High school courses, community college, EPGY, etc

[Lisa1970]

I am having a little frustration and was hoping to hear from others. The community college closest to us is actually just over the county border so not really in our county, as we are in the edge. So we will not qualify for any sort of free tuition or anything. But they also put in all this new regulation on who can and cannot enroll. It was pretty limiting. So when I spoke to them, they recommended that we look at a location for another community college that was being built not so far away. We live where basically, 3 counties come together. And then a little way away, a 4th county starts. I have been trying to look over the description for the local one that just now opened, it is in our county, but is not technically a college for our county, as our county technically does not have one. It has very limited course offerings and it says things like dual credit students have to do all this extra paperwork and cannot register online and it sounds like they get last priority registration.  I do not know if this is really a problem or just a formality. I have not spoken to them yet (cannot reach them yet but just started trying).

Meanwhile, both of the kids did get in to EPGY and I am wondering if maybe I should just have them take the courses they want through there. It is more expensive, but it definitely seems more high schooler friendly (as it is a high school program). Oh, and the first college, I was really put off because they said something about how home schoolers never take the math placement exam because they never can pass. This means they are assuming anyone coming out of home school will need to start with basic math or algebra. I was really put off by that prejudice. 

I had really wanted to do the local community college for the purpose of science courses anyway, not the math and such. But I am wondering if anyone else has used any of these options and how it went for them and what they recommend. The people were not rude at the community college, they just seemed to have a lot of new rules to follow. I suspect the new rules are because we have a lot of home schoolers around here and they have had too many of them enrolling or something. 

BTW, I wanted to add that I am certain that it will work out to do the dual enrollment in the end at the community college, they just are having some issues with the new rules right now. But I just wanted to hear what others have done for the upper level courses.

[mattemma04]

We are not at that level yet with our kids,but I would want them to test out of any courses possible.Schools ofcourse would rather have you PAY and take the courses. I would go with the school that provides the best education and social attitude/enviroment even if it costs more.

[mom2ponygirl]

Community colleges are quite full right now due to the economy as well.  Many people out of work, are heading back to school.  Therefore, dual-enrollment kids are getting squeezed out in a lot of places.  

We are at a similar place in our dd's schooling.  We are also on the wrong side of the county border to get 'resident' rates for CC classes.  This makes our state university cost nearly the same (actually for us it makes it nearly 50% cheaper as we get employee discounts. )

The CC also has some pretty strict age/grade guidelines that would make it unaccessible for my daughter to take a course there yet.  We are waiting on her ACT scores from last Sat. before approaching the state U.  It was her first time to take it, but we're hopeful they will be strong enough to get her in for some dual enrollment next fall.  

We have had pretty good luck with online classes to supplement what she learns on her own or we design.  She's done some EPGY in the past, but it is very expensive and we have been avoiding it the last couple years. :-)   She is finishing 3rd year of high school Spanish right now with OSU Spanishonline, and will hopefully do a dual enrollment course at the state U in the fall.  I'm designing an AP biology course on her request to take next year (wish me luck on that).  She'll continue Latin thru Lone Pine Classical, some language arts/literature thru Online G3, math we'll do on our own, but once she hits multivariate Calculus she will switch to dual enrollment, history we'll construct something. I'd like to cut down on the online classes to increase our flexibility and our pocket book but she loves them.  I'm happy to do Chemistry and Biology at home (I'm a biochemist) but may farm out Physics to the U as well.   www.govhs.org has some interesting class offerings, and PAhomeschoolers is there for AP classes.  We will have an odd collection of independent study, online classes, and hopefully a few dual enrollment classes once we hit college admissions time (assuming she decides to go to college).  

I'm a little concerned about our Community colleges academic standards as well.  I've known many students who were CC honor students -straight A's - who transferred to our state U and really struggled academically.   Our daughter attended what was supposed to be an accelerated, rigorous high school last year half-time and found it really deadly dull.  I'm not sure the CC would be a step up.  She did say she would have considered staying at the high school if she could have only attended every other day or so. LOL  Perhaps the college schedule will feel better. :-)

Right now, I'm more concerned with the social piece of teenage homeschooling.  A big pack of her friends are heading to B&M school next year. :-(  

[raelize]

i can't speak directly from experience, but i will tell you what i know from friends and what i plan.

i would like for my kids to start taking cc classes around age 14/15.  take 2 or 3 a semester adn build up college credits and then transfer at age 18 to a state college/university.  this of course, is about 10 years away for my oldest. i don't plan on them being enrolled in anything else or ever setting foot in a high school.

i teach at our local CC and i have taught students who have been dual enrolled in the public high school.  i have a friend whose dd takes russian at the community college and is enrolled in a public high school.  i know at least 1 hsing family who sends their dd to cc with a full course load.  she started when she was 14 and is finishing her second year. they are planning to have her transfer to a University sometime soon.  as a teacher, i have never heard of any problems, unless the other school doesn't allow dual enrollment (some of the state universities will not accept credits from another school if you attending concurrently)

this is however, a huge award-winning cc with many programs, a growing student body, growign departments and a supportive county legislature and executive - so i would imagine they have more leeway in terms of allowing lots of different types of students.  also, when i went to high school senior year you could attend hs half day and take classes at the community college in the afternoon. (15 years ago?)

[moongazer]

We live in Ohio and the local CCs don't really seem to have different rates for the county residents. 

My ds is a senior and he takes a full load at a CC in the next county.  The CC that is only 10 minutes from our house was not homeschool friendly at all.  But the other one welcomed him with open arms. 

In fact, he is participating in the PSEO program and it pays for all his tuition,books and fees.  This has been a very good choice for him.  It has been a good transition of learning to navigate the college experience while still living at home. 

[Lisa1970]

They are only allowing enrollment at 16 or 17 here, depending. Even then, it is 1-2 classes, also depending on certain factors. Then, since we are technically out of county (despite being very close to the CC) we would be last priority on enrollment. I should look at the rules for enrolling in the state university. It is further away, but might work out better.

[Roar]

I agree with the comment that many community colleges are overwhelmed right now. More students are going back to school, more students are opting for cc because it is less expensive, and this is all happening in a time of budget cuts.

My suggestion Lisa is having the student take the SAT or ACT may be a good idea. When you have those scores and you've put together a transcript, try to hit the colleges in person instead of doing stuff over the phone. Once your student shows up with good scores you may find more flexibility than you are getting as a general response on the phone. Also, I would suggest you look at public and private college options as well. The options vary so much from school to school - you may be surprised to find a private college that offers inexpensive course or audits to high school students.