Homeschooled students can earn college credit before graduating.
As of 2007, 1.5 million students in America received their education through home-based instruction. The number of homeschooled students in America increased by 74 percent compared to 1999. While many students enrolled in public and private schools have access to courses that award college credit, parents worry that students in home-based instruction do not have access to the same academic opportunities. However, homeschooled students have access to many of the same college credit granting opportunities through testing and running start programs.
College and High School Credit Programs
Some states offer programs allowing students the chance to enroll at institutes of higher learning and earn both high school and college credit. Depending on state regulations, students may be eligible to have tuition costs subsidized or paid for by public educational funds. Homeschooled students are eligible for any public educational program offered through their local high schools. State regulation may require students to enroll through their local district to take part in running start programs.
CLEP
The CollegeBoard, the same group that develops and administers the SAT, also offers the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). CLEP testing provides students with the opportunity to earn college credit through 33 exams. Students can prepare for exams during their individual course of studies. Colleges develop individual policies regarding how much credit to award according to the student's score on CLEP tests.
AP
Although the CollegeBoard requires Advanced Placement (AP) courses to be taught by certified and approved AP teachers, it holds no strict requirement that students have taken an approved AP course to sit for the examination. The CollegeBoard offers the AP examinations through coordinators at local high schools. Homeschooled students interested in sitting for the AP exams can speak with the AP coordinator at the local high school to register for the test. The CollegeBoard also provides sample syllabi and teacher resources online.
IB
The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, originally developed in Switzerland for internationally mobile students to provide a common university preparatory curriculum, provides another way for homeschool students to earn college credits. As with the AP exam, the IB programme is designed for delivery at approved schools. The examinations, however, are open to any student who registers through a local coordinator. Credit awarded for IB scores depends on the college or university's policies.
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