Good Morning,
Maybe some of you are not even close to reaching this time in your life, or maybe you are in the middle of it. This post pertains to both, and everyone in between.
The subject her is: Transcript and college prep jitters. We all get them, you are not alone.
I hope to address some areas here and share some wisdom that might lighten that anxiety.
Transcripts: Don't even think about not providing one. You never know when a job, college, the service, or anybody else will require it. It would be a great disservice to skip this step. So buckle up and hear me out:
Transcripts are not as hard to take care of as you think -even if you are an eclectic homeschooler. When we first started on this path, I went online and looked at the local high schools graduation requirements (I looked at both the private and public). I also looked at my son's possible picks for Universities and read their requirements. That provided me a starting point as to where to begin. Some parents use HSLDA, some use Google and figure it out from there.
Here's what an example transcript looks like: I borrowed this from this helpful site: https://homeschoolconnectionsonline.com/documents/2015/4/HSCtranscript%201.pdf
Maybe some of you are not even close to reaching this time in your life, or maybe you are in the middle of it. This post pertains to both, and everyone in between.
The subject her is: Transcript and college prep jitters. We all get them, you are not alone.
I hope to address some areas here and share some wisdom that might lighten that anxiety.
Transcripts: Don't even think about not providing one. You never know when a job, college, the service, or anybody else will require it. It would be a great disservice to skip this step. So buckle up and hear me out:
Transcripts are not as hard to take care of as you think -even if you are an eclectic homeschooler. When we first started on this path, I went online and looked at the local high schools graduation requirements (I looked at both the private and public). I also looked at my son's possible picks for Universities and read their requirements. That provided me a starting point as to where to begin. Some parents use HSLDA, some use Google and figure it out from there.
Here's what an example transcript looks like: I borrowed this from this helpful site: https://homeschoolconnectionsonline.com/documents/2015/4/HSCtranscript%201.pdf
I have to admit, my son hated the idea of having to take science courses: And looking at the requirements luckily, we only had two credits and one lab required. But, instead of making him go the traditional route, we came up with a better plan that suited him: One of his science courses ended up being in Ichthyology: The Study of Fish.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthyology
He ended up reading 600 page books out of the library. I mean he really devoured the subject. And for a lab we let him set up a saltwater fish tank with all the goodies he could get his hands on. For a written lab he wrote a nonfiction book that contained lots of information, mistakes to avoid, as well as documenting everything he learned. By the time he was done, he had conversations with the local fish store owner that I could have mistaken for a foreign language. Not only was this a great experience that proves that you really can taylor to your child’s tastes, but it also set him apart from many potential college applicants. You can see where I am going with this, I’m sure. Imagine the possibilities of being armed with stuff like that when attending a college interview?
HINT: There are many ways to offset your child. Think about work experience, volunteering opportunities, publishing poetry, sports, art galleries, etc.
Now let's talk about requirements to get into the college of choice: go right to the source! I mean it. Don't mess around, call the college admissions and ask them to send you a list of requirements.
We did not go the traditional route. Instead of stressing about the ACT, and other tests, we decided to have him get his AA at the local community college. First, it is cheaper, second the test is a breeze, third it won't hurt your child in the long run because most community colleges set students up for transferring their next tow years into a university.
Well what about an IVY league school you say: my sister took this route and she graduated from the top third law school in the nation at the time.
Okay, maybe you want to send your kid right away to Harvard, Yale, whatever. Then you have to take that test. Many people recommend that your student take the practice test over and over for about six months before the real test. Homeschoolers are having great success this way.
By the way, it is a fallacy that Ivy schools don't want homeschoolers: In fact, they are recruiting them by the tons:
http://www.businessinsider.com/homeschooling-is-the-new-path-to-harvard-2015-9
http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000002/00000234.asp
So where do you start with preparing for high school and beyond. Only you can answer this, because your child is as different as the snowflakes that fall: each child has strengths and weaknesses. likes and dislikes, etc.
I did a Google search and took the time to learn from others experience. I talked to colleges. I cruised by HSLDA. The beauty is that most homeschoolers are eager to help: ask those around you, ask a forum. That's the beauty of today's world: answers are only a click away.
Being that I am two credit shy from completing my Bachelors degree, trust me when I say, your child is not behind. And if by chance they are: community colleges and state universities have catch up classes. See: If your child wants to get to college, it can happen: but do not do them the dis-service of not creating a transcript. And whatever you do, make a ton of copies and keep that thing for life.
Final thoughts:
Have you heard about duel credits? This is when your child attends college while in high school and receives college credits as well as high school credits: look it up!
And have you heard of the Navy Officer program? This is where the navy pays for your child to go to school, gives them a living allowance and then on top of it, they enter the service as a highly paid officer when they graduate.
And have you heard of College CLEP? Have you heard of the small business administration (SBA)?
And have you looked up local community classes (hint: some of these can be used towards fulfilling high school requirements? and who knows maybe they will learn something that will help them start their own business!
Have a great day and happy Googling ~LuAnne
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichthyology
He ended up reading 600 page books out of the library. I mean he really devoured the subject. And for a lab we let him set up a saltwater fish tank with all the goodies he could get his hands on. For a written lab he wrote a nonfiction book that contained lots of information, mistakes to avoid, as well as documenting everything he learned. By the time he was done, he had conversations with the local fish store owner that I could have mistaken for a foreign language. Not only was this a great experience that proves that you really can taylor to your child’s tastes, but it also set him apart from many potential college applicants. You can see where I am going with this, I’m sure. Imagine the possibilities of being armed with stuff like that when attending a college interview?
HINT: There are many ways to offset your child. Think about work experience, volunteering opportunities, publishing poetry, sports, art galleries, etc.
Now let's talk about requirements to get into the college of choice: go right to the source! I mean it. Don't mess around, call the college admissions and ask them to send you a list of requirements.
We did not go the traditional route. Instead of stressing about the ACT, and other tests, we decided to have him get his AA at the local community college. First, it is cheaper, second the test is a breeze, third it won't hurt your child in the long run because most community colleges set students up for transferring their next tow years into a university.
Well what about an IVY league school you say: my sister took this route and she graduated from the top third law school in the nation at the time.
Okay, maybe you want to send your kid right away to Harvard, Yale, whatever. Then you have to take that test. Many people recommend that your student take the practice test over and over for about six months before the real test. Homeschoolers are having great success this way.
By the way, it is a fallacy that Ivy schools don't want homeschoolers: In fact, they are recruiting them by the tons:
http://www.businessinsider.com/homeschooling-is-the-new-path-to-harvard-2015-9
http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000002/00000234.asp
So where do you start with preparing for high school and beyond. Only you can answer this, because your child is as different as the snowflakes that fall: each child has strengths and weaknesses. likes and dislikes, etc.
I did a Google search and took the time to learn from others experience. I talked to colleges. I cruised by HSLDA. The beauty is that most homeschoolers are eager to help: ask those around you, ask a forum. That's the beauty of today's world: answers are only a click away.
Being that I am two credit shy from completing my Bachelors degree, trust me when I say, your child is not behind. And if by chance they are: community colleges and state universities have catch up classes. See: If your child wants to get to college, it can happen: but do not do them the dis-service of not creating a transcript. And whatever you do, make a ton of copies and keep that thing for life.
Final thoughts:
Have you heard about duel credits? This is when your child attends college while in high school and receives college credits as well as high school credits: look it up!
And have you heard of the Navy Officer program? This is where the navy pays for your child to go to school, gives them a living allowance and then on top of it, they enter the service as a highly paid officer when they graduate.
And have you heard of College CLEP? Have you heard of the small business administration (SBA)?
And have you looked up local community classes (hint: some of these can be used towards fulfilling high school requirements? and who knows maybe they will learn something that will help them start their own business!
Have a great day and happy Googling ~LuAnne