Weigh High School Options for Earning College Credit

As many high school students and parents know, the cost of a college education continues to rise. In light of this reality, many students are turning to high school curricular options that can lead to college credit, including Advanced Placement, dual enrollment and International Baccalaureate classes. Some are even targeting less traditional options, like massive open online courses, or MOOCs.

But with the variety of options available, students may wonder which courses to take. A current college student and a college graduate recently shared their tips for navigating these courses and earning college credit.

[Learn how earning college credit in high school can slash undergrad costs.]

-- Prioritize classes that could earn you general education credit: Peter Wendle, a freshman at Southern Illinois University--Edwardsville, earned 48 hours of credit while in high school by taking AP and dual-enrollment classes at his school. Wendle said via email that he "took classes that I knew would be general education classes in college," such as mathematics and science offerings.

He urges current high school students to consider the same approach. Given the increasing cost of higher education, he considers the credits he earned through the AP and dual-enrollment courses to be "money in the bank."

Through this coursework, Wendle, a mechanical engineering major, was able to opt out of Calculus I and chemistry. His academic credit also afforded him direct placement into the engineering school.

Wendle also feels that prioritizing opportunities that satisfy undergraduate general education courses can help high schoolers begin thinking seriously about and preparing for the rigors of college. He has already begun major-related classes as a freshman. Due to the difficulty of his major, Wendle plans to remain at Southern Illinois for four years, despite his ample head start.

[Discover ways to build on AP, IB exams to prep for college.]

-- Explore your interests: Megan Ostovarpour, a graduate student at the University of La Verne studying educational counseling who earned college credit in high school, advises students to explore dual-enrollment courses at local institutions in subjects that aren't available at their high school.

Ostovarpour says this is a great way for students to explore their interests. Dual-enrollment classes via a local community college -- or through the high school, as was the case for Wendle -- are often cheaper per credit hour than exploring an interest once enrolled in college.

Since dual-enrollment courses may simultaneously satisfy general education requirements, Ostovarpour says students can pursue a potential passion or expand their horizons on an academic or personal level at the same time.

-- Don't take AP exams until you are ready: As an undergraduate student at the University of California--Irvine, Ostovarpour capitalized on credit she earned through AP classes. But she stresses that students should only sit for the AP exams they are confident they can do well on and thus earn credit for.

Ostovarpour said via email that as a high school student, she "felt strongly that spending money on a test that I was likely to not pass was silly." She recommends that students review the grades they have received so far in their credit-earning class and determine whether they truly understand the major concepts.

She further advised, "There are also usually past versions of the exam online, and students should attempt to answer those questions and see how they do."

[Learn how to juggle multiple AP exams.]

-- Seek advice from peers: Even after high schoolers have narrowed their focus to general education courses and those that match personal interests, they may still have a number of options to choose from. Wendle suggests talking to upperclassmen for advice.

For example, a high school sophomore weighing taking a self-paced MOOC in introductory physics versus AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based might speak with a high school senior who has completed that AP class. Did he or she find the instructor's support critical to success? How do the two students' learning styles differ and how will that influence the sophomore's own experience in the course?

Students "definitely want to come into college with a head start on graduation," Wendle said. Whether students choose a traditional option like AP or a less traditional one such as a MOOC, they should aim to balance the fulfillment of general education courses with their educational needs and interests.

Caroline Duda is a marketing coordinator with Varsity Tutors. She earned a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign and a bachelor's degree from Saint Lawrence University.