Local public school is offering a new program to students that qualify for the honors programs. It is an academy within the high school where there will also be shared time at a local community college. They have worked out a curriculum where you graduate from the High school with your diploma and ALSO a 2 year transferable associates degree. I am not sure what to think of this. Does is make good sense to follow this path if you qualify or is this just pushing young kids too hard?
asking from a different angle- what would the colleges think of this? Would the like it because it shows the student was accelerated or dislike it because they lost two years of tuition and the student.
My dd does dual enrollment. She doesn’t take any high school courses. All of her classes are taken at a community college campus and she follows the college schedule. She does however still get to participate in all high school extra curriculars, does scheduling through the high school guidance (using the high school dual enrollment person), could go to high school for lunch, study etc. The classes are completely free and include book rentals. Basically dd will graduate with the equivalent of an associates in terms of number of credits and could potentially get an associates if she takes the right classes.
Some things to think about and talk to potential colleges about. Will they accept an associates or college credits taken during high school (there are some colleges that don’t accept any college credits taken before high school graduation). Some say they will not accept any college classes taken that meet high school graduaton requirements therefore if you take freshman English 1 in place of a junior year English and it is required to graduate high school they won’t accept it for Freshman English at that college and you would need to take it again.
I’ve heard different things about as associates in high school in terms of starting college. If you have credits you can still start college say as a freshman with advanced academic standing and say be a junior but qualify for freshman scholarships. An associates might mean you have matriculated at a college already and for scholarships are treated as a transfer which may not have a good merit scholarships.
In terms of completing in two years it can be tricky. First my daughter has to make sure she satisfies high school graduation requirements. For instance she needs to take two math classes - one for her junior year and one for her senior year. The associates may only require 1 math class. Second to get an associate you also may need to satisfy specific general ed and major requirements and a some classes may have prerequisites. Thirdly when applying as a Freshman for college they may be looking for say 3-4 classes from each of the 5 core areas - would you have that after meeting both high school and associates requirements?
One tool that we’ve found helpful is often if you look at a college within your state under transfer student they might give a transfer eligibility list for the specific community college esp if it is a state school but some private schools have it as well (name for it viaries). So far the courses my dd has taken classes she needs for graduation, and some classes in her preferred associates. If dd takes the associate classes towards a degree She will have 4 classes of English, math, and foreign language. She will only have 3 social studies and science. If she takes 2 summer classes this summer and one the following summer after graduation she will have 4 of each, her graduation requirements, and an associates. DD won’t find out until later this month if she can take any free classes this summer and/or if they cover 2 classes. DD would have to then try to either get special permission to take 6 classes one semester or we would have to pay for a summer class.
Right now dd is trying to figure out if she should focus on all the classes she needs for her chosen associates or if she should go broad which would give her more of the electives she will need such as micro economics giving her a 4th social studies and needed at many colleges for her potential major. She could take stats since even though she has all her math her major will require that at most colleges as well. She could also take a 4th science because her guidance counselor would like her to. Either way she would have the same number of credits for a college to look at. Chances are the college will only count dd’s college Calculus 1 class for credit and just count precalculus as a free elective if at all. For dd the associates by itself doesn’t really get anyone a career in the field and she needs to eventually get a masters if she sticks to her goal so she isn’t sure if she needs an associates, bachelor’s and masters all in the same field.
Basically after all this I’m saying it is very individual.
As for colleges I called several in my area state and private. While it is easiest to go to from state community college to a state 4 year I found private universities were very interested in kids earning an associates or equivalent in credits while in high school. Also look at the community college and see what schools they may have agreements with based on degree. For instance Northeastern University has an agreement with my dd’s community college for her area of study.
Have a look at their college acceptance statistics and what sort of credits their students received to make sure that you’ll be served well to get where you intend to go. Our district’s collegiate program never produced a single national merit scholar or elite college admit. They do send good number of students to local state colleges with enough credit to start as junior.
Wow, thank you so much for this thorough analysis. You’ve been very helpful!