High School Distance Learning Programs for Teens & Gifted Students

By: Homefires Contributors

Many colleges and universities offer high school correspondence courses. For parents of teens and gifted students who may be wondering (panicking) about providing a challenging and enriching curriculum, the programs listed below may offer some help. Most allow enrollment all through the year so there are no deadlines to meet. And, of course, your student can move through the course at his/her own pace as most programs allow generous periods for completion. Some of these programs offer dual credit -- the student can earn both high school credit and college credit at the same time. The fees for these courses and associated materials varies widely.

Note: The last program on this list is not a high school program, but specifically designed for Gifted and Talented students in 5th-7th grades.

Distance Learning Programs

The Center For Media and Independent Learning (CMIL) is a division of the University of California Extension program. CMIL provides a core curriculum of high school correspondence courses, designed and selected specifically for California students, which meet UC's "a-f" requirements. Courses offered include English (9-12), Languages (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Spanish), Mathematics (Algebra, Geometry, &  Trigonometry), Science (Health Science, Biology, Physics), and Social Studies (Civics, World Geography, World History, American History, Economics). For enrollment information and/or a free catalog describing the program and classes call (510) 642-4124 or write Center for Media and Independent Learning, UC Extension, 2223 Fulton St., Berkeley, CA 94720.

University of Missouri Center for Distance and Independent Study - Offers an amazing number of interesting courses at the elementary, high school, and university level. Tuition varies, depending on the level of course a student takes. Easy enrollment. Students may enroll at any time and have up to twelve months to complete the course. Mail-in, e-mail and online classes are all offered. Contact: Center for Distance and Independent Study, University of Missouri, 136 Clark Hall, Columbia, MO 65211. (800) 609-3727. E-mail:cdis@missouri.edu.

Texas Tech University High School - Offers a complete diploma curriculum and is accredited by TX Board of Ed. Undergraduate courses are also offered. Contact: Guided Study, Texas Tech University, Box 42191, Lubbock, TX 79409-2191. (800) 692-6877.

Lincoln Independent Study High School - Offered through the Univ. Of Nebraska. Various course delivery systems are available such as printed materials, video tapes, etc. Contact: Dept. Of Distance Education, Division of Continuing Studies, Clifford Hardin, Nebraska Center for Continuing Education, Room 269, 33rd and Holdrege Streets, Lincoln, NE 68583-9800. (402) 472-4321.

University of Wisconsin Extension - Offers hundreds of college and high school courses. Enrollment open all year. Students work at their own pace and may take twelve months to finish each course. Contact: UW Extension, Independent Study, 104 Extension Building, 432 North Lake Street, Madison, WI 53706-1498. (800) 442-6460.

Indiana University Homeschooling Courses for High School Students - offers over 170 high school and university courses in 38 subject areas. Dual-credit courses that enable teens to earn transferable university credits while meeting high school requirements. Budget friendly. Parents can take courses along with teen or take them on your own! AA and BA degrees available through correspondence courses as well. Indiana University, Division of Extended Studies, Owen Hall 001, Bloomington, IN 47405-5201. 1-800-334-1011 Email: extend@indiana.edu.

Gifted Programs

The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth - This program is specifically designed to identify and challenge young students with academic talent. Each year, CTY conducts two major talent searches in the US: 1)Talent Search: 5th and 6th Grades and 2) Talent Search: 7th Grade. The searches seek to identify students with exceptional mathematical and/or verbal abilities. Students who qualify are invited to participate in a variety of distance learning programs, museum days, and summer programs. Fifth and sixth graders take the PLUS exam and seventh graders take the SAT I. Early pre-registration for the PLUS exam is essential as the deadline usually falls in mid-October. A pre-qualifying standardized achievement test is required. For more information about this program: The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218. (410)-516-0278. Or,. CTY Western Regional Office, 206 North Jackson St., #304, Glendale, CA 91206. (818) 500-9034.