Let’s see if I can get this right… Homeschooling opponents insist that homeschoolers need accreditation for their high school diplomas to count. They tell us that going to a public school or accredited private school is the only proper way to educate a child. Still, as is the case in Clayton County GA, not all public schools students are guaranteed accreditation. Hmmm. About a month ago, the Clayton County Public School district in Georgia was threatened with loss of accreditation for next school year if it did not clean up its act. The problems have been more board related than … Continue reading →

Does a homeschool graduate need a GED (General Equivalency Diploma) in order to be a “real” graduate? Is a homeschool diploma considered a legitimate diploma? There was a time, back in the dark ages of homeschooling (when only a few courageous pioneers were bravely bucking the system) that most of what was done by homeschoolers was deemed illegitimate, including bestowing on them a “homemade diploma.” I remember being in that camp myself, laughing at what I thought were the backward, uninformed few who wanted to keep their children behind closed doors. (I was a teenager at the time, who knew … Continue reading →

This is the last of my 3 part series on college courses and the homeschooler. Previously I discussed auditing college classes and taking AP courses. The third option I will discuss for students preparing for college is dual enrollment. Duel enrollment is when a student is enrolled simultaneously in high school and college at the same time. The college level courses they would take would also satisfy high school diploma requirements. Duel enrollment is offered through most high schools in partnership with local colleges. Since Duel enrollment is a public school program for advanced students, it sticky subject amongst the … Continue reading →

Many homeschoolers begin to panic when their children reach middle school age, because, no matter what statistics say, they have no idea how they will get their homeschooler prepared for college. Previously, I wrote about how you your child can audit college classes for high school credits, which included ensuring that your child will be able to handle college level work. Another route your homeschooled child can take is to enroll for advanced placement courses. Advanced Placement classes (also known as AP classes) are high school classes taught at a college level. While they are essentially college courses, they are … Continue reading →

Many homeschooling parents begin to panic when their children reach middle school age, because, no matter what statistics say, they have no idea how they will get their homeschooler prepared for college. I have on piece of advice here… Enroll them in college now! By enrolling your high school (and sometimes younger) homeschooled child in community college courses, you will have no doubt at all that they can handle the work at a four year college. By having a few college courses under their belts, they will also prove to the college admissions officers their capabilities and therefore have an … Continue reading →

If you are planning to homeschool your child through high school, you need to concurrently compile their homeschool portfolio. Too many parents spend the bulk of their child’s junior and senior years pouring over years of projects and family photographs to find information that may be of interest to the college admissions officer. Instead of taking that route, I suggest you start recording your children projects in middle school. Compiling a homeschool portfolio does not have to be tantamount to preparing for a tax audit. You do not have to save boxes and boxes of everything your child touched since … Continue reading →