High School Credit? and any other Mother's here?

[cookderosa]

Homeschoolers don't get college counseling services generally, but I would encourage all parents to arrange for their child to take 2 or 3 CLEPs. -if passed- it is like giving your homeschooler a scholarship!

My local community college charges $160 per credit for out of state students. Our local university charges $300 per credit plus books. Passing 3 of the 6 credit CLEP exams saves my son over $5000! That's money neither of us has to borrow, or that he won't have to earn flipping burgers (and can concentrate on his school work!). That doesn't even consider the cost of our local private universities (St. Ambrose University and Augustana) which charge just under $800 per credit plus books. Yes, they accept CLEP. Yes, it's buried in their website- you have to know what to look for. That's a "scholarship" of over $14,000 for 3 exams :eek: For 5, 6, 7+ exams you are approaching a savings of $25,000.

If you have several children, you are talking about a profound financial strategy.

[Namivie]

That's cool. Pls. keep us posted on that Clep exam. I am not sure if IC has any study materials on that yet or not, but my high schooler is in Spanish 2 now.

She plans to attend a 4yr. university, not sure where at this time. But the high school says that some univerisities and colleges give credits to high schoolers who have had through spanish 3. I am not sure which universities do that or how to go about it, but we will plan to clep that one as well if the credit thing does not work out.

Do you think you need to be completed through spanish 3 to be able to pass the Clep or would spanish 2 work?

Pls. let us know how that goes.

Good luck~

My son could have taken the AP exam after Spanish 4. I understand that it is much much more difficult than the clep exam. My nephew - who refused to listen to me when I recommended that he take the spanish clep (he'd taken 3 years in high school) insisted on taking spanish one. He sat in on a spanish 2 class, and the teacher let him look at the textbook and what they would cover. He said it was all material that he learned in his first year of spanish in high school. I'm ordering the REA book for spanish, and that's probably all (I already have the official clep study guide). I think that she would probably be fine if she took the clep at the end of spanish 2. The higher the score, the more credits awarded. If my son gets a 50, he gets 9 hours. If he gets a 63 or higher, he gets 14. I told him his goal was a 63 or higher.

The study guide should be here next week, so I'm hoping that he'll test some time in the near future. I'll let you know how he does!

[Kelley]

I have taken a couple of Cleps myself and am helping my 16yr old prepare for cleps examines as well. She goes to a private school and she has her heart set to a certain 4yr University at cost of $20k+ per year. Even though I expect her to get a good amount in scholarships I do not want that burden in "our" future so I have told her that she has to have at least 30 credit hours prior to going to that school and I don't care how she does it....and community college is not an option she would like to explore. I have already spoken at great lengths with the guidance department and they have confirmed they accept all cleps/dantes that correspond to her degree program (English/Communications.)

She is currently in 10th grade and we sat down over the summer and outlined the remainder of her high school classes. She is taking Biology this year and will take the Biology clep 1 (6) week after her final exam next summer. She is taking World History so she will also take that Western Civ 1 (3) next summer about the same time as the Biology. She is in her 2nd year of Spanish but is planning on taking Spanish 3 next year so she will probably hold off on taking the Spanish clep (12) until the end of her junior year.

Next year, she will take American Government so she will take the American Government Clep (3) 1 week after her final examines. As far as math goes (College Math (3) and/or College Algebra (3), she will be taking that probably after her junior year along with Chemistry (6). Her Senior year, she can dual enroll for college credit so we are not sure how that will all work out yet. But she should get an easy 33 credits without learning anything new!

She could probably do the English Clep now if she wanted to but she is going for an English degree and may want to complete more of that course load on campus.

I guess my point of all of this very long message is that your child is already being taught. Look at the CLEP or DANTES exams that correspond with the classes that they already have to learn anyway. It is about more than money. It is about time. I sat down with my daughter and even though my goal is to test completely out of school without setting back onto a campus again, that is not her goal. I respect that. But if we can work together now to make the college dream she has easier with a lighter work load, I am all for that! If it all can be down in 3 years instead of 4 I won't be unhappy either

Good luck and you all make new dreams together and I look forward to hearing about your progress! It is a journey!

[cookderosa]

I have taken a couple of Cleps myself and am helping my 16yr old prepare for cleps examines as well. She goes to a private school and she has her heart set to a certain 4yr University at cost of $20k+ per year. Even though I expect her to get a good amount in scholarships I do not want that burden in "our" future so I have told her that she has to have at least 30 credit hours prior to going to that school and I don't care how she does it....and community college is not an option she would like to explore. I have already spoken at great lengths with the guidance department and they have confirmed they accept all cleps/dantes that correspond to her degree program (English/Communications.)

She is currently in 10th grade and we sat down over the summer and outlined the remainder of her high school classes. She is taking Biology this year and will take the Biology clep 1 (6) week after her final exam next summer. She is taking World History so she will also take that Western Civ 1 (3) next summer about the same time as the Biology. She is in her 2nd year of Spanish but is planning on taking Spanish 3 next year so she will probably hold off on taking the Spanish clep (12) until the end of her junior year.

Next year, she will take American Government so she will take the American Government Clep (3) 1 week after her final examines. As far as math goes (College Math (3) and/or College Algebra (3), she will be taking that probably after her junior year along with Chemistry (6). Her Senior year, she can dual enroll for college credit so we are not sure how that will all work out yet. But she should get an easy 33 credits without learning anything new!

She could probably do the English Clep now if she wanted to but she is going for an English degree and may want to complete more of that course load on campus.

I guess my point of all of this very long message is that your child is already being taught. Look at the CLEP or DANTES exams that correspond with the classes that they already have to learn anyway. It is about more than money. It is about time. I sat down with my daughter and even though my goal is to test completely out of school without setting back onto a campus again, that is not her goal. I respect that. But if we can work together now to make the college dream she has easier with a lighter work load, I am all for that! If it all can be down in 3 years instead of 4 I won't be unhappy either

Good luck and you all make new dreams together and I look forward to hearing about your progress! It is a journey!

>>


Kelly, if the school your daughter has her heart set on is selective, she should consider AP exams instead of CLEP. It makes her application very competitive. Of the subjects you mentioned, all have AP exams. This is an option even if her private school does not offer the tests- she would simply go to a neighboring school for the test.

*Just a side note, TESC awards 6 credits for ANY AP exam passed with a score of 3 or higher.

[brain122]

Can IC be used to prepare for an AP exam or would it not be enough?

I was wondering if my daughter is currently taking Honors Bio., could the IC prepare her for an AP exam or would the Clep be better?

[Kelley]

Jennifer, I had no idea that TESC took AP as 6 credits, thank you for the info! Her school in starting AP next year so she may have an opportunity to take some AP classes but fortunely she should not have any problems getting into the school, it isn't too hard to get into and her grades are great. I have heard that AP is harding than Cleps. I haven't taken an AP test in about 20 years and from what I remember that seems about right.

If you are just looking at getting the credit over with for a high school student, what would you recommend? AP or CLEP? Her school is very big on building a good high school transcript so what would look better on a college application? Even more to think about! Goodie!
Thanks for the help!

[Namivie]

One thing to consider is that if your daughter opts to take the AP test and fails it, she can still take a clep exam. Even if you had to pay for 2 exams, it would be cheaper than books and tuition.

Just a thought.

[cookderosa]

Jennifer, I had no idea that TESC took AP as 6 credits, thank you for the info! Her school in starting AP next year so she may have an opportunity to take some AP classes but fortunely she should not have any problems getting into the school, it isn't too hard to get into and her grades are great. I have heard that AP is harding than Cleps. I haven't taken an AP test in about 20 years and from what I remember that seems about right.

If you are just looking at getting the credit over with for a high school student, what would you recommend? AP or CLEP? Her school is very big on building a good high school transcript so what would look better on a college application? Even more to think about! Goodie!
Thanks for the help!

>>

It really depends on her goals, motivation, needs, etc. AP tests are only 1x per year- and they are held in the actual high school building. That schedule does make it hard to study for several tests at the same time. CLEPs you can space out. Also, some schools might have 2 AP classes, others 20, and others none. You have to call around and beg. It's easier to schedule CLEPs in that regard.
If she is already in the AP class- the test will be offered in her school. Remember, she has to take it AND earn a 3 to get credit- taking the class is not enough. AP isn't all multiple choice (most have an essay or two), and it's graded (1-5) so in that respect it is "harder" BUT it's essentially the same material when matched to the same CLEP. CLEP being pass/fail allows you to earn credit for a pass, but AP can give more credit for a high pass (at some colleges)
I'd say IC plus any of the test prep books would be good. REA guides are fantastic.

It's really a personal decision- lots of pros and cons- just whatever meets her needs.

[cookderosa]

One thing to consider is that if your daughter opts to take the AP test and fails it, she can still take a clep exam. Even if you had to pay for 2 exams, it would be cheaper than books and tuition.

Just a thought.

EXCELLENT point!