OPTIONS ALLOW FLEXIBILITY
I never make plans without building in alternative pathways and considering alternative results. Planning for college is no exception. Having at least two options allows for flexibility when new information comes to light or when providence has a say. I find that options reduce stress. If a student is unable to maintain one option, ideally there’s a viable backup option waiting with open arms.
TWO PATHS
Path A is the traditional plan of entering a four-year college as a freshman. Path B is earning college credit at a community college during high school or one to two years after and then transferring to a four-year school as a sophomore or junior. The two paths can work together. Working on Path B preps a student for Path A. Yes, a student with 30+ college credits can still enter college as a freshman. Reasons covered below. If Path A does not materialize, then Path B can be completed.
PATH A: FRESHMAN AT A FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE
This is what I hear most parents preparing their children for. That’s how it worked for my husband and me 30 some years ago. We assumed that this would be the way for our kids too. Ideally the child would get excellent grades in high school, high ACT scores, and then get accepted into a great four-year school after graduation with scholarships. This path may not fit all students, however, and that’s probably why the first- year college drop-out rate is 30% and the overall undergraduate college drop-out is 40%.
PATH B: COMMUNITY COLLEGE DURING HIGH SCHOOL
In our area, high school students have the ability to attend community college during the 11th and 12th grades for free. Homeschoolers have a particular advantage to double-dip credits in the state of North Carolina. Double-dipping allows a course taken at the community college to substitute for a similar one in high school. The student will receive college credit and high school credit for one course, thus the name “double-dipping.” The college credits earned during high school will help a student become a transfer student into a four-year college. Thirty or more transferrable credits can place a student at the sophomore level, while 60 or more credits can place a student at the junior level. For more on double-dipping read my post Double-Dipping Credit. If you are particularly keen on earning transferrable college credits for free read my post on: Why 13th Grade?
A STRATEGIC APPROACH
We started with Path B during high school because it can actually help a student achieve Path A with scholarships. Having 30 + college credits doesn’t mean a student has to transfer into a college as a sophomore or junior. Before my first child graduated from high school, I had no idea that students with an associate degree or who had lots of AP or CLEP credit would consider applying as a freshman. But this is done by students who are striving for competitive schools or who want freshman scholarship money.
The student who won the top scholarship at my daughter’s college was a homeschool graduate who had earned two associate degrees before high school graduation. She entered as a freshman. My daughter also earned an associate degree before high school graduation; she received a generous four-year scholarship which made Path A (starting as a freshman) possible. Although their associate degrees could have placed them into the junior year, they both chose to enter as freshman for the scholarships and for a true four-year college experience.
Another reason that students with substantial college credit apply as freshman is because they are choosing a major that is skill based. Some majors like music and art require four years of skill-building instruction. I became aware of this fact as my daughter was considering music performance. If she entered as a junior, she’d still be competing as a freshman.
STARTING DOWN A PATHWAY
While a student is walking down Path B, he should apply to four-year colleges during the fall of his senior year. If he gets accepted and is happy with the choice and with the financial offerings, he can then take Path A: enter as a freshman.
My two graduates started Plan B during high school and ended up with Plan A: entering as freshman. Exciting opportunities opened up along with the finances. If the scholarship money had not shown up, my plan was to have them transfer into a college as juniors shaving off two years of expensive tuition.
PATH C
And of course, there is always Path C. Perhaps a student discovers a true passion that does not call for a four-year degree right away or at all. It could be a trade, the military, or a really great internship opportunity. Computer programming boot camps can train students for exciting jobs without a college degree. There are a lot of studies showing that people can do just as well without a college degree these days.
Earning a four-year degree later through an adult education program like Strayer University or an online program is another Path C option. Adult education programs provide people who have employment the flexibility to earn a degree while they work, and it provides an experience alongside adults in a similar situation. This path is great for people who need time to mature, earn some income, and figure out their passion. It’s a great way for adults to get a degree after the military too.
CHOOSE THE PATH OF PEACE
There are many pathways to career success. Homeschoolers have more options than students in traditional school. Isn’t that why we chose this route? The best way to reduce stress about the future is to pencil in a plan for your student and be willing to consider alternatives as your student learns more about himself and discovers new options. At some point, your student should make important decisions about his or her future. You, the parent, can create the pathway you think is the best fit early on but build in off-ramps to different and equally exciting places. Make the effort to learn about alternatives. While your student is in the 8th or 9th grade, learn about trade schools, adult education programs, community college programs, transfer programs, dual-enrollment programs, computer bootcamps, internships, apprenticeships, CLEP exams, and early military. Be ready and be open-minded. That is how you can support and love your student no matter what path he or she chooses.