Transcript Welcome to the MiraCosta College Adult High School Diploma

Welcome to the MiraCosta College
Adult High School Orientation
Overview of Orientation
About our program
Course schedule
 How lab classes work
 Enrolling in AHS classes
 Course descriptions
 Test of Adult Basic
Education
Your first day of class
 Academic and student
support services
 Diploma requirements
 Ways to earn AHS credits
 Preparing for the GED
 MiraCosta College catalog
 Step into higher
education
About our Program
Adult High School classes are held at the Community Learning
Center (CLC), located at 1831 Mission Avenue in Oceanside. Most
courses are taught in a traditional format and require attendance. We
serve students interested in receiving a HS diploma or GED, as well as
those interested in brush-up courses and concurrently enrolled
students.
Courses are tuition-free; however,
books must be purchased or rented,
and there are also parking fees.
Course Schedule
Adult high school classes meet for a minimum of 49.5
instructional hours, and every class is worth 5 high school credits.
There are two 8-week terms in the fall and spring semesters:
 Day Classes: M/T/W/TH, approximately 1 ½ hours each day
 Evening Classes: 2 Evenings (M/W and T/TH), approximately 3 hours each evening
 Lab Classes: Offer a flexible schedule within each term.
The summer term is 6 weeks long, and meeting times are
adjusted to accommodate the shorter term.
Click here to view the course schedule.
How Lab Classes Work
Computer-based classes offer flexible scheduling,
unlike traditional classes that have specific start and
end times. You will complete all of your computerbased coursework in Room 130, our Community
Learning Lab, which is open over 40 hours per week.
Your lab class begins when you attend a course
orientation. Your class schedule will include a list of
orientation days and times to choose from.
During the orientation, your instructor will provide
all of the information you need to get started.
Lab classes:
English 30: English Skills Lab
GED Preparation
Enrolling in AHS Classes
Students initially enroll in classes
with the assistance of a counselor
during the registration session.
Students may enroll themselves
into most classes in future terms
using SURF.
English 4 and all math classes
(except Basic Skills Math 1)
require a counselor signature to enroll
SURF also allows you to add
and drop classes, view grades,
and print an unofficial
transcript.
Your SURF ID is your student
ID number, with the leading
zero replaced with a “W”.
Student ID: 07000001
SURF ID: W7000001
Counselors are available to discuss course selections with you.
Appointments are strongly recommended.
Course Descriptions
Course descriptions and
additional information
about the Adult High
School are available in the
online college catalog.
Course descriptions may
also be viewed by using the
SURF online course
catalog.
Click here
Click here
Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)
We administer the TABE for five reasons:
To determine if you have the reading comprehension skills that
are necessary to succeed in our accelerated program. (Class
sessions are only eight weeks long!)
To determine if you would benefit from Adult Basic Education
(ABE) reading and writing courses, designed to prepare students
to succeed in AHS and GED prep courses.
To advise students about where to start in the sequence of AHS
English courses.
To determine whether or not you have achieved reading
competency for the AHS. (More about that later.)
To help prospective GED students gauge their level of readiness
for the test, and to make decisions about how to prepare for the
GED.
Your First Day of Class
Attend 1st Class: If you don’t attend the first class meeting
you may be dropped from the class, since many classes
have waiting lists.
Books: Bring money for books – you will be given
homework!
No Smoking: MiraCosta College is a smoke-free campus.
Smoking on campus is only allowed in personal vehicles.
Parking: Campus Police do not write parking tickets during
the first week of classes, but be sure to purchase a parking
permit before the start of the second week. Day passes are
also available.
Academic and Student Support Services
Students may take advantage of the many academic and student support services
that are offered at MiraCosta’s three campuses.
The following services are available at
the Community Learning Center:
 Counseling
 Academic Support Center
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Tutors in all high school subjects
Writing Center consultants
Outreach librarian
Community Learning Lab
Placement Testing
Student Ambassadors
Workshops and Events
Read “The Connection” newsletter to learn about scheduled activities at the
CLC.
Diploma Requirements
Credit Requirements – 170 high school credits which must include:
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English 40
Science 20*
Mathematics 30**
U.S. History 10
American Government 5
Economics 5
World History & Geography 10
Humanities 10
Electives 40
*Must include biological and
physical sciences.
**Students must complete 5 credits
of Algebra Essentials, Geometry
Essentials, Contemporary
Mathematics 1 or 2, or equivalent.
Residency Requirements
 Any student planning to receive an Adult High School diploma from MiraCosta College
must complete 20 high school credits in residence, either in Adult High School or in
college credit classes.
Proficiency/Competency Requirements
 In compliance with state law, students must demonstrate competence in English and
mathematics skills. In order to assess the student's level of proficiency, tests and
assignments are administered in classes. Additional options to demonstrate competency
are also available, and students are encouraged to discuss those options with a counselor.
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Options for Satisfying Competency Requirements (PDF)
Ways to Earn AHS Credits
Most students earn credits by
enrolling in AHS or college level
courses at MiraCosta.
Click here to view the list of
MiraCosta College courses that
fulfill AHS requirements.
Additional options to earn credits
are available, and you are encouraged
to discuss those options with a
counselor after your transcripts have
been evaluated.
Additional ways to earn
credits:
• Transfer credits from accredited high
schools and colleges.
• Receive elective credits for basic
training, military schools, and work
experience.
• Earn up to 130 credits through
General Education Development
(GED) tests in the areas of English,
math, science, and electives.
• Write a foreign language essay to
satisfy the Humanities credit
requirement.
Preparing for the GED Test
The GED is a battery of four tests. The test content areas are:
Reasoning through language arts
Mathematical reasoning
Science
Social Studies
Students may prepare for the GED by enrolling our computer-based GED
Preparation course, or by enrolling in specific AHS courses.
Student who earn a TABE test score below 516 are advised to first enroll in
ABE classes before attempting the GED Preparation course.
The MiraCosta College Catalog
In addition to course descriptions,
the catalog contains information
about:
• Academic programs and services
• Academic policies
• College calendar
• Credit and noncredit
courses/programs
• Degrees and certificates
• Rights and responsibilities
• Student Services
• And more!
Step Into Higher Education
AHS students have the option of
using college coursework to satisfy
high school requirements and to
get a head start in college.
Regardless of whether or not you
choose this option, we want you to
seriously consider continuing your
education at MiraCosta College (or
elsewhere). It’s never too early to
discuss your future with a counselor!
Anyone who has earned our diploma can be successful in college!