Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about the Virtual High School. If you do not find what you are looking for, please feel free to contact us.
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A. Any 9th-12th grade student enrolled in an accredited Virginia school with Guidance Counselor permission. (Rising freshmen can also take a course in preparation for HS). There are special requirements for rising freshmen who want to take a math course over the summer for the FIRST time: "Summer school of rising 9th graders (current 8th grade students) is designed for students who have been identified as requiring further remediation prior to entering the 9th grade and serves as a bridge between summer and fall." ...... Students in Grades 9 - 12 may take courses for new or repeat credit."
Additionally, PWC home instructed students can take online courses if the parents enroll them in the local base school for the purposed of attending the VHS.
Go to the Student Criteria page to see computer configurations and take a self assessment
Q. How much does an online course cost?
A. The tuition for students enrolled in a PWC school is $425 dollars and for students who are enrolled in a Non-PWC school the cost is $570 dollars. The Research Paper Tutorial and HPE II may have additional fees or special tuition costs.
Q. How many courses can I take through the Virtual High School?
A. Most students take ONE course per session. However, some students choose to take two courses. If you take two courses there are additional requirements in exam scheduling and orientation. Taking two courses in the summer is extremely challenging as each course can average 4-6 hours per day of work. More than two courses are not allowed in a single session. The VHS is a supplement to the regular school schedule, not a replacement.
Q. Who will teach the online courses and how do I communicate with them?
A. VHS teachers are fully certified in their content area and are either currently or formerly employed with the Prince William County School System. Instructors have online office hours for daily contact.
Q. Do students receive high school credit for courses taken?
A. Yes, students will receive high school credit when a course is successfully completed. The credit is issued by their base school.
Q. What grading scale is used?
A. The Prince William County Public Schools grading scale. If you are an out of district student, a grade based on the PWCS scale will be submitted to your base school. They may choose to convert the % to their grading scale.
Q. Can a student take the Virtual High School course in lieu of summer school?
A. Yes, the online summer program runs concurrently with the regular PWCS summer school schedule and students may participate in the summer graduation ceremony in August.
Q. Do courses count towards a student's GPA (Grade Point Average) for class ranking?
A. Yes, the course will count towards a student's overall GPA. All grades are submitted to the base school guidance department to be placed on the student's transcript.
Q. How does a student know his/her grade?
A. The online gradebook helps students keep track of their grades. Grade reports are also provided four times during the semester. Final grades are submitted to the student's base school for application to the official transcript.
Q. How and where does a student take the end of course examination and/or state
SOL (Standards of Learning) test?
A. Students take their SOL exam via their base school in the spring and fall sessions. In the summer session students take the SOL exam at the location of the traditional summer program. The SOL exam must be taken to earn the VHS course credit.
Q. Can I work at my own pace in the VHS courses?
A. Yes and no. The courses have deadlines (daily or weekly) established by the instructor. Students are expected to meet those deadlines. The courses are not self-paced, however, if you need to view a lecture a second time, or think about a question for awhile, you may do so without fearing that they will hold back the rest of the class. Students are not given a specific time to be online. You are expected to pace yourself to complete the work on time.
Q. Do Universities view courses taken at VHS differently from those taken at bricks and mortar schools?
A. Yes they probably do. Because asynchronous online courses demand that the student be self-motivated, goal-orientated, independent learners, they may actually value VHS courses higher! Colleges and universities themselves, offer many online courses, they know the value and the learning that can occur in an online course.
