Your student earns high school and college credit at the same time — and we guide your family step by step through the entire process, showing you exactly what courses to take, how to get them, and how to transfer to the right school for a fraction of the cost of traditional college.
Get Started FreeDual credit through alternative credit — and as a homeschool family, you're in the perfect position to use it.
Alternative credit is real, transferable college credit earned through self-paced online courses (Sophia, Study.com) or standardized exams (CLEP & DSST) — at a fraction of the cost of traditional tuition.
As the homeschool parent, you control the transcript. When your student passes a CLEP U.S. History exam, you list "American History (Honors)" on their high school transcript — and they also have 3 transferable college credits. One effort, two credits.
There is no minimum age for CLEP or DSST exams. Sophia requires age 13+. Your student can start as early as 9th grade and accumulate 60–90+ college credits before graduating high school.
* Total estimated cost varies based on pace and financial aid. Charter funds may offset a significant portion.
Your student chooses the method that fits how they learn — or uses a combination of both. No one is locked into one approach.
Not sure which method is right? That's what your coach is for. They'll help determine what type of alternative credit works best for your student's learning style, degree goals, and pacing — and build a plan that uses the right mix of both.
$1,100
That's the average amount saved for every 3-credit course your student completes through our program instead of at a traditional college.
Because your student is still in high school, you're free to supplement their learning with any materials you choose. These courses and exams serve as the core curriculum — counting for both college and high school credit — but you can layer on books, projects, co-op classes, field trips, or anything else that enriches the experience. You're not giving up your homeschool freedom. You're adding college credit on top of it.
Your student can try the process, take their first course or exam, earn real credits, and see if this way of learning works for them.
If they love it and you can see it working, you can pay for coaching to continue through most of the degree this way. If not, cancel and keep the credits they already earned. No credit card required to start.
How your student earns a fully accredited bachelor's degree — the exact same degree and diploma you'd get attending in person.
Meet a coach for free, ask questions, and see if this is a good fit. Your coach builds a custom roadmap around your student's schedule, learning style, and goals. Choose between self-paced courses, exams, or both. Your student doesn't need to know what degree they want yet — most start with general education courses that apply to any major.
Your coach tells your student exactly what to take and in what order. Meet monthly to stay on track. Go as fast as you want. Every 3-credit course saves an average of $1,100 compared to traditional tuition.
Transfer credits to a regionally accredited university that accepts the majority of the degree from alternative credit. Complete the final 30–40 credits online and graduate with a fully accredited bachelor's degree — the exact same degree and diploma as any on-campus graduate. Financial aid is available for this portion.
You pay for coaching. You pay the credit providers separately for courses or exams (not us). That's it.
Course materials are separate: Sophia is $99/month, CLEP exams are $97 each (often free through Modern States). Your coach guides you to the most cost-effective options.
Many California charter schools that serve homeschool families provide $3,000–$4,500+ per year in instructional funds. These can often cover Sophia subscriptions, coaching fees, prep materials, and more. Ask your charter school if educational coaching and alternative credit platforms are approved vendors.
Choose the degree that fits your student's goals — or start with general ed and decide later.
Credits earned through CLEP, DSST, and Sophia are designed to transfer to regionally accredited universities known for accepting alternative credit. This pathway leads to a degree from one of these universities — not from a local state university (UC, CSU) or private college. Your coach will explain exactly how this works so there are no surprises.
Elementary teaching, school administration, curriculum design
Law enforcement, federal agencies, corrections, probation/parole
Counseling, social services, human resources, youth services
Public relations, marketing, journalism, media production
Secondary teaching, writing, editing, publishing, content creation
Secondary teaching, museum work, government, law school prep
Social work, community outreach, nonprofit management
Management, business operations, organizational leadership
Art education, graphic design, museum curation, creative direction
Teaching, writing, nonprofit work, graduate studies
Law school prep, ethics consulting, teaching, critical analysis
Cultural research, international development, archaeology
Technology management, IT leadership, project management
This program works for the degrees listed above. It does not work for career fields requiring specialized accreditation, clinical hours, or lab-based coursework — including medicine, nursing, engineering, architecture, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary science, and licensed therapy/counseling programs. If your student is interested in one of these fields, we're happy to discuss options, but this accelerated pathway is not the right fit.
The Homeschool College Accelerator is for any student — whether they're 14 and just starting high school, 17 and about to graduate, or already finished with high school and looking for an affordable way to earn a degree.
Your student can start this process at any point. Even if they've already graduated, they can still use alternative credit to earn a bachelor's degree for a fraction of what traditional college costs. There's no deadline and no age limit.
This is not a shortcut, a gimmick, or a lesser degree. Here's why.
Sophia Learning requires students to be at least 13 years old. CLEP and DSST exams have no minimum age requirement. A motivated 9th grader can begin earning transferable college credit immediately.
No. Most students start with general education courses that count toward any degree. Your coach helps your student explore options and choose a major when they're ready. There's no rush to decide upfront.
This program works for students at any stage — including those who have already finished high school. They can still use alternative credit to earn a bachelor's degree for a fraction of the cost. The process is the same.
Yes. CLEP exams are administered by the College Board. Sophia courses are ACE-recommended. Both produce real, transferable college credits accepted by regionally accredited universities — the same level of accreditation held by schools like Rutgers, Penn State, and UCLA. The diploma your student receives is identical to that of any on-campus graduate.
This pathway is designed for regionally accredited universities that specialize in accepting alternative credit. These credits will NOT transfer to most UC, CSU, or private colleges in the same way. Your student's degree will come from one of these transfer-friendly universities. Your coach will explain this clearly so there are no surprises.
Many California charter schools that serve homeschool families provide $3,000–$4,500+ per year in instructional funds that can cover Sophia subscriptions, coaching fees, and course materials. Check with your charter school to see if educational coaching and alternative credit platforms are approved vendors.
Absolutely. Your student chooses the method that fits how they learn. Sophia offers self-paced courses with short quizzes — no big final exam. CLEP and DSST are for students who prefer to prove mastery through a single test. Most students mix and match. No one is locked into one approach.
Nothing. Your student can try the process, take their first course or exam, earn real credits, and decide if it's a good fit — all before paying us anything. If you love it, coaching is $100/month or $950/year. If not, walk away and keep the credits you earned. No credit card required to start.
This pathway does not work for career fields requiring specialized accreditation, clinical hours, or lab-based coursework — including medicine, nursing, engineering, architecture, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary science, and licensed therapy/counseling programs. For the 13 degree programs we offer, it works beautifully.
If your student is taking our free Biology or World History courses at Life Foundations Academy, they're building the foundation to pass the corresponding CLEP exam — which earns real college credit. The Homeschool College Accelerator maps the full pathway from high school courses to a complete bachelor's degree.
Your student gets to try the process, earn their first credits, and see if it's a good fit.
If you love it, we'd love to work with you. Until then, don't pay us a penny.
Get Started — It's Free