Start before 9th grade.

Why CAP 150 first

CAP 150 is a 3-credit, on-demand ASU course about careers, majors and what a student might want to study. It asks for real college habits (reading, short writing, weekly deadlines) on a subject every 14-year-old can engage with. It counts as elective credit, not general education, which is exactly why it's a good first course: the stakes are low and what the student learns about themselves feeds straight into the four-year plan.

ASU lists no minimum age or grade for online college courses. Reading, writing and a few steady hours a week matter more than grade level; the planning call is where we look at that honestly.

How the summer goes

1. Spring
   The planning sessions.We map 9th grade to senior spring around the student's interests and the high school's schedule, and pick the right start date.
2. Late May
   CAP 150 starts.It starts any day, so it can begin the week school lets out. ASU's summer sessions begin May 17, 2027.
3. June to July
   Weekly sessions, Friday reports.About 6 hours a week on an eight-week pace, or 3 to 4 hours a week stretched across the summer, with room for family trips.
4. August
   9th grade, with a plan.The roadmap goes to the high school counselor, and the first fall or spring course is already chosen.

Is it too early?

For some students, yes, and the free call says so plainly. Signs it's a good fit: the student reads for pleasure or for school without much prompting, can work alone for 45 minutes at a time, and is curious about what comes after high school. If the honest answer is "not yet," the planning sessions still stand on their own, and the course can wait for the summer after 9th grade.

Not sure? Have the student try a college week first: about 90 minutes over a few days, with an honest note back from us. Or sketch the four years from 8th grade.