Parents, are you interested in saving money on your children’s college tuition? High school students, are you looking to get out of high school sooner and anxious to get started on a degree? Of course you are! There are quite a few options available to secondary students to get a jumpstart on their postsecondary education in ways that will save them time and money. You don’t have to be the best or the brightest nor is this a one size fits all option. 
Let’s look at what may be available for you.
Decisions, Decisions
There are several options to choose from if you want to get a head start on your college education and save money in the process. Here is a list to consider and look into:
• Project Lead the Way(PLTW) offers freshman through senior high school students a chance to take a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) course each year that is focused on one of three STEM areas: Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, or Technology. The courses are intensive, innovative, and hands-on. Students who successfully complete each course can receive three elective college credits for each course for a total of 12 college credits by the time they finish high school. There is a tuition fee for those credits, but it’s minimal. In the State of Indiana, for example, the cost is $50.00 for each credit from Indiana University-Purdue University of Indianapolis. The regular undergraduate tuition rate as of this writing at IUPUI for 12 undergraduate credits in Engineering is $2974.80; however, with all fees tacked on it goes up to $3869.72. PLTW students will pay only $600.00.
• Advanced Placement (AP) courses offer students the chance to receive college credit for honors level courses in high school. These are more rigorous than the regular version of the course; however, students should keep in mind that they will have to take many of these courses and do most of the work in order to graduate anyway. In other words, a high school student will have to successfully complete an American government class to graduate; however, with the AP version and a bit more time and effort, that student could take the AP exam at the end of the year and potentially earn three college credits for this same class. The cost of the exam is $87.00, but there is financial aid available, and again, this is much cheaper than regular undergraduate tuition. It’s also getting two classes out of the way at once; you won’t have to spend 16 weeks in a college level government course.
• Test-outs are another popular option, and 2,900 postsecondary institutions use the College Level Board Tests (CLEP) . If you are a student who has developed knowledge equivalent to what is required by the end of an undergraduate course by means like work or independent study, you can sign up for a CLEP test, take it, and with a passing score, earn credit for a college course. There are CLEP tests for 33 different courses, and it’s wise to check with the school(s) you are interested in attending to see which CLEP tests they accept, what test-out options may exist, and what the cost is. There are study guides available to assist you as well; however, they are an additional cost. The test itself is $77 and colleges typically add on an additional $15 administrative fee (check with your institution on their fee before signing up for a test). Even with optional study materials added in, this is still a great bargain.
• Dual credit is another way to earn both high school and college credit for a course at the same time. You could, for example, take a dual credit English course that, upon successful completion, will award you with three credits for freshman composition. Here student Jacob Andrews comment on his experience with dual credit:
It should be kept in mind that these are actual college level courses taught by faculty who have postsecondary credentials. It should also be remembered that failure in a dual credit course is also doubled: That high school English class will have to be repeated in order to graduate and the F will be on the student’s college transcript. If you work hard, however, you should be fine. Dual credit students also have double the resources in that they can get academic assistance from both their high school and their college. Interested students should check with their guidance counselors on options and costs as dual credit programs are locally managed. A college or university near the high school will most likely have a dual credit agreement that will not only clarify what courses are available as dual credit, but also who pays. Dual credit students may pay 100% of the tuition, and they are usually responsible for any related fees for books, materials, etc. Fairly often, the school district will have a financial agreement with the college or university, and they may cover up to 100% of the tuition.
• Half-days may be an option for juniors and seniors. For example, a student will either attend their high school classes in the morning or afternoon only. The other part of the day may be used to attend college classes. These may include ones offered via dual credit locally or students may opt for online courses at institutions that are geographically more remote. Students interested in job training may also opt for a vocational school where they can learn to work in fields like health science, early childhood education, and more. The vocational option is usually cost free; yet, students graduate with a specific certification that can help them land their first job. They could continue on with college courses after this, too. Attending half-days gives students a bit of relief from senioritis and allows for greater flexibility in their schedules if they are also working or involved in other extracurricular activities.
In general, students should carefully consider their interests and goals; then speak to their guidance counselor to see what opportunities exist to jumpstart their college careers.
A Few Other Considerations
Before making the commitment to any of the above options, students should ask a lot of questions of both their high school guidance counselor and an admissions advisor at the college(s) of their choice. Some universities will accept a test-out for their undergraduate courses but not for a graduate degree, so you may end up taking that freshman composition course after all. This is somewhat rare, but it does happen. Overall, each of the above is a pretty safe option with a few final benefits.
First, college is a shock for many. There is an adjustment to the rigors of academia at that level for many students. It’s not uncommon for freshman to fail some classes or even to flunk out of a university. Then have to start again later. Options like dual credit, however, offer students a chance to test the waters a bit, to see what a college level course is like and to ease into postsecondary life. After graduation, this makes the transition to full-time college student easier and typically more successful.
Second, initial savings on tuition is not the only financial benefit. Most college students work at least a part-time job through college. With some college courses successfully completed, students are more marketable, which makes finding that job and perhaps one that pays more than minimum wage more likely.
Third, in terms of gainful employment and paying off student debt, students who have shown the initiative to work harder and who have completed real world, hands-on type programs like the PLTW or vocational options graduate with some direct or closely related work experience in addition to their diploma. They have both the degree and the experience to land their first professional job.
For more detailed information about the benefits of the programs explained in this post, please see the excellent resource provided by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships.
Given all the advantages, why would a high school student not choose to jumpstart their college degree?
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