Get Credit Where Credit is Due
Believe it or not, you probably have the knowledge you need to pass some college courses. So rather than sitting through unnecessary classes, why not just test out of them?
With the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), Army National Guard Soldiers have the option to earn credit for an entire college course by taking a 90-minute test.
And the best part, perhaps, is DANTES can reduce your overall tuition costs. Not only will you save time, stress, and labor commonly associated with a course, but it is also absolutely free to Guard Soldiers. That means every course you pass through DANTES is a course you don’t have to pay for in college.
Advanced Placement (AP). AP courses are the most popular option. There are 35 nationally designed AP courses that allow high school teachers to provide college level options on-site. Score well enough on the end-of-course exam, and you can even earn college credit. On average about 2 in 3 students do. Many high schools that don’t have AP trained teachers still offer access to AP courses on the internet.
International Baccalaureate (IB). A small but growing number of schools across the globe have adopted this program, designed to offer students a high school degree rigorous enough to meet any nation’s highest standards. IB programs are available from kindergarten through graduation, and some colleges grant credit for students completing some junior and senior level IB courses.
Direct Credit. Colleges send professors or deputize high school teachers to provide Direct Credit college-level courses on location at the high school, usually as part of the regular school day. Please check with your high school counseling office for a list what classes are available.
Dual Enrollment. Students spend part of their day at high school and part of their day attending college classes on campus. Public high schools pick up the bulk of the college tab, but a variety of rules govern how and when they’ll do so. Students can also sign up for a course on their own dime at night, on weekends, or during breaks. In some instances, high schools may coordinate with the college to send students to the college campus during regular high school hours.
Please check with your local college for class availability and scheduling options.
Early Enrollment. Some students move directly to college before turning 18, sometimes even before graduating from high school. It’s an option used by bright students who are ready for more challenging work, but also by homeschoolers who see no need to wait. It’s used sometimes too by students who aren’t fitting in well in a traditional school setting, but show self-motivation to learn in other ways.
Middle College. Some high schools following this national model use a combination of AP, Direct Credit and other programs to enable students to complete up to two years of credit before high school graduation.
Summer College. Many colleges run a variety of sports, arts and academic programs during the summer. Some of those programs now offer credit.
Technical Credit. High school career technical centers offer some courses for credit that may transfer to some colleges for vocational degrees like CADD and Accounting.