Advantage to getting a diploma from an accredited school like VP?

[elfinbaby]

Ds will be in 7th next year, so I am mapping out his classes through high school. I am terrified I am going to handicap him by not teaching him the right classes or by not having an "official" diploma from some accredited school.

 

Do homeschoolers who graduate from an online accredited program have an advantage or does it help put them on more equal footing with the peers who have attended a more typical school?

 

I'm interested in the VP program but it looks like some pretty heavy lifting and I'm more of an LCC type - going deep rather than spreading wide.

 

Thanks!

[Ellie]

The vast majority of homeschoolers decide when to graduate their dc and issue their own diplomas. In most cases, homeschooled graduates won't need diplomas from an accredited school.

 

IOW, I wouldn't worry that much about it.:001_smile:

[FrogMom5]

For the academics, you can do just as good, if not better, than any school. Since you can tailor your curriculum to the needs of your child, your program will likely teach him the best.

 

For the diploma, well, there are lots of views on that one. Is it easier to give a college or employer an official diploma from a brick & mortar school - yes. But most homeschoolers are not having problems with their home made diplomas.

 

If it is a concern, you can enroll in an umbrella school that does not dictate what to teach. You will need to comply with some state requirements. For example, my state requires PE/ health. But, my umbrella school only requires that I teach the subject, not what I use or when I choose to teach it. You also usually need to submit attendance records too. Some people on this board use or have used NARHS. Maybe some of them will chime in.

I hope this helps you.

Denise

[G5052]

The colleges in my state are very comfortable with homeschool admissions and a homegrown diploma. If you're concerned, search on several college websites of schools you may be interested in and see what their homeschool admission policies are. The more elite ones want a portfolio plus top-notch SAT/ACT scores, but I know plenty of homeschool graduates who have gone right in with good aid packages.

 

That said, VP has some outstanding teachers, and delegating some or all of your program is certainly an option.

[elfinbaby]

Thank you. I think I'm just nervous. Elementary was fine - it's pretty hard to screw that up if you just stick to basics but, now, I feel like I have to stay on course.

[Tohru]

A school being "Accredited" means absolutely nothing unless the accrediting agency is recognized by the College Board.

 

There are LOTS of private schools advertising that they are "Accredited", but the real question is "Accredited by who?"

 

After you find out who the accrediting agency is, then you can go to the US Dept of Education or College Board website to see if the accrediting agency is on their list.

Edited May 19, 2011 by jadedone80

[Joan in GE]

A school being "Accredited" means absolutely nothing unless the accrediting agency is recognized by the College Board.

.....

After you find out who the accrediting agency is, then you can go to the US Dept of Education or College Board website to see if the accrediting agency is on their list.

 

I didn't know the CB had this kind of info. Could you give a link to the page? (I've just tried to search but only get accredited college info, or pages related to schools accredited to teach AP courses).

 

Thanks,

Joan

[tex-mex]

I didn't know the CB had this kind of info. Could you give a link to the page? (I've just tried to search but only get accredited college info, or pages related to schools accredited to teach AP courses).

 

Thanks,

Joan

When I used to be an Public Schoolteacher, the WASC was our governing board for accreditation on the West Coast.

 

WASC is not a governmental agency but does work collaboratively with state governments and divisions of the federal government such as the Department of Education and the Department of State. My public school in CA (that I had taught at) was in the process of applying for Blue Ribbon Distinguished Program and the WASC was evaluating our school during that year. Other regions in the US have similar governing boards like the WASC.

 

The Accrediting Commission for Schools extends its services to 4,500 public, independent, church-related, and proprietary schools of the following levels and types:

 

• elementary schools
  
• junior high, middle, and intermediate schools
  
• comprehensive and college preparatory high schools
  
• continuation high schools
  
• alternative education schools
  
• charter schools
  
• occupational/vocational high schools
  
• regional occupational programs/centers
  
• adult schools
  
• vocational skill centers
  

The small liberal arts Christian college I attended in CA also was accredited via WASC as well. It is a huge organization.

[Joan in GE]

When I used to be an Public Schoolteacher, the WASC was our governing board for accreditation on the West Coast.

 

That's handy. They have a page that lists all the distance and homestudy programs that they accredit. Very helpful.

 

Directory: Home Study and Distance Learning Schools

 

Thanks,

Joan

[momee]

The director of HEAV told me yesterday there were some stories of some parents having problems with the military accepting correspondence school courses...can you imagine?

Taking all those courses for the benefit of accrediting and someone not accepting them.

She didn't have specifics but encouraged us to be sure to check with the branch we were entering to see if they would accept our OSU German language credits.

[schoolinmom]

have used vp for several years but not in the diploma enrollment. do not think there is a real benefit unless you need the structure. My oldest just was accepted into early enrollment in college at 16. a good psat, cpt, or sat is usually enough for most colleges. home schooling is not as rare as it used to be and most colleges will accept home school transcripts that you do yourself. i know mine did.