FAQ - High School - Selecting Courses for Credit

How many credits can my student earn in one school year? Is there some limit to the credits possible in a semester or school year, including summer classes?
How can my student earn a credit?
Does a 1 semester course of dual enrollment count as 0.5 credits?
How many credits does my child need to graduate?
Does my student have to take every subject she had at her previous school for this semester?
What about Summer School?

Q: How many credits can my student earn in one school year? Is there some limit to the credits possible in a semester or school year, including summer classes?

A: There is no firm limit, however, we usually recommend no more than seven or eight per year. Seven or eight credits mean that a student is studying nearly seven hours a day for 180 days. We have granted more but only in special circumstances. Most of the time, if a student wants to work ahead it is best to put the extra credits in one of his summer sessions. This looks better on the transcript and is less work during the regular school year.

I hope this helps answer your question. If you are going to go over eight credits in the regular school year plus three more during the summer please e-mail records@homelifeacademy.com to seek approval. Please include a detailed explanation along with your student's full name. Thank you and have a great day.

Q: How can my student earn a credit?

A: We consider a credit to be the equivalent of 150 classroom hours. This can include reading, writing, research, practice, performing, or computer use related to the subject matter. A 50-minute class each day for 180 days (the number of days in a school year) equals 150 hours. It is not necessary, however, to do the course in 50-minute increments. Other factors can maximize the quality of time for each subject such as personal tutoring, or a motivated student doing work on his/her own (as opposed to being in a classroom setting).

Q: Does a 1 semester course of dual enrollment count as 0.5 credits?

A: That depends on the number of hours put into the course and in this case how much credit the college is giving. A credit is considered the equivalent of approximately 150 hours of education. If the college is giving a full credit then you may as well, assuming their credit values are the same. Do contact us if you have questions. Hope this helps.

Q: How many credits does my child need to graduate?

A: Twenty one credits are required to graduate. Normally, high school lasts four (4) years; therefore, one would suppose a student should take five (5) courses per year. However, it may be better to take more courses in the ninth and tenth grades, when a student has more time to pursue academics. As the student gets older, it is possible that apprenticeships, part-time jobs, driving, and other activities will leave less time for academics. The student pursuing a college-track program will also need more time to apply for scholarships and fill out applications for admission, etc. Keep in mind, if the student transfers back into another school system (public or private), generally no more than eight (8) of the credits per year will be accepted as transfer credits. These schools may also require placement tests for subjects taught at home before they will accept the credits

Although HLA requires 21 credits for graduation, a student can earn more than 21. Electives are a great way to accomplish more credits.

The state of TN indicates only 20 credits are required. It is true that a student can graduate with only 20 credits. However, many scholarships require 21 and it also looks better to have more than the minimum. Therefore, HLA requires 21. Some schools require as many as 28 or more. It is up to the school to determine how many credits they will require.

Q: Does my student have to take every subject she had at her previous school for this semester?

A: No, she does not. You are the trusted teacher of HLA and we let you make those decisions. You may want to come back to some subjects later to fulfill the credit requirements before graduation. Find what works best for you and your student and do that. We do highly recommend downloading a planning sheet from our High School pages to help you set goals and make sure all credits are finished before the desired graduation date.

Q: What about Summer School?

A: Between the eighth and ninth, the ninth and tenth, or the tenth and eleventh grades, it is possible to take up to three summer school credits per summer (with a unit of English being one of the courses). The summer school is typically expected to take 55-60 days. Should a student transfer to another school system, generally only two summer school courses per year will be accepted as transfer credits. Please bear this in mind when choosing your courses. Please submit summer school grades by the end of August.