I am paying a Math Harvard Grad with Masters only 25.00 an hour. He had a perfect score on the SAT. He was double of the price last year- but with the economy is half this year. I am not paying more than 25.00 for anyone this year. I live in NH and there are bundles of educated/tutor type people here, so maybe it is saturated.

I have been doing extensive research on this and have decided to go the AP route since after speaking with several consultants for the Ivy League that IB is still not the preferred. There is a huge debate about IB going on in our highschool right now as well. I feel that I could give my daughter an AP education and have used the college board extensively to investigate this. I am only looking at the Ivy's as a guideline to what an outstanding high school student would do. We are prepping for both the ACT and the SAT, since one school my daughter is looking at takes the ACT over the SAT. I would not worry about the SAT II's if your college doesn't require them. I am doing one AP exam in 9th Grade with her and that will be Human Geography. Most kids say that this is the easier exam, although statistics don't prove that and I am an ex College Geo adjunct. So I better be able to get her through that. You are in a different boat since you are looking at the engineering. No advice there- Here is our line-up this far- Saxon Math ( We are in Alg 1 right now in 8th) (so we will move to 2) English- BYU Online High School Literature List of Classical Reading Science- Biology(Not sure what we are doing here yet. Art-We will start the AP Studio Portfolio. She takes private through a museum. We will probably take all 3 years to complete this. History- We will probably continue European History with the AP syllabus as a guideline. I have been using it roughly this year I would like her to take this test Sophomore year. I am undecided here, because I am not sure if her writing skills will be up to speed I am hiring a tutor for writing- since it is just not up to speed and now becoming critical now. Foreign Language- Japanese (taught by me) Latin- BYU Online High School Music- Harp and Piano Lessons- Private Then all the extra enrichment classes she can squeeze in- in the mean time that keeps her balanced. We will probably do concurrent enrollment with BYU for college credit in 11th grade. Our public schools have a free program- but I don't want to mess with their system. As for the portfolio- everything counts now- But I hate to have them build a portfolio, and miss out on building a real life/character. So it is a delicate balance! I have written more on this at my blog today! Travel? as a family- I do lots of trips and study on site Sports? not organized Major projects? Senior thesis & presentation required to graduate Contribution to the world? http://www.colormyworldkids.org is our family foundation Online school? Yes Online classes? Maybe Public high school? No Charter school? No Private high school? No Online school? No

Great ideas- Thanks you guys! I really appreciate it!

Ok Keep it coming I am feeling more inspired- share more PLEASE

I just want to know why someone would give this 3 stars as a rating- this is a great question???

So now we are winding down the school year, and I hate to see middle school officially come to a close in a couple of months. I hate the fact now, that you really have to concentrate on tests. I hate the fact, that the SAT/ ACT ‘s now demand so much attention. I hate the fact that the classes we are taking really have to count. It just squashes the love of learning. It just makes you teach to a test. It takes years for kids to rebound and start to love learning, and some never do rebound. Some people never pick up another book again. I hate what the system does to people. It stresses parents out, kids learn, but really don’t enjoy the process of learning . I have loved the fact, that we can read, and if we love someone like Charles Dickens, we can spend a month on him. If we love something like the Renaissance, we can go there in our minds, spoil ourselves, read about all of the characters and then want more! So then we move on to England, and spend two months on all of the players and still want more. High school squashes that excitement for learning , it deflates and makes you have to stay on some type of yucky schedule, to make sure that you are ready for an exam. Take for instance the AP European History exam. If we focus on that next year, we spend only two days on the Renaissance and two days on the Reformation. Now we are shoving dates and places down our throats, in the form of flash-cards. No more fun, no more learning to love it. No more experiences! So now it is vital trying to create that balance, that can work- for the college system, the student and me the teacher. Gone are the days, of just filling out an application and taking an exam. Throw out what you experienced twenty years ago. It is so much more. I hate the process- I hate the exams, but with applications up like 75 percent - Guess what tests matter and I hate it! Hate it , Hate it, Hate it! So now I am done ranting and raving- How do you feel about the tests? Really for homeschoolers they count so much more- __________________

So now we are winding down the school year, and I hate to see middle school officially come to a close in a couple of months. I hate the fact now, that you really have to concentrate on tests. I hate the fact, that the SAT/ ACT ‘s now demand so much attention. I hate the fact that the classes we are taking really have to count. It just squashes the love of learning. It just makes you teach to a test. It takes years for kids to rebound and start to love learning, and some never do rebound. Some people never pick up another book again. I hate what the system does to people. It stresses parents out, kids learn, but really don’t enjoy the process of learning . I have loved the fact, that we can read, and if we love someone like Charles Dickens, we can spend a month on him. If we love something like the Renaissance, we can go there in our minds, spoil ourselves, read about all of the characters and then want more! So then we move on to England, and spend two months on all of the players and still want more. High school squashes that excitement for learning , it deflates and makes you have to stay on some type of yucky schedule, to make sure that you are ready for an exam. Take for instance the AP European History exam. If we focus on that next year, we spend only two days on the Renaissance and two days on the Reformation. Now we are shoving dates and places down our throats, in the form of flash-cards. No more fun, no more learning to love it. No more experiences! So now it is vital trying to create that balance, that can work- for the college system, the student and me the teacher. Gone are the days, of just filling out an application and taking an exam. Throw out what you experienced twenty years ago. It is so much more. I hate the process- I hate the exams, but with applications up like 75 percent - Guess what tests matter and I hate it! Hate it , Hate it, Hate it! So now I am done ranting and raving- How do you feel about the tests? Really for homeschoolers they count so much more-

How can you go above and beyond in Music (my daughter plays the harp) when you homeschool. For instance, in highschool you might compete in All-State. What have you done to enhance your childs musical talents to prepare for college?

Great Job Jean! I am just starting Latin and I sure I am going to bomb it!

It seems like every application asks if you were part of honor society or phi kappa or something of the likes? Do you know of any organizations that rejoice in homeschoolers?

Loved the show but I saw the clean flix version of it- I still would be cautious with young minds

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Jim and Katrina Randalefner of Omaha, Neb., were shocked when, after driving all the way to Massachusetts to enroll their oldest son at Harvard University, they discovered he'd been assigned to an all-homeschooler dormitory, and forced to go through a program called "Fitting In," to help him socialize. "It felt like segregation," said Jim. "They may as well have posted a 'whites only' sign." But Harvard insists they're helping to mainstream students who otherwise find it difficult to blend in with the rest of the student body. "The first year is tough for homeschoolers because many come from such limited social environments," said Kathy Kushner, coordinator of freshman counseling. "We wanted to help them get their footing in a university setting." Child studies professor Darna Craig agrees, saying the homeschoolers she's taught are "brilliant, but not the smoothest social animals. They don't know how to joke around or make light conversation," she says. "It's a real problem for them personally." Fitting In's semester-long schedule includes trips to public places where homeschoolers mingle with people from different socio-economic backgrounds; parties where they learn to have meaningless conversations to forge social bonds; tests on popular slang phrases and lessons on how to "hang out" without outsmarting everyone else in the room. The most daring component pushes homeschoolers to experiment sexually. "It's pretty well known that Harvard, like most secular colleges, wants kids to have intercourse by sophomore year, to get a feel of what life's about," says Kushner. "Homeschoolers are much slower to catch on to what their sub-culture deems sinful activity, and that puts them at a social disadvantage. To put it bluntly, they need to loosen up and hop in the sack." But homeschoolers are offended by the assumption that they're socially stunted. "This 'Fitting In' stuff is utterly risible," said Todd Randalefner, 17, from Nebraska, looking up from the third volume of The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. "I consort with many types of people — Irish, Welsh, British, and many more. Just because I didn't have daily nutrition breaks or physical education in the traditional public school setting doesn't mean I need to be handled like some sort of fledgling titmouse. A titmouse is a small bird native to North America, three inches in length and with a diet of insects and berries. Some species are endangered where urban construction has encroached on habitats." Inflaming the debate further, Harvard dean James Muesten recently told a small Vermont newspaper, "Homeschooled children tend to come from white, evangelical families, and frankly, those people — I don't want to call them rubes — have a lot to learn about broader culture." He later retracted the comments, saying they were made "in the spirit of the interview" which was free-wheeling and "not entirely serious." He said he thought the Vermont newspaper was satirical and he had tried to "make a joke that turned out not to be funny." He apologized, but affirmed that the homeschool dorm was a good idea that would prove itself over the years. "Fitting In is a great program," he said. "If you're homeschooled and you're coming to Harvard, this is the way it is." Universities have long offered specialized dorms for various groups, from African-American students to bio-engineer majors. But this is the first time a certain class of student has been singled out by educational background and virtually forced into the same dorm. Students are only allowed to opt out if they strenuously object, Harvard says. Todd Randalefner says he'll grit his teeth and stay in the dorms for one year. "Then I intend to opt out, posthaste, and get an apartment," he says. "I'd rather study during waking hours, and I can't tolerate too much interaction with people."

NO and in a big way- We don't allow our kids to date until 16 and then they will start with group dating.

What do you think of college consultants?

I can't believe not one of you have anything to say about this- Cmon, help out a distressed speaker!

My kids love it - so I jumped on the band wagon to be cool! I want the Blind Guy!

What do you wish you did better with your budget? ex: weekly financial talks, make a budget, more detail etc. Do you have a weekly grocery/menu plan? Do you usually exceed your monthly budget? How has your budget changed your life? What financial tips do you offer your children? What are your favorite websites for money management? Do you use the Dave Ramsey method? Thanks, Your all the best!

This is just on my mind. I don't want my kids to graduate college with a ton of debt. We didn't and it has made for a successful life and a stable financial home. Yet, now with a tumbling portfolio- I am not sure how college will be paid for, and we are 5 years away. I do expect that my kids will work through college to help pay. What are you doing to cover college? Would you discourage your kids from a high priced school that would require loans? What if your child wanted to be a teacher or in a profession where the financial return would take years? Finally, with all of the AP and Clep test, I know that kids can graduate early, but are they missing the COLLEGE EXPERIENCE by not attending all 4 years. I do believe that college is a time of learning and exploring and not just getting in and out. Can you tell that I have gone mental over this?

That is exactly what started world war 3 with my neighbors. You might be surprised how people feel about gardens. We were! May I add that I love my garden, and as long as I pay the mortgage on this place... I do what I want!

in 9th grade or 10th?

So this is the one little area, that I am concerned with. I have been using Prentice Hall for Middle school and love it. I combine United Streaming Videos, but I admit we don't do a ton of experiments. Tell me how to do high school science? (Too Broad? I know)

Cindy, Congrats! I would love to chat about your experience sometime. My daughter is just starting Freshman year in NH. Please email me if you are interested- Thanks

I haven't read all of the posts, but this seems like a hot topic. So I might be adding to the heat......We don't let our boys play violent video games, nor watch violent movies. We are strict on even PG 13's and never allow R movies, although I would agree many have great historical value. But you don't miss what you don't have. We don't participate as parents in them either. I personally feel, what you put in your brain stays there forever, whether it is porn, violence etc. There is so much good in the world to partake of. We just have a rule when the kids go to friends house, that they know they have to decide what they are going to watch and play. I do believe that overtime violence in video games and porn/internet/movies etc play out. Numerous studies confirm both. I have seen both ruin marriages and family units. This is a tough one, because tons of great kids are consumed with gaming. We too, love to play the wii together- but keep it more in sports and fitness games. Best of luck! PS May I also add my husband and I both grew up with these same values, and neither of us rebelled when we had the chance in college or the likes.

Ok I just wrote a similar thing on my blog- So I will post about it here, since it ties in a little bit with what you are talking about. I find that most homeschool parents are a tad bit controlling and that is OK. My Entry Recently, I found myself in a discussion with a mature women who had raised a bundle of kids. She had eluded that one of her children was a “helicopter parentâ€. I laughed because I wondered if it was a subtle comment meant for me, or perhaps I was just feeling a little defensive, but it definitely got me thinking about how much “micro managing†I do for all my children? Most homeschool parents to some degree or another, are huge micro managers by default. There is a ton of detail to pay attention too. In public school, others do the micro managing, but as a parent, teacher, my own personal financial advisor, and small business owner, I am about as managed as they come. I admit that I pay excessive attention to many minor details. That has been a strength, and at times a weakness. The ability to parent well is to learn to manage and drop the control part of “micro-managingâ€. I grew up in an environment where you learned to take responsibility for actions - this was, and still, is called a consequence. It was on my mind when I dated, when I studied , when I chose my college courses, and when I looked at my career options. I still reinforce that principle in my own life today. As an elementary parent- you do a lot of hovering. There are a lot of decisions to be made. In middle school, kids start making their choices, and start taking a step away from the parents. They are taking advice from coaches, teachers and leaders in their various organizations. In addition, they are taking advice from their peers. With middle schoolers this can become complicated, it is flat out hard to decide when to push and when to let go. It is my responsibility to teach a sense of personal accountability, without hovering, which can backfire. Parenting is a tough gig. I learned that this weekend as we created our freshman year schedule. You know what your children are capable of and in this day and age, it is hard to not want to give them the world. It is tough to find that balance of giving and taking, of hovering and letting go. It is flat out hard to teach choice and consequence without letting them skid a little at the bottom of the barrel. We’ve all been there, and I am sure you know what I am talking about? To the best of my ability, I let my kids find their unique talents and gifts naturally guide them. Homeschool helps a lot with this, because you spend so much time with your kids, you learn what they can do, without any ridiculous testing or some arbitrary method. On the flip side, it can be a tad bit discouraging when you discover that they have God-given gifts that they are just wasting, or they have no motivation to get going. This causes me to head right into micro management mode-implementing processes and procedures, executing orders and instructions on every occasion possible. Totally ineffective parenting! We had this incredible family night tonight that started out as a dinner turned lecture, turned spiritual experience, I was the “mean mom†getting on the kids about living slothful lives, Brian was the “bad Dadâ€- talking about terrible manners, and then we managed to turn it around- where we just discussed started talking about taking advantage of your gifts and talents that you have been given. We discussed getting the best education which is a key to opening the door of the future. One of my kids said “you can crash down the door- you don’t need the key!†Quick wasn’t it? I was impressed with this child’s ability to think on his feet. Brian immediately responded by saying you sure can, but you will be spending a lot of time, putting the door back on hinges, repainting and repairing. When you use your gifts and your education you have the ability to walk through door and close it and keep moving forward, while other people are doing the repairing. So where am I going with this? I don’t know- but it is on my mind. I think what I am trying to say- is you have to do a fair amount of HOVERING. We hover when we teach. We do a fair amount hovering when we support or attend extracurricular activities. Parents that hover by teaching “choice and consequence†are helping to guide their children down a successful path. Now if you are running missed lunches to school, doing homework essays for your children, or calling the college guidance counselor then you are doing too much. It is all about balance, and less about control.

I haven't read the other post but I would say go with a Bosch. Did I spell that right. We have 6 in my family, I make 6 loaves of bread constantly and a ton of pizza dough. If you are serious about baking a Bosch is worth it.