Through our partnership with Ohio Christian University, Acadeum (non-biblical with Trine University, Indiana Institute of Technology, Cambridge/Baypath College and biblical with Southeastern University) and Christian Halls International (Southeastern, Dallas International Universities) Bridgeway Academy’s online College Now! program is quickly becoming a favorite among homeschoolers. High school juniors and seniors, and now some of our gifted sophomores, are completing the requirements for graduation while at the same time earning fully accredited college credits (3 credits per course)! By planning ahead, Bridgeway can help position middle and high school students for college-level courses early in their high school careers. This is a natural lead-in to our dual enrollment opportunities, where students can earn both college and high school credits with over 300 courses! With College Now! terms are offered 12 times a year between Fall and Spring semester courses at OCU and a growing selection of 8-week and 6-week courses including Summer terms through Acadeum and CHI. These online college courses allow students to interact with highly qualified professors and other students as they complete the requirements for each class. At the end of each term, students will receive one high school credit and three to four college credits for each successfully completed course. If your student is interested in pursuing the dual enrollment program, talk to your advisor in your freshman and sophomore years to ensure your student is put on the right track. Your advisor will be able to provide feedback on which courses are recommended and where to take the credit through. Textbooks for College Courses Courses taken will require that students purchase their books on their own. It is advised that students purchase them at least two weeks before the start of the course. The University will email the student which books need to be purchased after the student is fully enrolled and all paperwork completed. There will be emails 10 days, 5 days, and 2 days before classes start. Start Dates Ohio Christian University - Fall semester starts in mid-August, and students must have applied at OCU by April 15th and be enrolled at Bridgeway by July 1st. Spring semester starts in January and students must have applied at OCU by October 15th and enrolled at Bridgeway by December 1st. Acadeum- Trine University, Indiana Institute of Technology, Southeastern, and Cambridge College offer start dates almost every month for their 8-week and 6-week offerings. The application process is quick, though students must be enrolled with Bridgeway before applying at an Acadeum school. Christian Halls International- Southeastern, and Dallas International Universities – Fall semester starts in mid-August and students must have applied to CHI and their chosen university by August 1st and be enrolled at Bridgeway by the same date. Spring semester starts in early January and students must have applied to CHI and their chosen university by December 15th and be enrolled by the same date. Students are also placed in a “Homeroom” at Bridgeway where updates are given by the dual-enrollment advisors, links to extra help are provided, and students can engage with each other on a forum. Work Deadlines It is important for students to understand that all of these courses are college-level courses, and we expect our students to perform and behave at a collegiate level. All courses have hard deadlines that must be met without exception. Assignments are handed out on a set day of the week and are due by the following week when the next assignments are issued. Points will be deducted for late submissions up to four days. After that, the student will receive a zero on the assignment unless arrangements are made with the professor. Each course requires a forum post regularly and responses to other student's posts. Extension Policy OCU has an extension that they call the Incomplete policy. In order for a student to get more time on their course, the student will need to apply for an Incomplete and it will need to be approved. This is NOT something Bridgeway can do and MUST be completed before the class ends, all the way up through the last day of the class. The only exception would be hospitalization. The incomplete application policy is outlined in the Academic Catalog. Students have to have completed at least 50% of the course at the time of the appeal. The other universities have similar policies, where a student who has not been in attendance for more than two weeks will be dropped from the course unless there has been an arrangement made with the professor and other school staff. Withdrawal Policy At OCU, students have up to 5 days after the start of the course to let us know if they wish to withdrawal from their course. At CHI partner universities, students have up to 2 days after the start of the course to let us know they want to withdraw from the course. Acadeum students have up to 3 days after the start of the course to let us know they want to withdraw. To ensure students are prepared for the course and know if they can successfully complete it, students should review the course syllabi prior to the start of the course. They will receive access to their courses several days before the course starts. The withdrawal policy for courses is outlined in the university’s Academic Catalog and in the startup emails after a student is registered. An official request should be emailed to their university Contact, and cc’ed to their Bridgeway Advisor. Who to contact with concerns If the student has concerns about the course, the first course of action is to reach out to their professor for all courses. If the professor doesn’t respond in a timely fashion (24 hours- to two business days) then they should reach out to their university contact and copy to their Bridgeway advisor Their advisors will then reach out to the professor or their supervisor depending on the situation. Learning to communicate with professors is key to being successful in college. These are not high school courses and won’t be treated as such. Professors will expect that students are turning in college-level work and are addressing concerns like a college student, with maturity. Technology Assistance Each university encourages students to use technological advances to enhance their personal educational experience. The IT Helpdesk on the university's platform provides assistance regarding access to the university systems. Students are assigned passwords upon their enrollment and may contact the IT department through directions given when a student enrolls and is registered for their courses. The various universities IT Helpdesk provides assistance regarding access to the university systems. Students are assigned passwords upon their enrollment and may contact the IT department through directions given when a student enrolls.
