Dual Enrollment Advice?

Parents Forum
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<p>I'm a current sophomore and I'm looking to attend a local 4 year college for dual enrollment my junior and senior year. I have to get a 20 on the ACT, at least a 19 on the math. I did terrible on the PSAT, I got a 129! I did not study and I could have done better, but I did try at least. </p>

<p>I went to my guidance counselor earlier this month and she was very unhelpful. She basically gave me the paper and told me to leave. I already knew the information about the program, but I just wanted advice. I wanted to know if this is a good idea. I asked her if dual enrollment would look better then AP? She told me to be quiet and to not mention AP again. Because she is suppose to encourage me to take AP and not the other way around. Last year, the guidance counselor (a different one) would not let me drop down to CP Math. I got 2 D's in Honors and thought it was too much. Though, the other counselor is a lot nicer and helpful at least. I go to a pretty big school and I will have my current counselor until graduation. I doubt we will get to know each other in a personal level.</p>

<p>I really wanted some parents advice on this. My parents think it is fine and if I get the Accel scholarship the program would be paid for. I can take anywhere from 2-4 classes. I have read if you are going to a private school then AP is better. My top choices are NYU, USC, and Northwestern. The school is not a known school, but not a CC. I would get high school and college credit and it would go on my high school credit. The only school in Georgia(instate) I like is Georgia College and State University. But this is far from my top choice. My chemistry teacher went to a state college in Georgia and thought AP classes were much more challenging then her state school college courses were. She thought AP Physics would be easier then local X state U, but a little bit harder then honors. </p>

<p>I wanted to take the ACT, because I think I would do better. I'm not sure if I should take the April or June test? Is it too late to start studying for the April test? Do I just buy a booklet and study? What $$$ are classes that are not a rip off? </p>

<p>I was planning on taking US History, Language Arts, Psychology, and Sociology. Psychology and Sociology would be one per semester. I'm not great at math and science, so I thought I would take LA and SS. I was going to take Economics, Language Arts, and Earth Science there my senior year. I am a future print journalist/or screenwriter. I may also want to become a talent agent one day. </p>

<p>Even if I don't get college credit, I would still want to do it. I think it could help my GPA and I want a different environment. What would colleges think about this, even if they will not accept the college credit? I will not be taking any AP classes my junior year, will this hurt me if I'm doing dual enrollment? I may want to take AP Euro my senior year. I have taken AP Human Geo and got a 3 on the AP class. I'm currently in AP World. I would take AP US History next year and I am going to take a test to get into AP Lit, in case dual enrollment does not work out. What do you guys think? I appreciate your advice!</p>

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<p>E_C - I’m from Georgia as well, and all three of my kids have done joint enrollment under the Accel program. It’s been a great resource for them, especially since our county HS doesn’t offer many AP courses. They have taken the AP courses available to them as well as doing a significant amount of joint enrollment, and the joint enrollment experience has been far more valuable to them. The academic environment was much more serious and self-motivated than at HS. Our two older daughters are now both at Harvard, and I’m sure that their initiative at pursuing academic challenge through joint enrollment was a key factor in their college acceptance. I’d encourage you to consider it.</p>

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<p>Honestly, my school does offer a lot of AP classes but I’d rather take dual enrollment. Did your kids get high school credit for joint enrollment? The admissions office of the local college told me they were different. With joint enrollment you don’t get high school credit. I’m taking LA and SS at the college instead of AP. </p>

<p>Right now, this is what I picture my junior and senior schedule: </p>

<p>11th- Honors Physics
CP Pre Cal
Journalism (Newspaper)
French 2
US History (college)
English (college)
Psychology and Socio (college)</p>

<p>12th- AP Euro
Asst Teach Drama
Journalism (Yearbook)
French III
CP Calculus
Economics (college)
Earth Science (college)
English (college)</p>

<p><em>I may just take the science class online</em> I usually only take six classes, but college classes do not meet every day.</p>

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<p>some things to consider:
College classes often meet just two or three days a week, but last more than 2 hours per class.<br>
High school AP classes move fast-- college classes may move even faster.
The academic calendar for the college may not match up with your high school-- so you might have to go to class for college, even when your high school has a holiday. This can sometimes interfere with family vacations, etc.
Find out if you can sit in on a class (or two) at the college you are considering, to see what it is like.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the advice! I looked at the school schedule and they start later and end earlier then my high school. I don’t mind if it goes fast because English and History are my best and favorite subjects. I would never take a math or science class (math type science) however. I like the fact if I get an A, I would get a 95% on my transcript. If I get a B, I would get a 85% on my transcript. If I get three A’s, that could really help my GPA!</p>

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<p>I would be a little concerned about that PSAT result. I’m assuming you did badly in math, and you say you are not planning to take any college math classes right now, but even without studying, if you can only manage a 50 or so in the two writing parts you might not be ready right now for college level writing classes like US History and English.</p>

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<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/826001-junior-year-schedule-high-school.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/826001-junior-year-schedule-high-school.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>It’s great that you are so motivated but I would suggest that you concentrate on getting your GPA up in HS level classes. I truly don’t understand the point of taking so many college classes in High School. Instead of assuming you will do better in College then you have in HS, what if you do much worse? College is harder then High School for a reason - it’s building on classes that you take in High School.</p>

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<p>I agree that you would be far better off focusing on improving your High School grades rather than taking concurrent college classes. College classes are usually harder than high school and the grading is usually quite different. For instance at the college I am going to the entire grade in the US history and Government classes I have take/am taking with a particular teacher (wonderful teacher) is based on 4 exams. No homework grades, no extra credit, no fluff, just 4 exams. </p>

<p>What you need to keep in mind is that those grades on those college classes are there forever and will have to be reported whenever you apply to a college or transfer in the future. If you are not ready for honors or AP classes at the high school level, I would not risk taking college classes that you sound equally not ready for and that may stay on your permanent college record.</p>

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<p>I am already in AP and honors courses. I got a 93% in Honors Language Arts last semester and an 90% in AP World History. I even got a 90% in Honors Chemistry. My GPA has gone up 2 points since last semester. I have a 3.333 overall GPA and I had a 3.198 last year. I got a 90% average just this semester. Honors math brought my GPA down last year because I got a 72% both semesters. Also, if I did worse I would not do it second semester. But my chemistry went to a state college in Georgia and she thought AP classes were much harder. This is the first year I am taking a college prep course, but that is because math isn’t my best subject. Also, a PSAT doesn’t necessarily define what I can do. I could have done better, but we are also not talking about Harvard here.</p>

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<p>How do people in your school usually do in AP tests? How do you think you will do on your AP World History test?</p>

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<p>I’m a sophomore and I do not take the test until May. I received a 3 on the AP Human Geo test. I’m doing the same compared to last year. I think it is much harder this year however.</p>

<p>Oops sorry, I misread your post. I think we have about 50%-55% score 3 or higher. I think I will get a 3 realistically. I’m hoping for a 4. My grade in World History was higher then the class average.</p>

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<p>Early_college, you didn’t misread my question. I changed it after I realized you are a sophomore and haven’t taken the AP test yet.</p>

<p>I do not think you are ready for college classes yet. You are getting high Bs, low As in your best subjects in high school sophomore classes. That’s fine, but it’s not a college level of performance.</p>

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<p>Thanks for the advice. But I got A’s in both English and History. I do not think a 93% is a low A. I got the second highest grade in the class :)</p>

<p>Also, my GPA could have been higher if I didn’t do so bad in French. I received a low B.</p>

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<p>Saying your GPA could have been higher if you didn’t get low grades is not exactly persuasive.</p>

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<p>I didn’t get low grades, I recieved all A’s and 2 B’s. If I took Spanish, I think my GPA would have been higher. I still got a B in French and I do not think that is bad.</p>

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<p>early_college, IRL a B is a fine grade. The point is that HS students that are thinking of taking college classes are exceptional students, the cream of the crop. They’re the students that get A’s in AP classes and are bored in honors classes. Is that you?</p>

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<p>I have never taken an honors Social Studies class, just AP. I am not bored in AP, but I would like a change in scenery. I’m bored with my LA class because my teacher does the same thing every day! I wouldn’t take a college class if I got a B in a high school level class. I honestly want a change and not the same thing every year. Again, my teacher told me she thought it was a good idea and thought it would be a lot easier. People can get into this college with a 2.0 and no honors classes, lol!</p>

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<p>Wait a second. You want to take a college class because you think it will be easier? It might be, but if it is, why would you want to take it? Why would you want to waste your time in an easy class that doesn’t challenge you?</p>

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<p>How does it work scheduling college classes and high school classes? Do you take the college classes at night?</p>

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<p>No, I want to take it because I want a different setting. I want to take a class with people I do not know and with a real professor. I want to see what a real college class will feel like. If I don’t like it, I can always go back to AP or honors. But I would be behind in AP and probably wouldn’t take the test.</p>