Will Colleges Accept My Independent Study Credits?

I did some independent study during high school. Can those be transferred for college credit? If yes, how does the process typically work?

Yes, many colleges will accept high school independent study credits. However, it largely depends on the college, the nature of the independent study, and how your high school has categorized these credits. Broadly speaking, here are three common scenarios:

1. If your high school recognizes your independent study as a regular course and awards credit for it, then that class will appear on your transcript that your school sends to colleges. Each college then interprets your transcript according to its own policies.

2. Some independent studies may be more akin to extracurricular activities or self-study, and aren't officially recognized as classes on your high school transcript. In this case, colleges usually regard them as impressive extracurricular activities rather than academic credits. So while these independent studies won't directly count toward graduation requirements at the college, they can still play a positive role in the application process.

3. If your independent study was tied to or resulted in AP or college-level coursework (for instance, if you self-studied for an AP exam), colleges might award you credit based on your score on the associated AP exam or final exam in the college course.

To find out more about the credit transfer process, you should reach out to the admissions office of the schools you're interested in. They should be able to provide more information about their policies for accepting high school independent study credits.