High school students have more ways than ever to take college-level work. Each one can show readiness for college, and some can earn credit. None of them guarantees credit, because each college decides.
| Option | What it is | How credit is decided |
|---|---|---|
| AP | College-level courses taught at the high school, with a national exam in May | Each college sets the exam score it accepts, if any |
| IB | A two-year program with courses and exams, at schools that offer it | Each college decides which IB exams and scores earn credit |
| Dual enrollment | A college course, often through a local community college, that also counts for high school | The student earns a college transcript; each receiving college decides how it transfers |
| Online college courses | Courses taken directly from a college, online, at the student's pace or on a term | The student earns a college transcript; each receiving college decides how it transfers |
There are two reasons to take a college-level course in high school. The first is rigor: showing colleges that your student can handle demanding work. The second is credit: possibly finishing a requirement before arriving at college. A course can do both, but the plan should say which one matters most, because the choice of course changes with the goal.
For rigor, the course should be one your student will do well in and that fits the four-year plan. For credit, the course should be one that many colleges on the list accept, usually a general education course such as English composition, college algebra, psychology or introductory statistics.
Each college has its own policy. Some accept many AP scores and transfer courses. Some accept credit only toward electives. Some highly selective colleges accept very little and use it only for placement into higher courses. Public colleges in the same state often have agreements that make transfer more predictable, but even those have conditions.
A good first college course is one your student is curious about, in a subject they are already strong in, during a semester that is not overloaded. Many students start with one course, often in the summer or in a lighter semester, before adding more.
A college course creates a college transcript that follows your student. A low grade may need to be reported on future applications, including transfer and graduate school applications. That is a reason to start with one well-chosen course, not a reason to avoid college courses.
If your state has an education savings account (ESA) program, it may cover college courses for eligible students. Rules change, so check the program's current handbook before enrolling.
Want someone to handle this part? Your Caveat advisor picks college courses that fit the week and the colleges on the list, then paces and tracks them every week. Your student does the coursework.
Book a free 20-minute callThe Caveat Family Guide to College is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Each college decides admission, aid and how credit counts, and requirements change; check each college's own pages. Examples are examples, not promises. Caveat Academic Services is an independent college preparation company. Students do all of their own work.