I’m going to be a senior in HS next year, but I have done all my HS’s AP senior classes in my junior year, so basically for next year I would have a very barren schedule. My counselor advised me to join Running Start next year. However, I’m hesitant for a few reasons:
I'm DEFINITELY going out of state for college, so Running Start would not benefit me in providing credits
I want a relaxed Senior year!
Community College (CC) classes will be permanent on my college transcript, and I don't want to risk doing poorly in those classes if I'm correct in thinking they are harder than AP in HS.
I have to travel between my HS and the CC everyday, because I would take classes in both schools.
The only reasons I am considering it is b/c my HS class schedule would be maybe TOO easy, and I could learn more about my intended major at the CC than in HS.
Basically,
Are CC classes a lot harder/more workload than AP classes? For reference, I find most AP classes manageable, including the “harder” ones like AP Chem and AP Calc. I just don’t want to work much harder than that.
If I do Running Start, will universities not like if I struggle grade-wise, compared to if I do easier classes in HS?
Is it bad to employers that I would basically be taking 5 years of college? (1 in CC as part of Running Start and 4 traditional years at uni)
When I apply to universities, do they even care about Senior Year? Especially if I apply early decision?
This is my first time posting on College Confidential, sorry if this is too long, I just have a lot of concerns, haha.
I’m a current senior that only takes dual enrollment classed so to answer your questions:
It really depends on the class. I'd say most of my CC classes were easier than AP classes. Professors are often less strict than high school teachers, but there are a few that are total jerks. I would say the workload is less than AP classes. You don't really get homework in most CC classes and you usually get plenty of time to work on assignments, unless you're a major procrastinator like me. Overall, if you can handle AP Chem and AP Calc, you can handle some intro level CC classes.
Colleges will see struggling in CC classes similarly to struggling in AP classes. Yes, they want you to have good grades, but they also want to see that you take a rigorous course load.
3.I don't think employers will see you doing running start as a bad thing. It's not really being in college for 5 years. Honestly, all that probably matters is that you got a degree.
4.They will care about Senior Year. Colleges expect you to maintain your academics and they will ask for your grades. Also, colleges can rescind acceptances if you slacked off senior year and failed a bunch of classes. Colleges want to see that you're still taking a rigorous workload even if you're a senior.
Even if you are going out of state, you can probably use some of those Running Start classes for placement purposes. For example, my daughter took ENGL& 101 (College Writing) and was able to place out of that class in college, even though she did not receive the credits. The same could be said about math classes, particularly Precalculus, Calculus, or Statistics.
I think that most 100-level Running Start courses are going to be similar in rigor to High School AP classes. However, keep in mind that about the same material is covered in a college quarter/semester as in a high school year. So, you should expect 2x-3x greater pace, compared to high school. Also, keep that in mind when you register for Running Start classes; you could take two semester courses or three quarter courses in the same amount of time it would take for one HS course.
Colleges want to see that you chose to challenge yourself in high school, as opposed to slacking off. So, I would go (at least the partial) Running Start route.
Finally, colleges tend to schedule courses over a much wider range of times each day, so you could take Running Start classes in the late afternoon or evening, at times when your HS is closed.
Are CC classes a lot harder/more workload than AP classes? For reference, I find most AP classes manageable, including the "harder" ones like AP Chem and AP Calc. I just don't want to work much harder than that.
So I got like a B average in HS and then went to a CC instead of a 4 year. I think the classes were easier because they were more structured. Go on Assist and see what classes would transfer to your 4 year before you take anything. There is no reason to do work you won’t get credit for. If you are good at reading and writing I think it would be worth it to take an english class or even a speech class to get them out of the way.
If I do Running Start, will universities not like if I struggle grade-wise, compared to if I do easier classes in HS?
You can always drop the class if things aren’t looking good. Go on Rate my Professor and see how the teacher ranks and that will help. If you are smart about what courses you take then GE courses should be easy to get an A in.
Is it bad to employers that I would basically be taking 5 years of college? (1 in CC as part of Running Start and 4 traditional years at uni)
No, I think it shows good work ethic. They will see the years you attended high school as well as the different colleges. It is a way to talk about your work ethic in interviews also and your dedication to learning.
When I apply to universities, do they even care about Senior Year? Especially if I apply early decision?
I'm not much help on this one. Mostly just pass your classes.
Running Start/CC Classes are the same level or easier than AP classes but they require a lot more autonomy (less hand-holding, fewer small assignements that add points here and there, more reading that isn’t checked so if you don’t do the work, it’s on you…) and a much faster pace.
Running Start is actually a positive because many universities will frown on your slacking your senior year if it’s offered. If you take 3 Running Start classes per semester (2 on MWF, 1 on TTh) and 3 year-long HS classes, you’d have a strong but manageable schedule. As for employers, they like that 1° you have good time management and challenge yourself + 2° freed some space to take more advanced classes in your major (if you take sophomore level classes your 1st year in university, you can take jr-sr year classes for 3 years instead of 1-2.)
OOS colleges may not transfer all the credits but will appreciate the fact you challenged yourself. Also (surprise!) the best predictor of college success is… good grades in college courses taken in HS.
Which classes are you thinking of taking through RS?
My RS is quarterly, and the max I can do is get 15 credits per quarter (each class is usually 5 credits or 5 hrs a week) + 1 year-long HS class.
All I know so far is that my RS classes will include a PE (grad. req.), a Social Studies (grad. req., I’m thinking Psych? but not sure though), Comp Sci, and Physics because I really want to take the AP Physics II test. Other than that, I have no idea what to take.
So you’d take 3 RS classes per quarter, right? For a total of 9 per year.
You should leave PE for your last quarter, when you won’t be all that invested in school due to getting your college acceptances.
So, I’d take
1st quarter: Comp Sci + whatever Social Science class strikes you (cultural anthropology? history of medicine? … There should be lots of choices even at the 100-level!) + Calc
2nd quarter: Physics, Art or Art History (History of rap? :p) or a foreign language, English
3rd quarter: PE, Comp Sci , Physics (+ one 2 or 3-credit class?)
This would be balanced, keeping the harder classes for 3rd quarter when it won’t count for your admissions and balancing them out with PE.
I’m actually taking Calc as my HS class next year, so maybe I’ll replace that with an art or something. I’ll probably avoid more foreign language out of sheer laziness, haha. And I totally forgot I needed an English, thanks for the advice on everything!
I did 2 years of Running Start and would absolutely do it again. Don’t assume you won’t be able to use the credit OOS! I’m going OOS and was able to transfer about 1.5 years of my credits to my chosen college! The only things they didn’t accept were super-specialized humanities courses - stuff that they can’t easily find an equivalent for.
I was actually specifically told by the college I’ll be attending “We don’t take dual enrollment credit. Oh, wait, it was Running Start? We’ll accept that!” It pays to ask.
Even more importantly, it shows the best kind of course rigor: you’ve taken real college classes already (not AP or IB!) and done well, which AOs LOVE because they know without question that you can handle the academics.
Oh, and your question about struggling grade-wise: a B in a harder class is ALWAYS better than an A+ in an easy class. It’s much better for you academically to challenge yourself and work hard for a lower grade than to sit back and get top grades in easy courses. AOs know this and will not view lower grades in college classes as bad or a dealbreaker. Obviously, you should try to do the best you can, but if your GPA takes a hit, don’t worry too much about it.
The more highly selective the school, the fewer advanced standing credits they accept for incoming freshmen. However, you can still get placement into higher level classes with your experience. And you never know, you may end up at a school that takes them all.
Beware the PE class. Especially the “personal fitness” ones where you go to the gym on your own schedule… the advisors say those are some of the most commonly failed classes because students get lazy and stop going.
Also, I don’t know if this is true in all the community colleges, but ours seems to have cut back a LOT on advising between my first kid and my second. Be proactive about trying to get an appointment with the advisors well before you need one!
If you’re already taking math at the high school you don’t need to take it through running start.
For top schools, reaching high school level 4 or college level 3 is expected so if you didn’t, time to catch up - Running Start will help you since foreign language is accelerated in college.
There should be lots of choices even at the 100-level!) + Calc