Does anyone has an experience with University of California (UC) extension? Looks too good to be true.
It accepts kids to take UC classes, even when they are in high school. It gives a UC credit that is acceptable for transfer to any UC. In other words, kids may take some classes in UC, co-currently with the high school. Yes, high AP score or permission from instructor is required; and it makes sense. Yes, I am positive that my kid would be successful in this class. Yes, she is interested in attending. Yes, it is possible to arrange transportation.
UC credit … for high school students … am I dreaming?
What are the issues? Do they really give a credit on UC transcript? Is this credit considered “worthy” by college admission? Is it acceptable as a college credit by other universities?
What is the difference between the credit through UC extension and credit through UC summer program for high school? (the summer program doesn’t have the class that my D wants to take, UC extension - does). Which program is better for college admission / transfer of credits?
I think the UC summer program offers regular courses while UC extension courses are extra, not UC credit. I’ve looked at the summer program before and I took lots of UC extension courses. The grading is a lot easier at the extension.
We have not tried it yet except for summer, which is not through Extension here.
Registration priority for Extension is last, which makes it difficult to get into classes. Also, the timing of UC classes doesn’t mix as well for us with the HS classes he still needs to take. Often classes have morning lectures and afternoon labs/discussion sections, so you can’t just take HS classes in the morning or just in the afternoon.
Quarters vs. semesters can be an issue for vacations/etc, also.
Our community college has evening classes for many subjects, which the UC doesn’t have many of. However, the fall schedule for our CC no longer has the math courses he needs as evening classes, so we are waiting to see the fall UC schedule.
He is my oldest and currently a sophomore, so I do not yet have experience with the credits for college purposes. There is a way to have the UC transcript sent to the HS to have things count as dual-enrollment (and weighted credit here). We did that with some summer UC credits from last summer, and plan to do the same for this summer.
Our UC Extension has both other classes for various certifications and access to regular UC classes (Open University). There is also a lower-cost option, but it is only available to about 8 HS seniors county-wide.
Thanks everyone for the opinions and options! It looks like there are four options available (all promise UC credit)
UC Summer school for HS students. Best it terms of credit transferability. Available for junior and seniors only. Interesting classes but limited number of offerings. Full UC credit.
Extension classes. I don't understand the difference between this and the next option.
Regular UC classes through UC Extension. All 1-199 classes available, however, difficult to schedule. Difficult logistics. Full UC credit.
UC online classes. Easiest it terms of logistics, not many classes available.
I can tell you the difference between #2 and #3 above, because I have done a lot of #3 and a few of #2.
If you take #2 UC Extension classes, you pick from a UC Extension catalog. The class goers range in age, skill level, and motivation. It’s basically like a community college course. Some of the classes might not be the same as regular offerings as the regular UC, so not sure how well the courses transfer over to fill regular UC requirements.
If you take #3, UC Extension, concurrent enrollment, then it means that you take the classes with the undergrad students at your UC campus (so classes will be in the daytime usually). You pick from the regular UC catalog for your classes. You are on the regular UC class roster and your grade is calculated as if you are a regular UC student. However, you pay the UC Extension fee, and the grade will get posted on the UC Extension transcript.
Yes, I know 2 HS kids that took a class though UC extension. I know 1 college person who left her college as a soph and is taking all UC extension, concurrent enrollment, courses until she has enough units to transfer to the UC.
At our UC, option #2 is mostly certification options for professionals. For example, continuing education credits for teachers and nurses might fall under this. Business courses for people with some management duties but not looking at getting a full MBA. That sort of thing. Most are not useful to high school students. Computer network certification classes might be included, and those might be of interest to some kids.
The #2 type courses are usually not equivalent to normal courses taught to matriculated students, so they would be unlikely to be useful for high school students wanting to get a head start on college course work. The #3 type courses are normal courses offered which have space available for non-matriculated students and are fully equivalent and transferable.