I really feel like the TOG lit. analysis is better than anything I have seen in my 12 years of homeschooling. My daughter has learned tremendously from it. I know that sometimes TOG will assign an abridged version of something only because of time constraints and they've made those decisions here and there in order to fit in more works. It's a trade-off type thing. My daughter (and I) have learned more about poetry and other genres in the last couple of years than I can elaborate on. She now appreciates and understands how to look at poetry, for example. I just can't imagine ADDING to TOG. :001_unsure: There is SO much there. Perhaps people might want to do more papers and literary response writing or test your children more on concepts than is assigned, etc., but I feel my daughter is very well prepared not only for an AP course she's hoping to take next year, but already is ahead of many of her counterparts who have no idea how to take apart literature and appreciate it, let alone, write about it. That's my 2 cents.

but if so, http://www.pahomeschoolers.com/courses/ has AP economics. You should go to their website and check it out. You can read all about the instructor credentials and read student reviews. We have not taken that particular course, but my daughter took AP US Hist. from Mrs. Richman (her husband teaches the econ) who was an excellent teacher this year. I highly recommend the PAH courses. But you have to get registered fairly quickly because many of their courses fill up fast. Another website is http://www.economicthinking.org/ They are libertarian in view, and they have a homeschool curriculum you might be interested in exploring. Hope some of this helps! Jo

what some of you are saying...... If we want to have an unweighted GPA ready to give to colleges (at the risk of sounding completely ignorant here) do you simply prepare it without raising any of the points for AP or honors, or whatever? And then the weighted one (which is the way our particular home school accountability association generates our transcripts for us) is just figured with points that are raised for the APs or honors or CC courses? correct? See, our transcripts show the numerical percentage grade the students get, along with a marking that shows whether AP, or dually weighted college course, and then just a totaled GPA elsewhere on the form. I just wondered if the trends were changing because with my two that have gone on to colleges, we weren't asked, as I recall, for anything "unweighted." And they applied to a good handful of schools, and filled out many scholarship apps. We were asked, from time to time, for GPA based on a 4.0 scale. Our state happens to have a weird scale. But I have heard recently that actually many states do. Or different schools work on different scales, even, from one another. Question for anyone who can answer: When you do figure a GPA based on 4.0, do you guys just give 4.0 for A's (no matter the percentage), 3.0 for B's, etc.? Or do you break them down more than that? I am curious. Thanks! Jo

TOG is an excellently put together curriculum. I've used both. (SL & TOG) TOG is thorough and you can cut/keep what you want/don't have time for. There is no guesswork. And, I think overall, difficulty of materials used is higher with TOG. HTH. Jo

Encourage a love of learning, not just by preaching it, but by practicing it. Show your kids that you truly enjoy, or at least try hard to "enjoy" in front of them, reading new books, rereading old ones, looking things up in texts or dictionaries or online. Don't be satisfied if you just hear something from someone - let your kids see you question it enough to go look it up. And show enjoyment in this. Begin reading to kids and make a RITUAL yes RITUAL of it when they are tiny. As in, a 3 minute book when they can sit up in your lap, gradually working up from there. I really agree with SWB, I believe in her seminars and her books, where she says in a nutshell that reading is the key to apprehending all other areas of the curriculum. Make readers out of your children, as best you can. The method of introducing hard literature to younger kids, in the form of simplified versions or "children's versions" is great and, I think, works well. When they've been exposed to a story over and over again -either byhearing you read aloud, CD listening, or children's or abridged versions, they truly aren't threatened by the unabridged versions later. Reading is key, I believe. If they can develop a love for reading and an appreciation for books, then they can more easily develop a true love for learning. HTH!

But, get the ISI guides (America's Top Colleges and Choosing the Right College) and get the real scoop on some of these "top" universities and Ivies. They are not all what they are cracked up to be in our minds. What matters in the end is where your children end up and what kind of people they become. College can certainly be a part of that, for better or for worse. We must pray them through all of it, no matter where God provides for them to go! HTH! Jo

With all three of mine, this is what we have done and it seems to work well. They aren't too young or too low in math to get discouraged by them, but they're far enough along to go ahead and begin to get a feel for what the tests are like. Start by the spring of sophomore year to take ACT, SAT. That's my advice. And have them take the PSAT one year -10th - as practice run, before the 11th grade one that counts. For ALL of these, I cannot stress enough - HAVE YOUR STUDENT PRACTICE AND STRATEGIZE AND LEARN EXTENSIVELY all about the various tests by using the test prep guides. That said, I've found, after schooling three - the best prep for these is a rigorous schedule of academics with no fudging. Meaning, have your student tackle the great books, even books that "threaten" him. It's good for the brain. If you need math tutoring help, get it. It's worth it. And for goodness sake, don't switch math methods for the simple reason that "he doesn't like" what you're using. Really evaluate what "isn't liked." Could be just what he needs. Be "brutal" when grading writing. It'll pay off. Teach your kids that the first draft of something is simply that, only a draft, there will be MANY more revisions. This is how they learn good writing and that it takes TIME and it takes thinking to write well. And they will push themselves to learn to think better in order to write better with fewer tedious revisions as time goes on. I recommend using College Board's real SATs book for lots of tests to practice, but for learning more about strategies, etc. and how the tests are put together, Princeton's Cracking the ACT/SAT have served us well, as well as Barron's, also there is the Real ACT's book, which is good. Don't let your student "take a break" from reading during the summer - or ever! And see to it that he's reading difficult literature. This is HOW to ace that critical reading. HTH! Jo

and I don't see why we (my daughter) couldn't have also taken Comp. Gov. at the same time from them and benefitted and learned the material well. But, yeah, my understanding would also be that you would pay for each test, that they have their own specific time on the given day that they must be taken, period. I was going to suggest - you might try going to PAH online and emailing one of the instructors on there. It's very easy to do. Just go to http://www.pennsylvaniahomeschoolers.com and look up AP online courses, then choose one of the courses on the left bar and you can find instructors' email addresses included in the various course descriptions. Our experience has been that these folks are sharp and know what they're talking about and also are very friendly and helpful. You could look up one of either the US Gov. teachers or Comp. Gov teachers (can't remember if there are more than one of each....) PAH's courses are ALL certified through College Board as legitimate AP courses. Just to let you know. HTH! Jo

He applied before freshman year for scholarship with AFROTC to use at Cedarville Univ., a strong academic Christian school in Ohio. He was offered the highest they had for a non-technical major. He is a poli sci major. Wants to study law, and work in JAG corp. They offered either a full 4-yr at state school of choice or 15,000 per year for three years at private, etc. So he converted to the 3 yr one - and yes had to join AFROTC for the freshman year even though not being covered financially. (however, his academic scholarship, debate schol., and other grants, etc. helped us w/that first year, and those continue through the following years, to help make the difference this school costs) There are full scholarships for all four years for technical (medical, math, engineering, etc.) majors. I don't know how competetive it is to get those. My son this year being a junior has had MUCH more responsiblity on him w/the ROTC detachment, many more demands. But he's been active w/debate (as I mentioned) and also Model UN at the school, so he has other activities. If someone doesn't have a lot of other activities, he might not feel as demanded upon in those upper years, perhaps. Did you have any specific questions you needed answered? I'd be happy to help. I have heard, by the way, from knowing people that have kids in the AF academy, that the AF will not necessarily just "do surgery" or cover it for the student in all cases. It's really a case by case basis. And if your child's vision is not up to par, it really depends on what KIND of correction he requires that will determine whether he would be considered for surgery/flying at all. I also know there are other hoops to jump through for flying, if that is what your child is interested in. There are many other tests and criteria. HTH! Please feel free to send other questions.

it was exciting for us - Yea! :party:This is the year that counts for us and my daughter did very well, exceeded her goals. Praise God. We're in SC. And, for those discussing whether the school gets the scores, etc.; it might be dependent on whatever the test proctors had them do - whether they had them test under the school or as a homeschooler. I thought that if you used the homeschool code, your scores would automatically be mailed straight to your home, not the school or your accountability organization. I know that is the case with us. If your students were directed to use the school's code, then their scores actually end up "going in with" that school's stats, I think, and then might go to the school first. If your child was instructed to use the homeschool code, then, of course that ends up affecting homeschool stats. Anyway, hope some of that makes sense.

This is our first year to experience Pennsylvania Homeschoolers courses. It has been great. I am very pleased; my daughter is learning and is even more excited and interested in history than she was before (and it has been a favorite subject all along).;) She's taking AP US Hist. and AP US Gov't. Both are working great and I feel she's getting in good shape to take the AP exams at the end of the year. My daughter wanted very much to have some AP's on her transcript and some exam scores to send to colleges. She's already mapping out which of PAH's courses she wants to take next year. I ditto what Gwen mentioned above about how the classes go. If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to help. Before we signed up, or applied for these, I did put up a post on here asking folks for their opinions about which instructors were favorites. That was helpful. These instructors are very much on top of things and keep the kids busy with a variety of learning activities. Of course, PLENTY of writing. I only wish I'd discovered them sooner, before my other children graduated. HTH! Jo

I tried looking on Netflix for the Great Course titles and am not finding ANY. I think I tried the suggestions you guys have on these posts, but am still coming up empty. Any other advice? I typed in a few various titles - like How to Become a Superstar Student, Economics, etc. Nothing. I also tried using the lecturers' names, still nothing. :confused: Please tell me more about how you all are finding these on NF. Thanks!

We have not taken any distance learning/dual enrollment courses through Bryan, but we are very familiar with the school and have been to campus a number of times. They are decidedly evangelical Christian, though not affiliated with any denomination. It looks like their dual enrollment courses are $400. It is something we seriously might consider for our senior year. My daughter is a junior right now. We visited for a college preview day this past Friday and I have a lot of respect for this school. My daughter is quite intellectual and sat in on a couple of classes. She was impressed with the instructors. Here's a sampling of courses that are listed on the brochure: Gen. Psych., Freshman Eng. 1 & 2, Christian Worldview, Biblical Foundations, Pentateuch, US History, Precal, Contemporary Mathematics, et.al. Here's their contact info: 1.800.277.9522 ext. 558 or http://www.bryan.edu/distance HTH! Jo

and doing quite well. Yes, we do use the CDs right where the book tells the student to do so. My daughter does do really well on her own with it and I have added little quizzes here and there besides the tests that you can buy with the set. Because I think they need to be quizzed early on with each new set of vocab and new or irregular type concepts. We've done fine with it, but if I were fluent in Spanish, rather than just somewhat "below average" personally, of course it would be that much better for her. We just don't have a lot of options where we are, to be honest. I do think that next year - for Sp. III, which we do want to do, I am planning to seek out a tutor, though, if only just for the purpose of having her speak the language more often. My daughter is getting the concepts, though, and making A's on the tests and "gets" the structure of things. But for a third level, I really would want more speaking - but I think that is true with any curriculum; it's best to have a fluent speaker in these foreign languages, if you can manage it. HTH!

Hello Everyone, My daughter and I visited Vanderbilt U., in Nashville, this past weekend. It was a delightful experience. The school certainly appears top notch. Let me see if I can rate some of these different aspects for you guys like they do on some of the other reviews on other sites: scale of 1-5, 5 is best. As far as location - they are almost right in the heart of Nashville, a tiny bit outside of downtown, so life and traffic are busy right outside of the bounds of campus. But inside campus, it is almost like another world and very beautiful, green, inviting. I give it a 4/5 because it's great in that for college age kids who like to have a lot of activities available to them have easy access to those, but not perfect because, personally, I don't like all the hustle and bustle, horns honking, sirens, and overhead helicopters because of the neighboring medical center. Dorms - we went in only one, which was a brand new one (nice strategy...) and would give it a 4/5. Beautiful building, really spacious rooms, but dorms are coed, with alternating floors for girls/guys. So, yes, girls are all on a floor together, no guys living there, and the guys' cards only swipe to their floor BUT, duh, guys can come on in the other halls with their girlfriends, etc. It's not rocket science to figure out. My daughter isn't super thrilled with that, but already has decided that she would network and try to get a roommate (if she were to get in and to attend) who shared Christian values, etc. We learned from an actual student that this is what friends of hers did.(yes, even freshmen; they apparently are cool w/roommate requests) - more on the actual student "connection" we had later in this post... Also, you have to use the card swipe for just about every entry point in the dorm - from the outside door, to elevator, to hall doors, etc. All require the key swipe. And guys' halls are on the bottom floors. Group session and tour - the informational "talk" was really good. It was helpful, thorough, interesting even, and carried out by a sharp counselor who had a nice balance of seeming confident and commanding while at the same time being quite warm and welcoming. Not condescending at all. Believe me, I've been on LOTS of college visits. Some of these people can sound condescending, and MANY of them can be quite boring. The tour guide/student was quite entertaining and actually very well-informed about the campus - it wasn't just a "this is this building and that is that building" type of tour. You got a little bit of history as you went along and good explanations for several quirky things, etc. We'll rate this 5/5. I won't go into it here, but anyone interested needs to go to the VU website and check out their newly announced financial aid policy. It's phenomenal. Academics/Course set up, etc. - (sorry, I don't know right off the best thing to title this) - we've studied the ISI books quite a bit and realized VU doesn't have a serious strong core required, as far as everyone getting a really strong, old fashioned liberal arts base. However, my daughter was impressed that they seem to highlight over and over again how flexible they are about majors and courses of study and how they let kids design exactly what they want. (we're very interested in a more traditional liberal arts base, strong west. civ., lit., from which to build). My daughter will likely study in an area that would require many of these types of courses, anyway. But, just to let you know, they seem highly flexible. From what we could see, and based on that flexibility, 5/5. Student Life - In this area, we benefitted greatly by meeting up with a student whose mom I actually got "connected" with through THIS FORUM! Yea! We were formerly complete strangers, but, oh what a wonderful meeting this was, and, I hope, a lifelong bond that may be formed. Our daughters are "facebook friends" now. This young lady, a current sophomore, was able to meet us and treat us for dinner in the dining hall (one of them). Food was good, atmosphere, too. All of the buildings we were in were quite nice. I know I am not using any real architectural terms here or decorator terms, but I'm just keeping it simple. There are several places on campus where kids' meal plan cards/ID work for meals. A bigger selection than I've seen anywhere. We learned a little about sororities and fraternities. But we'd not be able to afford most of those, anyway, and learned that it's no big deal if you don't. However, my daughter is interested in the new Christian sorority that this young lady told us about, which would be CONSIDERABLY less expensive to pledge and they have activities with the Christian fraternity (which was actually in existence longer than the sor.). Many Chrisitian orgs to choose from. BCM and RUF active, thriving groups, it seems. Students have free access to "Vandy vans" which make a circuit around campus during the day/night. There are also cars on campus kids can reserve. There are student newspapers, student gov't, (of course), a variety of sports choices - ranging from, let me see if I can get it right Div.1 (?) stuff to club teams, to intramural. Or something like that.... There are grad schools right on campus - med, law, bus., er...I think engineering, and, then various ones fitting under arts/sciences. Everyone has to live on campus all four years. Besides the dorms earlier described there are some dorms with single rooms - like the whole place just has single rooms (I think). There are apartment style buildings. All with varying layouts. An interesting point in particular - at VU, they have the freshmen "sequestered" off in a whole area of campus together. All their dorms together. It's a nice feel. The Commons building (in this freshman area) where that dining hall is - has also a fitness area and large downstairs student center/lobby/gameroom area - with coffee shop and more. Students are admitted free to any activity/event on campus - games, plays, concerts. (just a flash of that good ol' ID - though at the student concert we attended, there was no need even for that - btw, this was a wind ensem. concert and then orchestra - simply wonderful, very impressive! I think their music school admits cream of the crop!) Oh, and our friend told us that as far as conservativism/liberalism on campus, she felt like it was pretty evenly split among students, while among profs, they were heavily liberal, but our tour guide did tell us a story about how one of her very liberal profs (she is apparently conservative) did not mistreat her in any way because of her opposing beliefs in political science. (and that would be a huge testing ground - would it not?) 5/5. Friendliness - well, we were bowled over by our new friend whom we ate with and asked several questions of, but didn't honestly notice much contact besides that to comment on, except what I said about the admissions folks. 4/5 based on who/what we saw - our friend - gets of course a 5/5! We had intended to arrive on campus in time to visit a class, but did not make it early enough, so have nothing to report about that. Also, we stayed in a Country Inn and Suites - under $100 - much better rate than anywhere else we could find and still have indoor corridors, and relatively close to VU. It was quiet, clean, comfortable, good breakfast. I'll quit for now. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to PM me. I would not mind answering anything you might want to ask. I would also like to add - I am so very thankful for this wonderful WTM forum. It was here that one day recently I posted a thread asking if anyone had had a child go to VU. I was so thrilled to receive a PM from a mom on here who gave me SO much invaluable information even before our trip. And then, of course, as I mentioned was able to get us connected with her daughter. And the rest, as they say, is history. I do thank God for the wonderful way that the internet can be used; even though there are several ways it can be abused, what a blessing to be able to communicate in this way and make these connections with other homeschoolers and other believers. God bless and I hope this serves someone out there! Jo

I hope I am not overstepping here, but, in case you are believers in Christ, I'd like to suggest a book - Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp I have three kids - the last is 16 and my last one home schooling here. I have gone through some of these ups and downs - might I suggest that you delve into spiritual issues here? Usually, kids come to points where they cease to think they need to be accountable - and teens definitely need to see that their primary accountability is to their parents. Parents need to take that role and not apologize for it. It is part of loving them. I find that usually at the heart of "symptoms" - these actions where the teen isn't doing what he should be doing, or is doing things he shouldn't - at the heart are perhaps some character issues you would want to deal with carefully in love before one leaves the nest. Purpose together, as husband and wife, along w/your teen, to pray together each night or every other night about these problems. (again, that is if you guys are believers, I'm sort of assuming...) If you are, don't hesitate to pray together, admitting one another's shortcomings and areas of sin. Honesty and openness from us towards our kids, I know, has really helped them be transparent with us. This transparency, in turn, (and I think someone mentioned communication already), really keeps communication where it should be and I believe that is God-honoring. I will pray for you, as I know this is just probably such a heart-wrenching, trying time. You are definitely not alone. I do encourage getting the book, though. It helps to get fresh perspective, I think, on the issues that matter most. God bless, Jo

Does anyone know his current e-mail address? I have this: diveintomath@sbcglobal.net Dr. Shormann is his name. I tried looking on the website that we have listed on the cd, but didn't see any contact for him. I got this address off our CD jacket. We just wanted to ask him a question or two about specific problems. Has anyone ever done that that uses these DIVE cds? and again, please let me know if you have a different e-mail address for him. Thanks for any info or advice you care to offer. Jo

being a metaphor of an egg/egg white. The blue (yolk) mixing w/the "white" like white of an egg. But it's weak, in my opinion, if that's what's intended; the white part of your eyes are already referred to as "whites," so that's why I say it's not really vivid or strong. Not to mention - if that's it - it conjures up a really strange picture to me...

I know this has probably been asked and answered....:tongue_smilie: but, when should we expect PSAT results in the mail? Is it December? Thanks

or community service for you to keep on his resume for later? I find that more and more I am wanting more things to call "community service" or "volunteering." That is just as valuable to me as academic credits when it comes to college admissions. Or, was your goal to get some Bible on his transcript? I guess it depends what really is your goal. Personally, and I'm just being candid here, if I'm giving a Bible credit, I really always like it to be that the Bible is studied in depth. Papers are written, etc., etc., based on actual Bible study. You know? If it is other things, like this missions idea you have, or when people study church history, etc. They should probably be a different credit from "Bible," in my opinion. Then again, after rereading your post, maybe you aren't interested in this kind of input. Maybe, if you are wanting to go ahead do this as a 1/2 credit, the 75 hrs., I would just call it something else, I think. Maybe like a "Christian service" credit or something along those lines?? And I definitely would make that last portion of it based on some actual academic study, yes, good books. It seems you're already figuring in a variety of activities - so I wouldn't probably add a "project." Maybe have him read and evaluate a few good outlooks on missions. John Piper has a good title. And there are others. I'd have him read at least one biography or two, on a high school/college level, of a missionary. Hope some of this helps.

I don't blame you on either count. I would probably walk in and just plainly state that I would like them to put the homeschool code on my student's test. Like I wouldn't put myself in the position of asking, but of telling. And, I don't know if you have your state's hs code, but someone had them on here on one of the threads yesterday, or so. Anyway, you could have it with you. I'd go in tomorrow and see if they've already sent the things in. On the issue of the bleachers. That's just ridiculous. Now, they could end up trying to use that against you and somehow worm around to the idea that "there are so many students and we 'let' you homeschoolers come and join us, you can't very well be complaining about how we administer or what kind of room we have." To this, I say that it is their responsibility to make those judgments ahead, and if they say they have room and welcome the additional students coming in, then it's up to them to provide proper testing conditions. If they can't do that, they don't need to allow the homeschoolers in in the first place. So, what I'm saying is, just have these things in mind, and be ready with that thought, but basically just bring up that you were "disappointed" with the testing conditions and would like to have known what they were going to be beforehand. sorry if I went on too long......these kinds of things bug me :glare:

She's 11th, so it counts for her this year. She scored really well last year, but was trying to improve even more in the math. She felt like the reading and the writing sections were pretty much as she'd been practicing and comfortable with. I think she mostly was ok with the math - just had one or two she said that she had to spend more time on and feels like she missed. She reports, though, that the second section of math went way better (quicker, and more "sure") than the first math section.

for Community Colleges that I know of. They usually want kids a minimum age, I think, of 16. Sometimes they skip that if a student meets a certain SAT/ACT minimum or passes a placement sort of test. Are there any homeschooling support groups anywhere remotely near your area that offer some co-ops in these math or science courses that intimidate you? Some people do that - form co-ops with one parent that has that subject as a specialty teaching it, making assignments, doing labs together, etc. I know that some people do take the Pennsylvania Homeschoolers classes online for chemistry and calculus. You should go to their website and read some of the reviews from past students, etc. pahomeschoolers.com My daughter is taking two of the PAH courses this year and we are very pleased, but they are US Hist. and US Gov't. So I don't have any input to offer about the math or science at this point. Is there a private school in your area that allows homeschoolers to take a course or two? These are things I know of people doing (and have done.) HTH! :001_smile:

On the eve of the PSAT for many of us, ahem, I wanted to find out if there are any food experts out there who could give any good advice regarding..... brain food! :001_huh: What I mean is - what do you guys know about what foods are good to feed your child before his/her testing that are specifically supposed to enhance brain power, etc.???? Any thoughts? :bigear:

I would agree that it's probably just because you are a strong reader. I don't think they are any easier than they are on the actual tests, in general.