Getting Started
Homeschool law may not be the same as the law covering public or private schools. In Washington State, for example, public school is covered in one area of the law, and homeschool law is covered in an entirely different area. It can be confusing! When researching the laws in your state, make sure you are looking at the law that applies to homeschoolers. I frequently see homeschoolers trying to fit their homeschool into public school law, and it doesn't feel right. It can be like the old square peg and round hole!For many homeschoolers, college follows shortly after graduation. Gaining college admission and scholarships is the concluding act of your homeschooling career. Let me show you how to do it. Click to register for my free class: College Applications Simply Explained
When I speak to groups, I sometimes show my sons' diplomas. It's fun to show them off and you can see that my boys even graduated with honors!For many homeschoolers, college comes after homeschooling. Let me teach you expert strategies for choosing a college that will love your student ALMOST as much as you do. Click to download my free ebook: Find a College You Love!
I would love to share the story of my recent graduate from Homeschool because ours is such a testimony of what God can do when we don't see how it will ever work out!
We recently graduated our second daughter from our homeschool. We definitely benefited from your resources and easy ideas for homeschooling High School.
You took the fear out of homeschool High School!
Our daughter was really very sick with chronic Lyme Disease since the age of 12. Many times she was bedridden for weeks or months at a time. This made learning hard and we had to school year round.
At first I was pretty stressed out wondering how in the world we were going to get her through High School. Then I found you! Because of your e-books, emails and blog I was able to create a High School career centered around her interests and be creative with how she learned each subject. Your clear method for keeping track of course work and putting together transcripts was so easy that I was even able to help friends when they were struggling.
I couldn't have done it without you Lee!
I feel like I know you and if I ever see you I will definitely give you a hug because you helped me to see that homeschooling High School doesn't have to be hard, overwhelming, or impossible.
I recently wrote about making it to graduation on my blog, Abounding in Hope With Lyme
~ Tricia
With a heavy heart I am writing you an email to say goodbye. My last home schooled child is graduating in two weeks. I have learned so much from you and your millions of resources. O.K., maybe not millions, but your newsletter, website, and books. Then the added bonus of meeting you when our family had just moved to the Seattle area. You were a lifesaver then and your advice and amazing tutelage for transcripts was far beyond any type of thank you I could give in return.
I have and will continue to tell friends and family, who are interested in home schooling about your site. You are kind and full of grace to offer this invaluable service. You made applying to colleges and sending transcripts a breeze. You prepared me for what our family was in store for with college admissions from the time my son was a freshman in high school. It was a bit tedious to write a page about each class, but boy it was worth it not to wait until the kids were seniors to tackle the transcript mess.
What a relief when the application process began. All I had to do as a counselor was reach into the home school transcript drawer and fax the information over to the various colleges. Let me add the colleges were VERY impressed.
When someone has such a large impact on your family, you need to let them know. I met you when were at the home school college fair. I cannot remember the date or location. Yet you saved me from making a huge mistake and I really appreciate you redirecting my thinking. My prayers go to you and your business. You are invaluable!
Thank you again! Keep up the good work!
Forever in your debt,
Jennifer
What is it like to homeschool? Great fun experiences and opportunities! And as the homeschool parent, you can put the academics awesomeness into your high school records. I just got a sweet letter from Kathy explaining how she used a hike up Mt. Fuji for a PE class, for example. Feel FREE to look outside the box, and do whatever works with your child to help them learn, and prepare them for college admission and scholarships!
Dear Lee,It's hard to believe I have been following your advice for 3 years now! I began by purchasing Setting the Records Straight (which I recommend to all of my homeschooling friends). Then I faithfully followed your other tips in your blog and your wonderful Coffee Break eBooks. Last year I leaped into the Gold Care Club when you offered a wonderful year-end deal along with the purchase of the Comprehensive Record Solution. I look forward to your posts and webinars, and I am so thankful for your willingness to mentor the homeschool community.My family has just gone through the college application process for the first time. Thanks to you, I felt very aware of what to expect, and confident in our coursework, preparation and transcript. My husband stayed by my side through the hours upon hours of making everything perfect. No matter how many times I looked over my course descriptions, there always seemed to be a typo or an inconsistency with how I laid things out! In the end we have a beautiful package that we are very proud of. It is wonderful to look back on the years of coursework and reflect on the variety of learning opportunities we've been able to provide for our children. I praise God that we were able to add in "This course culminates with a hike up Japan's tallest peak, Mt. Fuji" in our "Outdoor Athletics" course description, and a WWII semester course primarily based on various WWII related field trips and books my daughter chose to read. Thank you for giving me the peace to be creative!This May our oldest daughter will graduate from high school. It seems like all of the years have flown by, but the high school ones went especially fast. We chose to send a full package, with a cover letter, school profile, table of contents, transcript and course descriptions to each college our daughter applied to, though none required anything other than the transcript. Her top three college choices have already sent acceptance letters with initial scholarship offers based on GPA and test scores, so now we are able to shift to financial aid/scholarship mode (along with finishing high school coursework).Thank you for your time and energy! As a homeschooling mother, teacher, tutor and guidance counselor, I truly appreciate all you do! I do need to cancel my Gold Care Club membership for now, though I expect to begin it again in a couple of years, until my next child is closer to graduation. Please know that I will continue to pass on your information to other homeschoolers. Thank you again!With joy,Kathy in NE
"As the latest wave of superinvolved parents delivers its children to college, institutions are building into the day, normally one of high emotion, activities meant to punctuate and speed the separation. It is part of an increasingly complex process, in the age of Skype and twice-daily texts home, in which colleges are urging “Velcro parents” to back off so students can develop independence."
Go to class.
Do all of the homework and reading.
Get extra help if you're having trouble understanding the subject matter. Don't wait until midterms or the final exam to try to get help.
Stage 1: The Honeymoon
Stage 2: Culture Shock
Stage 3: Initial Adjustment
Stage 4: Homesickness or Loss of Confidence
Stage 5: Acceptance and Integration
"I joined the Army National Guard as a junior in high school. I was seventeen. And I was, you guessed it, homeschooled! The recruiters I worked with couldn’t believe that I was self-motivated, which comes naturally after being homeschooled; I was able to fill out paperwork correctly and in a timely manner. And most of all, they couldn’t believe how easy it was for me to pass a background check. I qualified for a Top Secret security clearance (which due to medical issues, I never ended up using). I had never done marijuana, been convicted of a felony, and was able to provide every reference they asked for. Weird, right? My homeschool education ABSOLUTELY prepared me to pass the ASVAB with an extremely high score, and I was offered a job designation in the field that I wanted (intelligence). I had to laugh, though, because my scores also qualified me for a mechanic position; I am the least mechanically-minded person I know! If your child is called to serve this great country, please know that being homeschooled might just make him an excellent candidate." - Laura
Must possess a home-school diploma and submit transcripts at the time of enlistment. The course work must involve parental supervision, the transcript must reflect the normal credit hours per subject used in a traditional high school and the diploma must be issued in compliance with applicable state laws.
Weigh the desires and maturity of your student against their age and abilities.
It's normal for a child to graduate high school between the ages of 17 and 20. For many parents, that means that you can provide a 5th year of high school and still graduate your child on time.
Although graduating at the "right age" compared to her peers might be confusing if your child has close friends who think it's strange to have two senior years. But it's important to provide your child time to mature before going to college.
Get tips for busy homeschool parents trying to choose the right test and prepare students for high school test success.
Ever wonder about high school subject tests? Like, which one should
Relax and smell the peppermint mocha! Christmas is a great time to snuggle up with a warm beverage and read some classic literature.
Christmastime is the perfect season for great… Read More New for this month in the Gold Care Club updates ...
How To Training Courses
Quick Start : Keys to High School Success
Beginner : Preparing to Homeschool High School - Live Convention
These are my best blog posts about college admission and scholarships over the past year. Make sure you save and pin them!
Pre-calculus and calculus won't help your child with
