Community college dual enrollment is not always a positive experience.
Rebecca on Facebook asked:
Hello – I attended one of your sessions on Homeschooling High School a few years ago at Seattle Pacific University. I appreciated so much what you shared!! My son is now in 10th grade and we’re considering Running Start (dual enrollment in community college.) But I had remembered that you mentioned Running Start caused problems for your boys and that you didn’t think it was such a great option. Can you tell me why and what problems it caused for your boys? Many thanks!
Hi Rebecca,
Here is an article about my experiences: Facing the Community College Fad
You can read the experiences of others in these two article: Stories about Facing The Community College Fad
Lovely Landmines: Community College Experience in Canada
A few years ago, another mother heard me speak on the same topic. She has given me permission to share her experience in a blog post.
Two weeks into our 16-year-old daughter’s first quarter at community college, two pornographic reading assignments were handed out in her required English class. I knew from prior discussions with you that dual enrollment was risky. However, I thought that if we were “selective” in the classes we took, we could avoid the problems you had warned me about. We are looking for alternatives at this time. ~ Linda
My goal is just to encourage parents to see every side of this issue. I’m really glad you are doing your research!
Learn how to translate all those great homeschool high school classes into the words and numbers that colleges will understand. Get the Total Transcript Solution .
It seems to me that there are several different ways of approaching running start:
1. To earn a 2-year transfer degree, to offset the cost of the 4-year degree.
2. To earn a 2-year degree, as a final degree, to start a career at a younger age. (For example, career-specific training to become a medical assistant.)
3. To just take classes that fill in gaps that you can’t fill in any other way.
4. To try different departments to see what you might be good at or major in at the college level, while the tuition is free. (Once you have to pay tuition, these experiments get more expensive.)
5, To take only classes where you are likely to do well, to make a college application stronger.
Am I missing any others?
The best advice I got was that we have a LOT of possibilities here in the Seattle area. If the student has access to a car, visit all the possibilities within a reasonable drive and shop around. There are different “vibes” and levels of studiousness on different campuses.
Great comments, Janet! Thanks!
Blessings,
Lee
I’m also wondering – how bad can it get if all you do is those classes directly related toward a very specific career – namely a 2 year course in veterinary assistance? Seems to me all that would happen would be a bit of evolution here and there. No problem, I’ve taught my child several phrases that will show any professor that my child listened to and understands the theory without my child having to declare the theory is absolute. Oh yeah – and reproduction, but any farm child knows that…