advanced placement | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

Top 10 Reasons Why to Take College Courses Online Before High School Graduation

In today’s fast-paced world, education has become essential to an individual’s life. It is no secret that a college education opens numerous opportunities, but it can also be costly. Luckily, there is a way for high school students to gain an advantage in their future endeavors while saving money and time.

Taking college courses online before graduating from high school is an excellent option that has recently gained popularity. Let’s discuss why someone should take college courses online before high school graduation:

Get A Head Start on Your College Education

One of the most significant advantages of taking college courses online before graduating from high school is that it allows you to get a head start on your college education. You can earn college credits that transfer toward your degree program by taking online college courses. With some college credits already under your belt, you can graduate faster and save money on tuition and other expenses. Taking college courses online before graduating from high school and getting a head start also allows students more time to take internships during their college and jumpstart their careers. Plus, some students who take college courses online before graduating from high school have maintained a specific grade point average to preserve scholarships or other financial assistance.

Greater Flexibility and Convenience

One of the primary benefits of taking college courses online is the flexibility that comes with it. Online learning offers greater flexibility and convenience than traditional classroom-based education. High school students can work at their own pace and choose a schedule that works for them. This flexibility allows students to balance their academic workload with extracurricular activities, family commitments, and part-time jobs. Additionally, online courses can be accessed from anywhere, making it easier for students to fit their studies into their busy schedules.

Save More Time and Money (Lower Costs)

Taking college courses online before graduating high school can save students time and money. Online courses typically have lower tuition fees than their classroom-based counterparts, and students can save money on transportation, accommodation, and other expenses associated with attending college in person. Additionally, online courses can be completed faster than traditional courses, allowing students to complete their college education faster and enter the workforce sooner.

Get Exposed to College-Level Curriculum

Taking college courses online before graduating from high school can expose students to college-level curriculum and coursework. This can help students better understand what college-level coursework entails, which can help them prepare for the rigor of college coursework. This advantage can also help students decide if a particular field of study is the right choice before entering college.

Develop Essential Skills

Taking college courses online before graduating high school can help students develop essential skills beneficial for their future careers. Online learning requires self-discipline, time management, and effective communication skills. Employers highly value these skills, which can be developed through online learning. Students can develop these skills early on by taking college courses online before graduating from high school, giving them a competitive edge in the workforce.

Explore Career Options and Different Fields

Taking college courses online before graduating high school can help students explore different career options. Online courses offer various subjects and topics, allowing students to discover their interests and passions. This can help students make informed decisions about their future careers and choose a major that aligns with their goals. This can also help you broaden your horizons and discover new passions.

Improve College Admissions Chances

Taking college courses online before graduating from high school can also improve students’ chances of getting accepted into their preferred college or university. Admissions committees look for students who have demonstrated academic excellence and a commitment to learning. By taking college courses online and earning college credit, students can demonstrate their academic abilities and show that they are ready for college-level coursework. This can help them stand out from other applicants and increase their chances of acceptance into their dream school.

Build Important Connections

Taking college courses online before graduating from high school can also help you build important connections with other students and professionals in your field of interest. Online courses often include discussion forums, group projects, and other collaborative learning activities, which can help you connect with other students who share your interests and goals.

Access To Top Universities and Professors

Taking college courses online before graduating from high school exposes you to online learning platforms that often partner with top universities and professors to offer high-quality courses and learning materials. This means you can access world-class education from the comfort of your home, regardless of where you live or what school you attend.

Build A Robust College Application

Taking college courses online before graduating high school can also help you build a strong college application. Colleges and universities look for students who have challenged themselves academically and demonstrated a commitment to learning. By taking online college courses, you can show colleges and universities that you are a motivated and dedicated student eager to learn and succeed.

Taking college courses online before graduating from high school is an excellent opportunity for students to get ahead, save time and money, develop essential skills, explore different career options, improve their college admissions chances, and so much more. Online learning offers a flexible and affordable way for students to earn college credits and gain valuable experience, setting them up for future success.

Written by: Justin Hart

What is an Advanced Placement Courses?

The Advanced Placement courses are only found in the United States and Canada. This program is created by the College Board to offer a college-level curriculum and examinations for students in high school. The program provides credits to students who have advanced knowledge and skills in certain subjects. If the students finish the program and passed the examination, the colleges and universities supporting the program will grant placement and course credit.

Various subjects included in the program and examination has a specific AP curriculum designed by the College Board. The board is composed of highly competent individuals who work as college educators with specific expertise. Advanced Placement courses are college-level courses that can be taken by students in high school. Usually, the school offers these courses to students who are in their honor’s program, to those who have completed all the high school courses or to anyone who have high scores during the examination. These courses are usually courses in English and mathematics; however they can be any subject.

The courses are more meticulous as compared to high school courses since they are usually offered in college. As long as the students are able to finish the course with good grades, they will receive college credit for taking the courses. However, not all colleges grant students college credit for the courses. Some say that the AP courses only add stress to high school students. But you can’t take away the benefit the student will get once they finish the course. They will get a credit and will likely pay less when they go to college as well as save time. The Advanced Placement Courses are a great program and provides many opportunities and experiences for many high school students.

The Value of Advanced Placement Courses

An AP exam costs $89 these days and when learners take lots of these classes, cost can really load up. Advanced placement course are rich with possibilities. They offer dissatisfied honor students with a more challenging intellectual environment. They allow college candidates to happily litter their transcript and resumes with courses considered extensive by admission authorities. They can even permit learners with great ratings on the AP examinations to earn college credit in high school, saving money and time later.

But with those opportunities comes a price. Not a monetary cost, but a price in terms of time, tolerance, and peace of mind. To succeed in advanced placement courses, learners have to be entirely dedicated to achieving their goals in such a class and be willing to read voraciously, write regularly and study industriously. These objectives result in lost time, eagerness (and even anger) and pressure at different degrees throughout the course. That being said, AP is totally beneficial. Not for their college credit opportunities or their appeal on programs, but for the intellectual stimulation they offer for the future. Advanced placement courses reveal learners to the level of reading, writing, studying and thinking that will ultimately be expected while attending college and the pressure that will go along with the academic work.

Regardless of the school credit that one actually gets, AP programs undoubtedly will assist learners in their pursuit for a degree; they minimize the shock of college expectations. The AP experience can be extended beyond college study. The close evaluation of relevant details in each AP discipline better shows learners of how the world works. For instance, teachers’ labor unions immediately remind you of socialist reforms in response to British industrialism. Education and learning improves one’s life experience and the College Board has provided an outlet for learners to receive an excellent education at an earlier age.

Credit by Examination and Advanced Placement Credit

Advanced Placement Credit: A qualified person who has taken school level work in high school may get academic credit. Examinations used to determine advanced placement are the Advanced Placement Test of the College Entrance Examination Board and The Achievement Tests in English Composition and Intermediate Mathematics (Level 1). A last determination of credit is made after results have been assessed by the college.

Credit by Examination: College credits are generally earned through participation in scheduled classes. Then again, a few courses permit credit by examination. A student at presently enrolled, who presents satisfactory proof that he or she is qualified in a specific subject may get credits for a course by an examination (“challenge examination”) approved by the proper instructional department or through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Satisfactory proof may be and not restricted to, work experience, non-credit courses, course work taken at non-authorized establishments, or military courses. Such exams include:

College Board Advanced Placement (AP)
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
International Baccalaureate Program (IB)
College Board Achievement Test (ACH)
Scholastic Aptitude Subject Test II (SAS)
Defense Language Institute (DLI)
American College Testing Proficiency Examination Program (PEP)
(DANTES)
GRU Departmental Examinations (DEPT)

A student may take challenge examinations before enlisting, yet will usually get credits for courses tested just after successfully finishing six semester hours. Courses in which a learner is or has been enlisted may not be tested and courses which require demonstration and provision of skills (useful, lab sciences and courses requiring field work or execution, for instance) may be tested just with the authorization of the director of the office offering the course. There is usually a $5 per credit hour charge for departmental “challenge” exams.

Advanced Placement Courses Restriction

The Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and North America designed by the College Board, providing college-level courses and exams to kids. United States universities often allow placement and course credit to learners who acquire high grades above a certain number on the exams. The AP program for the various topics is designed for the College Board by a panel of professionals and college-level teachers in each topic. For a secondary school course to have the AP status, the course must be audited by the College Board to determine it meets the AP program. If the course is accepted, the university may use the AP status and the course will be openly listed on the AP Ledger.

Walter Fields and his spouse are extremely pleased of their little girl, a sophomore at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey, an excellent mathematics student, scoring proficiency on state assessments and making an A in 8th grade geometry. However, she was not recommended for 9th grade geometry, a course that would keep her on track for Advanced Placement calculus on her senior year. With a heavy sports schedule, she did not do as well in Algebra the next year and her instructor recommended she choose sports or math, informing her mother and father, she does not “get it.”

The Fields, well-educated African Americans, believe the college has restricted their little girl’s improvement because of competition and, with other parents, are planning a court action. Fifty six percent of Columbia’s learners are black, yet only 14.4% took Advanced Placement Courses in Calculus. The Washington Post reviews that some educational institutions limit Advanced Placement courses access to show a high rate of success, while some good students in math, science and engineering are losing out.

Advanced Placement Courses in Other States

Possibilities keep increasing for kids to have greater access to college-level advanced placement courses throughout Des Moines, as the school district will be providing new programs at Central Academy while continuing other AP programs available at all five extensive great academic institutions. These changes result from significant registration increases the school district has seen recently in advanced placement courses as both learners and instructors have stepped up to meet the task of this college-level program.

DMPS is pleased to declare, for the first time ever, four new AP programs to be provided to Des Moines learners through Central Academy beginning with the 2014-15 school year: AP Art History, AP Computer Science, AP Microeconomics, and AP Spanish Literature. These new AP promotions are unique, specific programs that will be available only at Central Academy to be able to provide access to all DMPS learners. (Previously, AP Art History and AP Microeconomics were available only to learners at Roosevelt High School.) In order to accomplish the growth of their advanced placement program at Central Academy, DMPS will reduce some replication of AP programs. From 2014-15, AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics, and AP US Government will no longer be provided at Central Academy but will continue to be provided at all five comprehensive high schools.

“Des Moines Public Schools is a leader in Iowa and the country when it comes to providing learners access to high-level academic programs, such as Advanced Placement and our learners are to be recommended for taking on these world-class academic opportunities,” said Superintendent Tom Ahart. “The school district’s effort to make advanced placement courses available to more and more learners throughout Des Moines is showing that our learners and instructors are stepping up to the task. We are providing thousands of learners access to class that will help prepare them for higher education and beyond.”

Advanced Placement Courses Empowerment

The College Board, a not-for-profit account company dedicated to quality and value in education with a goal to link students to college achievements and opportunity, lately granted 21 Sauk Prairie High School students for showing college-level accomplishment through advanced placement courses and examinations. Sixteen members from the class of 2013 and five members from the class of 2014 qualified for these distinctions.

Recipients of the AP Scholar award, granted to students who get grades of 3 or greater on three or more advanced placement examinations, are Casandra Bradley, Emma Kreitzmann, Abigail Liverseed and Andrew Stangl for the class of 2013, and Rachel Leege for the class of 2014. Recipients of the AP Scholar with Honor award, granted to students who get an average ranking of at least 3.25 on all advanced placement examinations taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these examinations, are Michaela Pfeiffer-Mundt and Brendan Sullivan for the class of 2013, and Sue Albers, Bailey Breunig and Lianna Mack for the class of 2014.

Recipients of the AP Scholar with Distinction award, provided to students who get an average ranking of at least 3.5 on all advanced placement examinations taken and ratings of 3 or greater on five or more of these examinations, include Dallas Breunig, Kassandra Hodges, Chloe Johnson, Tara Loether, Elizabeth Molitor, Angus Mossman, Anthony Renger and Zoey Shultz for the class of 2013, and Tyler Ballweg for the class of 2014.

The receiver of the National AP Scholar award, provided to students in the United States who get an average ranking of at least 4 on all examinations taken and ratings of 4 or greater on eight or more of the advanced placement examinations, is Anthony Renger for the class of 2013. Advanced Placement courses encourage students to get a feel for the rigors of college-level studies, while they are still reinforced in the Sauk Prairie High School environment. When students take AP programs, they illustrate university entrance authorities that they have sought out an academic experience that will prepare them for achievements while attending college and beyond.

Advanced Placement Courses for High School Students

Getting a full load of courses during college means late-night stuffing, regular assessments and lots of content to cover. But it can also mean studying in an advanced, less curriculum-driven atmosphere, while experiencing a break from the extracurricular actions that take over the schedule in high school. Scholars who are lucky enough to not have to work, have time each day to research and slack off, since their complete class time is about 15 hours less each week than that of a higher school student. But a good amount of kids are now using up to 10 advanced placement courses during their junior and senior years, balancing three periods of sports, group service, flute training, driving training and applying to college. School directors say advanced placement courses generally require 30 to 60 minutes of preparation per class per evening. And no high school student’s day begins with an 11 am class.

Why are kids placing themselves through this? And why do parents allow and even require this? There are a lot of explanations for your high school student to take advanced placement courses. Learners can generate college credit and may be able to save money by completing college a term or two early. Learners are also able to take electives previously in college, enabling them to try out new subject matter or even move on to more complex courses in their major more quickly. But not every college allows AP credits. And by the time your child finds out where she is going to college, she is mostly done taking courses.

My buddy who works as a college consultant for high school students says students really need to know themselves before signing up for several AP courses. If you think you can manage work and stress, staying up late and if the subject is an area in which you succeed, go for it. But there are other ways to help you take a stand out: Get into and win an essay competition, for example. But, she says, if a scholar’s objective is to get into an Ivy League university, she motivates him or her to take more APs, especially in a selected area, since the scholar’s “weighted” Grade Point Average will be higher than if he would have taken non-AP classes.

Increase in Advanced Placement Courses Enrollment

Jefferson County Public Schools is constantly on the pattern up-wards in the number of learners enrolled in Advanced Placement Courses and taking the associated examinations. In JCPS, about half of the AP assessments taken obtained ratings that allow learners to earn higher education and learning credit at many higher education and learning institutions, an advantage of the advanced placement course program, but the passing rate dropped this season after several years of benefits.

JCPS authorities say that is likely because the region has targeted on increasing the advanced placement course contribution of learners and now, it’ll need to focus on issues such as instructor planning that support learning within those programs. “Kids cannot do well on the test unless they take the class,” says Pam Royster, the district’s higher education and learning and career ready professional. The number of learners taking AP examinations improved 4.2% last school year from 4,952 this year to 5,160 in 2013. The number of assessments taken (one college student can be registered in several AP programs and take several AP exams) also improved 3.6% from 7,762 the season before to 8,043. But the passing rate reduced by 1.9 percentage points to 47.8% in 2013.

“We’ve definitely got some work to do to make sure we’re covering the content and we’re going deeply enough for kids to be successful on the test,” Royster says. Last school year, JCPS signed up with the state-wide Advance Kentucky effort that helps provide training and resources to instructors and schools to increase the number of AP contribution. That program has been recognized by the state and region as having had a significant effect on AP enhancement. Last year, Valley, Moore and Waggener high schools started participating in the Advance Kentucky. Fern Creek, Southern and Seneca high schools signed up with them this year. The system, says Royster, is a multi-year effort to develop instructors and supports, so it could take time to see its effect.

Advanced Placement Courses Population Falls

The number of Sioux Falls learners getting advanced placement courses decreased almost 8% last school year over the year before, partially because of an overall decrease in secondary school registration, authorities said. Slightly more than 2,000 learners registered in advanced placement courses in the Sioux Falls School District last school year, down about 170 learners from the year before. The figures were provided to the Sioux Falls School Board. Officials said the figures drop in range with the pattern the district has been seeing over the years and are not a big issue. “The comfort is, this year’s performance decreased in range with the long run,” Superintendent Pam Homan said. Board member Todd Thoelke said he would like to see more children using the programs.

“It’s a great program and I know the dedication from learners is remarkable. It gives them a glance inside the world of higher education,” he said. “It also gives them a step up for when that day comes.” Students are provided a wide range of different advanced placement courses, with the program determined by the company College Board, covering composition, history, geography, chemistry and Spanish, among others. Some classes are provided during the school day in a class room, but others are provided online, which can help learners who cannot fit a particular class into their schedule.

At the end of the course, learners have the choice to take an AP examination. Test results are reported on a range of 1-5 and learners must accomplish a grade of 3 or greater in order for the course to be regarded for college credit. Last school year, 70% of Sioux Falls learners who took an AP examination passed. The national passing rate is 61%. There is benefit both for learners to take the examination and educational institutions to motivate their learners to do so, said Laura Raeder, high school curriculum coordinator for the school district. Students can take the AP examination at a price of $87, generally less than the price of a college credit. The district subsidizes the price for learners who have financial need but are not eligible for support through other means.