How Homeschoolers Can Earn College Credit in High School

While students might not be thinking about earning college credit while they are still in high school, there are actually many options for them to do so! Earning college credit in high school is a great way for teens to get ahead on their degrees, improve their transcripts, and gain valuable academic skills and experiences. We are going to talk about the top three ways how homeschoolers can earn college credit in high school.

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This post is part of a 10-day “Tips for Homeschool Moms Series” we are doing in conjunction with several other homeschool bloggers. Our theme is “Preparing Your Homeschooled Teen for College”. To see links to all of our posts and the other blogs, you can view this post. Now, our info on how homeschoolers can earn college credit in high school!

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams

AP exams are tests students can take to place into higher-level college classes and earn college credits. They sometimes have classes that go along with them, or your student might study for them independently. For more information about AP exams in homeschooling, you can check out this blog post.

Most AP exams consist of a multiple-choice section and a free-response/ essay portion. Exams receive a score from 1-5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the best. An AP exam score of 3 is generally considered “passing” and is where colleges begin awarding credit. However, some schools only award course credit for scores of 4 and 5. I scored a 5 on AP Psychology and AP English Composition. This transferred to my university as credit for 1 psychology course and 3 English courses!

With the general info on AP exams covered, here are a few pros and cons to consider before you decide to sign your child up for any. 

Pros

Most colleges accept at least some AP exams but make sure your student checks what schools accept what exams. Many schools will award credit for a 3 or 4 on the AP exam. At some schools, a 5 on one AP exam could test your student out of three or more classes! Taking even one or two AP exams per year could make a huge dent in the college course load if your child scores well.

All students in a certain subject are given the same exam, so homeschoolers are tested directly against other students. This can be a great way to show college admissions workers that your students are at the same level as their peers in public school, even if the college doesn’t give credit for the exam.

Cons

With the AP exam, you have only one shot per year to do well on the test. The tests are offered on a specific day and time each year, and that is the only chance to take the exam unless you qualify for certain exemptions. If your child has testing anxiety or other factors that influence their test scores, AP exams might not be the way to go. (You can retake the exam in a following year and get the previous score removed – info can be found on the Collegeboard website – but it is a hassle)

You will need to find a location for your child to take the test. Your homeschool umbrella partner might offer a location, but some do not. I personally received permission from a local private school to take mine there. You will have to call around and see what options there are near you. This might not be a con if you live in a city or suburb, but it could be if you would have to travel far for the exam. Here is more information on how to go about finding a test site. Note also that you need to secure a location by mid-November!

Dual Enrollment

Dual enrollment involves taking a class either online or at a university that satisfies a high school requirement while also earning credit for the college class. These classes are often offered at community colleges, so your student has the option to enroll there. This allows them to get an authentic college class experience while still in high school, which is incredibly valuable!

Colleges have varying policies on what dual enrollment courses they will or won’t accept. I dual enrolled in many classes at a community college, and I, fortunately, received credit for all of them at the state university I am attending now. However, I had friends who took multiple dual enrollment courses only to later realize none of them would transfer to their preferred college. As with the other two selections on this list, have your student do their research before they commit! 

Now, for the dual enrolment pros and cons!

Pros

Even beyond the credit opportunities, dual enrollment is a fantastic place to learn relevant academic and personal skills. Being in a classroom setting (if classes are in-person), working on group projects, and learning from various professors’ teaching styles are valuable experiences. Students can get a feel for what a college environment is like, which is beneficial before college. 

While many students take dual enrollment at a community college, there are several online options as well. Bryan College is one reputable, online source of dual enrollment courses. These online options provide some flexibility for students who prefer online learning or who have busy schedules.

Cons

Depending on what types of funding exist in your state, dual enrollment classes can be expensive. In Tennessee, I was able to take one dual enrollment class per semester for free starting my junior year. However, the community college I attended had some other funds I was able to pull from to cover more classes. Be sure to research and see what is available in your area!

Unlike AP and CLEP exams, not all dual enrollment courses are created equally. Unless the admissions counselor knows the college, they won’t know how rigorous the course was. However, the fact that the student is taking a class at a college level will still look good on applications.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP exams are similar to AP exams in that your student will take one exam to determine if they are awarded college credits. There are many options for prep and study materials online, such as the official CLEP guides.

These exams are graded on a scale of 1-100, and schools typically begin awarding credits at around 50pts. Some offer one class credit for any score above 50, and some offer more credits for higher scores. Your student will have to look into policies at schools they plan to apply to and see what CLEP exams might work for them.

Here are some of our pros and cons for CLEP tests. For even more info, take a look at this blog post from 7 Sisters Homeschool.

Pros

CLEP exams can be administered any day of the year, so there is flexibility on when your child takes the test. Additionally, there are both online and in-person testing options. These factors make CLEP exams a much more convenient and accessible option for many families.

The CLEP exams span a wide variety of topics and offer more options than the AP exams. This allows your child to take a test that they are more confident that they will perform well on. 

Like AP exams, because all students take the same subject exam, colleges can see that your student measures up to other students in their classes. Again, this helps to show that your child is learning and comprehending the material and is not just being given a grade.

Cons

Many schools do not accept CLEP or only accept them for select topics. Have your child check the policies at the schools they are interested in. If the schools don’t accept CLEP, you might want to look for another option. 

Prep materials available for CLEP exams are a bit more limited than for AP. There are certainly still options to choose from, but students might have slightly fewer resources than they would for other options on this list.

Blog Series Info

We hope this post has opened your eyes to ways how homeschoolers can earn college credit in high school! This post is part of a 10-day “Tips for Homeschool Moms” series we are doing in conjunction with other homeschool blogs. Our theme is “Preparing Your Homeschooled Teen for College”. You can find all of our posts, as well as the other blogs and series topics linked in this post. Our partners have some excellent experiences and insight to share in their series, so please do check out their blogs!

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or other suggestions, please leave them in the comments below! 
Thanks for reading!