The Path Home to College: March 2016

accuplacer-tsi-assessment-interpreting-score.pdf

accuplacer-texas-success-initiative-assessment-sample-questions.pdf

https://accuplacerpractice.collegeboard.org/login

http://www.mometrix.com/academy/tsi-test/

http://ctle.hccs.edu/gcpass/TSIPracticeTests/reading/reading.htm

http://ctle.hccs.edu/gcpass/PREP_Home.htm

shmoop

3 days. Practice.

Adaptable. 20+ questions. Time taken: 10a - 2p.

Passed 350 math
351 reading
363 Writing with essay or 5-8 on essay

Notes to fellow gifted homeschoolers about what I "learned" going up the the Community College

I spent the entire day up at TCC. (Had to go home and get Haley and then go back up there so she can give "approval" for me to 'speak for her' -so 2 trips).

I was able to connect with the BEST academic advisor (Adam Bough - homeschool Dad of 4 and 22+ years of experience at this job) and he said:

1. Haley can sign up at 13 years old (actually, they didn't really care how old she was) provided that she takes the TSI and passes (in order to enroll into classes that require TSI). The thing is...math classes do NOT require the TSI. So if she successfully CLEPs college algebra, she CAN just sign up for Pre-Calculus. No further academic hoops. In and DONE.

2. It will be necessary to present a transcript that shows the student has at least junior level number of CREDITS. It does not "matter" if your intent is to actually graduate them in 4 years, or 2 years. And the child will be able to take classes (2 per year) until they "graduate."

3. If the child needs any remediation, you cannot take THAT remediation class UNLESS you graduate your child from high-school, and then sign them up as junior college students. Also, if they want to take more than 2 classes, its a difficult task to pull-off, so you might have to 'graduate' them to do this. [But, of course, there's no "going back" to high-school, so that is a decision that has to be well-considered].

4. I met with lots of people (registrar, testing, dual-enrollment specialist, academic advisor). One, the "specialist for Dual-Enrollment - Jeannette Jones? - said that age does not matter (this is a new thing, apparently, where they just don't care how old the child is...and she mentioned they have "lots of 14 year olds walking around on campus taking classes"), but upon registration the registrar will walk the student and parent over to meet the VP of Academic Affairs so both can "sign off" on acknowledging that the child will be "among" older students. And what this may mean - socially and safety-wise (institutional CYA).

5. Within the Texas system, if you take the "right" classes (for your major, etc) at the CC all the credits will transfer (some "new rule/law?") therefore the child can actually make progress towards their BA/BS...at 13 years old.

***

Sounds like what you decide to ultimately decide is better formulated by TSI (and/or CLEP) scores (i.e. CAN the child take what they need for credit towards an advanced degree?)

And, obviously to be considered is the longer-term plan for the child and family - applying for a 4y university as a transfer vs freshman. Both have advantages/disadvantages. Money and scholarships (community college is less expensive and getting half of the degree done on the cheap might off-set some loss in potential freshman scholarships, etc). WHICH schools they are able to get into as a transfer vs freshman (some schools are "easier" to get into as one or the other, freshman vs transfer).

And my kid is considering the "brand name" of the school (which, for ME, knowing/expecting that she'll ultimately obtain a terminal degree which can be from a "more prestigious" or "elite" or "far-away" school, LATER after college, means that I am less impressed by 'brand-name.' Especially as I try to find appropriate curriculum TODAY for her as she tells me she is "moving too slow" and is therefore bored by "everything").

So I am exploring this option!!

I DO wonder, if she takes a year (we'll call it a dual-credit year this year 2016-2017) then graduate her in 2017 if she does well to the adjustment to college classes on campus, how difficult is it to have her apply as a transfer student to, say, UT Dallas and her likelihood of being accepted, etc? That's what I'd like to investigate next....