Earning College Credit in High School Saves Time and Money

Taking college-level, honors or Advanced Placement courses during high school saves not only time and money, but it also helps determine if your student is prepared for the increased academic rigor and higher expectations that a college setting demands.

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Why It Matters

Time and money are saved.
Many high schools offer college courses or Advanced Placement (AP) classes that can result in college credit at a reduced or no additional cost to its students. Taking advantage of this opportunity can mean spending fewer tuition dollars at college. Additionally, your student may be able to earn a bachelor degree in under four years later, saving time and money, especially if loans are borrowed throughout college.
There are higher expectations in college.
College professors expect high-quality work and outcomes from their students as a measurement of their effectiveness in preparing students for their intended careers. In some programs, such as science and engineering, curriculum in lower-level classes is designed to make sure those who can meet the course’s objectives are academically prepared to advance in the program. Taking honors or college-level classes now will help your student understand the rigor expected later.

What Your Student Can Do Now

Understand the types of classes available.
Your student may be able to take dual enrollment classes, which provide both high school and college credit. These may be offered through a partnership with a local community college and be taught at the high school, online, at the community college campus or elsewhere. Advanced Placement courses are offered by the College Board and may be taught as a separate section of a high school class (so your student may take AP U.S. History instead of a regular American history high school class). Many colleges grant credit for required or elective classes to students who achieved certain scores on AP tests given at the end of AP classes. It is up to your student to understand how each college under consideration later will treat AP scores.
Make a plan to earn college credit in high school.
The high school handbook or course guidebook should list any dual enrollment offerings or AP classes. In addition, students may be able to take additional college classes for credit directly through a community college or four-year institution during high school. If the high school does not offer AP classes, or the specific AP classes your student is interested in, it is possible to take the class online or self-study for the tests.
Optimum preparation is best.
Even if your student is unsure of future plans, a good starting guide for college preparation is a state’s board of education graduation requirements. Also important is checking freshman admission requirements for a future college of choice. In Iowa, the Regent Admission Index is used by all three of the Iowa Regent universities to determine automatic admission. Look for required classes that overlap with dual enrollment or AP classes. Keep this in mind when building your student’s four-year high school academic plan. See if a template like this one has been developed for your student from the career planning tool the school uses.
Enroll in prerequisite classes.
Many honors or AP classes require that prerequisite coursework be completed with specified competency before enrolling in them. Knowing this will help your student make a four-year plan to include these courses, as well as any dual coursework offerings.

What Your Student Can Do Later

Review assessments.
Review the career interest, values and abilities assessments to choose classes that explore possible career areas. This will save your student considerable time and money by finding a good career and college fit early in the process with earning college credits as an added bonus.
Consider alternatives.
AP tests can be taken on a self-study basis, if your student is motivated and capable, or a sharing agreement with another district may allow your student to take classes at a different high school. The school counseling office is the primary resource for these paths.

What You Can Do

Discuss your student’s four-year plan.
Point out the benefits and disadvantages of having more than one plan in place and help determine a Plan B. Emphasize the importance of staying on track academically to be in the best possible position for college or career after high school graduation.
Teach guided independence.
Foster exploration and independence in your student by asking thought-provoking questions and providing knowledgeable guidance. Help your student visualize a successful and independent adulthood. Demonstrate your willingness to listen and help with decision-making without inserting judgment and your own opinions. Be loving without hovering; be complimentary without overpraising.

Next Steps

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