Yes, you can take accredited high school classes online. There are some simple steps that you need to follow to enroll in a high school online. You need to create a Parent Portal Account. In general, the Parent Portal provides access to your virtual application, quick links and real-time alerts to vital info.

Make sure to offer basic information. Just fill in the fields with your kid’s info. Go ahead and choose your school. Pick your school from the list and hit submit. Get admissions questions answered. You will have to offer more detailed info about your student and take part in a pre-approval telephone conversation with a certain enrollment consultant. And then you might have to submit required documentation. Go ahead and upload documents like proof of residency and a birth certificate.

How to transfer to an online high school?

Plan beforehand

Students need to do their best in order to avoid leaving a school mid-year. Else, they risk losing credit for classes which are taken or may have to jump through various hoops in order to be able to continue their current courses online. Try to set the end of your current term as a deadline for getting the other steps completed.

Look into your options

On the basis of their location, students might have various online high school options. Some of these may be free. However, others might not be. While researching options, go ahead and ask questions. Get to know about the online learning curriculum. Get to know if there are Advanced Placement courses. Get to know as to what kind of credentials and experience the teachers have. One of the most vital things to consider is that in case the school is not accredited, look somewhere else. Accreditation implies that the school has been vetted and caters to some basic educational standards.

Talk to the school representative

When you reach out to the school, make sure that you have an unofficial transcript in hand to expedite the overall transfer process. In general, accredited online schools ask for unofficial transcript right in the beginning so that they can gauge which classes they need to be taking to earn a diploma.

Find out which credits will transfer

Every school has its own system for figuring out which credits to accept and what courses the student will require to take to graduate. The virtual school may not accept all earned credit. However, credit needs to transfer easily if you are coming from an accredited school. In case you are a homeschooler who is transferring to a virtual school, it is hard to have a set guideline. In case they are coming from an accredited institution, it is easy for you to accept credits that way. 

Gather needed paperwork

Required paperwork might vary from one school to another. Thus, it is truly vital to talk to an administrator in order to figure out what has to be submitted. The most vital piece of paperwork is the official transcript. You might be enrolling when still taking classes at your old school. No matter what, ensure that your latest grades are sent to the virtual school for review. Apart from official transcripts, students will have to submit birth certificates, proof of residence and immunization records. Never skip the application form.

Can you start online school anytime?

It usually depends on the school. Most online schools offer multiple start dates all through the year. In many cases, students can start on any of those dates. There are many courses which are self-paced and enable students to start anytime. Most online high schools use rolling admissions or run short terms which enable students to jump in without much lag time.  

How is an online school different from a conventional school?

Virtual schools provide flexible schedules. This often implies that the classes are asynchronous or self-paced. Asynchronous implies that students do not have to be online at a certain point of time. Self-paced learning provides maximum flexibility. There are many students who tend to complete tasks in their own time over a whole term. This implies that they could finish in a week if they worked diligently. 

Similar to any conventional school, online school involves a lot of learning. Students will have to take part in classes. In general, they are assessed via exams, homework and essays. They might have to use textbooks. 

When is online high school a good option?

If you are one with unique learning styles, online learning might just be for you. Your learning styles might not mesh with traditional classrooms. Most online schools offer alternative ways of interacting with course materials, teachers and peers.

If you wish to graduate faster, go for online learning. There are many online high schools that operate 24/7. Thus, you can learn at a faster pace and graduate early. 

There are some high school students who need to work to help support their families. Online high school enables students to continue working without having to sacrifice their education.

Many a times, students’ extracurricular activities might not be school-based. These students can avail flexible scheduling which most online courses offer.

For bullying victims, online high schools are just the right option. Learning from home can be a safe option for these kids.

It is pretty hard for students to stay on track if medical issues are constantly derailing them. In such cases, learning online has some benefits. Often, it enables students to complete work when they are able to. 

If you feel like you have the right support systems, online high school might be a good option for you. A facilitator is often needed to enable high school students to reach their full potential. 

If you are staying in a rural area, online school is for you. Certain subjects may not be offered because the traditional school is understaffed. For rural teens, a virtual high school provides convenience. Often these give them access to a good number of resources and class options.