Dual-Enrolled CC classes: GEs or Pre-reqs... cross-post

[Jenn in CA]

[this is cross-posted on the high school board.]

Hi all. My son's been taking CC classes for a few semesters now. He had Calculus I in the Fall (did great). He wants to go into computer science.

Due to budget cuts and dual enrolled-students getting low registration priority, he couldn't get into calc II. So, he signed up for bio and poli sci.

Since that time, a calc II class has been added, so he can get in. However, it's Mon/Wed and the other two classes are Tue/Thu. So even if he drops bio and adds calc instead, he'll be on campus 4 days per week which we can't do. It will be too hard to get the homeschooling done. There are no other transfer level classes open on Mon/Wed that would fit his schedule.

So I see two options:
1. Take only 1 class (he's allowed to take 2, and has been), the calc class.
2. Take the bio & poli sci, which would be 2 classes, but neither of which is a pre-req for his intended major.

I'm just wondering if competitive colleges might prefer him to show lots of work in his major pre-reqs, rather than in GE's?

Thanks for any BTDT advice, esp. if your kids went on to math/sci majors.

[Brenda in MA]

Hi Jenn,

I think your son's plan sounds good. Mine is a freshman at an engineering school this fall, and he took a variety of CC courses last year -- Eng Comp I, Psychology, General Chem, and a computer course. All were able to transfer.

Being able to take Calc II would have been great, but since he can't then his other choices are good. Hopefully, they can transfer to his new school. In my experience, comp sci majors are often required to take a few science "core" courses, and Bio is often one of them. If his eventual school will accept the transfer credits, then he might save himself from having to take Bio again.

The Poly Sci might transfer as a Humanities elective and/or satisfy general distribution requirements.

Your best bet is to check the transfer credit policies at a few potential schools.

Brenda

[Jenn in CA]

Thanks Brenda. Yes, everything will transfer except to Caltech who rarely accepts anyone's transfer credits. And Caltech is only a remote possibility.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

[this is cross-posted on the high school board.]

Hi all. My son's been taking CC classes for a few semesters now. He had Calculus I in the Fall (did great). He wants to go into computer science.

Due to budget cuts and dual enrolled-students getting low registration priority, he couldn't get into calc II. So, he signed up for bio and poli sci.

Since that time, a calc II class has been added, so he can get in. However, it's Mon/Wed and the other two classes are Tue/Thu. So even if he drops bio and adds calc instead, he'll be on campus 4 days per week which we can't do. It will be too hard to get the homeschooling done. There are no other transfer level classes open on Mon/Wed that would fit his schedule.

So I see two options:
1. Take only 1 class (he's allowed to take 2, and has been), the calc class.
2. Take the bio & poli sci, which would be 2 classes, but neither of which is a pre-req for his intended major.

I'm just wondering if competitive colleges might prefer him to show lots of work in his major pre-reqs, rather than in GE's?

Thanks for any BTDT advice, esp. if your kids went on to math/sci majors.

Would he continue doing Calc on his own if he doesn't take it at the CC?

I interview for my alma mater. I think that the way the admissions office would look at it is that they would want to see him continue to do math either way (either at home or at the CC). And it would be important for him to explain why he wasn't taking Calc second semester or it might come off as being something that he found too hard to continue.

[CynthiaOK]

And it would be important for him to explain why he wasn't taking Calc second semester or it might come off as being something that he found too hard to continue.

From your perspective, what do you think of only doing 1 semester of math per year? IOW, if a student takes trig concurrently for one semester (which will count as a full year of high school math), then takes calculus 1 the next year for the senior year math, is that considered odd? Is it better to do the courses in back to back semesters? Or College Algebra in 11th and Trig/preCalc in 12th?

[Jenn in CA]

I decided to have him drop Bio & Poli Sci, and enroll in Calc instead. Since he wants to go into CS, and getting classes seems to be dicey, it seems he should focus on major prereqs (math, physics, chem) first.

[Sandra in NC]

My son is interested in CS, too. He has been accepted to NCSU College of Engineering and is CLEPing out of the gen ed requirements where ever possible. This will lighten his load in college and let him focus on what he is interested in.

CollegeConfidential has a CLEP forum now. See the third post down on this thread:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/clep-exam/792374-can-clep-taken-while-college.html

We're taking that poster's advice (same school!)

Sandra

PS: Be sure to find out which CLEPs are accepted at the college your son plans to attend. NCSU doesn't accept many, so my son has to be careful to take only the ones they do.

[Dana]

Depending on how registration is set up at your cc, it may still be possible to get the original schedule.

There's a lot of shifting in enrollment at my cc, so it may be possible that a seat opens up in the original calc course or that one opens up in a bio course on the same day.

You wouldn't want to count on there being space, but it doesn't hurt to keep checking online if your son is able to enroll or change his schedule online - or check again during the add/drop period or late registration.