Many parents (including me!) stress at the thought of homeschooling high school. It seems overwhelming, and parents may feel in over their head. However, homeschooling high school is not impossible, and thousands of families do it each year! How? Most follow these four tips to homeschooling high school!
If you are homeschooling a high school student, you are probably thinking about college. You may be wondering what do colleges look for in homeschoolers, and what you need to do to prepare your homeschooler for the college application process.
Colleges are recruiting homeschoolers at very high rates. Many colleges consider homeschoolers to be academically successful. Why? Homeschoolers tend to score higher on standardized college admissions tests. The homeschool average for the ACT was 22.5 in 2003, compared with the national average of 20.8. SAT scores were similar with a homeschool average of 1092 in 2002, and a national average of 1020. Homeschoolers tend to earn higher GPA’s in college then those who are not homeschooled. Homeschoolers are also typically used to working independently rather than in a group setting. So, how can you prepare your homeschooler for the college admission process?
Have a balanced curriculum. What does this mean? Simply put, make sure all subjects are covered. Look at the colleges your child maybe interested in. Do they require credits in foreign language? Chemistry? Look and see what is needed, and make sure you are covering it.
Keep impeccable records. Include grades, high school credits, AP courses, standardized test scores, etc. Make sure you have proof that your child has completed his high school education. You can do this by having a portfolio, and transcripts. For more information on these areas check out HSLDA’s website.
Does your child participate in extracurricular activities? If so, what kind? Colleges will look at this information because they want to make sure your child is well rounded, and one that will fit into their university. Extracurricular activities do not have to be just sports, but can include 4-H, homeschool groups, church activities, volunteering, music classes, and much more.
So, what do colleges look for in homeschoolers? Colleges want to make sure that the students attending have developed their talents in whatever environment they were in. Whether or not they are homeschooled is of little interest as long as they have good academic records, are well rounded, and ready for higher academic learning.
Misty Bailey loves helping new homeschoolers and has Homeschool 101 eBook for those getting started. She shares her struggles with time management, becoming unglued and finding joy in the everyday moments on her blog Joy in the Journey.
Just starting to homeschool, or feel like you need to make some changes? Come to hear what makes a curriculum strong educationally, effective and motivating! Learn how to maximize the opportunity you have to make a plan that is perfect for your family.
Attend the Alabama Homeschool Expo, register now for early bird discounts!
The Homeschool Expo is your place for answers. Randi St. Denis, Director of Home Educators Encouragement Alliance (HEEA), is an educator, popular homeschool speaker, and a seasoned homeschooling mom. Randi works as a consultant to homeschool families; providing teaching expertise and assistance to all types of children.
Come to the Alabama Homeschool Expo and get your questions answered by Randi and other experienced homeschool speakers.
I was attending a homeschool conference where the speaker was giving facts on how many Olympiads raised children that became Olympiads themselves. The point the speaker was making is that children are a lot like their parents. So whenever my husband says, “What is with our kids and math?” I remind him that we were late bloomers.
On one hand, our children will be like us and we shouldn’t have unrealistic fantasies for expectations. However, they are also a unique individual and homeschooling gives them the opportunity to explore personal interest. God uses ordinary people for extraordinary circumstances, not just straight A students.
http://alabamahomeschoolexpo.com/
Have you stayed away from the Homeschool Expo just because of the magnitude of it all? Looking at the listing of workshops or a peak into the exhibit hall can give you a deer in the headlights look! Where do you start?
Attending the Alabama Homeschool Expo is educational and exciting. The workshops and exhibitors are there for you. You might also want to consider Homeschooling for Excellence, a one day conference for beginning homeschoolers.
Opinions on whether or not to test, or whether or not to pay attention to the results, vary greatly. In today’s world you cannot get away from tests. Tests for a driver’s license, admittance to school or for job advancement are just a few. If practice makes perfect (or at least improvement) you may want to consider having your student test in a variety of circumstances.
The parents whose child has any type of learning disability are most concerned about testing. Randi St. Denis, director of Home Educators Encouragement Alliance will be at the Alabama Homeschool Expo teaching a workshop for special needs students. For more information on the workshops Mrs. St. Denis will discuss whether or not testing is for your child, Contact her through the Alabama Homeschool Expo web site.
