pre-College Online Cost: $200 per credit, textbooks not included, maximum 24 credits; 11th and 12th grade (ages 16-19). Self-paced, 4-month courses (may be completed early), drop class within one week for no penalty, rolling admissions; choose from any 100-200 level course or 300-400 level with permission; dedicated High School advisor, course recommendations from Registrar for future TU students. Online and up to 2 courses per fall and spring semester on campus available (on campus program is called Pre-College Dual Enrollment). Memberships include Christian College Consortium (along with other Christian DE schools such as Asbury, Gordon, Houghton, and Messiah). More Information |
| The University of Holy Cross (Louisiana) Private 4-year *religious university Program Name: Dual Enrollment Cost $150 per course, (international students $850 per course), textbooks not included, maximum 11 credits per session, 11th and 12th grade, minimum GPA 2.5 and minimum scores on placement tests (can be waived by proof of proficiency); 1 fall and spring 16-week session, 24 courses available online; online and on campus available; access to free tutoring service and developmental courses if needed. More Information |
Do you have a favorite dual enrollment program that also has a great price? Each year I publish a list on our HS4CC website page called “Cheapest Dual Enrollment.” Since so many families do NOT have access to free or low cost local dual enrollment locally, this list is super important. Send me your suggestion using the form in this post.
Continue reading “Need Your Help: Cheapest Dual Enrollment”
Out with the old and in with the new. The new HS4CC dual enrollment list is live and updated!!
Continue reading “It’s Here!! The NEW Updated DE List!”
13 states (below) have free dual enrollment, 17 have situations where you may quality.
Continue reading “Dual Enrollment Costs by State”
If you’re not one of the lucky 13 states that have free dual enrollment, you might worry about how to budget this year. I’m thrilled to share that there are many colleges offering free *college credit* classes to ANYONE. These are legit college classes your teen can take via distance learning for $0. It’s been a blast assembling this list, I hope it saves your family time and money having it in one place.
Continue reading “List of Free Dual Enrollment for 2023-2024”
Pierpont Community and Technical College offers students dual enrollment (DE) in all 50 states for only $25 per credit! This is one of the best priced programs in the country. Learn more below.
Continue reading “Featured DE Provider: Pierpont C&TC”
We have a code! Special thanks to Lisa for the application voucher code to enroll at Jackson State University for free. Details below.
Continue reading “UPDATE: List of Free Dual Enrollment for 2023-2024”
If you’re not one of the lucky 13 states that have free dual enrollment, you might worry about how to budget this year. I’m thrilled to share that there are many colleges offering free *college credit* classes to ANYONE. These are legit college classes your teen can take via distance learning for $0. It’s been a blast assembling this list, I hope it saves your family time and money having it in one place.
Continue reading “List of Free Dual Enrollment for 2023-2024”
Do you have a favorite dual enrollment program that also has a great price? Each year I publish a list on our HS4CC website page called “Cheapest Dual Enrollment.” Since so many families do NOT have access to free or low cost local dual enrollment locally, this list is super important. Send me your suggestion using the form in this post.
Continue reading “Need Your Help: Cheapest Dual Enrollment”
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