Does College Algebra replace high school algebra 2? Can you use CLEP to replace American Literature? In this post, you’ll learn which dual enrollment college class will replace your high school classes.
I think it must be said that every homeschooling parent has three important parameters on their decisions for dual enrollment and high school planning.
- First, it’s imperative that any state laws or guidelines be followed. This is so that when your teen graduates, their high school diploma will be valid.
- Second, a teen’s goals and career plans for after high school are always part of the process. Is your teen is targeting a competitive 4-year university, entering the military with college credit, starting their own business, enrolling in an apprenticeship, attending community college, or something else? The “best plan” is the plan that helps them accomplish their goals- not the goals of others.
- Third, your teen’s ability to be successful in a dual enrollment course (DE) is really important. You shouldn’t put them into DE courses that could result in feelings of failure or actual failure. Your son’s courses should be chosen with care so you can put them on the path to success – and that is not a one size fits all approach.
High school and college courses are never identical. Even when courses share the same name you can expect a lot of variables that make it an inexact science. These match-ups can give you a solid place to start. You should read the course description and prerequisite information for any college class you’re considering for your teen. A course description can provide valuable clues to whether or not it’s best for your teen.
1 college class = 1 high school credit
Typically, a high school class can last all year (2 semesters), but college classes typically only last for 1/2 of a year (1 semester). When you fill a high school schedule with 2 college classes, your teen is earning twice as much high school credit.
College Art Appreciation 1 = 1 high school credit
College Art Appreciation 1 & 2 = 2 high school credits
As an example, a student taking 12th-grade language arts for high school credit will earn 1 high school credit. If the student instead takes English Composition 1 and 2 through dual enrollment, the student earns 2 high school credits and 6 college credits.
In the match, you’ll see “and/or” which indicates you can choose 1 of the classes if you’d like to fill 1 semester, but you can choose both of the classes if you’d like to fill 2 semesters. Award high school credit on their homeschool transcript in either case.
FYI: I’ve added in CLEP exams where appropriate.
High School to Dual Enrollment Match-up
| High School Course | Dual Enrollment Match-up |
|---|---|
| 11th Grade Language Arts (Honors) or 12th Grade Language Arts (Regular) or English Language and Composition (AP) | ENGXXX Freshman Composition 1 and/or 2 English Composition 1 and/or 2 CLEP College Composition |
| Speech | COMXXX Public Speaking Oral Communication Introduction to Communication |
| Biology (College Prep or Honors) | BIOXXX Introduction to Biology Biology for Non-science majors CLEP Biology |
| Biology (Advanced Placement) | BIOXXX General Biology 1 and 2 with Lab |
| Chemistry (College Prep or Honors) | CHEMXXX Introduction to Chemistry Chemistry for Non-science majors CLEP Chemistry |
| Chemistry (Advanced Placement) | CHEMXXX General Chemistry 1 and 2 with Lab |
| Physics (College Prep or Honors) or AP Physics 1 or 2 (Algebra-based) | PHYSXXX Introduction to Physics Physics for Non-science majors |
| AP Physics C Electricity (Calc-based) and AP Physics C Mechanics (Calc-based) | PHYSXXX General Physics 1 and 2 with Lab |
| Introduction to Literature | LITXXX Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Lit |
| American Literature | LITXXX American Literature CLEP American Literature |
| British Literature | LITXXX British or English Literature CLEP English Literature |
| American Government | GOVTXXX American Government CLEP American Government |
| United States History / American History | HISXXX United States History 1 and/or 2 CLEP US History 1 and/or 2 |
| Economics (Honors or AP) | ECONXXX Economics 1 and/or 2 Macroeconomics and/or Microeconomics CLEP Macroeconomics and/or Microecon. |
| Psychology (Regular, Honors, AP) | PSYXXX General Psychology Introduction to Psychology CLEP Introductory |
| Western Civilization (Honors, AP) | HISXXX Western Civilization 1 and/or 2 CLEP Western Civilization 1 and/or 2 |
| Math after Algebra 1 | MATXXX Math for Liberal Arts College Math CLEP College Mathematics |
| Math after Algebra 2 | MATXXX Math for Liberal Arts College Math CLEP College Mathematics |
| Precalculus | MATXXX College Algebra Precalculus CLEP College Algebra CLEP Precalculus |
| Calculus or AP Calculus AB | MATXXX Calculus 1 CLEP Calculus |
| AP Calculus BC | MATXXX Calculus 1 and 2 |
| Introduction to Business | BUSXXX Introduction to Business |
| Business Law | BUSXXX Business Law CLEP Introduction to Business Law |
| Marketing | BUSXXX Introduction to Marketing Principles of Marketing CLEP Principles of Marketing |
| Management | BUSXXX Introduction to Management Principles of Management CLEP Principles of Management |
| High School Foreign Language 1 | Elementary Foreign Language 1 and/or 2 |
| High School Foreign Language 2 | Intermediate Foreign Lang. 1 and/or 2 CLEP Spanish, French, or German |
