Excel High School-Review

Last Updated on March 27, 2024.

Is Excel High School worth the cost? How much is it to attend Excel High School? Is holding an Excel High School Online Diploma better than having a GED®? How long do I need to complete Excel High School?

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Many students ask us this sort of question, and in this review, we will answer them. So please, before deciding to enroll in an online high school such as Excel High School, read this review carefully.

Excel High School, headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, offers affordable and flexible options to complete a full high school curriculum entirely online and earn an accredited online high school diploma.

Additionally, the school offers, among more programs, an online middle school program and high school equivalency preparatory programs.

Excel High School’s online high school diploma programs are entirely self-paced, so they can be completed in line with busy schedules and from wherever the students want as long as they have a reliable Internet connection.

Attending an online education program, and this also applies to Excel Online High School, offers great flexibility. Online courses can be accessed from anywhere, at any time, and on any device, as long as you have an Internet connection.

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Is Excel High School Legit?

Often, students wonder if earning a high school diploma through an online program is legitimate.

Well, the fact of the matter is that Distance Learning has served many students for more than 100 years! Attending an online high school is a great and flexible way to earn a high school diploma.

Excel High School is a highly respected, legitimate, and credible online educational institution that offers students the chance to earn a high school or high school equivalency diploma.

Over the years, Excel Online High School has helped tens of thousands of high school-aged students and adult learners to earn their secondary education credentials.

Is Excel High School an Accredited School?

Excel High School holds both regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditation is granted by SACS (The Southern Association of Colleges & Schools), and The Northwest Accreditation Association. The school’s Regional Accreditation is also recognized by Minnesota’s State Department of Education.

The school is also nationally accredited by AdvanceEd, an organization that is known for advancing the quality of online education programs.

Excel additionally operates Excel College, a college registered by Minnesota’s Office of Higher Education, and the school is approved to issue academic degrees in General Studies, Business, and Technology.

Excel High School vs Online GED

Recently, the online GED® test was introduced so students can also take the GED in an online format from their homes. It used to be that learners that quit high school prematurely often tried to earn a GED if they were looking to attain a secondary education credential.

But today, there still are circumstances where students notice that a GED is not valued in the same way as a common high school diploma. All branches of the U.S. Army, for example, prefer applicants with a high school diploma over applicants with a GED.

And today, earning a high school diploma through an online program has become so easy! So students who, for whatever reason, didn’t complete their regular high school curriculum have not only the option to get a GED but also can earn a high school degree at home.

Excel High School’s online programs can be attended at any time, from anywhere, and on any device, as long as there’s a reliable Internet connection.

What Colleges Accept Excel High School Diplomas?

Most North American colleges and universities accept graduates from high schools that hold regional accreditation.

But holding a high school diploma from Excel does not guarantee acceptance by colleges, but this counts for all high school diplomas. Universities and colleges do not accept diplomas; they accept students!

So make sure you keep your academic achievement, also when attending an online education program. Your resume should speak for you, so make sure you’ve got that in order as well.

On the other hand, all State Community Colleges and four-year State Universities will accept graduates from regionally accredited high schools, and all public colleges across the U.S. recognize Excel Online High School Diplomas.

Four-year colleges and universities, though, may have their own specific additional admissions requirements. They may require students to have satisfactory SAT or ACT scores, a GPA of 3.0 or above, or other requirements such as, for example, advanced math, science, or foreign language courses.

Keep in mind that also College-Ready scores on the GED exam qualify students at many North American colleges and universities to register for credit-bearing college-level coursework without having to take any remedial or prerequisite classes.

Some universities and colleges require students to include reference letters, transcripts, etc., with their applications, and at some post-secondary schools, an admissions interview is part of the application procedure. Check here to learn more about cover letters and resumes.

How Long Does It Take to Complete Excel High School?

Excel High School allows students to proceed through their online high school diploma programs at their own pace.

Students that are self-disciplined and highly motivated will be able to complete the entire online high school program in as little as 1 or 2 years.

Keep in mind that you can transfer credits earned at earlier high schools, so students who have already completed earlier high school credits will be able to graduate even faster, some even within 6 to 12 months!

But the fact of the matter is that all students need to complete all of the credits required to earn their high school diplomas, and Excel Online High School applies graduation requirements strictly, just like any high school.

Some students are looking to earn their high school diploma in just weeks. Well, the truth is that earning a high school credential that fast is impossible.

Students can, perhaps, earn a GED high school equivalency (HSE) certificate that fast, but earning an accredited high school diploma will take at least 6 to 8 months! The fastest way to a GED diploma is undoubtedly Onsego’s Online GED Course, an accredited, engaging preparatory program!

How Old do I have to be to Enroll in Excel Online High School?

The online high school courses provided by Excel cover academic material appropriate for grades 9 through 12. This implies that applicants must be at least 14 years of age.

Applicants younger than 18 are required to provide parental approval. They cannot complete the enrollment application themselves; a parent or guardian needs to do that.

There are also Excel course offerings that require students to be at least 18 years old (e.g., the school’s Adult Online High School Diploma program). Read more below.

Three main Excel options

Excel Online High School offers many options to acquire an online high school diploma and/or professional certificates. But overall, there are three main options open to students, the Standard High School Diploma Program, the Adult High School Diploma Program, and the Honors AP High School Diploma Program.

Standard Excel High School Diploma

Excel’s Standard Online High School Program is for high school-aged students. The program is offered in full-time and part-time options for grades 9 to 12.

The school also offers summer school courses in an online format and independent high school and college credit courses.

The Excel Standard Online High School Diploma Track is a well-respected alternative to traditional high school and is much used by students looking to enlist in the U.S. military.

Full-time high school students are expected to spend 4 to 5 hours per day on their coursework, five days per week. The lessons are highly flexible and accessible 24/7.

Full-time Excel Online High School Program students will take some 4 to 6 courses per semester. The students are supported by experienced teachers using an online platform that includes online chat, email, and phone support.

Some students think that online high school courses are perhaps easier than what’s taught at a traditional high school. Well, with Excel, many feel the opposite is actually true.

Many Excel graduates stated that the online school’s courses were more rigorous than what’s taught at traditional high schools. So the contrary may be true, and online students need to be more self-disciplined than those who attend a traditional school.

So it’s safe to say that graduates from Excel Online High School’s program are usually optimally prepared to successfully attend academic credit-bearing programs offered by universities and colleges.

Standard Core Excel Curriculum: The standard core Excel Online High School curriculum includes 21.5 credits and covers all topics that are also addressed in traditional high school education.

The subject matter covers Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and a number of elective subjects.

  • Mathematics includes Math Models & Applications. Integrated Algebra, Algebra I and II, Pre-calculus, and Geometry.
  • Language Arts includes English 9 & 10, English 11 (American Literature), English 12 (British Literature), and Public Speaking.
  • Science covers Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physical Science, Astronomy, and Environmental Science.
  • Social Studies covers U.S. & World History, U.S. Government & Civics, and Economics.

Students can choose from the following electives: Introduction to Business, Business Management, Finance, Introduction to Accounting, Marketing, Health & Personal Fitness, Psychology, Sociology, Art History, Introduction to Computer Applications-STEM, Computer Engineering-STEM, Introduction to Tech Science-STEM,  Electrical Engineering-STEM, Music Appreciation, History of Jazz Music, Biotechnology, Digital Photography, Spanish I, and Spanish II. Read also our review of Acellus Academy, based in Kansas City, Missouri.

Adult Excel High School Diploma

Adult learners seeking to earn an accredited high school diploma can benefit from Excel’s “Fast Track High School Diploma” program. They can also attend Excel’s online high school equivalency prep course to get all set for the GED or HiSET exam.

Under the school’s Fast Track program, adult learners may transfer credits earned from previous high schools and finish their diplomas much faster. With transferred credits, adult learners may graduate in merely a few months!

Adult learners can complete Excel’s Fast Track Online High School Course from the comfort of their homes and on their own terms. The program offers 24/7 support, and students may even earn college credit as well while in the high school program!

Honors/AP High School Diploma

Highly motivated students who look for a more challenging way to earn their high school diplomas may also take Excel’s Honors/Advanced Placement® Online High School Diploma Track.

At his level, they will be challenged to complete advanced college-level academic courses, which will prepare them perfectly well to be successful in 4-year universities and colleges.

Excel High School’s Online Honors Courses prepare students to successfully attend the top universities and colleges across the nation. Please contact the school for more information (1-800-620-3844). Check out also this review of James Madison High School, an online high school based in Norcross, Georgia.

Excel’s Program Options

The school offers students multiple affordable options to earn their high school credentials in an online format.

The following is not a complete overview. The school offers more online education plans, but let’s take a closer look at the most popular options available:

– Standard Excel Online High School program. This option can be attended on a full-time or part-time basis. This program is for students ages 14 through 18 and covers what’s also addressed in a traditional high school in grades 9 through 12.

The minimum age to qualify for this option is 18. The program is highly flexible and will set you back $1290 per grade level (or $129 a month with the school’s installment plan).

– Excel’s Adult Online High School Diploma Program. This is a great option for adult learners who are at least 18 years old. The program allows students to complete online high school courses at a further accelerated pace.

This option costs $99.90 per month, but you pay only for the months that you are signed up for. You can transfer earlier earned credits, so the sooner you complete the program, the less you pay!

– Adult Online High School Diploma Plus College Credits/Certificate. This Dual Enrollment option requires applicants to be at 18 years of age. Students can simultaneously earn a college certificate or college credit while working toward their high school diploma.

The college credits or certificates may transfer toward a college program that offers associate or bachelor’s degrees. Students can take up a combination of 6 Excel high school or college courses for $160 per month for 1o months, which will result in a high school diploma plus a college certificate.

Applicants need to have completed their 10th grade and hold at least 12 credits to be able to sign up for this option.

More Excel Programs

Additionally, Excel also offers the online “High School Diploma Plus College Credits – Certificate Dual Enrollment program for students in grades 11 & 12. Applicants must be over 14 years of age.

Interesting is also the video-based “Excel Honors Online Guided Path High School Diploma program (grades 9-12).  Applicants must be over 14 years of age. The courses are video lecture-based and guided. This is a good option for learners that require more structure.

More advanced options are also available. The “Honors Plus AP Online High School Diploma program is guided and entirely video-based. Applicants must be over 14 years old, and the program offers the advanced AP Track Curriculum and Advanced Studies. Many courses are available at the grades 9-12 level.

Then, there is the school’s Middle School Online program for grades 6 through 8. It is a video-based, guided program for students over 11 years of age. These courses bridge the gap between elementary and high school for students in grades 6, 7, and 8.

Again, this not a complete overview of Excel High School’s online program offerings. We hope that this review gives you a good impression of what the school is all about and what accredited high school completion programs they offer.

Excel Online High School
601 Carlson Pkwy, Ste 1250, Minnetonka, MN 55305
Phone: (952) 465.3700