My kid is trying to earn an Associate’s Degree from the local community college district while in high school; high school graduation is June 2024 (and cc graduation as well, if the next two semesters go well for finishing all required graduation coursework).
High school students can only take up to 11 credits per semester - once you hit 12 credits, you are considered a full-time community college student.
Last year in high school (junior year), kid took two high school elective courses (through the high school) that could also earn you community college credit. The community college transcript just updated. The nutrition course didn’t show up (had to take a separate test to earn cc credit, kid did not take the test, so no problem, course is just on the high school transcript). The media course (year-long two semester high school course) did end up showing on the community college transcript, as a course listed under Spring 2023.
Now the Spring 2023 cc semester shows 12 credits - technically a full-time student courseload.
School is closed here tomorrow, so any answers from the college district will have to wait until later in the week.
However, does 12 credits on one semester of cc work (kid will have ended up taking 10 semesters total and earning a little over 85 credits) screw up the kid’s college eligibility and freshman status?
It’s just my confusion on the “11 credits okay, 12 credits is considered a full-time student” rule.
I don’t want my student to be mistaken for a transfer student for college undergraduate application purposes (happening now, this year). Although I guess technically, if my kid wanted to apply to a UC, perhaps they could choose the (different but valid) transfer route, since they’ve earned an Associate’s degree?
We are not leaning in this direction, kid will most likely do a four-year school.
Almost all courses taken were/are UC-approved. Kid is also looking at schools out of state (CA). Kid would most likely take the option of taking more advanced coursework in their field of interest, and also trying to earn a Masters, double major or concentration, something like that.
If you’re apply while still in high school, you are a freshman applicant, no matter how many credits you have through CC. Taking CC classes following high school graduation and THEN applying to colleges would likely put you in the transfer category. But as long as you haven’t yet graduated from high school at the time of your college applications, you should be fine.
For UCs and CSUs, it is college course work taken after leaving high school that can require the student to apply as a transfer rather than frosh.
(It is unclear whether a student who completed the pre-transfer requirements for UC or CSU and the desired major at the desired campus while in high school has the option of applying as either a frosh or transfer.)