Some people consider high school the best years of their lives even decades later. Other teens can’t wait to be done with it so they can move onto bigger and better things. Does your child fall into the latter category? If so, they might benefit from online schooling. An option like CMASAS removes many of the interpersonal obstacles that make teens dread going to school each day and by allowing them to work at their own pace, they can graduate early and start college sooner.
Below, we discuss how to graduate high school early online, the benefits of doing so, and how Christa McAuliffe Academy School of Arts and Sciences can help.
The Benefits of Graduating From High School Early
There’s no reason that high school has to take four years to complete. For many students, a traditional high school curriculum leaves them feeling bored and uninspired. They might have the ability to ace all of their classes, but don’t put forth the effort because they simply don’t have the will to do so. Online high school and early graduation can be a game-changer in such situations. Benefits of graduating from high school early include:
More Challenging Coursework
If a student has to sit through a semester of algebra when they’re ready for calculus, it’s hard to blame them for daydreaming through class and skipping homework assignments. With an online high school like CMASAS, your teen can breeze through the subjects they’ve already mastered and move onto more challenging coursework. Our curriculum is mastery-based, which means we don’t require our students to take our classes for a set amount of time like a traditional high school program. If your child masters chemistry in a month, they’re done with it; if it takes them six months, that’s fine too.
Starting College Earlier
When students graduate from high school early, they can move right along to college. Sure, you might not want to send your 16-year-old off to live in a dorm in another state, but your local community college offers younger students an excellent opportunity to experience college life, get some credits under their belts, and put themselves in a great position to transfer to the college of their choice when they’re ready. Students who attend community college after graduating from high school early are sought after by college admissions counselors and often receive sizable scholarships and grants. You’ll also save money on college tuition and room-and-board when your teen completes a year or two of college locally before transferring.
More Time for Work
Students going into trades can graduate early and get to work out in the field, starting their apprenticeships and getting the on-the-job training they need to build a career for themselves. Others may wish to take some time off between high school and college to earn money and lessen the financial burden of higher education.
Ability to Pursue Other Interests and Opportunities
Our students don’t just go onto college or work after graduating high school early. Many of our graduates have other talents that they’d like to pursue and finishing their high school coursework early allows them to do just that. CMASAS students have gone onto careers in acting, theater, pro sports, and musical performance.
Leaving a Negative Environment
If your child wants to leave traditional high school and start online high school in order to graduate early, it may be because they want to leave behind bullies, social pressures, and other bad influences. Other students simply aren’t “into” the high school experience—they don’t want to go to dances, they’re not interested in football games, and even though there’s nothing particularly traumatic about going to school each day, they simply don’t fit in and don’t enjoy school. As parents, our initial response might be that they should tough it out—but why? If your teen would be happier and thrive in an online program, they’ll get much more out of their education.
How Online High School Can Help Your Teen Graduate Earlier
A traditional high school program is typically designed around semesters—fall, spring, and an accelerated summer semester. When students in these schools wish to graduate early, they need to give up lunch breaks and study hours or go to school year-round in order to fit in all of the credits they need. Sometimes they even attend night school classes in their rush to graduate early. The result is often a burned out student who isn’t truly understanding the material—they’re only learning enough to get by.
The CMASAS private online high school program offers students a better way. Our program is not about filling up a certain amount of space on a calendar—it’s about mastery. Once students have demonstrated that they thoroughly understand a subject, they can move onto the next. There’s no filler material or busy work. Because students don’t need to spend a full semester with each subject, it allows them to move through material faster, but with a deeper understanding of core concepts.
This model is also less stressful for students. In a traditional high school environment, students take on a massive amount of additional coursework and the best they can usually manage is to graduate a semester or two early. CMASAS won’t overload your student with more work than they can reasonably manage and if they’re a gifted student who is able to master subjects quickly, they can graduate earlier.
Essential Steps for Early Graduation
If your teen wants to graduate early from online high school, it’s important to put together a plan to help them achieve this goal. At CMASAS, each student has a Personalized Education Coach to advocate on their behalf. Your child’s coach is their point-person and will work together with them to ensure that they’re always on the right track.
Our graduation requirements abide by the standards set by our accreditation through NWAC and WASC (pending); they also meet and exceed the requirements of the Oregon State Department of Education. You can feel good knowing that even if your student is graduating early, they’re getting a rigorous education that prepares them for the next step on their journey, whether it’s a full-time job or attending a competitive university.
Graduation Requirements at CMASAS
In order to graduate early, students must:
- Earn a minimum of 25 percent of their required graduation credits from CMASAS
- Have a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average for coursework meeting college entrance requirements
- Earn 4 credits in English
- Earn 3 credits in Mathematics, including Algebra I or higher
- Earn 3 credits in Science, including a physical and life science credit
- Earn 3 credits in Social Studies, including credits in world history, US history, economics, and government or civics
- Earn 3 credits in World Language, Fine Arts, and/or Career Technical Education
- Earn 3 credits in Health & Fitness
- Earn 2-6 credits in Electives
We offer two diploma options—a standard diploma that requires 20 credits to graduate and a college prep diploma that requires 24 credits. You can read the full details of each track, as well as coursework recommendations for university and college entrance requirements, on our website.
Why Choose CMASAS for Your Child’s Online High School Program
The online high school program at CMASAS is ranked in the top 10 of The Best Schools’ 50 Best Online High School Diploma Programs list. We are widely recognized for our more personalized approach to online education. Unlike other online high schools that offer one-size-fits-all curricula and instruction, we adapt our coursework to each students’ unique interests and learning styles. Students who have struggled in the traditional classroom environment are given the opportunity to soar at CMASAS.
If your teen has felt bored and unchallenged by standard public schooling, they’ll appreciate the rigorous curriculum offered by our program. Students have the ability to take honors classes and AP coursework; we offer dual enrollment for students who would like to earn college credit while still in high school. Subjects and electives that are often eliminated by public schools due to budget cuts are available at CMASAS; when students are given more options, they’re more likely to be engaged in the learning process.
CMASAS:
- Is fully accredited
- Provides transcripts that are recognized and accepted worldwide
- Helps ensure that you meet all state and local requirements for your child’s education
- Has highly qualified credentialed instructors
- Offers opportunities for extracurricular activities and clubs
- Has NCAA-approved high school core courses
- Provides students with the opportunity to join the National Honor Society
- Allows students to work as slow or as fast as they like; our goal is not to simply graduate students but to ensure that they truly understand material and have the tools needed to be lifelong learners
Learn More About How Your Teen Can Graduate Early From CMASAS
Whether your child is a current student at CMASAS or they’re considering transferring in order to graduate early, we’re happy to discuss the requirements with you online or over the phone. Contact us today at 888-832-9437 to learn more about how our program can help your teen realize their full potential.
