This is our sweet cat. 😍

This is exactly true. I myself went to UChicago. We have four kids and have an upper middle class income. There is no way we can pay for UChicago or any other private university, for that matter, for four children, even though we are saving. It’s not worth $200K+ in loans when they can get the same degree elsewhere for much less. I’ve worked in both public and private universities and believe strongly in the mission of small liberal arts colleges - but I can’t justify the cost. My oldest son, age 14, is already thinking of going to Canada for college where we get reciprocity due to our state of residence, and costs are unbelievably low.

I’m also in MN and did PSEO myself full-time as a senior, coming from a public school. I remember the process being very easy. It’s the college’s decision whether or not to accept your student, so the private or public school really has no say. They might have withdrawal paperwork. I’m sure the school or college can advise you on specific requirements.

We just made a similar decision, opting for the Lutheran high school. My DS was public schooled k-3, homeschooled 4-7 and then back in public school for 8th (at his choice.) We are in one of our state’s top districts and in a state that itself is highly ranked for its schools. The academics have been truly mediocre and the social scene not edifying in any way. He initially was adamant about going to our large public high school with his friends, but over time has seen the benefits of the smaller private school. From his perspective, he will be more likely to play several sports at a varsity level. From my perspective, he will be part of an amazing Christian community and will have opportunities for serving others. He will get to know his teachers and classmates very well. I’m hoping his teachers will push him academically. He’s a smart kid but not terribly motivated. It is surely less convenient and more expensive, but I believe it’s worth it.

We tried the LA for grades 2, 5 and 7. I didn’t like having all of the Lang Arts subjects combined. My kids needed more time spent on writing and less on reading, for example. The readers were kind of boring - wholesome literature, but rather dry. We’ve also used a few of the science units and enjoyed those - but as my kids get older I need more advanced content for them, and more opportunity for independent work. They are very teacher-intensive.

I’ve only seen the samples online but I think it looks fantastic. I’m eagerly awaiting its July release!

This is a good suggestion. We live in Minnesota and have a medically fragile child whose medical bills during his seven years of life number in the millions. Thankfully, MN has excellent disability benefits and expanded Medicaid coverage so the financial impact on our family has been minimal. (We do pay to access Medicaid with parental fees based on income.) We’ve had good luck with special education services, too. I don’t see how we can ever leave. The winters get old, but the benefits keep us here.

Derek Owens starts with prealgebra and is excellent. I used it for my 7th grader last year.

LLFLE 4 just came out a few months ago so not many people have used it for very long. I just started it myself with my daughter and so far, so good ... but I specifically chose it because it is light (she goes to a private school 1/2 time and also gets some language arts there.)

Love Chewy. Decent prices, fast shipping. I’ve bought cat trees, food, and meds there,

We recently made a similar decision. Our oldest was homeschooled for 4th-7th grades and opted to go back to public school in 8th grade. We have been very unimpressed in both the academics and the general atmosphere. We’ve seen him make some very unwise and uncharacteristic choices and feel that he needs to be around Christian teachers who share our beliefs and will get to know him well and push him to do his best. He does not want to be homeschooled. He will be going to a private Christian high school that is about 15 minutes away in good traffic and 25 minutes away in rush hour. It’s a decent school with a close-knit community, although it is smaller and less competitive in sports than DS would like. We also considered another school which is more highly rated academically and athletically and is in fact my husband’s alma mater. The commute there would be unmanageable in our case, having 3 other children who all have various activities and different schooling/co-op situations. The closer school is the best option in our case, all things considered. Public is not an option given what we’ve seen in DS’ middle school experience this past year.

I have a 3rd grader who is in a hybrid homeschool program at a local private school. She goes 3 days a week, but due to breaks, she is technically half-time at school and half-time at home. Her school makes it very clear what they cover and what parents should cover at home. School covers the math operations while parents reinforce math facts and teach time, measurement and money. They teach grammar while we teach spelling and handwriting. Some subjects, like history, are done as homework at home and then discussed at school. Science is taught at school, but during the January term away from school, students work on a science fair project. Art, gym and very basic Latin are also school subjects. Does the program you’re considering offer any sort of similar guidance?

We are considering a move from the Midwest to Charlotte, NC for my husband’s job. We have four children with different educational needs so I want to learn as much as I can to help make this decision. — We have two tweens who are currently homeschooled but for whom we might consider a university model school. Are these common in the area? — Our rising 9th grader is planning to go to a private Christian high school next year and we’d consider something similar for him if we move. Basketball is a high priority for him. — The youngest, age 6, has Down syndrome and is currently in public school with significant supports (1-1 aide, speech, OT, PT, resource room.) How are public schools for special needs? He is also medically fragile and gets quite a bit of state support for respite, PCA services, etc. Tell me all about it. 🙂

I have a 6th grader in a similar position. I first used the ADAM test from Let’s Go Learn to identify areas of weakness. I’m now using the Math Mammoth topical books to catch him up, combined with spiral review using MM’s Skill Review books.

I’ve had one eye that has been especially watery for the last couple of years and was recently diagnosed by two eye doctors with a blocked tear duct. Efforts to open it in the office were unsuccessful, so surgery is now being recommended. I am curious if others have experience with this surgery. My doctor made it sound like it wasn’t as easy a recovery as I’d hoped - it’s 1.5 hours under general anesthesia and she suggested that I’d need help at home for about a week, for example. I’m hoping for some real world advice so I can schedule it at the right time based on the recovery and whatever help I’ll need. I have four kids - the three oldest can be pretty independent, but the youngest (age 6) has significant disabilities and needs care on the level of an 18 month old for everything.