Uncategorized – The Independent Learner

Dual Enrollment Examined

You may have heard the term “dual enrollment” before, but what does it mean? Dual enrollment, at its core, is a program that allows students to earn both high school credit and college credit for completing qualified courses. There are many advantages to taking dual enrollment courses, but there are a few things that are important to consider before signing up. Let’s take a closer look and examine these factors:

Advantages

Save time and money

By taking courses in high school that count for both high school and college credit, you save yourself from having to take that same course (or a similar requirement) again in college. Dual enrollment high school courses are also very cost effective since these courses are generally a fraction of the cost of a typical college course!

Explore other interests

Dual enrollment courses can help students satisfy general education requirements before heading to college, which means more time in your schedule to explore other interesting subject areas, join extracurricular activities, study abroad or participate in internships.

Get ahead, graduate early

If you decide to take several dual enrollment courses during high school, you can get ahead with enough credit to graduate early with your postsecondary degree and begin working on your life plans. This could mean starting your career, attending graduate school, or any other number of paths.

Complete college courses online

Many dual enrollment courses can be completed physically in a high school classroom or on a college campus. However, like the University of Nebraska High School (UNHS), other schools offer dual enrollment online, providing flexible college-level coursework to students no matter their location or circumstance.

Considerations

Check to make sure credit will transfer

While many colleges and universities accept dual enrollment credit, the requirements vary from institution to institution. Students should check to make sure that the college they intend to apply to will accept credit earned through dual enrollment.

You will need to meet your high school’s requirements

Most high schools require dual enrollment students to meet a particular standard. Often this involves a certain class standing (junior or senior) and a minimum GPA. Always double-check to see if you meet the necessary requirements before enrolling in a dual enrollment program.

NCAA status can be affected

NCAA policies on accepting dual enrollment transfer credit may vary based on many different factors and circumstances. In some cases, taking college courses in high school can start eligibility clocks early. Though some student athletes experience no problems participating in dual enrollment, students are encouraged to work with academic advisers and the NCAA to make sure that dual enrollment will not negatively affect their future NCAA participation.

Dual enrollment is a great opportunity for motivated high school students to earn college credit while also saving time and money on future college expenses. Are you considering dual enrollment? UNHS currently offers 10 dual enrollment courses in partnership with the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO). For details on approved courses, eligibility requirements, application instructions and registration deadlines, visit the UNHS website.

If you have any questions, contact a UNHS academic adviser to discuss if dual enrollment would best fit your needs.

Resilience

hugh-dec2020-blog — Hugh McDermott, principal, UNHS

Editor’s note: A post on this topic was originally published in April 2016 and has been updated with a note from the author, Principal Hugh McDermott:

The current COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on each of us in some way. During this time, I have had first-hand knowledge as to how students and parents have demonstrated their resilience through unprecedented challenges. Disruptions to everyday life such as work, school, athletics, and other extracurricular activities have forced many of our students to return and remain at home. Parents and other responsible adults within households have had to become test proctors overnight and many have witnessed the unique struggles students face in their everyday course learnings. Through this, students have shown how they are able to adapt and overcome barriers to learning. Over much of this past year, students and families have had to approach schoolwork in many different and new ways that have stretched persistence and re-imagined resilience. As I reflect on the current obstacles that many of us have been facing, a previous piece I wrote in April 2016 on the topic of resilience came to mind. As now, more than ever, we have seen the importance of resilience and how it continues to resonate within our communities.

We hope everyone remains safe and healthy during this unique time and that we are able to see an end soon to the disruptions brought on by this pandemic.

As a former English teacher, there are some words I just love—like “resilience.” What is resilience, really? Merriam-Webster defines it as, “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” I love this meaning and what it stands for, and it’s very easy for me to recall example after example of resilience throughout my career.

As a principal, I have witnessed many students demonstrate resilience. For example, with students who struggled to pass their courses, their displays of resilience were often admirable. Many of these students knew they were struggling in their classes—in fact, some had been struggling academically for years! Yet they persisted and saw their courses through to a successful completion and ultimately earned their high school diploma.

Sometimes as a teacher, counselor, or principal, we would discover more about these students from a context outside of the school setting. It was then we better understood the word resilience! Many times, these students came from very difficult personal situations—a broken household, abuse, or low-income families. Even though they were dealing with these troubles, many students did not have an attendance problem. They liked being at school, and once we figured out together how they could be successful, nothing stopped them from overcoming obstacles.

I think resilience springs eternal and internal within each of us. Everyone exhibits some degree of resilience throughout their lives, but how we nurture it makes us all different. Many students who struggle on a daily basis with life circumstances display resilience, but during difficult times, it must seem like it’s nearly extinguished. Others guard and protect their resilience because they feel it is all they have. No matter the situation, your resilience will pay off if you work hard enough.

As educators, we carry a responsibility of inspiring hope within all our students. Students have their hopes and dreams, whatever they are, and it is our job to encourage them, support them, and motivate them into believing anything is possible.

What examples of resilience have you witnessed or what have you overcome?

Productive Study Strategies for Homeschool Families

Whether you’re a seasoned homeschooler or got your first experience with homeschool through the COVID-19 pandemic, you can always create a more productive home study environment for your family.

At the University of Nebraska High School, we have been developing distance learning curriculum for over 90 years. The academic success of each student is our top priority, and an important part of that success is productive, healthy home study strategies.

Read on to give your study routine a boost before the new school year.

1. Establish a schedule and stick with it.

One of the nice things about homeschooling high school is the flexibility you can have with your child’s schedule. You can build in time for extracurricular activities, rehearsals, and practices beyond the regular curriculum with a lower risk of burnout. UNHS courses can be completed at your student’s pace and at any time of day, so you have plenty of freedom to build the ideal schedule.

Once you find a schedule that works, develop it into a routine for optimal results. A reliable schedule makes it easier to consistently study, and regular, predictable studying habits help students retain information better than occasional bursts of studying.

2. Rely on your teachers and advisers.

Just because your family has chosen to homeschool, doesn’t mean you have to manage your child’s entire education alone. UNHS teachers, advisers and customer support staff can be contacted during weekdays and are happy to help you and your student solve problems.

By the time a student reaches high school, he or she should be equipped to independently study for periods of time. However, during independent study, it can be useful for your student to have an expert resource like a teacher to briefly discuss a problem with. UNHS staff members are friendly and passionate about elevating students to new levels of success.

3. Create concrete goals.

Measurable goals with reasonable benchmarks are a simple and fun way to motivate students to achieve more. You and your child can set an overarching goal for each course, then break down that goal into smaller objectives that he or she can accomplish in each unit or lesson.

Be sure to write down each goal and the steps your student needs to take to achieve them, then display the list in a visible place. A physical reminder of a goal makes it easier to reach. Work with your student to monitor progress and feel free to adjust goals to better fit your student’s learning needs. Developing productive study strategies is an evolving process, so don’t be afraid to change direction and try something else.

UNHS is an accredited online high school that prepares students for college and beyond with a wide variety of challenging courses. Visit our website, browse our courses, or contact us today to learn more!

Regrets Only

**Raymond Henning, UNHS Academic Adviser**

Regrets only,
On some invitations to special events, the person who sends the invite is asking for “regrets only” or just wanting to be notified if the invited person is unable to attend. If the host or hostess doesn’t hear back that the invitee cannot show up, the event coordinator expects the invited guest to be a part of the festivity.

Have you ever received this type of invitation?

If you do not have an obvious conflict or an unplanned emergency and if you really want to attend, you most likely will enjoy going to the special event.

Relating this reply to other everyday situations, I hope your life is not filled with many “regrets only” responses if you really want to be a part of something. Using a sports analogy, I hope you choose to “get in the game” by being an active participant, not a bystander.

As you may well know, there are some obvious risks for participating, both good and bad, and usually, we focus on the negative. Adverse outcomes like failure and criticism (it is especially easy to criticize today with the availability of many types of social media) are not uncommon. Some choose not to participate because they do not want to deal with these possible unfavorable results.

However, experiencing failure and withstanding criticism can actually help a person in many ways. What is the impetus for improvement if you never fail or are criticized? The by-product of learning successful problem solving and coping skills can only be developed by overcoming these obstacles as well.

I particularly like former U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt’s perspective on involvement:

“It is not the critic who counts… The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly… Who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Please consider this blog an invitation to participation in the life arena of your passion and choice.

And I hope you CHOOSE to get in the game,

No reply necessary.

Saying Yes or No to a College

After the work you have put into the college application process, acceptance letters finally start to arrive. Now that you have your options laid out in front of you, how do you know which college will be the best fit for you? For some students, one school sticks out from the rest and it’s an easy decision. For others, they may feel torn between schools.

Take a deep breath and be grateful for choices.

Compare all opportunities for final decision-making.

Make a pros and cons list for each college choice.
Compare your initial reasons for applying to a specific college to how you might feel about the opportunities after you graduate.
Remember that your college campus will become your home away from home. Select a campus that will make you feel happy, confident and challenged.

Practice etiquette when accepting an admission offer.

Sign the acceptance letter and submit the required college deposits on time. Keep in mind that May 1^st is the deadline for most colleges.
Housing, financial aid and scholarship forms must be returned before deadlines.
Order a final transcript and AP scores to send to the college.
Make notes on the calendar when tuition and room and board fees are due so that you don’t forget to pay them.
Attend pre-admission college events to meet future classmates and get to know the campus.

Remember to inform other colleges that you’ve decided to decline their offers.

Send a written note (preferably not email) prior to May 1^st.
Be grateful for their consideration.
Provide which college you will be attending and why.
Thank staff members who assisted you with the college admissions.
Note if there was a specific recruitment effort that sparked your interest to apply to their college.

Check out the UNL/UNO/UNK Tips for the Education Journey concerning housing, financial aid and scholarships.

Lots of choices can be overwhelming, but with the right process, you’re sure to find one that’s perfect for you.