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WISE Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is WISE?
2. What courses does WISE offer?
3. How much does it cost to take a WISE class?
4. What technical requirements must I meet to enroll in WISE courses?
5. Is WISE an accredited program?
6. How do I know if my school will accept credits for courses I complete through WISE?
7. How do I register for classes?
8. If I decide to discontinue a course, do I receive a refund?
9. Where can I find information about the start and end dates of course sessions?
10. How many classes may I take with WISE?
11. How do I log into a WISE classroom?
12. What do I do if I never received my username and password, if I have forgotten my username and/or password or if I have trouble logging in?
13. How do I turn in completed assignments?
14. How do I check my grades? How does my school get my grades?
15. Can I get into college after attending WISE?
16. Does WISE offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses?
17. Where can I find a copy of the student handbook?
18. What do I do with the materials WISE provided to me when I have completed the course?
19. How do I know if the WISE program is right for me?
20. What kind of support do WISE students receive? Can I contact my teacher with questions?
21. How do you ensure that students don't cheat or commit plagiarism?
1. What is WISE?
WISE stands for Worldwide Internet Secondary Education. It is an accredited online high school program administered by Richard Milburn High School, a division of NESI.
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2. What courses does WISE offer?
We currently offer the following courses:
• English: for grades 9, 10, 11 & 12
• Math: Algebra I & II, Geometry
• Science: Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Environmental Science
• Social Studies: U.S. History , U.S. Government, World History I & II
• Electives: Career Exploration, Introduction to Psychology, Practical English, World History I and II ( DODEA only ), Understanding Economics
Please click here to see a complete list of course descriptions.
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3. How much does it cost to take a WISE class?
Each WISE class costs $425. Classes must be prepaid in full when you register. You may pay in cash or by check, money order or credit card (VISA or MasterCard). Your tuition includes the cost of your textbook, though you may occasionally be asked to purchase additional materials for your courses (i.e. a novel for an English class).
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4. What technical requirements must I meet to enroll in WISE courses?
To enroll in WISE classes you must have computer and internet access. We do not offer correspondence courses; all classes are delivered solely online.
Your internet browser must have its cookies enabled for you to access the WISE classroom site. If your cookies are not enabled, please go to your internet browser's tool bar and select Internet Options from the Tools link. Follow the prompts and type in "blackboard.com" as an allowed web site and then click OK.
Please note that you may be viewing course materials in Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat Reader. Be sure you have current versions of these programs installed on your computer. Often times, if you experience a problem viewing a document in either program it simply means you need to update the version of the program installed on your computer. You may do this by visiting the Microsoft or Adobe web site and following the instructions provided.
Click here to view the computer requirements you must meet to enroll in the WISE program.
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5. Is WISE an accredited program?
Yes. WISE is an accredited member of the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA), the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS) and the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). All of our courses are certified and credits earned through WISE may be transferred to other schools. If you have questions about the transferability of WISE credits to your home school, please contact your school counselor or academic advisor.
For more information about our accreditation, please click here.
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6. How do I know if my school will accept credits for courses I complete through WISE?
Before you register for a WISE class, your principal or school counselor must complete the Local School Approval section of the enrollment application to verify that your school will accept WISE credits. If this information is not completed and submitted to us, we cannot allow you to register for courses.
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There are three easy ways to register for WISE classes:
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• Click here to register online.
• Download and complete the electronic application and email it to WISE@rmhs.org.
• Download and complete the application and mail or fax it to our main office: |
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WISE Registration
3260 Commission Ct.
Suite 200
Woodbridge , VA 22192
Fax: 703-494-6093 |
However you register, please make sure your completed application is neat, legible and accurate to the best of your knowledge. All fields must be completed unless otherwise noted.
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8. If I decide to discontinue a course, do I receive a refund?
If you change your mind about taking a WISE class once you have enrolled, the following refund policy applies. Please note that any materials and/or textbooks you received must be returned to WISE in order for you to receive a refund.
WISE Refund Policy
WISE will issue a full refund if notified of cancellation within 5 days of the date the enrollment agreement is signed. Cancellation may be made in any manner. If notification of cancellation occurs 5 or more days after the date the enrollment agreement is signed, WISE charges an administrative fee of $50.00. Refunds will be made within 30 days of cancellation. If notification of cancellation occurs after the first scheduled session of the course, refunds will be given as follows. |
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• 1-10% of scheduled sessions: WISE will retain 10% of refundable course tuition.
• 11-25% of scheduled sessions: WISE retains 25% of refundable course tuition.
• 26-50% of scheduled sessions: WISE retains 50% of refundable course tuition.
• 51% or more: WISE retains 100% of the course tuition.
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9. Where can I find information about the start and end dates of course sessions?
Click here to view course start and end dates.
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10. How many classes may I take with WISE?
WISE students may take a maximum of eight (8) classes per year. No student may take more than two (2) courses per session for each of the four (4) sessions WISE offers per year.
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11. How do I log into a WISE classroom?
When you access the WISE web site you will be prompted to enter your username and password in the fields provided. Once you have successfully entered your login information, click on the link for the course you are registered to take. If the course is not listed or the link does not work, please email WISE@rmhs.org for assistance. You may also reach us by calling us toll-free at 1-877-888-WISE (9473).
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12. What do I do if I never received my username and password, if I have forgotten my username and/or password or if I have trouble logging in?
If you did not receive your username and password, please email us from the address you plan to use during the course. Your username and password are case sensitive, so be sure to enter them exactly. If you are still experiencing trouble logging in, or if you cannot remember your username and/or password, please contact us and we will send your username and password to you by email. Once you log in with the information we provide, you may reset your password by clicking on the Personal Information link in the tool box on the left side of the page. Click on Change Password and follow the directions given. You may reach us at WISE@rmhs.org.
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13. How do I turn in completed assignments?
Once you have logged into your virtual classroom, you'll see a tool box on the left side of the web page. Inside the tool box is an icon called Drop Box. Click on the Drop Box, and then click Add File. Follow the prompts to select and submit the correct file(s) for the Drop Box. Click the Send File button once you have selected the file(s) you wish to submit to the Drop Box; your teacher will receive notification that you have submitted files this way. Use the Drop Box to submit all of your assignments to your teacher unless you are otherwise instructed.
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14. How do I check my grades? How does my school get my grades?
To check your grades while your course is in progress, click on the My Grades icon in the tool box on the left side of the web page. You will see a list of your current grades and any assignments that have not yet been completed for each course you are taking.
When your final grades have been calculated, we will mail a grade report to the home address you provided to us when you registered. If this information has changed, please email WISE@rmhs.org to ensure that we are able to deliver your grade report to you. At this time we will also mail an official copy of your transcript to your school.
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15. Can I get into college after attending WISE?
Yes. WISE awards accredited diplomas, not GEDs, to students who complete their coursework and meet graduation requirements. Diplomas are granted through Richard Milburn High School, a fully-accredited WISE affiliate. Most post-secondary academic institutions recognize and accept a WISE diploma.
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16. Does WISE offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses?
Currently, WISE is developing a variety of AP courses that we hope to be able to offer for the Fall/Winter 2008 session.
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17. Where can I find a copy of the student handbook?
You may download a copy here.
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18. What do I do with the materials WISE provided to me once I have completed my course?
You may return your materials to our main office:
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WISE Registration
3460 Commission Ct.
Suite 200
Woodbridge , VA 22192 |
If you choose to take additional courses with WISE, you will receive credit toward future tuition for every textbook you return.
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19. How do I know if the WISE program is right for me?
WISE provides educational services for many types of learners. Some students enroll with us because they wish to supplement their high school curriculum or because they need the flexibility that virtual classes offer. Some students wish to complete high school at an accelerated pace or may be home schooled. The traits our students share include the self-discipline online learning requires and dedication to earning a certified high school diploma.
To see if WISE is a good fit for you, take the WISE Self-Assessment Quiz . If you answer the questions thoroughly and honestly the results will be a good indication of whether or not you could be successful in our program.
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20. What kind of support do WISE students receive? Can I contact my teacher with questions?
WISE students receive a great deal of support from their teachers, classmates and program administrators. Students and teachers communicate by posting comments to a discussion thread that is visible to all class members. These discussion threads allow students to actively participate in a virtual classroom setting, learning from and helping their classmates as they discuss course-related topics and resources. By sharing the learning process, students and teachers help each other understand complex material and work through various projects. Students wishing to contact their teacher directly may do so by viewing the Staff Information stored in the tool box on the left side of the page.
Students experiencing technical difficulties or with questions concerning student services should email WISE@rmhs.org or call 877-888-9473 for assistance.
Students with questions concerning admissions and enrollment should email WISE@rmhs.org or call 703-494-0147.
All members of the WISE team support the efforts of our online learners and will do our best to provide the highest quality assistance and support possible.
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21. How do you ensure that students don't cheat or commit plagiarism?
Unfortunately, no internet-delivered educational program can guarantee with 100% certainty that acts of cheating or plagiarism are never committed; WISE is no different. We take academic honesty and integrity very seriously and closely monitor our students and their work to ensure to the best of our ability that students are being graded on their own merits. We believe that students who enroll in our program do so because they are committed to learning and to earning their high school diploma. We expect them to work hard and submit original assignments and comments on the discussion threads.
Each WISE student and his/her parent signs the WISE Code of Honor, promising to uphold the academic ideals, values and integrity of our program. Click here to view the code.
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