College classes taken during high school (NOT dual credit)

High School is allowing juniors and seniors to leave campus to take classes at the directional U or local CC next year. This is a new program. I think they need to be admitted to the college to do so, but I’m not sure the details. Daughter is thinking about maxing out her math next year and then continuing at the Directional U (that’s the biggest area lacking at the high school, Calc AB is the final class offered).

She still would graduate at the usual time, and I don’t think the classes would satisfy any high school requirements. Presumably her transcript would reflect this somehow, but that’s something I can figure out on my end.

My question is what this does to her ability to apply as a first time freshman. If she has 10-20 college credits will she still be considered for freshman scholarships? Will she have to apply as a transfer student? I am less worried about credits transferring, I know that is case by case depending on the school.

I feel like I have seen this discussed before, but I can’ t seem to find it. And since it didn’t apply to us, I didn’t really pay that much attention to the answers. Our guidance counselors are great at telling us how things are looked at by the local Directional U and the State Flagship. Anything beyond our state’s borders and I just get a guess. I have gotten much more accurate information here. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Generally, it is college courses taken after high school graduation that can prevent a student from applying as a frosh. But check the policies of the target colleges for specific details, since they do vary.

When applying as frosh to colleges, she will need to send transcripts for (or self report if that is what the college wants) the college courses as well as high school courses. When matriculating, she will need to send both the college and high school final transcripts.

I agree with UCB…my kids took a bunch of college classes, not for high school credit, & had no problems applying to to a wide range of colleges without being considered transfers.

Colleges do have a wide variety of policies on which ones they will accept, however. Especially very elite colleges.

We ran into one college that would accept a max of like 18 credits taken while in high school; another took a max of 24 credits from college classes & AP credits . Some elites will accept credits from 4-year colleges but not from community colleges (I’m referring to classes taken while in high school here). Some won’t accept online classes. Some won’t accept classes unless they are taught on the college’s campus, and so on.

So it really pays to do some research ahead of time to make sure the colleges she intends to go to will accept 100% of the classes she takes. Most colleges spell out their policies somewhere on their web site, but make sure you are checking their policies specific to accepting the transfer of credits earned while in high school, not their general transfer policies.