A FEARFUL PROSPECT
Parents seem to fear the prospect of homeschooling through high school more than homeschooling through the lower grades. Some, in fact, establish that they will homeschool the lower grades but switch to a traditional school setting in high school. There are many reasons for this. I too had reservations about the prospect of homeschooling high school. But now with two homeschool graduates and one in high school, I have discovered that certain fears never materialized. This post is to help parents allay four of the biggest fears about homeschooling through high school.
FEAR #1: THE HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT
“Writing a transcript” is a general term people use to represent the process of determining graduation requirements and figuring out how to achieve them through course selection and course timing. Doing research and planning can alleviate these fears substantially. Here is a general step-by-step plan on how to tackle the high school transcript years before it’s due: The High School Transcript: A Targeted Approach.
FEAR #2: THE MATERIAL IS TOO ADVANCED
Most parents probably feel intimidated by certain high school level courses. A decade or two may have passed since high school for some of us, and certain courses may not have been our thing. But there’s some relief knowing that you can find outside teachers for the courses you don’t wish to handle. There are co-ops, private instructors, online courses, and local colleges that might offer dual enrollment courses. Dual enrollment at a community college can allow you to double dip college credits which means substituting high school credits with college credits. Read my post on Double-Dipping Credits. We took advantage of all these options. To locate instructors in your area, join local homeschool social media groups. Some groups have data bases for courses. You can also ask members for advice in finding a particular course in the community.
FEAR #3: MY CHILD WON’T GET INTO COLLEGE
We entrust the school system to prepare our kids for college. When the responsibility falls on us, it’s easy to think our kids will be at a disadvantage when it comes to college admissions and scholarship awards. To alleviate this fear, compare the stats of homeschooled students to those who are traditionally schooled. A great barometer is the SAT and ACT tests. Homeschooled students score higher than the national average on these standardized tests. High scores on these tests have traditionally been used to qualify students for merit scholarships and college admission. My daughters scored above 30 on the ACT which secured them four-year merit scholarships. Read The ACT Advantage.
Homeschooled students have the flexibility to take courses at the community college which makes them look good on college applications. These courses provide valuable information to college admissions staff who inevitably assess homeschooled students differently than traditionally schooled students. Doing well in a college level course demonstrates firstly that a student is prepared for college level work and secondly that a student can manage big workloads and deadlines. Finally, and very importantly, college courses provide objective grades which homeschoolers especially lack. Read Homeschool Grades: Dealing with Their Subjectivity. What a lot of parents don’t realize is that students with a lot of early college credit can still apply as freshmen to four-year colleges. I didn’t realize this until my daughters were taking courses at the community college.
Homeschool students can take advantage of their unique situations and make themselves stand out to college admissions. They have extra time to develop special talents and skills. My daughter had time for extra violin practice and out-of-town lessons; she ended up with a four-year music scholarship. My other daughter spent a lot of time coding and working on simulation and gaming design; she ended up with a four-year STEM scholarship. My son had time to rebuild a vintage Volvo engine in high school. He was able to write about this experience on his college application, and perhaps this contributed to his acceptance into the competitive mechanical engineering program at NC State as a freshman.
Homeschool students have the time and flexibility to work a job. Through work, students can gain skills like time management, people skills, money management, and whatever skills the job teaches. These are the skills that lead to success in college and what college admissions seeks in students. My daughter’s high school work experience gave her the maturity and confidence to take leadership roles her first year. Another advantage that employment provides is a supervisor who can complete letters of recommendation for college and scholarship applications.
Homeschooled students also have the option to take CLEP exams to replace or supplement high school courses. These exams not only provide college credit, but they can make a homeschooled student stand out on college and scholarship applications. My children and their friends have taken many CLEP exams. In fact, this blog site provides all the details you need to handle them yourself. For an overview of these exams read CLEP Q & A and CLEP Quick Start: DIY. These credits can give your student advantages at the community college too. Read my post The CLEP Advantage at the Community College.
FEAR #4: MY CHILD WILL MISS OUT ON OPPORTUNITIES
The opportunities for homeschoolers may be somewhat different than those at traditional schools but they are still good. We have been able to find wonderful music opportunities, proms, quality classes, field trips, and social opportunities. Sports are also prevalent in the community. My kids do not grieve for the what-if experiences they could have had at a traditional school.
One of the most awesome things about homeschool is that our kids have extra time to participate in extracurricular activities and hang out with their friends. They don’t have homework on top of their studies. I have spent many weekdays hanging out with other homeschool families at parks. For my high schoolers, I organized bike-trail days and hiking days with friends. These days will be forever cherished.
We get accustomed to the schools providing opportunities so it may not occur to us right away that we have to do it ourselves. If a parent is motivated for her child to socialize with other kids, she can be a joiner and an inviter. I admit that inviting was not my super-power, but I forced myself to become one for the sake of my kids. It was good for them and me.
Social media makes the job of finding opportunities easy. There are homeschool support groups that host all sorts of activities. On these sites, parents frequently host get-togethers at parks and museums. Some parents invite students to their home to join a course they are teaching to their own child. Another mom and I invited outside students to join our sons in two science courses we co-taught. Essentially, if you want your child to have a particular opportunity, consider creating it and inviting others through social media to join in. There are many parents seeking the same experiences.
Start off by participating in a variety of groups. It may take a few tries to find a group that fits your values and interests. Don’t assume that all homeschoolers or homeschool groups are the same. When we first started homeschooling, I was naïve and assumed that all homeschoolers were on the same page. The first group we joined had a lot of activities we desired, but the personality of the group did not fit us. I’m glad that I did not surrender to the belief that this group represented all homeschooler groups. Eventually we found a large group that offered us immediate connectivity. Once you gain homeschool know-how, team up with like-minded parents and create opportunities for your kids.
Fear Not
Homeschooling through high school can be successful with a strategy and out-of-the-box thinking. Realize that the responsibility traditional schools assume is now yours. Taking over the responsibility requires awareness of the needs that schools provide, and it requires you to find ways to meet the needs you think are essential. The best way to learn about these things is to talk to a variety of parents who have homeschooled through or currently are homeschooling high school. Homeschooling, unlike traditional schools, provides a myriad of approaches to education. Once you understand the options, determine which options best meet your student’s needs. Develop a plan, hopefully one that encourages your student, and include some flex options. You’re new at this and your student is still developing so flexibility is good. Fortunately, there’s a lot of grace built into the system. Trust that you can develop a winning strategy because no one knows your child better than you. No one loves your child as much as you. When you develop an informed, personalized plan for your child, there’s not much to fear about homeschooling through high school. You can do it!
Musing: a period of reflection or thought. As such this post reflects my thoughts, opinions, and experiences on the topic. The choice to home school and the methods you choose are yours to determine.
My experience with CLEPs. I have coached my kids and their friends through 16 different CLEP exams over a period of 9 years. Collectively, they have passed 38 CLEP exams and earned over 156 college credits. I’m still coaching my younger son through his CLEP journey. My high school graduates have received full-ride merit scholarships.