Hi peeps. I've found some free online independent study courses that I can take outside of my high school curriculum. Would colleges consider these legit? Would they count them as rigorous or nah?
Hello! It's great to see you taking the initiative to further your education independently. When it comes to college admissions, accredited online courses can indeed be recognized as part of your academic profile.
However, the emphasis here is on accredited courses: you want to make sure the courses you've found are from reputable sources. Colleges generally look for rigor in your coursework, so if these courses are challenging and related to your desired field of study, they could strengthen your application.
For example, if you're interested in computer science and take advanced online programming courses, it can show colleges your dedication to learning beyond the traditional classroom. Keep in mind that it will help if the online courses can provide some form of certification or credit upon completion.
On the other hand, if you take a course you found on a website that colleges have never heard of, that likely won't do much of anything to move the needle during applications. If you're wondering whether the courses you've found will be viewed as reputable or not, you can do some research online to see what education publications are saying about them, or check in with your high school teachers in those subjects to see if they're familiar with them.
Best of luck with your studies!
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