Is Your Child Bored with High School?

If your child is bored with high school topics, you can consider two choices: college options and non-college options.

College options include going to a university at an early age (either as a regular student or "Non-matriculated" student) or attending a community college before going to the university. College policies vary on non-matriculation. College like to get money, however, and usually non-matriculated students pay the full price (no scholarships). Since it's basically "free money" for the college, they are highly motivated to accept those students. With these options, the student is in a classroom with college-age people on a daily basis.

Non-college options include homeschooling college and other distance learning opportunities, where most of the academic work is done at home, similar to homeschooling. View this quick video on the process:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evJeAAJedbY

Also check out my Dig Deeper page on homeschooling college:
http://www.squidoo.com/How_2_Homeschool_College

These are the books I recommend on the subject:
"Accelerated Distance Learning" by Homeschool Graduate Brad Voeller.



or Bears Guide To Earning Degrees By Distance Learning



Here's how it works: You pick and choose from online classes across the nation. All the work is done at home. All the results from those different online experiences are all sent to one university. If you choose to do it all four years of college this way, some (but not all) of the upper level courses require you to fly to the distance location for testing once a quarter. That University will provide "accreditation" for all the credits that are earned. Those accredited transcripts will be sent the next University your student wishes to attend. It's possible to homeschool college from one quarter to all four years.

Blessings,

Lee

Looking for a college? Try my Teachable Moments DVD, "Finding a College"

Thinking about Community College?

This post focuses on dual-enrollment in Washington State (called "Running Start".) I think you will find some useful information here regardless of where you live.

Running Start is relatively easy to access as a homeschooler, even at a young age. 1) take the COMPASS test at the community college 2) take your transcript and COMPASS test results to the local high school and talk to the Running Start counselor there 3) they will sign a paper allowing you to access Running Start 4) take the paper into the community college admission department. It's pretty easy (more time consuming when kids are under 16, but still do-able.)

Advantages: Dual enrollment can provide college credit, which can save many thousands of dollars on a college degree. It can provide external documentation of a student's academic achievement, especially in difficult subjects like lab science and foreign language.

Drawbacks: Community colleges will often have lower academic standards than regular universities. Classes will be a mix of academically capable and academically struggling teens and adults. Teens are usually in the minority. "Public school" environment with former drop-outs and students of questionable character. "Adult learning environment" that is sometimes akin to watching an R-rated movie. Community colleges have told me to warn homeschoolers that their student population may include "adjudicated individuals" who have been through the court and prison systems.

If you are thinking about Running Start, I recommend using the "buddy system." One friend had great success by using just evening programs, rather than daytime classes and using the buddy system.

Blessings,

Lee
www.TheHomeScholar.com
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