The Last 100 Posts

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  • HS4CC & COPPA
    The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998 is a United States federal law. We comply with this law! Homeschooling for College Credit does not allow posting photos of teens age 13 or younger for any reason. You can read more about this important regulation here: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-312
  • Watch Now: Welcome to Homeschooling for College Credit by Jennifer Cook-DeRosa
  • Do you have HS4CC paperback?
    “This book is outstanding. If you are a parent of a homeschooled child then this is a MUST BUY book.” -David (Amazon review)
  • Study.com Accuplacer Resources
    I wanted to share a resource I just learned about this weekend. I learned that Study.com has an amazing Accuplacer section on their website!
  • Just in Time!
  • Providers of ACE Credit – The Full List!
    ACE credit is “off the record” college credit that can be earned for pennies on the dollar (sometimes), is recorded as pass/fail without impacting GPA, and *can generate a LOT of college credit when you choose a college that accepts this kind of credit. Happy Binging.
  • Deal on Amazon Prime if you have SNAP
    Did you know? If you have SNAP EBT, you can register your card and get 50% off of Amazon Prime? You don’t have to *use* your EBT card on Amazon, just having a card qualifies for the discount. You can use Prime to get free shipping on your teen’s textbooks, CLEP books, etc. as well… Read more: Deal on Amazon Prime if you have SNAP
  • Thomas Edison State University Info Session Replay
    TESU is a HS4CC-friendly university that accepts all of your teen’s CLEP, Dual Enrollment, Sophia, Studycom, and more! In our info session we discussed how you can use your teen’s college credit to pursue an affordable degree at TESU after high school. Co-hosted HS4CC x TESU.
  • Parent Question: Is there a way to get college credit without the internet? We live in a rural area and the internet is spotty at best.
    Answer: This is a great question, and for those of us old enough to remember a time before the internet, it’s crazy to think that we live in a world where we have become so dependent on technology! I can think of 4 ways to get college credit without access to the internet (during high… Read more: Parent Question: Is there a way to get college credit without the internet? We live in a rural area and the internet is spotty at best.
  • Getting IN is Getting Easier
    Colleges strive to convey an aura of elitism, a carefully curated image of exclusivity. That’s not on accident. Colleges love it when you’re in awe. It drives enrollment. Behind the smoke and mirrors, colleges are struggling to meet enrollment numbers. One by one, states are implementing guaranteed admissions, shhhhhh……
  • Black Friday Deals: College Credit on Sale
    A handful of college credit Black Friday deals are making their way to my inbox! I’ll keep this page updated if I find others. Please send me any you find, and we’ll make a nice list for our community! Straighterline Buy One Course Get One Course Free. (This has a value of about $59. You’ll… Read more: Black Friday Deals: College Credit on Sale
  • 8 Colleges Offering FREE DE this Spring
    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… Read more: 8 Colleges Offering FREE DE this Spring
  • Amazon Prime Student Membership
    Thinking about subscribing anyway? If so, please consider supporting HS4CC by using our fundraising link. It costs the same either way! See Amazon Prime Student page for all the benefits, terms, and conditions. Thank you! 🙂
  • Best Precalculus Class?
  • Accepted! Which College to Choose?
    As your teen’s college acceptance letters start to come in, your family may be trying to decide between several good options. Normally we talk about choice based on using credit, saving money, or debt, but in today’s post, I’m bringing you some data that gives you one more thing to watch out for: “reach” colleges.
  • Build Your Own Homeschool CLEP® Class
    Homeschooling for College Credit is excited to share our newest free guide with you! This 38-page guide allows you to create your own course that perfectly marries test prep with honors level homeschool class. Earn high school & college credit at once!
  • Thank you Kristy! We are honored to help!
  • Pacing +1
  • Pro Tips from Experienced HS4CC Parents
    I invited some of our experienced HS4CC parents to share a few tips for those who are just starting and for those who are in the thick of things. If you have advice you’ve learned along the way, please feel free to share it below.
  • College Based Dual Enrollment (DE)
    What is DE and why is it the “most transferable?” What is Dual Enrollment? 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… Read more: College Based Dual Enrollment (DE)
  • Ta-da! We are now .org!!!!!
    I’m so proud to unveil our new fancy web address as a .org!!! Links you already know and use and love should still work, but now our address matches our mission. Here’s what happened behind the scenes: Old websites: HomeschoolingforCollegeCredit.com & HS4CC.com New websites: HomeschoolingforCollegeCredit.org & HS4CC.org If you type in an old address, no… Read more: Ta-da! We are now .org!!!!!
  • 5 P’s of Persuasion for College: People
    I’m a homeschooling dad of 8 working to do college on the cheap.  So far we have three grads, and that has been working well.  But one thing has been consistent – there are problems when you’re trying to do anything as complex as make a path to graduation.
  • November 2023 Scholarships
    This month’s scholarships include $$$ from Elk’s Lodge, Frito-Lay, and one open to those in 6-12th grades. Good luck everyone!
  • Get in our Class of 2024 Group
    We invite you to join our Homeschooling for College Credit Class of 2024 Facebook group! This is the group for those of you with seniors graduating this year! We have special targeted resources in there for you. Looking to chat about financial aid, application cycles, scholarships, choosing colleges, or other pressing concerns this year? Us… Read more: Get in our Class of 2024 Group
  • 1/2 of CC College Courses Online Format
    Online or on campus? Which is the best for your teen? I read a pretty shocking stat today over at Inside Higher Education. As community colleges all around the country “returned to normal” post-covid, community colleges reported that half or more than half of their entire catalog is still being offered ONLY online. What does… Read more: 1/2 of CC College Courses Online Format
  • Dual Enrollment Costs by State
    13 states (below) have free dual enrollment, 17 have situations where you may quality.
  • From Homeschool to Grad School
    This post shares Adeline’s encouraging story from a Homeschooling for College Credit student in Ohio through today, where she’s paying cash for her Master’s Degree at Liberty University. You’re going to love this!
  • Best Statistics Class?
    Many college degrees require a basic course in statistics. The more popular majors that require this course include psychology and science, but those of you with grad school plans will most certainly need a stats course! Has your teen taken a stats course? Did they earn college credit? This is an opportunity to share the… Read more: Best Statistics Class?
  • 5 P’s of Persuasion for College: Persistence
    I’m a homeschooling dad of 8 working to do college on the cheap.  So far we have three grads, and that has been working well.  But one thing has been consistent – there are problems when you’re trying to do anything as complex as make a path to graduation.
  • Happy Story Update from 2019: Theresa’s Daughter
    In 2019 we celebrated with Theresa. This was her announcement post: “This is our daughter!  Graduating high school a year early 3.9  GPA with 39 college credits.  You can do this!  She is not naturally brilliant.  She worked hard– prioritized— waited to take the SAT/ACT so she could focus on her grades and dual enrollment… Read more: Happy Story Update from 2019: Theresa’s Daughter
  • Dual Enrollment Master List
    If you’re looking for dual enrollment college classes, this is the list you need!
  • November Classes
    We have an amazing lineup of Homeschooling for College Credit learning opportunities this month! The best way to learn how to Homeschool for College Credit is by taking advantage of our live and pre-recorded events. There are a dozen opportunities between now and the end of the year for you start, grow, or finish your… Read more: November Classes
  • Proctored Exam Coming Up?
  • October Celebration!
    It’s that time of the month – share your win! Did your teen start their first college class? Pass their first CLEP exam? Write their first research paper? We want to celebrate with you.
  • Religious College Dual Enrollment 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… Read more: Religious College Dual Enrollment List
  • HS4CC Meetup @ Liberty
    Going to Liberty University “College For  A Weekend” in November? Meet up with the HS4CC Christian Colleges leader Shelley Cloutier for some fellowship and social time.
  • Best Information Systems Class?
  • Study.com Degree Completion
    Study.com is a company that offers online self-paced courses through a monthly subscription. They have the largest catalog of any alternative college credit provider, and some of their courses have the coveted “upper level” designation. Some colleges allow you to complete up to 75% of your degree using Study.com courses, which can be done for… Read more: Study.com Degree Completion
  • 5 P’s of Persuasion for College: Patience
    This is another post in the series of “The 5 P’s of Persuasion for College Success” I’m a homeschooling dad of 8 kids. So far, five of them have at least started the college process, and in this series I’m sharing some of the things that I have learned along the way.
  • Some of us still like paper…
    “I love having a physical guide that I can earmark and hold and enjoy as I try to find the right avenues for my children’s future. So far its guiding me to the websites I need and I’m enjoying the guidance.” -Bethany (Amazon review)
  • Deal on Amazon Prime if you have SNAP
    Did you know? If you have SNAP EBT, you can register your card and get 50% off of Amazon Prime? You don’t have to *use* your EBT card on Amazon, just having a card qualifies for the discount. You can use Prime to get free shipping on your teen’s textbooks, CLEP books, etc. as well… Read more: Deal on Amazon Prime if you have SNAP
  • Taking the Lead
  • Christy cash-flowing college like a champ!
  • Parent Question: Should I send course descriptions with my teen’s college application?
    Course descriptions are NOT standard and should NOT be sent in unsolicited!!  In the event that your teen’s target college asks for them, you’ll want to present them with a professionally-created document.  (Why not? Keep reading.) A high school student takes anywhere from 24-50+ classes, so this document needs to be well done.  Follow these… Read more: Parent Question: Should I send course descriptions with my teen’s college application?
  • 5 P’s of Persuasion for College: Planning
    I’m a homeschooling dad of 8, and this is the 3rd post on the 5 P’s of Persuasion for College. Today we are talking about P number 2: Planning. YOUR PLAN DOES NOT NEED TO BE PERFECT!
  • Dual Enrollment Colleges for Younger Grades
    As you know, most colleges want dual enrollment teens to be in high school, but here are a few options if you have a middle school (or younger) student ready for college classes. Colleges on this list are regionally accredited, offer distance learning, and are open to students living in any state.
  • Amazon Prime Student Membership
    Thinking about subscribing anyway? If so, please consider supporting HS4CC by using our fundraising link. It costs the same either way! See Amazon Prime Student page for all the benefits, terms, and conditions. Thank you! 🙂
  • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6…. College Degrees = 0 Debt
    Misti K. has served as a Homeschooling for College Credit moderator for our Kentucky Facebook group since 2018. She really is a HS4CC rockstar, and just this year she graduated ANOTHER student debt free! Her daughter, Praise, graduated from Liberty University at age 16. Read Misti’s incredible story below. (and she’s not finished!!)
  • For Immediate Release: Homeschooling for College Credit Attains 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Status
    Homeschooling for College Credit (HS4CC) is delighted to announce that it has achieved 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to furthering access to postsecondary education for homeschooling families. As a self-sustaining nonprofit organization, HS4CC remains dedicated to resourceful high school planning for the benefit of the homeschooling community.
  • Build Your Own Homeschool CLEP® Class
    Homeschooling for College Credit is excited to share our newest free guide with you! This 38-page guide allows you to create your own course that perfectly marries test prep with honors level homeschool class. Earn high school & college credit at once!
  • HS4CC & COPPA
    The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998 is a United States federal law. We comply with this law! Homeschooling for College Credit does not allow posting photos of teens age 13 or younger for any reason. You can read more about this important regulation here: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-312
  • Best Macroeconomics?
  • 5 P’s of Persuasion for College: Pleasant
    In my last post, I introduced the framework my wife and I are learning to implement to help our kids clear roadblocks for college.  For an overview of the Five P’s of Persuasion for College, you might want to check that post out.  In today’s post I want to dig in a little bit on… Read more: 5 P’s of Persuasion for College: Pleasant
  • Law Shelf Course Spotlight: Civil Rights Law & First Amendment Law
    Law Shelf courses are completely free! You only pay if you want to take the final proctored exam (worth college credit). Many parents use Law Shelf courses as high school curriculum. In this post, we’ll look inside two of their courses using their BOGO promotion. These courses are rolling admissions, so start today or next… Read more: Law Shelf Course Spotlight: Civil Rights Law & First Amendment Law
  • HS4CC Question: Need a Diploma?
    Yes, yes, and yes!!! The high school diploma (or high school transcript) is your teen’s official academic record. This record lives on after high school and should be easily accessed by your teen long after we are gone. Showing proof of high school graduation is different than graduating college, and being able to produce proof… Read more: HS4CC Question: Need a Diploma?
  • Where are the Resources?
  • Introducing: Sophia Like a Boss!
    New HS4CC class – first time offered! Taught by Jennifer Cook-DeRosa offered on October 18. This registration includes a special BOGO offer. Details below. Sophia Like: a BOSS! Extract every last credit from Sophia by using resourceful planning and expert scheduling strategies. *BOGO* Register for the October 18th live class and get the Sophia Like a BOSS… Read more: Introducing: Sophia Like a Boss!
  • Heather’s Son Gets into Top Choice College
    I love when parents send me updates. This message is from Heather in North Carolina who didn’t start homeschooling until the middle of high school!
  • One Free Course: California Baptist University
    CBU is regionally accredited and offering the first class free to any new dual enrollment student. Grades 10-12th are eligible. The classes are 8 weeks long, and fully remote. There is no obligation to take additional courses beyond the free course!
  • Class of 2024: Help me Finish!
    We invite you to join our Homeschooling for College Credit Class of 2024 Facebook group! This is the group for those of you with seniors graduating this year! We have special targeted resources in there for you. Looking to chat about financial aid, application cycles, scholarships, choosing colleges, or other pressing concerns this year? Us… Read more: Class of 2024: Help me Finish!
  • 8 Colleges Offering FREE DE this Spring
    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… Read more: 8 Colleges Offering FREE DE this Spring
  • Best Nutrition Class? Need Recommendations!
    Has your student earned college credit in nutrition? What program did you use and would you use it again? Good? Bad? Share your favorites below.
  • Next Live Q&A: October 11
  • So this keeps on happening…. <3
  • The 5 P’s of Persuasion for College
    I’m a homeschooling dad of 8 trying to help my kids navigate undergraduate education. College is overwhelming.  So many rules, regulations, and limits on what is possible.
  • FAFSA Delay
    Inside Higher Ed did a nice story today on the 2 month FAFSA delay. See summary below.
  • Our GPA Mini-course (Free to HS4CC)
    In about 20 minutes, Jennifer help you decide whether to use a weighted or unweighted GPA and how to use her favorite GPA calculator to calculate your homeschooler’s GPA. Besides the video, you’ll get 2 GPA charts (weighted/unweighted) a blank transcript template and 3 sample transcripts. There is no cost, just great resources for you!
  • HS4CC Question: SAT, ACT, CLT?
  • FAFSA Changes and Late Open: Dec 1
    If your teen is graduating high school in 2024, this is for you! The FAFSA is undergoing a major overhaul this year, pushing the open date for this important tool for financial aid out from its normal October 1st open date, to December 1st this year. It will return to October 1st, as usual, in… Read more: FAFSA Changes and Late Open: Dec 1
  • October Scholarships to Apply for Now
    This month’s scholarship website focus is Raise.me. According to the website, “RaiseMe enables students to earn scholarships throughout high school, starting as early as 9th grade, for doing all the things that best prepare them to succeed, whether that’s getting good grades, volunteering in the community or joining an extracurricular. Your total earnings previewed in… Read more: October Scholarships to Apply for Now
  • Advising 101: Stranded Credit
    Stranded credit refers to credit that is being held “hostage” by a college or university. This can be a huge problem for anyone earning college credit before, during, or after high school. In this post I’ll explain how this happens and how you can avoid it from happening to your teen.
  • Last Chance to Register: The American Dream
    If your teen/adult is 18 years old or older, there is still time to enroll in the free American Dream program, but this program closes enrollment on October 16, 2023 extended to November 1st! This program fully funds the Google IT Support credential, IBM Cyber Security Analyst, and others. See post for details.
  • Best American Government Class?
  • Advising 101: Will it Transfer?
    “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.
  • September Celebration!
    It’s that time of the month – share your win! Did your teen earn college credit? Pass their first CLEP exam? Write their first research paper? We want to celebrate with you.
  • High School Credit in Makeup & Hair
    If your teen is considering cosmetology school, or just has a passion for beauty, I’ve created this 1 credit high school course for your homeschool using 2 great resources, one of them free. This is a good online learning option for your homeschool curriculum that work for high school credit. (Repost from May)
  • That’s not advice, that’s a sales pitch.
    You need a neutral third party to help you plan. HS4CC was started to help parents make independent choices. We want you to make the best decision for your family with informed consent, so we do our very best to provide you with all the “how” with none of the selling.
  • HS4CC Question: Unique Advantages?
  • The Backbone of your High School Program
    “Such a great book! I recommend this book to everybody I meet who is planning on or considering homeschooling through high school. It gave me hope that we, a family of eight on one income, can find creative ways to cut the costs of secondary school without going into debt. Even if you don’t homeschool,the… Read more: The Backbone of your High School Program
  • Getting in is Easy?
    I frequently say “Getting into college is easy. It’s getting OUT that’s hard.” This always sound impossible- how can I say such a thing? Simple. Data. Rather than trusting my opinion, let’s look at a breakdown that shows just how hard it really is to get into college.
  • Deal on Amazon Prime if you have SNAP
    Did you know? If you have SNAP EBT, you can register your card and get 50% off of Amazon Prime? You don’t have to *use* your EBT card on Amazon, just having a card qualifies for the discount. You can use Prime to get free shipping on your teen’s textbooks, CLEP books, etc. as well… Read more: Deal on Amazon Prime if you have SNAP
  • UPDATE: Cheapest Dual Enrollment Colleges for 2023-2024 (Under $250/course)
    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… Read more: UPDATE: Cheapest Dual Enrollment Colleges for 2023-2024 (Under $250/course)
  • Best Biology Class? Lab?
  • Modern States: How to Take a CLEP for Free!
    Have you heard everyone talking about taking CLEP exams for free? Wondering how they are doing that? They are getting unlimited free vouchers to take as many CLEP exams as they want through the program called Modern States and in this post I’ll show you how to do it too!
  • UPDATE: Free TECEP ended
    Thomas Edison State University’s free TECEP program ended this week. I’ll leave the post up, because you can still learn about TECEP and use them for college credit- but they now are back to their regular price.
  • HS4CC Math Interest Survey
    5 minute mathematics survey- thank you!!
  • (SOLD OUT) HS4CC to Liberty Class
  • 8 Colleges Offering FREE DE this Spring
    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… Read more: 8 Colleges Offering FREE DE this Spring
  • HS4CC Math Interest Survey
    5 minute mathematics survey- thank you!!
  • HS4CC Question: Learning Disabilities?
  • Dual Enrollment Master List
    If you’re looking for dual enrollment college classes, this is the list you need!
  • Free College Application Fees
    If your teen will graduate in 2024, you’re probably looking for some free application fees to help offset the cost of applying to colleges. We have a crowd sourced list of colleges with free application codes/weeks/months, and statewide initiatives. Do you have a free application code for an institution or a statewide initiative to report?… Read more: Free College Application Fees
  • Amazon Prime Student Membership
    Thinking about subscribing anyway? If so, please consider supporting HS4CC by using our fundraising link. It costs the same either way! See Amazon Prime Student page for all the benefits, terms, and conditions. Thank you! 🙂
  • 33 Free College Credits (age 18+)
    If your teen is age 18 or will be shortly, they may be interested in the free college courses from OnlineDegreecom. These courses transfer into a small number of partners schools that many of you may already be targeting! Excelsior, Grand Canyon, University of Maryland Global, Thomas Edison, Colorado State University Global, and others.
  • Is your student 2 years out of high school with college credit but no degree?
    Join Jennifer live as she explains a fantastic opportunity for ANY adult who graduated from high school 2 or more years ago and has not yet earned a degree. (Note this is NOT for teens Homeschooling for College Credit- you or your student must have graduated high school 2 or more years ago). This free… Read more: Is your student 2 years out of high school with college credit but no degree?
  • Best English Comp 1 & 2 Classes?
    We need your suggestions! Did your teen take English Comp 1 & 2? If so, what did you love about it?
  • September Scholarship Alert!
    Hi everyone, I’m Wendy and I’m going to be posting monthly scholarship info and links for your student. As I begin this journey of researching scholarships and scholarship search engines for myself, Jennifer invited me to share what I found with you! So, I am highlighting a new search tool each month. Link to last… Read more: September Scholarship Alert!
  • HS4CC Live Class ($45)
  • Thank you Katie! We love helping.
  • Is your student 2 years out of high school with college credit but no degree?
    Join Jennifer live as she explains a fantastic opportunity for ANY adult who graduated from high school 2 or more years ago and has not yet earned a degree. (Note this is NOT for teens Homeschooling for College Credit- you or your student must have graduated high school 2 or more years ago). This free… Read more: Is your student 2 years out of high school with college credit but no degree?