What could your student accomplish?
Imagine starting college with credits already done. Here's what that can look like, from a single course to a full pathway.
Three ways to start
The one-course head start
1 course · about 3 college credits
Try college-level work with a small commitment. This is where we usually recommend starting.
The steady pathway
4 courses · about 12 college credits
Roughly one course a semester over two years.
The full pathway
8 courses · about 24 college credits
More than a typical full-time college semester, earned before high school graduation.
Most courses are 3 credits and some science courses are 4. How many courses make sense depends on your student's schedule, goals, school policies and target colleges. Each college decides which credits it accepts.
Example pathways
These students are illustrations, not real families or promised results.
Maya, the accelerated student (public school)
10th grade: PSY 101 over the summer
11th grade: ENG 101 and ENG 102
12th grade: MAT 117, HST 109 and POS 110
Result: 6 courses, 18 credits.
Caveat handled the course order, a pace that worked around her AP classes, and a transfer check for her three target colleges.
Jordan, the busy student (varsity athlete)
10th grade: COM 100 in the off-season
11th grade: CIS 105 over the summer
12th grade: SOC 101 after the season ended
Result: 3 courses, 9 credits.
Caveat picked start-anytime courses and planned each one around the sports calendar.
Priya, the college-focused student (planning to study nursing)
11th grade: BIO 160 and HCR 220
12th grade: PSY 101 and STP 226
Result: 4 courses, 13 credits.
Caveat checked which of these her target nursing programs accept before she enrolled.
Eli, the homeschool student
9th grade: HEP 100 as a first college course
10th grade: ENG 101 and HST 109
11th grade: ENG 102, BIO 100 and MAT 117
12th grade: ECN 211 and POS 110
Result: 8 courses, 25 credits.
Caveat built the plan around the family's curriculum. His parents decided how each course counted toward his high school transcript.
Estimate your student's pathway
Pick a grade and a pace to see what could be possible by graduation.
An estimate, not a promise. It assumes 3-credit courses starting this school year. Each college decides which credits it accepts, and the right number of courses depends on your student's schedule and goals.