Updated as of August 19, 2024.
Get a jump start on college with these free online resources!
Benefits of College Credit Before High School Graduation
College is a great time for learning, and there is SO much to learn and explore. There are also quite a few “introductory” level courses you must take, and they often account for one or two of your four years in college.
But you can also earn credits for those introductory courses while still in high school –more opportunity for electives, options to take more classes in your major, and reducing your course load for the first semester or two so that you have time to get disability services in place. Our Bridges staff share that it can be REALLY good to take a lower load (minimum is typically 12 credits) the first semester of freshman year so that you can acclimate to college, iron out disability-related accommodations, etc.
Modern States
Modern States advertises “Freshman Year for Free.” Modern States offers more than online courses to prepare for both CLEP (College Level Examination Program) exams and AP (Advanced Placement) exams. For CLEP exams, Modern States offers more than just study materials: Students who score 75% or higher on Modern States’ Sample CLEP Questions may be for a voucher that covers the CLEP exam fee and the scheduling fee!
Check out the Bridges Resource Library About Modern States entry to find out more.
KHAN ACADEMY
Khan Academy has many, many free resources available. Like Modern States, you must sign up for the resources, and Khan Academy offers assessments along the way so you may track your progress.
Khan Academy uses both videos and written articles for instruction, but the videos are not always audio described, and many of the articles contain graphics without alt text descriptions. Khan Academy is taking steps to increase its accessibility to individuals who use screen reading and screen magnification software, but they still have a long way to go.
Nevertheless, Khan Academy has some great resources, and many teachers use them for enrichment purposes. It’s quite reasonable for you to ask your teachers to supplement these materials with descriptions that make the content accessible for you.
Check out the Bridges Resource Library Khan Academy List of Courses entry to find AP and other courses offered by Khan Academy.
Contact the Bridges Helpdesk for More Information
- Our Accessible web form
- Email: Helpdesk@imagemd.org
- Text: Send to: (410) 357-1546
- Voice mail: Call (410) 357-1546, leave a voice mail message, and we will return your call
This unique project is being coordinated through The IMAGE Center of Maryland, a center for independent living in Towson, and it is funded by a grant from the Maryland Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services.