One of the most common questions that I get is about free online high schools. Parents have heard that they exist and are hopeful that their child can become a student at such a school.

In the next couple of posts, I will talk about the different types of free online high schools including the advantages and disadvantages.

In today’s post, though, I would like to discuss whether you should choose such a school. Clearly, there are a number of successful commercial online schools and you should wonder about why they are so successful when there are free options available.

A free program does not necessarily mean a quality program. If it is possible, you should choose a program based on whether it meets your needs and not the cost. Yes, there are people who choose the for-profit option instead of the free option.

Also, you may not have a free option available in your state, county, or school district. It makes it easier to make the decision if there is no free one available.

In addition, there are places that have free options available, but the number of seats in the program is limited. Some states have created rules that only allow a certain number of students to participate.

Finally, there are a very few prestigious options, like the program at Stanford University, that convince folks it is worth spending the money for excellence.

The point of this post, then, is to look around and see all that is available before you choose one school over another.