Dual enrollment allows homeschool students to take college courses while still in high school, earning both college credit and high school credit simultaneously. This is one of the most powerful tools available to homeschool families: it provides rigorous coursework, official college transcripts, and a head start on higher education.
The standard conversion rate from college credits to high school credits is: 3 college credits equals 1.0 high school credit. A typical 3-credit college course (meeting 3 hours per week for 15 weeks) provides enough instructional time and rigor to equal a full year of high school study in that subject. A 4-credit college course also equals 1.0 high school credit, and a 1-credit or 2-credit college course equals 0.5 high school credit.
Some states have specific conversion rules that differ from the standard rate. Ohio, Florida, and several other states have established dual enrollment programs with defined credit conversion policies. Check your state requirements page for state-specific rules.
On the homeschool transcript, dual enrollment courses should be clearly marked. List the course name, the college where it was taken, the grade earned (converted to your grading scale if different), the high school credit awarded, and the weighting (typically AP/DE level at +1.0). The official college transcript serves as verification of the grade.
Dual enrollment is especially valuable for homeschool students because it provides external validation of academic ability. When a homeschool student earns an A in a college English course, admissions officers have independent confirmation that the student performs at college level.