Is that the case for college courses taken at the actual college, versus college-in-the-high-school (taught by a high school teacher following a curriculum provided by a college)?
Case by case basis. Not sure how common the 2nd scenario isâŠI havenât seen that much personally, and if itâs not in the school report, admissions would have no way of knowing this (unless itâs a school that admissions visits/is familiar with.)
College-in-the-high-school seems to be common enough that some colleges give transfer credit only for college courses taken at an actual college, taught by college instructors, and available to the collegeâs students.
Example: Transferring Credits
3 Likes
I am not sure what the Cornell link has to do with how common DE courses taught in HS might be. Regardless, all of this is off topic. So if thereâs something else you feel you need to discuss you can PM me.
Spinning off the discussion about DE classes into its own thread so the discussion can continue!
To muddy the waters even more, my Dâs HS had a limited number of DE classes taught at the HS but partnered with a university to use the universityâs course syllabi. And, all the DE teachers were require to go through an in person special training at that university and then were listed as adjuncts. The DE classes were both on the HS transcript and also on a college transcript from that university. It was weird!
D did get credit for both classes but Purdue required a lot more documentation including copies of all the syllabi that were reviewed by the academic advisors. She didnât hear that they were accepted until a week before classes started. AP credits were much, much more straight forward.
Since sheâs graduated, the high school has moved to partnering with an instate local university for what they call CCP classes (college credit plus). All in state universities will accept those credits. Seems like it was a shift across the state to try to help reduce college costs by shaving off a year or two of college. All the CCP classes are free to students. But, these CCP courses are definitely NOT as rigorous as the schoolâs APs.
PS. Cornell is notoriously stingy with allowing transfer credits of any kind.
1 Like
FWIW, my D26 actually asked this question to a couple of moderately-selective colleges as sheâs trying to decide whether to take a calc-based physics class through the local university (not a CC) or take an online AP Physics C class. She emailed the admissions counselors and asked if they generally had a preference. She was basically told that it didnât matter to them. Both said to take whatever fit her schedule better and that the difference wouldnât be material.
That said, she did NOT ask about transferring credits or getting credit for the AP score, she was purely interested in which would be preferred from an admissions perspective.
3 Likes
I think the original question was AP vs DE in terms of rigor. And that answer is âit depends.â
As far as Cornell and credit, I donât think any Ivy gives DE credit whether taken in HS or outside; they call it âpreparation for college.â Although some will give credit toward the degree for summer courses taken at their university before enrollment
3 Likes
that is what is offered at one of my kids schoolâs too. A HS teacher, trained by a university professor teaches the DE course (I think there are 2-3). The class is on both transcripts (if one wants them to be and pays for the DE part). It is counted as an AP weighting for GPA.
That is only DE offered there that I know of in the district.
I will never know how AOs looked at it, surely as at least honors level rigor but probably are a bit unsure if it is âhardâ as AP Euro or whatever.
Generally I have read from âinternet expertsâ (e.g. former AOs) that they prefer APs over DE, but clearly this is nuanced depending on availability and individual schools, etc.
1 Like
At our school, you took AP until you were past - and then they had DE (right on campus, but taught by profs from the local JC).
Most colleges just want students - so most likely donât care.
But I know on the CC, we talk about the âeliteâ of the âeliteââŠand yeah, maybe for them, it matters whichâŠ
1 Like
Our HS doesnât have DE. Of course, students can take classes at the local CC or at our local university, on their own time.
âDE classes taught at the high schoolâ seems like a weird idea to me. Arenât those just high school classes? Our HS has some classes that use syllabi and textbooks from the university, but they are just considered advanced high school classes (some are not even designated honors).
1 Like
My daughter and son said they were easier than HS classes 
Technically, they were college classes taught by the same faculty, with the same class #, as the local two year school.
Iâm not sure why the HS doesnât offer a higher level class - but itâs just how itâs set up (in our district).
Itâs always interesting to hear how much DE classes differ by state. In California (or at least in our area) these are known as Concurrent Enrollment classes and offered at the community college with community college students and taught by the community college professors. Our local community colleges are very well respected. And I think UC school especially understand these classes well.
I would say about half of the students at our large public school take at least one concurrent enrollment class. Some take 5 or even 10 - after school, evenings, summers, etc. My children have found these classes to be rigorous and much more interesting than their AP classes. There are so many more subject choices than you have in high school.
Iâm not an adcom so I canât speak overall to how they are viewed, but for my two high school grads so far, it seems like they were well received. They each took a number of classes in subjects that interested them that werenât offered at their high school. In my mind, maybe itâs looked at as another extracurricular? Something you do in your free time that you are passionate aboutâŠ
Along the lines of an AP class, there are specific standards to designate the class as DE, and the instructor has to be qualified to teach the class as a college-level class. For DE, âcollege levelâ means community college or intro-level in a four-year college, so usually some state higher ed entity will establish the standards, and the instructor has to have at least a Masterâs degree (I donât know if it has to be in the discipline, or if can just be an MEd, etc.). That means the instructor could be a college professor or a HS teacher, and the class could be taught in the HS or at a college (CC or 4-year public), depending on the arrangements allowed in each school district. However, the classes are usually not designed to be as rigorous as an AP class, and there is no national exam for students to take, so in actuality, rigor varies widely. Typically, a qualifying grade in a DE class will allow a student to use it as transfer credit to a community college or an in-state public, but as I understand it, out-of-state transfer credit is more difficult to arrange (unlike APs, which transfer more widely).
So, to answer your question â a typical DE class is faster-paced than a typical HS level class, but not so much as an AP class, and the actual student experience will vary.
1 Like
My D26 will be taking a DE class at her school. The college prof will come to the HS to teach the class. Her school is weighting it as an âhonorsâ class so I am thinking it will show up on her transcript as an honors class. Kinda bummed about that as she really wants the credit and rigor for a DE class. There is no AP equivalent for this class.
She might ask her HS counselor how this shows up on the transcript, and/or if itâs covered in the high school report. If itâs not obvious that itâs DE, she could explain the class in the additional info section of her common app.
The school where I read apps would consider any CC or 4 yr college course taken during HS as DE. Whether thru the HS, or not. Even if itâs not called DE. Even if the teacher doesnât have special training.
1 Like
Where we live itâs a college class. ENGL 1010 and 1020 at our local JC.
The transcript comes from the college.
Edit to clarify for immediate comments after - our DE is taught by a college professor on the hs campus. Itâs not students going to the college although perhaps an option as well.
1 Like
Even if it shows up only on the studentâs college record, rather than both college and high school records (what âdualâ seems to imply)?
If it is a âdualâ enrollment course, it should result in a college record and grade as well as a high school record and grade.
Note that college courses and their grades while in high school do get included when applying to graduate and professional schools (or transfer to a different college), even when high school records are not considered.
Yep. DE doesnât have to be thru the HS. I understand that doesnât meet the âtechnicalâ definition for some. Plenty of HS students take courses at a local CC that arenât thru their HS. This is more common in some areas of the country than others. And more common when a student attends a relatively weak HS.