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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Ten Hints for Homeschooling High School

At first, I was intimidated to homeschool for high school.  It’s the gateway to college, and I didn’t want to make a mess of things.  Then, I got to thinking, there are numerous resources out there, and who wants more for my kids than I do?  So, in we plunged. 
 
After our first year homeschooling high school, here are my top ten pointers:

1.       Find other families who have homeschooled through high school and into college and get their advice.

2.       Look at the local public school web site and find out the courses they require for high school graduation – this is a good litmus of everything you should cover.
 

3.       Start a transcript right away and keep up with it.  Include each text that you use – you’ll need to know this if they want to play sports in college – I love the My Homeschool Transcripts online program!


4.       Check with local community colleges to determine what their dual-enrollment policies are so you can consider this as an option for their last two years of high school.


5.       Talk with your student about what he/she wants to take, what his/her plans are after graduation, and start working towards a plan.  If they don’t know, that’s ok – go with the college prep tract from the local high school.  It’s always better to over plan than under plan.


6.        Check out the requirements of prospective colleges to find out what they require for entrance and if they have special requirements for homeschoolers.  Shoot for the requirements of the most challenging school.


7.       Consider having your student take tests like the CLEP to earn college credit for courses they take in high school.  (Check your preferred colleges to find out which CLEP’s or other tests they accept and their expected scores.)


8.       Prepare for the PSAT and the SAT/ACT.  These scores are what the colleges will really look at when considering your student for enrollment.


9.       Take the SAT/ACT multiple times to get the highest score.


10.   Get your student involved in strong extracurricular activites and volunteering – colleges like these!  There are numerous opportunities available to homeschooled students – be sure to take advantage of them!

It can be daunting, but it is doable.  I know several families who have been very successful and sent their children off to strong colleges.  The internet puts finding resources right at our fingertips.

If you and your student are committed to a strong high school experience, you’ll reap the rewards of four wonderful years working together to lay the academic foundation for their future.

To see posts by other Review Crew Members – click here.

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