Calculus is a requirement in our homeschool. Unless a child had a real problem with math I'd make them do at least trig/pre-calc. As someone else said, statistics is a good option as an alternative to calculus and is required for many majors.

That's a nice-looking card. I love the Jeremiah verse. I am thinking of ordering a diploma from that company. They have a $5 off coupon if you order on a Thursday in March. :-)

Hi Kimm, We have the same issue here with Running Start but no AA. I am working on the wording now but I don't think I will mention the CC on the announcement. His courses were dual enrollment to fulfill our homeschool's high school requirements, and he is graduating from our homeschool. He will not participate in the cc's grad ceremony and I guess I just don't care if people know that he took classes there or not. Now the question is which homeschool name (if any) to use on the announcement. The "formal" name on his transcript is "Whispering Ridge Academy." The silly name which we use in our family is "The T--- School for Wayward Boys" (T--- is our last name). I'm very tempted to use the latter. ;)

Yes! Thank you!!

league colleges. It was written by a woman who advises parents and helps "package" kids to make them appealing to exclusive colleges. Ring a bell?

Also wanted to mention--Lee Binz says both her boys got full rides to Seattle Pacific University. I assume that is tuition only because that's all I can find on their website.

We were also disappointed with Bioloa's offerings. It especially irks me that ds can't earn a full ride merit-based scholarship when my friend's dd is getting all expenses paid to sit on the bench with the basketball team.:glare:

Our high schools must have used the same anthology. ;-)

We have used the TI-83/84 for Dummies book. My ds and I found it to be more user friendly than the TI manual. Googling a specific function and model works, too. :-)

I absolutely agree--this kind of story isn't going to be the typical Eagle scout, class president, team captain whatever that crosses the desk--it's going to attract attention because it is unique. Don't apologize--use it as a strength!

nd4judge - DS#1 Furman University (attending), Sewanee - University of the South (accepted), Univerity of Alabama (accepted), University of Alabama in Birmingham (accepted), Birmingham- Southern College (accepted) Blue Hen - ds - University of Delaware, Case Western Reserve, CO School of Mines, Drexel (PA), Lehigh(PA), Rose-Hulman, Tulane, RPI (NY), Stony Brook University --- all acceptances. Brigid in NC - ds - accepted @ Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, North Carolina State (attending) CherylG's ds-UCLA, graduated, UCSB, UCSD, Westmont, all accepted. UMD-attending for master's in engineering. CherylG's dd-SBCC school of nursing-graduated. Chris in VA ds--attending VCU. Got into the Cinema program sophmore year. CindyMarsch's dd#1 - Grove City College - attending CindyMarsch's ds - Grove City College - attending CindyMarsch's dd#2 - Grove City College, Gordon College, Union University - all accepted, she's choosing UU CO Mom -dd- George Fox (will attend in fall of 2010); Taylor University, Northwest Nazarene University accepted. Creekland's ds - Covenant College - attending fall 2010, Union University, Calvin College - acceptances Deb in NZ's dd - Bay of Plenty Polytechnic (begin Feb 2010) dkholland- ds - Covenant College (will attend in fall), Patrick Henry College (accepted) Grove City College (accepted) FloridaLisa -- ds1: accepted to: University of Florida, Florida State University (attending) Gwen in VA -- Washington & Lee (attending); acceptances from U Chicago, U Pitt, U Dallas, U Delaware, Hillsddale, UVA, William & Mary, College of Wooster, Case Western HeatherH -- Belhaven University (accepted w/scholarship; won't attend); University of Montevallo (same); University of Alabama at Birmingham; Samford. Still deciding between UAB & Samford based on $$ award. Kate in FL-ds-Cornell University (accepted Early Decision so all other apps had to be withdrawn) Kathy in Richmond - ds - MIT (attending), also accepted at Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, U Michigan, and UVA. Kathy in Richmond - dd - accepted at Princeton, Stanford, MIT, Caltech, U Chicago, William & Mary, and wait-listed at Swarthmore Katia - ds- Ellsworth Community College (AA Computer Science) , Anderson University-attended , University of Northern Iowa (BA Computer Science), Kansai Gaidai University, Kyoto, Japan-attended Katia - dd#1- Hilldale College-attending , accepted at: Luther College, Ball State University, University of Northern Iowa, Oberlin College Conservatory of Music Katia- dd#2 - applying to: Hillsdale College , Warner University (accepted) Lady Lorna - dd accepted at Fordham University, Hillsdale College, The King's College, Middlebury College, St John's College, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, Thomas Aquinas College, Trinity College. Waitlisted The University of Chicago. Still waiting to hear from Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University LaJuana - dd#1 University of Dallas - graduated Summa cum Laude. Also accepted to Hillsdale. LaJuana - ds#1 University of Dallas - graduated Summa cum Laude. Also accepted to Hillsdale. Attending Westminster Theological Seminary (MDiv). LaJuana dd#2 Attending Oklahoma City University Bass School of Music (Musical Theatre and Vocal Performance). Also accepted at Samford University (AL), Whitworth University (WA), George Fox University (OR), Covenant College (GA), Houghton College (NY), Oklahoma Christian University. LaJuana ds#2 Attending Whitworth University. Also accepted at University of Dallas. (Except for dd majoring in MT and VP, my dc knew where they wanted to go, applied to two schools only, and were accepted at both.) Laughing Lioness - DS -Boyce College (KY) attending. Accepted to Augustana College (SD) and St. Mary's School of Nursing (SD). Lisa in TN's dd - Vanderbilt University - attending. Also accepted to Hillsdale College, Belmont University, University of Memphis. Lisa in TN's ds - Washington University in St. Louis - attending. Also accepted to the University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, Case Western Reserve University, University of Alabama, University of Tennessee. Liza Q's dd - Saint Francis College - attending. Kings College, St. John's University, Brooklyn College - accepted Luann in ID ds1 and ds2 - LeTourneau University - attending (They both knew they wanted to go there, so this is the only place they applied.) Mandy in TN-- ds Berea College (attending beginning in Aug) Margaret in CO--dd accepted to Western State College for dual credit, accepted to Hillsdale College, graduated, accepted to CU Boulder School of Music, finishing Master's Margaret in CO--dd accepted to Western State College for dual credit, accepted to USNA, attending finishing Firstie Year, accepted to flight school, acceptances: Hillsdale College, USAFA, USCGA, ERAU (on NROTC), School of Mines Margaret in CO--dd accepted to Western State College for dual credit I'm going to stick my should-have-been-son-in-law (killed last spring), accepted to Hillsdale College, transferred to WVU, graduated, accepted to Toledo Medical College. Mary in GA ds: Clayton State University (attended & transferred) Georgia Tech (attending) Michelle in GA ds- University of Georgia (accepted); Berry College (accepted); Georgia Tech (currently attending) Moira in MA dd -- Acceptances at Dalhousie U (Nova Scotia), McGill U (Montreal) Mommyfaithe's dd #1 (accepted College of St. Rose (NY) attended Sage College Albany, NY Graduated Summa Cum Laude Mommyfaithe's dd#2 Attending Russell Sage College. Accepted SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Albany, waiting to hear from Simmons College in Boston Mass. MSPolly's dd- Acceptances at Covenant(TN), Union U(TN), U of MS, Belhaven U(MS) - ATTENDING Collaborative Piano/Pedagogy major WAHOO! Ms. Riding Hood ds1- MIT (attending), Texas A&M, Rose-Hulman, Purdue Musicmom –ds- accepted at Carnegie Mellon (attending fall 2010), Cornell, University of Minnesota—Twin Cities Honors Program Newbie -dd- Accepted Chatham University(PA), Carlow University(PA), Mills College nrg - ds#1: attending BYU, accepted at Cal Tech, Stanford ds#2: attending UC Santa Cruz, accepted BYU ds#3: junior in hs Osmosis Mom Dd 1, Wellesley College (attending), accepted to Merrimack College, BU, Simmons, Emmanuel College Quiver0f10-dd#1-attending NWACC Quiver0f10-ds#1 attending University of Arkansas Quiver0f10-ds#2-attending NWACC Quiver0f10-ds#3 accepted to: Missouri University of Science and Tech, University of Arkansas, Embry Riddle, Oklahoma State University Honors College, Texas A&M Ruth in NC ds accepted St John in NM, Oberlin w/scholarship, Colorado College, Boston U, will attend UNC Chapel Hill, offered waitlist at Vanderbilt and Emory Ruth in NC dd accepted NC State, UNC Asheville, Appalachian State and Earlham w/scholarship, on Oberlin waitlist. Still deciding. Sepuld - DD 21 attending Bryn Mawr, acceptances U of Chicago, Haverford, Boston College, Bowdoin, Lehigh, Lawrence, ST Olaf, Catholic U, Villanova, Sewanee, William and Mary DD 20 attending Swarthmore, acceptances Wheaton (Ill), Lawrence, St. Olaf, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Wellesley DS 19 attending St. Olaf, acceptances Lawrence, Wheaton (Ill), Concordia (Mn), Hope College, Gustavus Adolphus, Susquehanna Sharon in MD's ds-Drexel University -attending; UMBC-Meyerhoff program, UMD-College Park-College of Engineering, Messiah College- acceptances Spock - ds – accepted at Liberty University (plans to transfer after attending CC for a year) Susann-dd-Rose-Hulman, Purdue, University of Evansville, Trine, Taylor, Cedarville-acceptances Susie-Knits ds1 - Valparaiso (attending), Rose-Hulman, U of Evansville, TN Tech - acceptances TransientChris's DS- George Mason U,attending; Hillsdale College- attended, Abilene Christian, Hampden-Sydney, St. Olaf- accepted Valerie(TX) - ds UT Arlington attended Valerie(TX) - dd accepted Biola (CA), Messiah (PA), Belhaven (MS), Mary Baldwin College (VA), UTA (TX), Hardin-Simmons (TX), Univ. of Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX), and Ouachita (AR). ATTENDING--Hardin-Simmons Outtamyshell - BYU Provo Maverick's ds #1 - accepted to West Point, will attend starting summer 2011

Very cool! We have a friend who went to Savannah College of Art & Design. She loved it and is currently in an internship at Disney.

My older ds used The Spectrum chemistry. It includes a text and lab notebook as well as all the the lab materials. He enjoyed the course and was well prepared for college level cellular biology (which had a recommended prerequisite of chemistry). http://www.beginningspublishing.com/version2/spectrum.htm

I tried to post a "stripped" version of mine but it is too big. There's nothing special about any particular format--as long as you footnote where classes were taken so it is clear to the person reading it. They will want a transcript sent directly from the other school(s) anyway. You just want to make it as easy as possible for someone to see what your student did. I will email mine to anyone who wants to see an example.

I know, Valerie, it's crazy! I was starting to think he'd be around here for another year--which I actually wouldn't mind. :-) It was all the essays that he procrastinated--the ones for West Point and the ones for the nominations. Everything else was in on time except those darn essays.

I am so impressed with all these long lists of colleges--I could only get my ds to apply to one and I did a lot of nagging to get all the paperwork completed. :-) He was not interested in applying to a "plan B" or safety school. Fortunately he found out right before Christmas that he received an appointment to West Point and he has accepted it. We are so proud of him! June 27 is going to come way too soon. :-(

I like Foerster's Algebra II a lot. I used it for my kid who did Jacobs Algebra and my kid who did Foerster Algebra I (they both did Jacobs Geometry also). I found a used set with a full TM and I really like that--it is the student book with wide margins containing all the answers plus teaching suggestions. Geared for a classroom but also useful for one on one tutoring--we can each look at the instructions and problems in our own book at the same time--but I have the answers handy to check my work. :-) I don't have a solutions manual so I can't comment on that resource, I just used the student book and TM, and we did the tests out of the book.

I have the 9th ed. that I used with ds a couple years ago. In the beginning is a letter to the teacher from Paul Hewitt explaining the changes in the new edition. They had to do with the order the material was presented and the addition of some boxes with short essays on related topics that the student might find interesting. An older edition should be fine--the basic content is unchanged. Since ds had already completed biology and chemistry labs, we elected to do physics as a non-lab course. I did have him watch some demos on you-tube.

United States Military Academy. :-)

There are a lot of great suggestions here, but one I didn't see mentioned was Jules Verne. My sons liked 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island. I bet a lot of his works are on audiobook and available at the library.

Interesting article. Although I would hate for my kids to have to follow a nationally mandated core curriculum, I can see some benefits to it for the public schools. I am so thankful for the freedom to homeschool and plan a personalized program for each of my children! In the absence of such personalization, a carefully thought out progressive system of reading and culture isn't so bad--I'm imagining something like the K-12 core curriculum or "What your xth grader should Know." The paragraph that caught my attention was the one that began, "Teachers in any grade (and parents) would do well to follow this relatively straightforward strategy:" Sounds just like something Susan and Jessie recommend in TWTM and their seminars!

I agree that this is also a problem for high schools--in some ways much more far-reaching for high schoolers since many more people apply to 4-year colleges than grad school or careers where college gpa is taken into account. I was concerned about my ds's transcript b/c he had a couple C's last year in classes that he didn't care for & didn't want to make an effort beyond the bare mimimum. Although his transcript shows that he took challenging coursework, I was afraid the bottom line gpa would be a black mark on his record. I was so surprised when an admissions counselor told us that at ds's first choice school they don't look at gpa at all! Because they recognize that gpa is meaningless due to rampant grade inflation in some places and tough grading in others, they use standardized tests and class rank as indicators of a student's academic performance. For homeschoolers they use standardized tests only. I tell my ds he is lucky he found the only college in the country that doesn't care if he has a few C's on his transcript!

Check out alexandriatutorials.com. The class schedule is somewhat limited but Matt is a wonderful teacher. My kids have taken classes from him both locally and online.

A couple more resources you might check out: donnayoung.org has all kinds of planning and record-keeping pages you can print, and thehomescholar.com has recommended resources for record-keeping.

I agree--writing proofs takes practice, but it helps to keep the end in mind. If I'm given some information about two triangles and asked to prove them congruent, I have to use SAS, ASA, or SSS (which one do I have the info to use?). If I'm trying to prove a pair of sides or angles in those triangles congruent, I will likely need to use Corresponding Parts of Congruent Triangles are Congruent for the next step after proving the triangles congruent. Skim through your list of theorems and postulates and see which give you the "result" you're after.