WavesOfFire

I am not entirely sure whether this is the correct place to post this question, but please do not scream at me if it is not. Polite corrections are welcome. =)

Anyway, hello; I am a high school freshman looking for some advice. My school uses a "4 by 4 schedule" in which each semester is equal to a full year of a class (if that makes any sense). Next semester I am registered for Biology (regular course; my school does not offer honors classes in the sciences). However, I would like to take an Honors Biology course instead, possibly online, especially as my future teacher is apparently very . . . out there, spacey, insane, whatever you wish to call it. As a result, I am worried that I may not find this class as interesting or informative as I might have otherwise. I have looked all over the Internet for such a course, but I would love to hear some first-hand experiences and recommendations. I am looking for a class that is interesting and informative, especially one with labs (hopefully both simulated and hands-on/at-home). FLVS and JHU CTY both seem like fairly good options, but I am a bit concerned about their prices; although I have certainly not thrown them out of the range of possibility, I would love to find a great, interactive course that does not have to take so much out of the pocket.

Thank you very much! =)

halcyonheather

Will your school let you test out of the class after studying the material on your own?
I've gotten credit for several classes at my school just doing that. Entirely free.

WavesOfFire

@halcyonheather: Hmm, that is a good idea. I am not sure, but I will certainly look into it. Thank you. =)

For now, my original question still stands for other members; do any of you know any good online schools for honors science courses? Thank you in advance.

ijamjl

I can't contribute much but I want give my opinion for online classes: don't do it. I don't find the learning experience the same, and unless you have a strong motivation when self-studying, you'll fall behind.

EveningSwan

Coursera has a wide variety of courses, except none of them deal directly with biology.

WavesOfFire

@ijamjl: Thank you for your input. However, although for the most part I agree, I have decided that in this particular case it would be better for me to take the course online.

@EveningSwan: I appreciate your response. I have been to the Coursera website, but unfortunately it does not appear to be quite what I am looking for. Thank you, though.

If anyone else could help, that would be fantastic!

halcyonheather

If the cost of CTY is an issue and your family doesn't make too much, I imagine you could get financial aid from them.
I think Northwestern CTD Gifted LearningLinks might be slightly cheaper, but the price range is similar.

You could see if you could take an intro bio course at a community college during the summer. Might cost a little less.

WavesOfFire

@halcyonheather: I actually have not brought up my plans to my parents yet; they make a fair amount (I'm not saying we are rich, but I have checked out the financial aid criteria, and we would not qualify), and they may not actually have a problem with it. I simply want to cost them as little as possible for my near-addiction to school as possible without compromising my education. Also, I will be taking courses over the summer, but I have free time right now so I figure I ought to make the most of it while it lasts. =) Thank you for the suggestions, however.

Any other opinions are of course welcome and sought after. =)

WavesOfFire

I probably will end up self-studying; thank you very much for the idea, halcyonheather. =)