How To Earn Extra High School Credit Outside School

In order to graduate high school at gain your OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma), you need to have earned a certain amount of credits. It can be confusing what classes you need in order to graduate high school and how you can gain these credits. Most of the mandatory high school credits can be earned in school, but there are other ways to gain extra credit for your OSSD outside of school. Let’s take a closer look:

Why Should You Study Outside School?

To Fill A Gap In Your Credits

Perhaps the most common reason for gaining extra high school credit outside of school is if you are missing some credits, and this is preventing you from graduating. This could be due to illness and missing courses in school or for those who go back to education later to obtain their high school diploma. By selecting the correct courses, you will be able to fill these gaps, ensuring that you meet all the criteria required to gain your OSSD. 

To Improve Your Performance

Courses outside of school are also a great way to improve your performance – either by repeating a course that you did not do as well as you expected or by simply boosting or adding to your current set of grades. The higher your grades are, the more attractive your application is to universities, scholarships, and employers, so gaining extra high school credit is a great way to achieve this. On top of this, courses outside of school may be delivered in a different way from how you learn in school, which may work better for your learning style. 

Gaining Your Diploma Earlier Than You Are Due To Graduate

If you use learning outside of school to obtain the modules and credits you need to graduate, this may allow you to gain your OSSD faster than if you were just earning the credits at school. Many students attending high school take online courses on the side, either in the evenings or during their school holidays, to help speed up the process. This will allow them to access higher education courses earlier. 

What Do You Need To Gain an OSSD

In order to gain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, you must meet a number of different criteria:

• You must have earned 18 compulsory credits
• You must have earned 12 optional credits
• You must have met the literacy requirements for graduation
• You must have completed at least two online learning courses
• You must have been involved in at least 40 hours of community involvement activities.

Where Can You Earn Extra High School Credits?

There are a number of ways to gain additional high school credits. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular options:

Online Courses

There are a number of online courses that students can sign up for, which allows them to complete e-learning modules. These courses are usually delivered online, with many that you are able to study at any time – meaning that you can fit them around your schedule. The only time that you may need to go somewhere in person is to sit an exam at the end of the course. However, some of these are also now online.

Online courses benefit students in a number of different ways. It broadens access to a variety of educational opportunities, allowing students to select courses that they are more likely to be interested in – some of which may not be available at their own school. If a student is more interested in a course, they are more likely to study it and retain the information. 

Many online courses use a variety of learning techniques, including engaging videos, interactive sections, collaborative projects with other online learners, and games which keep learning more interesting. Additionally, online courses help refine your IT skills, making you more employable, and show your dedication to studying, which can impress many employers and further education institutes. 

There are many virtual high schools that offer a number of online credits for you to sign up for and work through in your own time. Additionally, many schools and physical, educational establishments offer courses that can be completed online, helping you further work toward your OSSD. 

Summer School

You can also gain extra credit during school holidays by opting for holiday classes. Many schools and organizations offer ‘summer school’ to allow you to catch up or gain extra credits. Summer schools are a great option as they tend to have smaller class sizes than traditional learning and can help prepare students for the year ahead. Summer schools come in a number of different forms – from classes on campus, online programs, or summer camps where you stay over while completing your learning. This will allow you to find the approach that is best suited to your learning needs.

Summer camp is also a great way to earn extra credit if you have failed some modules during the school term and need some time to complete them before the next school year begins. Additionally, students that want to increase their grades or complete credits that they have missed can also attend a number of summer camps in the area to gain what they need to obtain their OSSD.

Adult Learning Programs

If you are an adult looking to go back to education to gain your OSSD, there are a number of programs to help you do this. Adult learning programs are a great way to pick up any extra credits you require in order to complete your diploma. Many adult learning programs can be personalized to suit your individual needs, allowing you to identify and rectify the gaps in your high school credits that are stopping you from graduating. 

The Take-Away 

There are a number of different ways for you to gain extra credit outside of school, allowing you to gain your OSSD and graduate. If in doubt, a careers advisor or school counsellor may be able to help assist you in selecting the right courses or programs for you, taking into consideration your personal situation. This can open up a number of different educational and career opportunities, allowing you to take the next step toward your future. 

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