Frequently Asked Questions About Academics at GWUOHS

The George Washington University Online High School (GWUOHS) prepares students for college and their careers with a rigorous academic experience and engaging courses. Students are encouraged to be thoughtful, critical, and reflective. Through intensive, interactive online instruction, GWUOHS prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully to a global society.

Affiliations & Partnerships

What is GWUOHS’s affiliation with George Washington University?

GWUOHS is a joint effort between K12 and the George Washington University (GW) — the GWUOHS Advisory Board includes members from both K12 and GW. This partnership comes with a number of benefits, including‌:

  • Waived application fees and dedicated admissions resources if GWUOHS students choose to apply to GW 
  • Dual Enrollment options with GW
  • Waived application fees and discounts for GW summer programs
  • Opportunities to submit work to a GW bi-annual publication
  • Access to university resources and connections

What is GWUOHS’s affiliation with K12?

GWUOHS uses the K12 curriculum, platform, operations team, and enrollment center. ‌Other than that, GWUOHS operates independently. Our academic staff, advisors, and counselors are all devoted to our school on a full-time basis.

What is the difference between GWUOHS and other K12-powered schools?

GWUOHS specifically serves academically talented students in grades 8–12 looking for a rigorous yet flexible college preparatory program. K12 and its schools are all dedicated to delivering world-class individualized education with the goal of helping each student reach their true potential. Still, some aspects of GWUOHS set it apart from other schools affiliated with K12. GWUOHS offers:

  • Premium college-preparation
  • Journeys Symposium, a sequence of courses that prepare students to navigate their passage from the classroom to the real world
  • Academic advisors dedicated to their individual and unique students
  • College counselors 
  • Small class sizes 
  • NCAA-approved 
  • High levels of college/university acceptances and scholarships

Courses, Credits & Testing

Will other schools accept GWUOHS credits if a student decides to transfer to a brick-and-mortar schooling option?

We haven’t had a problem with students’ credits transferring. Course credits earned at GWUOHS are transferable at the discretion of the receiving school, which has the right to award or deny credit transfers based on its policies. 

Are GWUOHS courses NCAA-approved?

GWUOHS is proud to offer NCAA-approved courses — many of our courses can be used for NCAA athletic eligibility. For more information and a listing of eligible GWUOHS courses, please visit the NCAA site and use CEEB code 471066.

If your student is on this track, we strongly encourage you to reach out to your NCAA representative to ensure your student will meet their specific individual requirements.

What are GWUOHS’s testing policies (frequency, administration, format, opportunity for retakes)?

Students take quizzes/exams when they have completed the required lessons. ‌Most classes have quizzes throughout the unit, as well as unit exams. ‌Unit exams typically consist of a computer-scored portion, as well as a teacher-graded part. If you or your student have any particular concerns about test-taking, we encourage you to reach out to the teacher for the class.

Does GWUOHS require standardized tests?

We do not require standardized tests. We feel that the course assessments accurately gauge student performance and proficiency in the subject. Our only standardized testing is an optional STAR assessment in English and Math for 8th graders. 

However, we strongly encourage our students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP)® courses to take the AP® exams at the end of the year. The student is responsible for finding a testing location near them and registering for the AP® exam(s). Please keep in mind that AP® exams are offered at certain locations in all states throughout the U.S., but they are not offered in every country. If a student is interested in enrolling in an AP® course to take the AP® exam, we highly recommend contacting the College Board at 888.225.5427 to ask about the available AP® exam locations. The GWUOHS CEEB Code (used for school reporting on the AP® exams) is 471066.

What does it mean to be a full-time student at GWUOHS?

Full-time GWUOHS students take 6 courses per year to complete the 24 credits required for graduation. By enrolling full-time, our students benefit from extensive, proactive support from teachers and personalized college planning and preparation delivered through a dedicated college counselor.

Can students take more or less than six courses per year?

If a student wants to take more than 6 courses, they will need to discuss this with their advisor and college counselor. If they decide to take more than 6 courses per year, there is an additional fee of $1,000 per full-year course and $500 per semester course.

If a student wants to take less than 6 courses as a full-time student, they can do so as long as they’re on track to meet graduation requirements. Tuition does not change, but students occasionally choose to do this toward the end of high school when they have a rigorous course load with several AP® courses. 

The one exception to this is if a student starts at GWUOHS in their senior year, since students must have a minimum of 6 credits (12 semester courses) to graduate from GWUOHS.

For students taking fewer than 6 courses per year, GWUOHS does offer a part-time enrollment option. Part-time GWUOHS students can take a maximum of 3 classes per semester, and the schedule follows a traditional school year schedule. Read more about our part-time offering if you think it might be a good fit for your student.

What does a student’s academic year look like?

Students follow a regular semester schedule (i.e., September–January; February–June). Students must be in a course for at least 8 weeks in a semester, but some students may complete their courses before the official end of the semester.

Students’ Daily Life

What does a student’s daily schedule look like?

Students spend their days attending classes and completing asynchronous coursework. For ‌comprehensive level courses, students should be spending one hour per weekday on that coursework. For higher level courses, such as Honors and AP® courses, students should be spending more time per day on these subject areas. Outside of schoolwork, students may spend their time participating in clubs, attending events or assemblies, or meeting with their advisors and their counselors to ensure their academics are on track.

Each day, students will have certain lessons or assignments to complete that can be done at any time of day. Students will be expected to attend one live class per week for each course they’re enrolled in (except for electives). Live classes typically last for one hour, and teachers record these classes in case a student is not able to make it to the live class.

Students and their Learning Coaches will determine the daily schedule for asynchronous work, but our student advisors meet weekly with students and monthly with their Learning Coaches to assist with schedule development and planning as needed.

How often do students have live classes?

Live, synchronous sessions called Class Connects are offered once per week for each class (except for electives, which do not have live sessions). This will be the same day and time for each class every week. Live classes typically last for one hour, and teachers record these classes in case a student is not able to make it to the live class. Teachers also hold optional help desks several times a week to answer students’ questions and review content.

How much time does a Learning Coach (parent, caregiver, or tutor) spend each day to support their student’s education?

Typically, Learning Coaches spend no more than an hour per day helping their student. ‌Being a Learning Coach involves ensuring the student has a schedule that allows them to successfully devote time to their classes. ‌Learning Coaches also monitor the student’s progress to ensure they’re on pace and succeeding in their classes. ‌With our high-touch, individualized model, Learning Coaches can spend less time on their student’s educational concerns, because their student receives consistent, individualized support from GWUOHS advisors and teachers.

How do teachers get to know their students well in an online learning environment?

Teachers offer Class Connects, and students are encouraged to attend these live as much as possible to interact with their teacher and peers in “real time.”  Teachers also hold optional help desks and office hours throughout the week. Students can join multiple clubs that are teacher-sponsored. Students can also find time and opportunities to connect with their teachers outside of their classes and clubs. 

When it comes to letters of recommendation for college or other academic programs, it’s critical that students find the time to meet individually with their recommenders as well as track and submit all extracurricular involvement, accolades, etc.

Technology for Online Schooling

What Learning Management System (LMS) does GWUOHS use?

We use Desire2Learn (D2L) for our online platform. ‌If you or your student experiences an issue with the platform, our IT team can rectify any problems in a timely manner.

What tools or websites are used for synchronous classes and activities?

We use Newrow for our synchronous classes, club meetings, and assemblies.

How can I make sure our computer has the right operating systems, browsers, and software for my student to be successful?

If you’re just getting started at GWUOHS, you can use this resource to make sure your computer is ready to kick off the school year: Is Your Computer K12 Ready?

What should my student do if they encounter a technical issue?

Students and Learning Coaches can contact technical support at any time of the day via phone, email, or live chat via K12 Customer Support. The customer support representatives are accessible and helpful in finding solutions to problems ranging from platforms not working properly on student computers to issues specific to student computer systems.