It can be difficult to determine when an activity should be considered a high school course or just an activity. Everyone has an opinion, and different parents may handle the same situation in a different way. Stephanie asked for my opinion on getting high school credit for work experience.
My son has been working at a restaurant as a cook for several months. In order to keep this job, he had to memorize the entire menu & pass a test with at least 90%. Along with preparing ingredients for the dinners prepared he is required to perform clean up at the end of the night. This includes cleaning fryers, grills, burners, mopping floors & and another other tasks to clean & prepare kitchen for next day. Would this be a legitimate credit to count for high school. The public schools have programs which allow students to earn credit through employment & although I don’t want to compare, I also don’t want to leave any possibilities out. Thank you for your input.
~ Stephanie in Missouri
Yes, you can absolutely call it a legitimate high school credit. You can learn more in my free webinar on grades and credits and also in the Total Transcript Solution.
You’re right that we shouldn’t compare, but it’s also a good idea to look at things with an open mind. If they can count those credits, then so can we. Yes, count it 
In our local high school, one of my friends volunteers as a cheer coach. She says her high school girls get a whole credit for DECA classes. One girl is in charge of baking cookies that the group sells for their class. All she does for the whole year is take pre-made frozen cookie dough and bake it. That’s it. All year. Whole credit. Can you imagine!? So perhaps we don’t want to compare out class content too much, but if they can count work hours, so can we.
You can get the Total Transcript Solution here. It’s all the help you’ll need to make an AMAZING transcript that colleges will LOVE!
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Christianbook.com Curriculum Page
Dawn in Ohio says:
That brings up another thought. Our 15-year-old son has volunteered to walk a very difficult Australian shepherd dog for an elderly neighbor whose health has left her unable to take him out. He does it unprompted and often unbeknownst to us! I’m so proud of his initiative (he’s usually quite shy). I wonder if I can count his dog walking as volunteer work or where else this sort of thing can fit in. He also will be working the concession stand for our local upward basketball league.
Any thoughts out there?
October 11th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
Lee says:
Dear Dawn,
My vote would be for calling the dog walking a PE class. Volunteer work is more suited to helping with a non-profit. For that reason, working the concession stand would be volunteer work, since that is usually a non-profit group. I hope that helps!
Blessings,
Lee
October 11th, 2010 at 6:10 pm