When to enroll for someone just starting out

[bamafan98]

Hi, My son is 17 and we are homeschooling 11th and 12th grade using CBE, ALEKS, Straighterline, and maybe some Saylor or FEMA (I am just learning about these two). I have read many of the posts here but can't seem to get a good feel for the best time to enroll. I think my biggest concern is the changing of policies. Who accepts what courses now verses in two years - like ALEKS, FEMA, etc. I would hate to wait to enroll and miss getting credit for those courses. It sounds like once you are enrolled you are "set" with your accepted courses and once approved you are good. My son wants a History degree at this point and then to attend graduate school (maybe even law school).

We are leaning toward COSC due to a friends reference however, I am open to switching him in the future if things change. All this being said, I have not done a lot of research on what the fees are once enrolled. My son has 3 CLEP credits, 9 ALEKS credits, and we are about to take 2 DSST tests so we are early in the journey. Any guidance you can give is helpful. I pulled him from a private school so I do have money set aside for his education over these next 2 years and then for college.

Thanks!

[ajs1976]

Keep in mind that there may be enrollment fees. For example, COSC has a $245 per semester fee that you pay 3x times a year whether or not you are taking classes there.

Also look into the prereqs for COSC's Cornerstone course. You may want to plan to have him complete English I & II before enrolling.

[bamafan98]

Good point on the English. I think we are about to start that on Straighterline. Thanks for the info.

[cookderosa]

Your concerns about "locking in" are valid, but probably not as big of a deal as you think. COSC isn't going to stop awarding credit for CBE or ACE- that's the entire basis of their business model. ACE includes Saylor, Straighterline, ALEKS, and others. Furthermore, Straighterline and COSC are partner schools. So, of that set, I'd say you are solid. FEMA is less so, but so what? FEMA is completely free, and only contributes elective credit. Absolute worst case scenario is his FEMA wouldn't count in 2 years. His money investment lost is zero, his time investment only about 2 hours per credit. I wouldn't do something so drastic as enrolling based on the risk of losing FEMA.

In reality, your community college's classes will be cheaper than COSC's classes, so consider making his plan that incorporates some of those classes locally. I know it was suggested he complete English 1&2 first, and I'd second that suggestion. My suggestion goes a click further, I'd suggest he take it as an actual class at the community college. The skills he'd learn in those classes are very valuable, and "if" he decided COSC wasn't the best path for him, they'd still transfer into a traditional college (where Straighterline, ALEKS, and FEMA likely would not).

2 years is a long time, I'd suggest you plan his diploma and inject it with credit earning opportunities as opposed to locking in on a degree plan now. If he changes his mind and wants to study butt-in-seat, you'll have maximized his transferability that way.

[mickey20]

Keep in mind that there may be enrollment fees. For example, COSC has a $245 per semester fee that you pay 3x times a year whether or not you are taking classes there.

Also look into the prereqs for COSC's Cornerstone course. You may want to plan to have him complete English I & II before enrolling.

If he complete English I & II before enrolling, he still need to take the Cornerstone?

[ajs1976]

Yes. COSC has a two course residency requirement of Cornerstone and Capstone. I had Eng I, Eng II, Business Communications, and Intro to Lit Studies and still had to take Cornerstone.

[bamafan98]

Thank you so much for your comments. I think I was getting carried away with all the talk about a "fast" degree on here and forgetting my son is just 17 and in High School. I love your thoughts. He still thinks he wants to stay home and complete a BS/BA online before heading off to graduate school but you are correct, he could change his mind and I need to help him plan for the things that will transfer. Thanks again!

[ajs1976]

Focus on the Gen Ed requirements that seem common to most schools

Eng Comp I
Eng Comp II
Speech / Presentation
Math
Social Science
Humanities
Natural Science
Natural Science w/Lab
Intro to Computers

if he is interested in History, find some programs that cover those topics. Same for Law. I think CLEP and/or DSST have Business Law. The SL Business Ethics class touches on the topic too. He might end up with a class or two that doesn't transfer, but it is better then committing to a program and racking up a bunch of credits in a specific field and then making a late change.

[topdog98]

You have already been given good advice. I will add my opinion.

I would suggest that the College Composition CLEP is the best and cheapest way to cover English I and II. If he has reasonably good English skills, he could probably study for a month and take this and get 6 credits as opposed to up to a year for two traditional courses. The cornerstone course at COSC is a review of composition anyway.

It sounds like your son knows what he wants, so I wouldn't discourage him. If he is highly motivated, in two years of high school, he could complete half or even all of the CBE credits that he needs for his bachelors at COSC. So I would say, let him make out a plan and see how much he can accomplish. Don't hold him back. If he completely changes his mind, all he is out is the cost of the tests (many of which will probably transfer to where he chooses), and he will have spent his last two years of high school in a way that he will be well prepared for traditional college. It is not the same as an older person "wasting" two years and then changing his mind. He has to do high school anyway.

You can save a lot of time and money this way. You can use the money you have saved for grad school. By the time he would have normally graduated with a bachelors, he can be done with grad school.

[cookderosa]

Thank you so much for your comments. I think I was getting carried away with all the talk about a "fast" degree on here and forgetting my son is just 17 and in High School. I love your thoughts. He still thinks he wants to stay home and complete a BS/BA online before heading off to graduate school but you are correct, he could change his mind and I need to help him plan for the things that will transfer. Thanks again!

LOL, I do it all the time. I get carried away, have a degree plan for my 10 year old and then have to shake myself back into reality and realize we just need to get through this next lesson on fractions. You're doing great, there is lots of time to worry about the details, just keep providing him with an excellent education, and you'll find lots of chances to super-charge his high school with college credit.