Dual credit, particularly credit-by-exam, is a great way for homeschooled teens to earn high school and college credit at the same time.
Students who choose to earn credits using the credit-by-exam method have a broader path toward degree completion, and both CLEP and DSST exam credits are widely accepted at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
But what if your teen’s college of choice doesn’t accept a large number of CLEP or DSST exam credits? Is credit-by-exam still worth the effort? The answer is an unequivocal YES, and here’s why . . .
Teens who study for and pass college-level exams, such as CLEP and DSST, will be more prepared to take those subjects in college.
CLEP and DSST exams are offered in a range of subjects, focusing primarily on general education topics taken during a student’s first two years of college. More and more colleges are accepting these credits and applying them toward a student’s degree, but even if some of the credits don’t transfer, your teen still has all that acquired knowledge which they will use when they study the subject in college. Taking a class in a subject that they are already familiar with means less stress, better grades, and more time to focus on other classes.
Teens who earn credit-by-exam develop valuable test-taking and study skills.
Studying for high-stakes tests doesn’t always come naturally, and the more practice teens have, the better they’ll be able to cope with tests in college. Practice may not always make perfect, but it does make progress, and the more college-level tests your teen takes, the better equipped they’ll be for the next one.
Those credits don’t disappear!
Even if your teen earns credits that don’t transfer to a particular college, those credits have still been earned and will remain on the student’s high school and college transcripts. Earning dual credit will prove to admissions staff that the student is capable of college-level work and willing to think outside the box to achieve their goals.
Even if your teen’s dual credits don’t transfer to their chosen college, studying for dual credit exams is not a waste of time. Your teen will learn valuable study and test-taking skills that will prepare them for college coursework, and they will immerse themselves in college-level work, which will make the transition to college easier and much less stressful. Dual Credit at Home can help your teen prepare for 13 college-level exams, equipping them for independent study in college while earning their core high school credits at the same time.
Get Becky’s Weekly Newsletter on Homeschooling High School
We will never sell or share your email address.
