It is July, and it is time to get going with the new school year.
Daughter is getting a jump on Geometry to have enough of it under her belt in time for the PSAT.
Son is finishing his art portfolio to get his college applications out.
I have posted and updated our book and program choices for the year.
For daughter, I decided to assign her reading. Normally, I choose every other book for her to make sure she gets a good dose of classics. However, I looked at a 100 books list that you should read before college and realized that she's only read about half with 2 years to go. Then I realized that I owned Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces and it contained many of the books that I wanted her to read, so that's that. She must read the full anthology, and since she can put away 100 pages a day normally, she will be finished with it by Christmas. Then she can read whatever she ants.
For son, I am waiting to hear from the college who is waiting for his last ACT test scores... they are held up for some reason. If they don't accept him (GA state schools hold homeschoolers to a higher standard) then we he can take the dual enrollment classes online at a private college.
I am hoping to have everything finalized soon.
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Encouragement to struggling homeschoolers
I am sure you know the stats by now. Homeschoolers test better than public school students. Homeschoolers are highly sought by colleges, especially Christian Colleges, and also Ivy League. Homeschoolers seem to excel across the board.
But this is the average. If there's a high, there's got to be a low. What about in the case where the child HAD to homeschool because there was no way she was going to keep up in school. What about the kid who left high school on an IEP that had him destined for hard labor at best. These kids may not come out at the top of the Standardized Test scale, but they still have redeeming value that makes them college material and successful business people thereafter.
This is a story of a young man in particular who had such an experience. He went to public school through middle school, then had no choice but to homeschool for high school. He started off behind the ball, so to speak. In four years, he had to re-learn everything he'd not learned in his formative years, while getting up to standard enough to prepare for college. Ideally, he probably should have homeschooled for six years to be a strong college candidate, but that would have made him 20 by graduation. So he did his best and submitted his applications, playing up his strengths to the best of his abilities. Rejection letter, after rejection letter came, but ultimately, he found a match that was good for him and an asset for the school. (Being an Eagle Scout and doing lots of mission work is what probably won them over).
So I guess what I am saying is that your homeschooler does not have to be a rocket scientist to get into a good college. Your child does need to have strong interests and passions and show that they are leadership material. Even if college is not the goal for your child, it is important remember that leaders don't necessary hold the knowledge to do the job. Instead they know how to put the right people in the right places to get the job done.
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But this is the average. If there's a high, there's got to be a low. What about in the case where the child HAD to homeschool because there was no way she was going to keep up in school. What about the kid who left high school on an IEP that had him destined for hard labor at best. These kids may not come out at the top of the Standardized Test scale, but they still have redeeming value that makes them college material and successful business people thereafter.
This is a story of a young man in particular who had such an experience. He went to public school through middle school, then had no choice but to homeschool for high school. He started off behind the ball, so to speak. In four years, he had to re-learn everything he'd not learned in his formative years, while getting up to standard enough to prepare for college. Ideally, he probably should have homeschooled for six years to be a strong college candidate, but that would have made him 20 by graduation. So he did his best and submitted his applications, playing up his strengths to the best of his abilities. Rejection letter, after rejection letter came, but ultimately, he found a match that was good for him and an asset for the school. (Being an Eagle Scout and doing lots of mission work is what probably won them over).
So I guess what I am saying is that your homeschooler does not have to be a rocket scientist to get into a good college. Your child does need to have strong interests and passions and show that they are leadership material. Even if college is not the goal for your child, it is important remember that leaders don't necessary hold the knowledge to do the job. Instead they know how to put the right people in the right places to get the job done.
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Dear undocumented alien students:
I feel bad for you, the undocumented alien students who want to go to college, but is it really fair to demand entry into colleges without first taking steps to becoming legal residents?
About 200 protesters rallied inside the Capitol to protest the state's new immigration reform law scheduled to go into effect on Friday. Many of the demonstrators said they were undocumented students at metro Atlanta high schools... "It is not OK for all these students to sit at home with all this talent and not be able to go to college," Guerrero said. "I'm not OK with knowing there are 74,000 undocumented students in the state of Georgia."
Full story here
My problem is not with these kids wanting a college education, but that they are undocumented.
Yes, your parents brought you into the country when you were young and you could not do anything about it.
Yes, you finished high school, and want to go to college.
Yes, recent rules are preventing you to do so.
But... why not take a year or two and go through the process of getting legal? You are an adult now. Make it right. As the wife of a documented alien who became an American Citizen a couple of years ago, I know that there are many issues dealing with being an alien resident... and that's even for the people who are legal. I can't imagine the stress that an undocumented alien goes through.
However, to demand entry into colleges and using public money to do so without becoming legal is unfair to all of the kids who were born in the country or whose families took the legal route and had them documented. There are only so many spaces. There is only so much financial aid.
If anything needs to be changed, there needs to be an easy process for 18 year old's who have been in the country for 4 or more years to go through the process of becoming a citizen. It may take a year off of your education timeline while becoming legal resident aliens, and possibly citizens, but it is better than looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life.
The cost of educating legal and illegal aliens
Financial aid Ok'd for illegal students in Califorina
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About 200 protesters rallied inside the Capitol to protest the state's new immigration reform law scheduled to go into effect on Friday. Many of the demonstrators said they were undocumented students at metro Atlanta high schools... "It is not OK for all these students to sit at home with all this talent and not be able to go to college," Guerrero said. "I'm not OK with knowing there are 74,000 undocumented students in the state of Georgia."
Full story here
My problem is not with these kids wanting a college education, but that they are undocumented.
Yes, your parents brought you into the country when you were young and you could not do anything about it.
Yes, you finished high school, and want to go to college.
Yes, recent rules are preventing you to do so.
But... why not take a year or two and go through the process of getting legal? You are an adult now. Make it right. As the wife of a documented alien who became an American Citizen a couple of years ago, I know that there are many issues dealing with being an alien resident... and that's even for the people who are legal. I can't imagine the stress that an undocumented alien goes through.
However, to demand entry into colleges and using public money to do so without becoming legal is unfair to all of the kids who were born in the country or whose families took the legal route and had them documented. There are only so many spaces. There is only so much financial aid.
If anything needs to be changed, there needs to be an easy process for 18 year old's who have been in the country for 4 or more years to go through the process of becoming a citizen. It may take a year off of your education timeline while becoming legal resident aliens, and possibly citizens, but it is better than looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life.
The cost of educating legal and illegal aliens
Financial aid Ok'd for illegal students in Califorina
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Gnawing away at the umbilical cord
My son is spending the week at the SCAD Atlanta Summer Seminar program and living on campus. He is only 20 minutes away, but to me if feels like he's on the other side of the country. As he is a naturally quiet and shy person, I thought the transition would be rough. Normally when he's away from home it is with people he knows, but this time, not a single person he has ever met before it with him.
I know he is doing well because he won't call and he won't write. The most I am getting is one word text messages.
I text to ask "is everything cool?" He answers "yes".
I text "are you having fun?" He answers "yes".
I guess that's good.... probably very good. I'll take that.
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I know he is doing well because he won't call and he won't write. The most I am getting is one word text messages.
I text to ask "is everything cool?" He answers "yes".
I text "are you having fun?" He answers "yes".
I guess that's good.... probably very good. I'll take that.
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12 grade year of homeschooling, Finishing Strong
We are almost done with my college prep series. There will still be a video on completing the transcript. Stay tuned... meanwhile, ...
