Report cards can bring surprises, sometimes good and sometimes not. If your student is struggling with a particular high school course or has already failed one, you know the bitter disappointment and embarrassment this causes. Moreover, you are likely worried what long-term damage this may cause to your student's potential college acceptance.
If your high school student has failed a course (or even received a lower grade than desired), you don't have to give up and let it stay on his transcript. If you feel your student can achieve a higher grade with help or extra time, consider retaking a high school course online.
Retaking a high school course online gives your student:
1. More time – Taking a course again online means you don't have to re-take the course during summer school (unless desired), and you can get started often immediately depending on the online school's enrollment. This saves months of time if you have to wait a whole calendar year to retake a certain course at traditional school.
2. More help – Often a failed course is not a surprise if your student was struggling the whole year long. If your student simply needs more one-on-one instruction and tutoring type help to understand concepts, online school is a good option since distance learning teachers can help answer your student's specific questions.
3. More privacy – Retaking a failed course can be disappointing, but even harder when having to do it at traditional school where peers and teachers know. Online school gives your student a safe, encouraging environment for making up credits without putting a dent in his self-esteem.
4. More flexibility – Online schools can offer lessons available via internet so your student can retake a course easily while still enjoying summer or working on current courses. Schedules with online school lessons are often flexible to student needs and speed of mastery.
5. More acceptable credits – Parents shy away from online high school courses since they are afraid their student's current school won't accept them. Check with your school's office and see what they'll accept. Accredited online schools offer credits that often meet or exceed academic standards of your current school.
6. More accountability – It's easy to give up when you fall so far behind. For your student it looks like a mountain to climb when he's failed a course. Online school not only pushes your student to improve on a previous grade; it also starts building independent learning skills and the maturity your student needs to succeed after high school.
7. More variety – Your student probably knows the in's and out's of all the teachers and courses available in his current school. If his algebra or chemistry teacher doesn't promise to be much help the second time around, online school can give your student a better chance at success with a different teacher, course layout, or new ways in concept explanations.
By retaking a failed high school course with an online school your student has less time to feel bad, plus he can focus on the future and not the past. Quickly retaking a course will also help since course content is still fresh in his mind. Consider online school to keep your learner on pace for graduation with a transcript he can be proud of.
Does your student's school make it easy to retake a class?