Kirkwood Community College

FAQ for Students

Frequently Asked Questions for Students

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There are a number of reasons to take a HSDL course. Some reasons would include:

Once you’ve registered and received your text and study guide, you may begin working on your course. To stay current, we suggest that you take your first exam within two weeks of beginning the course.
While you have 6 months to complete a correspondence course and 5 months to complete an online course, it’s best not to wait until the 4th or 5th month to get started. Set up a schedule and stick to it. (Effective June 1, 2009, all online courses and corresponence will need to be completed in 4 months.)

Every course has required homework. Individual course requirements vary, and details are provided in each course guide. The course is considered incomplete without the homework submitted.

When you register for a course, a test monitor is identified. Tests are sent to the test monitor indicated on the registration form. Usually, this is a local high school counselor.
When you go in for your test, you will need to bring your completed homework for the unit for the test monitor to verify it it complete.
After the test is received at Kirkwood, it will be graded, and then you will be notified of your score.

If you are unsuccessful on an exam, there is an opportunity for one retake. A makeup exam will normally be sent along with the test grade report.

How many classes can I take at one time?

You can take more than one class at a time, however it’s highly recommended that you start with one class and see how it goes before deciding to do more than one at a time.

When you have successfully completed the course requirements and have returned the textbook to Kirkwood, an official grade and credit form is sent to the local high school accepting the credit from Kirkwood. The credit is usually added to your high school transcript.

The tuition for a Kirkwood HSDL course for Iowa residents is $125 per semester course ($150 effective 6-1-09,) $175 for those students who live outside Iowa ($200 effective 6-1-09.) A $60 book deposit is also required for some courses.
Check with your local school to see who is paying for the course. In most circumstances, your district will not provide funding for you to complete these courses.

When you register for a Kirkwood HSDL correspondence course, you will receive a course material packet that includes the required textbook assignments. The textbook is issued with a $60.00 book deposit and must be returned to the Kirkwood HSDL Coordinator after the course is completed, and prior to the issuance of the grade and credit.
For HSDL online courses, you will recieve log-in instructions and getting started materials through the e-mail address provided. (Please be sure to check your junk mail settings and folders to ensure you'll receive your information!)

When is the best time to enroll?

This is really up to you! The Kirkwood High School HSDL Program accepts students at any time of the year. Upon registration, you’ll have six months to complete a correspondence course and five months for online courses. (All courses will have 4 month time for completion effective 6-1-09.)
The best time to enroll would be when you feel you’ll have time to work on the class. Try to avoid those times of the year when you have many other obligations or commitments.

If you have further questions, please contact Marcel Kielkucki, HSDLCoordinator at mkielku@kirkwood.edu.