Gold Care Club

Ever wonder if you have what it takes to homeschool high school? Meet Jean. This mom has no college education, no teaching experience, poor health, poor memory and even so, her daughter experienced success! Read this whole story - it's just so encour...

Homeschool Records + Talent = Julliard Dreams Fulfilled

Getting into Julliard is like getting into Harvard. You really have to have it ALL - academics, special talent, passion, and luck! Anytime you are trying to get into a highly selective school, it requires some extra effort from both the parent and the child.

Recently I received this lovely thank you note from a Gold Care Club member. Their family achieved wonderful success!

"I have enjoyed being a gold card club member for years, spoke to you on the phone and I listened to some of your webinars, used the course description and transcript templates and information on SAT's. I thank you for your help in my journey of making all this ready for applications. My daughter and I made a detailed portfolio for her that she sent to 7 places where she was invited to audition live, and was successfully accepted to most of the Conservatories. She was accepted into The Julliard School by her audition and then they accepted her high school portfolio without any questions. She placed into all the academic courses at the higher level. She is now happily studying a bachelors of music at The Julliard School, fulfilling her dream. I am extremely thankful that I had the opportunity to home school her and thanks to you, I knew how to present her schooling and everything else in such a way that I did not need to sacrifice the wonderful home school curriculum that gave her a strong Christian world view and foundation in Christ. ~ A"

This Gold Care Club Member took advantage of the telephone consultations. She also learned on her own, by consistently watching the 5 monthly classes that change on the 20th of every month. She purchased the Comprehensive Record Solution, that helped her to make a detailed portfolio. And she provided the moral compass her daughter needed to succeed in the future.

The teenager was homeschooled independently, which allowed her to pursue Delight Directed Learning in music, which then enabled her to succeed at the highest levels. Learn more about Delight Directed Learning.

Articles: 
Delight Directed Learning
Maximize the Fun Factor
Encouraging Delight Directed Learning at the High School Level

Coordinating Coffee Break Book on Amazon:
Delight Directed Learning: Guide Your Homeschooler Toward Passionate Learning

Here is what I suggest.

• Prepare thorough homeschool records.


• Encourage your child's interests and talents.


• Prepare to have your child's dreams fulfilled too!

Leap of Faith: From Behind and Overwhelmed to College Scholarships

Not everyone begins their college planning and preparation from the time their children are young, crossing all the T's and dotting all the I's. Parents have busy lives, with babies, toddlers, and busy schedules.  Check out this letter of encouragement from a real-life homeschool mom like you! You are NOT alone!

    Thank you for all your help this year.  My oldest child is a senior this year, about to graduate.  We have always homeschooled him, along with our other children, but when he got ready to enter high school, it was a leap of faith whether to do it or not.  I wasn't sure I could do it, and I was terrified he would never get into college.  Although there are many homeschoolers in my area, most of the homeschoolers that I know either have kids that are younger than mine, or have decided against sending their children to college in the traditional way.  Although we knew that our son was thinking about college, he was unsure of what he wanted to do.  Finally this past summer, the Lord spoke to his heart and my son started to make plans for attending college, except that we had no idea where to even start.  We hadn't visited schools or really even looked at them, we didn't have transcripts or course descriptions and no knowledge of how to apply for colleges, write college essays or apply for scholarships. In fact, I was even behind on some of my grading because I had had a baby and had a toddler at home.  All his high school papers were in piles in several different boxes with grades here and there.  I felt completely overwhelmed and had no one to even ask for help.  I had a couple of books that helped a little but I still had so many questions.  I had received your e-mails, and following you on Facebook but last fall I was finally able to attend one of your webinars.  After the webinar I purchased the Comprehensive Record Solution and became a Gold Care Club member.  Although I never sought out your service on the phone (my kids have co-op on Wednesdays) or through e-mails, I did go through many of your materials.  Although it took me months to get it all done, I did finally complete all of his transcripts, course descriptions, reading lists, activities, cover letters, etc. My son applied to four colleges, and was accepted to all and offered academic scholarships (not total scholarships, but every little bit helps!)  While none of them were Harvard or Yale, he wanted a private 4 year Christian college, some of which were not all that easy to get into.  While he hasn't made a final decision, he has options, and that is in part because of your help.  I was able to show in great detail all he had accomplished in an organized, easy to read and understand way.  Thank you for all that you offer to homeschoolers, but especially to parents like me, that had no clue where to even begin.  Although it was a tremendous amount of work, having all your wonderful help made it so much easier and less stressful.  I thank the Lord that He led me to your site and all your outstanding knowledge.  I recommend you to everyone that I speak to about this whole process and even listed your site as one of my favorite homeschooling helps at a recent support group meeting. Thank you for all that you have done
~ Ms. Tiena

What are the lessons you can apply from this example? Don't panic, but plan and prepare! You can do this, and I'll be happy to help! Start with my free resources, and then if you need more support, I'll be there for you.

It's never too late! Just start preparing today!
15 Point Senior Year Inspection Checklist

Plan ahead for college admission, because teenagers change their minds.
WARNING! Teenagers Change Their Mind!

Create comprehensive records to impress colleges.
FREE Webinar! Homeschool Records that Open Doors!

Get help when you need it, just reach out!
The HomeScholar Gold Care Club

Success! I love it when people write to say THANK YOU and share their successes! I got this awesome note from Jen in Pennsylvania. Read some of her tips, and see what you can glean from her experiences today.

From Freaked Out to Scholarship Offers

I want to thank you for all that you have done for me in my homeschool-mom journey.

I've been a Gold Care Club member for a long time and it has been invaluable to me. I wanted to thank you!  My son is away at college in his second semester of freshman year.  He is doing great and although the course work is rigorous, he is WELL prepared for college.  Many people in my life would question how in the world a homeschooler could get into college.  As I tried not to let those fears creep in, I was introduced to you.  Your services, webinars and conferences as a Gold Care Club member helped me gain the confidence I needed.

When college application time came, I freaked out!  I didn't plan and prepare in advance as well as I should have.  You were the voice of reason, and you guided me towards your Transcript Pajama Party.   My son wrote his essays, and the applications were submitted.  He applied to a handful of schools, a couple of which were definite REACH schools (I'm talking Ivy League). He didn't get into every school he applied to, but he got acceptance letters!  And SCHOLARSHIP offers!!

I mentioned the "reach" schools, because although he did not get in to those, the experiences of applying were fantastic.  He overcame his nerves, he participated in face-to-face as well as phone interviews with these colleges and did SO WELL!  I believe God guided my son right where he was supposed to be, and he is thriving.

So, thank you Lee!  I know The HomeScholar is your business, but honestly, it's like a ministry as well.  You have such a gift and such wisdom to help a frazzled homeschool mom gain the confidence she needs to homeschool high school.  I am not a teacher by trade, and had no clue what I was doing when I started this journey, thank you for helping me!  As I write this email, I have another high schooler that I am homeschooling.  This child is completely different than her brother was in learning style, passions, and all around interests.  I thought I would have it all together by now, but I don't!  I can't wait until I can get my membership going again I need you Lee!!

~ Jen in PA

Want to learn more?
Online services, webinars and conferences: The HomeScholar Gold Care Club
Individual Class: Real Fast College Applications (Online Training)
Paperback Book: The HomeScholar Guide to College Admission and Scholarships

Related articles
Reach, Fit, and Safety Simplified
How to Win a Scholarship Competition and Ace the Admission Interview
Encouraging Delight Directed Learning at the High School Level
A New Beginning: Homeschooling High School for Freaked Parents

If you have a story about college applications, please write and share. I'd love to hear your story!

Learn about scholarships when your child starts high school. During junior year, the things you do can determine the scholarships you receive. College choice, test preparation, and application essays are the 3 biggest factors in receiving college scholarships.

What to Do When You Need Scholarships NOW!

It's much more difficult, and certainly more emotional, to stand in the middle of senior year, wondering where the money will come from. If that is you, I feel your pain! Spring of senior year is a difficult time. You know where your child has been accepted, and your child likely has a first choice university. And you don't have a clue how you can pay for it all.

Nancy approached me on Facebook and asked:

Our senior been accepted by most of the school's she applied to but her scholarship offers have not been as high as we hoped. She has applied for COUNTLESS scholarships and has not won a penny.  I am so discouraged right now. Any encouragement you can offer would be great. Also, any advice on how to negotiate for more money from colleges would be wonderful. Thank you so much! I would never have gotten this far without your products and free advice!

You CAN talk to the colleges to ask for more money. As some families decline their offers of admission, that frees up more scholarship money. For example, you can say something like, "This is our first choice college, and I would hate to disappoint my daughter, but we have 11 children to consider, not just one. We simply can't afford this college, no matter how much we love it. How can we get more scholarship money so she can attend your school?"

You can also search for other colleges that have more money to give away. If you only applied to prestigious schools, your child may look like an average applicant. If you applied to a variety of public and private schools, then your child may be the best looking candidate they see that year - and they may reward that with money. Be sure to apply for reach, fit, and safety colleges.

Those ideas are just off the top of my head, without knowing anything more about the situation. This article may help: Real Story, Real Money, Real Scholarships, about a mom who wrote a letter like this, and it was worth $8000 to her. So yes, write to the college.

It's very difficult for me to consult via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, GooglePlus, YouTube, or Blog. As much as I would love to talk to you about these things individually, my time is so limited. As Nancy mentioned, many of my services are free. Check out all my Homeschool Freebies.  But if you need some real, personal help, join the Gold Care Club, so we can discuss it thoroughly, since it provides 20 minutes of consultation by phone or by email each week.

Learn more about the Gold Care Club.

Learn more about College Admission and Scholarships

What Colleges Want

It's difficult to find out exactly what colleges want, because they are all different. Instead of the stress of figuring out what ALL colleges want, try to figure out what your number one college is and learn 100% about ONE college. Get to know absolutely everything about them. Learn their preferences and visit that college for sure. Then tailor your remaining homeschool years to meet their requirements.  In all of your communications, show them you love them.

Gold Care Club Help

One of my Gold Care Club members was looking into Georgia Tech, and many of her friends told her she didn't need comprehensive homeschool records, that homeschoolers had gotten in without it. But when we read their policy together, we found out a different story. While Georgia Tech does not currently REQUIRE comprehensive records, Georgia Tech does RECOMMEND supplemental information - and it will help you get admission and scholarships if you have comprehensive homeschool records. (Read Georgia Tech Homeschool Admission Policy.) After thinking it through, we realized that some of her friends had not been admitted, and we wondered if the missing records could be part of the reason.
So… learn 100% about one college and give them what they want! That will give you the best chances of college admission and scholarships to your number one college.

What a blessing to read about good news! Cynthia wrote to tell me about her marvelous success story! They were able to get their child the college admission and scholarships of her dreams!

Cynthia's Success Story!

 Hi Lee -

I am writing to say thank you and to share our success story with you.

Our eldest (of three) children was just accepted early decision into Lafayette College in Easton, PA! Your resources were invaluable in helping me wade through the application process. I used both your "Total Transcript Solution" and "Comprehensive Record Solution." I so appreciate all the information, directions, and samples provided so that I could customize our son's application to make him stand out. I feel our end product - the transcript, comprehensive records, in addition to the essays he and I both had to write and the recommendations from others - was an outstanding product that helped the college selection committee see our son's academic excellence and also his character, which led them to a decision to admit him to their institution.

I recommend your materials to all homeschoolers who have high school students, and I also agree with your suggestions that homeschoolers with younger students should also begin to learn all about keeping records before their children are in high school. I find myself almost looking forward to creating the transcripts and records for our two younger children!

Blessings and joy as you and your family!

In Christ,

Cynthia in NJ

Listen, if you are new to the whole "high school thing" just take it one step at a time. If you are a true beginner, or looking at homeschooling for the first time, look at my Getting Started Page. If you are ready to have your own success story about homeschooling high school, then check out some of my preview classes on my Homeschool Freebies Page. And if you would appreciate some support along the way, consider joining the Gold Care Club for $67 per month. The Gold Care Club has 5 recorded classes, a live webinar, tools, template, scholarships and resources that change monthly - and you can learn independently that way. But with the Gold Care Club you also get personalized support if you like, with a consultation for 20 minutes every week, by phone or by email. Plus it's just plain fun to talk to another homeschool mom who understands!

It is always so encouraging for me to receive personal homeschool testimonials from families that have been able to benefit from The HomeScholar. I just had to share these two that were posted on my Facebook.

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I would love to help you with your homeschool journey. Join the Gold Care Club here!

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!

 Read more about Kathy's experience and her story of 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

A few months later, the results were in! Success!! The colleges reported they LOVED her homeschool transcript, and he was accepted into his first choice college!  She had originally purchased the Total Transcript Solution, and later became part of myGold Care Club.  Happy with her successes, she sent me this note of thanks!

Hi LeeI just sent off my son's final transcript a few days ago. Due to a minor mistake, I received a call from the Admissions office.  The requested change was made and the transcript was quickly resent.  I'm telling you this because the office staff's comment was "I love your transcript!  Well done."  (Or something to that effect.) The comment should really have gone to you!I want to thank you for all your support over the past five years, from the talks you gave which I attended at WHO conventions, to discussions at your booths there, to the few phone conversations we had as part of my Gold Care Club membership and my attendance at some of your webinars.  You had so much information and support available on your website as well.  Unfortunately, my life was waaaaay busier than I would have liked for all of the time I was homeschooling my son through high school.  I didn't keep up with the records as much as or as well as I wanted.  I wasn't able to take advantage of all your many resources.  However, knowing they--and you--were available gave me a lot of comfort.  And most importantly, we made it through.My son was accepted at his first choice school, and he's looking forward to heading off to college in the fall.  He also did well over this past year in classes at the local community college, so he and I must have done something right!  He's a nice, responsible, friendly, out-going young man (well-socialized!)  I am proud of him and will miss him terribly.  It's all good.At this point it is time, regretfully, for me to cancel my membership and move on to something else.  Do you have any resources for Moms about what to do with an 'empty nest'??  I can see what you've done, and it's very inspirational. I have passed your info along to my niece who is also homeschooling high school (and younger--four kids total.) I will also recommend you to others if the opportunity arises.

Thanks again for all you have provided to me--and for your support for the homeschooling community in general.

With much gratitude and warm wishes,
Maryjane in Washington

 

 

 

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Let me guess.  You didn't use tests on all your homeschool subjects, right?  Neither did I! And yet, somehow, my children survived!

 



Some homeschoolers think it's tons of fun to go back through four years of high school records and try to find or recreate every possible test, quiz, and assignment.  For me, that doesn't sound like fun.  I was not one of those people.  Plus I've noticed that even when parents do some forensic grading like that, it doesn't really change what they know to be true.  If you are not a tester in your homeschool, look beyond tests, and think of how you have evaluated.

Because not all homeschoolers use tests, I have created a quick grading estimate for homeschool parents.

Grade A or 4.0
Mastery
Meets high expectations
High standardized test scores
Child love subject

Grade B or 3.0 
Pretty good
Not worth an A
Tempted to do it again

Grade C or 2.0
Not very good
Kept going to the next level

This is one of piece of a Gold Care Club monthly webinar.  They are tons of fun!  I hope some day you'll join me!  You can read more about the Gold Care Club here: The HomeScholar Gold Care Club.



Another feature of the Gold Care Club is the opportunity to ask your biggest questions about homeschooling high school.

Watch this YouTube Tip of the Week to learn a few ways that you can help prevent a senior year panic attack!

So many important things to do, but it's hard to do it all!

I remember when I was homeschooling, and how exhausting it was.  Matt and I were talking about all the things parents COULD do to help their children become strong and independent adults.  Then I thought about how exhausted I was by 7pm each night.  At that point I was tired of having meaningful conversations, tired of intentional parenting.  Just tired.  I know other parents are like that in the morning instead, LOL!  But I do want to encourage you to spend some time with your teenager and talk with them about voting. Time flies - and before you know it your teenagers will receive their first ballot.  Make sure they know what to do with it.

I was pretty intentional about teaching my children to vote.  We went over the voter pamphlet together, and I told them what things encouragement me to vote for a candidate one way or another.  When I knew the candidate or issue, we could discuss the specifics of their positions.  We would listen to a little bit of the news, from both conservative and liberal commentators, so they had some exposure to the views of others, and we could discuss debate their positions.

When I didn't know much about the ballot issue, we would look over the voter guide - who endorses that candidate or law?  Do I agree with the person that writes the endorsement?  We talked about who we liked, but more importantly WHY, giving concrete details about how it fits with my primary concerns as a voter, and how it would affect our lives in our homes.

I'll admit, we didn't do much of this voter training until my children were 16 and older, and when their own ballots were only 2 years away.  But sooner or later it become very important to intentionally teach this stuff.  You don't have to do it after 7pm or before 7am, of course!  You can find a time that works for you!  Just teach them to vote now, while you can still explain and discuss the details openly as a family.

In my next Gold Care Club webinar we'll be talking about things that go beyond academics.  Unless it's taught in the context of American government, teaching children to vote is probably not something that you'll put on a high school transcript.  Voting is definitely an area of homeschooling that is beyond academics.  It's still important - even urgent - and not to be missed.  Even for moms like me who are exhausted after 7pm and just need to crash.



Another feature of the Gold Care Club is the opportunity to ask your biggest questions about homeschooling high school.

Every month, my Gold Care Club has completely new and fresh information. I change the classes each month, provide a live webinar, and locate and compile new resources.  This month I added a new feature I call  Resource Packs.  It's a new feature that includes a grouping of resources around a specific topic.  For example, this month our Resource Pack is "Help for Planning Courses." I hope that each month a new Resource Pack will provide much needed and timely information. This section will change and include new information each month, so everyone can find the help they need for their own situation. I hope my Gold Care Club members will enjoy it!