If you left high school years ago, you might be surprised to learn that the work you already did there still counts. You don’t have to start over from scratch — and you don’t have to retake classes you already passed. At Dream Academy, we give you credit for courses you previously completed, so you only take the courses you still need.
Here’s how transferring old high school credits works, step by step.
What does “transferring credits” actually mean?
A credit is simply proof that you finished a class. If you passed Algebra I in 10th grade, for example, that credit belongs to you — no matter how long ago it was or how many times you changed schools since then. When you enroll in a second-chance program, we collect your past records and apply the credits you earned toward your diploma requirements.
Think of it this way: your old transcripts are a list of courses you already checked off. Our job is to match them against what you still need to finish, and fill in only the gaps.
Step 1: We request your transcripts
You don’t need to figure this out alone. When you enroll with Dream Academy, we’ll help you request your transcripts from the high school you last attended — even if it was years or decades ago. Schools keep records for a long time, and most have a process for releasing transcripts to another school.
If you attended more than one high school, we can collect records from each of them. Credits earned at any accredited school count.
Step 2: We evaluate what you’ve earned
Once your transcripts arrive, we go through them course by course. Every class you passed — English, math, science, history, electives — is mapped to the diploma requirements. This evaluation is free, and it’s how we build your personal plan.
This step matters, because many adults are closer to a diploma than they think. It’s not unusual for someone to find out they’re only a few courses away from graduating. You might be one or two semesters from the finish line — not four years.
Step 3: You finish only what you still need
After the evaluation, we show you exactly what’s left: the courses you still need to complete your diploma. Then you take those courses online, on your schedule, from wherever you are.
Because the program is online and self-paced, you can work around a job, kids, and everything else on your plate. You move through one course at a time, and you finish faster because you’re not repeating anything you already proved you can do.
What if my school closed or I can’t find my records?
This comes up more often than you’d think, and it’s almost always solvable. If your school closed, its records usually went to the district office or the state’s department of education. We can help you track them down — that’s part of what we do.
If records truly can’t be found, don’t let that stop you from calling. We’ll talk through your options and figure out the best path forward together.
What if I left school without finishing 9th grade?
Credits are credits, no matter how many you earned. If you only finished a few courses before life got in the way, those still count. Your plan will just include more courses — but you’ll still never be asked to retake something you already passed.
Why transferring credits saves you time and money
Every credit that transfers is a course you don’t have to pay for and a course you don’t have to sit through. For working adults, that’s the difference between a goal that feels impossible and one you can actually finish. You worked hard for those credits back then. They should work for you now.
Your credits are waiting. Let’s put them to work.
Getting started is simple and free. We’ll evaluate your old transcripts at no cost, show you exactly how close you are to your diploma, and build a plan around your life — not the other way around.
Call Dream Academy at (804) 228-8200, weekdays between 9 and 4. Ask for your free credit evaluation. If you’ve got old transcripts, great — if you don’t, we’ll help you find them. Either way, your first step is just a phone call.
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