College Courses In High School - Is that even possible?

Taking college courses in high school is not only possible, it is quite common in high schools all across the country. Although a student may not get credit at a specific college or university for some classes, there are different ways to earn college credit by taking higher level courses in high school.

First off, students who commit to taking college-level subjects while still at high school are to be congratulated! They are making a commitment to achieve better things in life at an early age, and this is not something that every student can promise to do. It can also make a significant difference in the college admissions process.

Studying college courses at high school is difficult as the students have to realise that the spoon-feeding days are over. Also, some high schools only admit students into these courses after they've proven themselves by great grades in previous classes. It is commendable to be accepted into some of these college courses in high school.

It is at this point in their high school education where they decide to take their first steps into the great unknown and their success depends entirely on them and their level of maturity and responsibility. They are challenging themselves, and students who decide to do this will learn valuable lessons before actually going on to study at their college of choice.

Can you handle a college level course?

By now, you may be wondering how you would know if you would academically manage college level courses. Well, the first thing to do is to ask your teachers what they think. They will have a fairly good idea of you academic ability and can give you good advice. After all, they see your work and contributions to class on a daily basis. Teachers have a great ability to judge whether or not your are capable of the workload in a higher level course.

Also chat to your parents, and try and get them to support you. Your mom and dad will be able to recommend if you are motivated and responsible enough to handle so much studying. You might think your parents know nothing, but you could be pleasantly surprised by what they have to say about you!

Another person who can help you decide on taking college courses in high school is your school guidance counselor. She or he is trained in this of kind of position and will know exactly how to point you in the right direction. All the people you talk to will want to support you in this endeavour, so do not be shy to ask questions at your school. The people in charge only want what is best for you.

Advanced Placement classes are one of the most popular ways in which to take college courses in high school. As stated before, they may not count for credit directly at a specific college, but taking these courses and scoring high enough on the AP Exam (Advanced Placement) will earn you college credit at most schools.

How AP courses work:

If you are fortunate enough to get recommended into an AP course, you can earn college credit by taking, and scoring high enough on the AP exam. Depending on what college you choose to attend, you could earn anywhere from 2 to 6 credit hours before you even step foot in that college! At a cost of around $86 per AP test, this is a bargain! That could potentially save you thousands of dollars in tuition money, and that is for only 1 specific course. If you take 3 or 4 AP exams and do well, you could potentially graduate college a semester, or even a whole year earlier!

In addition, when students actually go to their college and begin attending, those who have succeeded in doing these extra courses will be way ahead of their peers. They will probably also already know which subject they would like to take as their major. There are always a couple of students at school who have completed all the requirements to graduate before then end of the semester, so they could take one or two of these college courses to fill their time with something worthwhile.

The advantages don't stop there. Taking college courses in high school such as AP classes helps you with the admission process. When you are compared to other applicants, having these higher level courses on your transcript will really set you above the rest. It shows that you are willing to challenge yourself and are capable of a heavier workload. Colleges love this, but beware. Don't let your GPA suffer! Taking AP courses at the cost of your overall GPA will hurt you in the end. Before you enroll, talk to teachers and decide if you are ready and willing to take on that extra work.

Below is a link that will help you in determining what score you need on an AP exam to earn college level credit. Keep in mind that the AP exams are scored on a 1-5 scale, 5 being the best score possible. Many schools will award you with credit for as low as a 3, but a score of 1 or 2 may be worthless depending on your college of choice. Advanced Placement classes are very similar to taking college courses in high school, but you need to do well!

Take a look at the College Board AP Credit Policy to see what your potential college requires.

The adolescents of today do not properly understand the difficulties they will face when they leave high school, particularly the rigor of college level coursework. The Advanced Placement program prepares them for this challenge and they leave high school knowing what to expect out of college. Again, this is something that admission representatives take into consideration when evaluating an application from a potential student.

It must be clear that students who take college courses in high school have an advantage over those who don't. And, the positives that they will learn about study habits, higher order thinking and the overall pace of the class is something they can't put a price on. It's all about preparation for what's to come, and AP courses are a great way to get their feet wet.

So if you are prepared, driving and capable, get enrolled in those college courses in high school. They will really make a difference in the long run and you will thank yourself for it! Visit us at College Prep U for college admissions help and grab your FREE report: 10 Reasons You WON'T Get Into College!