Skip to main content

3 Steps to Take to Graduate College Before High School

By U.S. News & World Report

Indiana teen Raven Osborne received her bachelor’s degree this month — a couple weeks before earning her high school diploma.

“She came to me, ninth grade year and told me this is what she wanted to do, so she already had a vision,” says Krishelle Murphy, secondary guidance counselor at 21st Century Charter School at Gary, where Osborne attended school. “She was motivated and even if she faced adversity, she kept going and pressing on. She persevered and never gave up.”

Osborne earned the credentials concurrently by taking college courses every semester — including in the summer — beginning in ninth grade, says Murphy, along with a few online courses. Some courses provided dual credit, meaning Osborne received both high school and college credit for her work in one course.

[Learn more about taking online college courses in high school.]

It’s not impossible for students nationwide to achieve this feat, though it’s not particularly common, either. Teens can follow the steps below to earn an associate degree — or even a bachelor’s — while in high school, keeping in mind that doing so is a challenging, but rewarding feat.

1. Figure out what options are available: Some districts are home to public early colleges, which are designed to allow teens to earn college and high school credit concurrently, says Tara Boddie, a private educational consultant and former guidance director at DeKalb Early College Academy in Georgia.

The Indiana charter school Osborne attended follows a similar design, Murphy says. Students take college courses at the charter school and at nearby colleges.

However, these programs are not widespread, Boddie says.

But most public two- and four-year public colleges have dual enrollment programs, according to federal data. Teens elsewhere could take advantage of these programs that allow students to earn high school and college credit concurrently.

Students should talk with their counselors about these opportunities, Boddie says.

2. Start planning early: Parents of students aiming for a bachelor’s degree in high school need to be very diligent, says Boddie. Students should be prepared to start taking college courses in ninth grade and every summer. Sometimes students may need to take a larger than usual course load, she says.

She recommends families begin planning in middle school.

Early colleges, like the one Boddie worked at, may have special admissions requirements, such as an interview and essays.

Community colleges may require high schoolers take a placement test or meet other academic qualifications to participate in dual enrollment programs.

While some dual credit opportunities are free to students, others may require students to pay tuition — something else for parents to keep in mind.

3. Determine if teens are ready for college courses: It takes a motivated student who is able to accept challenges, failures and successes to complete a college and high school credential concurrently, says Murphy. Students also need to have the intellect to do this, she says.

Parents may face some discouragement from high school officials when inquiring about signing up their ninth or 10th grader for dual credit opportunities, says Boddie. But if a student thrived in middle school and has already taken advanced high school courses, she encourages them to push back to get their child into these courses.

David Lane, director of Roane State Middle College in Tennessee — which is similar to an early college program — doesn’t think a student needs to necessarily be academically gifted, though that may help, to succeed in college early. But the student does need to be motivated — and that can’t come from the parents. About 40 students received an associate degree and high school diploma through the program this month.

But students need to remember that the road will not be easy, Murphy says.

“There’s going to be times when you feel like you can’t go on,” she says. Students have to be self-motivated and keep their goal in the forefront of their mind to accomplish it.

Have something of interest to share? Send your news to us at highschoolnotes@usnews.com

More from U.S. News

4 Answers for Parents About College-Level Classes in High School

4 Tips for Selecting Rigorous Courses Without AP, IB

3 Reasons for Teens to Learn About Graduate School

3 Steps to Take to Graduate College Before High School originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote