Homeschooling High School (Revised)

If you are preparing to homeschool a highschooler, no doubt you already realize that this is a big responsibility. If you are unsure whether you are going to continue to homeschool through high school, be assured that the same reasons you chose to homeschool in the first place are still applicable through these years. You are still able to provide your students with everything they need to be prepared for college - likely even more than their peers. The focus of this book is homeschooling through high school with the goal of college admission. Frequently homeschoolers approaching these years wonder if they will be able to give their students what they need to be accepted, and they are wary about keeping the right records, being eligible for scholarships, preparing official transcripts, and numerous other considerations that will be encountered. The author of this book, Jeanne Gowen Dennis, has (successfully!) homeschooled her daughter through high school, and she is now excelling in college. Because of the many questions Dennis has received on this subject, she decided to write a book to help prepare parents and show them exactly what they need to do to prepare their students. Not only did she draw on her experience and that of other homeschooling families, she also surveyed over 260 colleges on her own to find out what they looked for, what they required, and what strengths and weaknesses they noticed among homeschoolers enrolled in their colleges. This book begins with a chapter targeting the unsure. Dennis spells out the many advantages of homeschooling through high school, reassuring you that you are qualified to undertake this responsibility. She also lists out the disadvantages, such as not having such wide access to lab science materials, administrative tasks that you will be required to do, potential social problems (no, this does NOT have to be case at all, but she mentions it in order to help you recognize the importance of preparing your students to be in college life) and a few others. She also provides ways to combat these though, with excellent, sound advice. Next, she offers you the "Blueprint for Success", an outline of all the skills you need to build in your student - be it good character, academic, or practical. Planning and Priorities is an excellent chapter listing goals for high school education. Next she instructs in planning schedules, budget, selecting quality curriculum, and other important decisions. Chapter 5 is an extremely helpful chapter, showing by subject what is important for students to learn before going to college. A chapter for the home guidance office offers knowledge about keeping accurate records, college and career planning, alternatives for higher education, college entrance exams (SAT or ACT? What are the pros and cons of taking the GED?), and financial aid. Then is an extensive guide to finding the right college, along with a several page questionnaire to fill out regarding the college. The next chapter highlights noted strengths and potential weaknesses of homeschoolers in college, helping you to build on the strengths and alleviate the weaknesses. Chapters 9 and 10 guide you through all the information you should keep and record, how to prepare your transcript to look professional, assigning credits, writing course descriptions_1, assigning grades, and everything else you need to package in order to apply to colleges and look professional. There are tons of forms and charts to help you prepare your student's records clearly and correctly. Extensive appendices include a chart of college homeschool requirements (gathered from over 100 colleges across the nation), homeschool high school resources, a section for students, and a very complete list of recommended reading - one from a college English professor, one from a literature based homeschooling mom, and an additional compilation of other favorites from the author and other parents. If you are unsure of whether you want to continue homeschooling into this period, if you feel incompetent, or if you know you want to but have questions regarding preparation for college, this guide will prove extremely valuable to you. There is a lot of information here for anyone preparing students for college admission. 306 pgs. - Melissa