I am aggregating from a variety of conversations I have had with college counselors. I think you have taken me back to my initial belief that my son should be taking the SAT subject tests "as he goes" in case he needs them in the future. I don't think I can really quote within a quote here, but I should just have this tattooed on my arm: "There is the advantage of the group mentality---everyone else is doing it, so it must be the right thing. But, then there is the outside of the box mentality that says, here I have the freedom to do this........so I did." Thanks for the reminder! The random tuba factor drives me crazy. This is good info on the CLEP - thanks! Can I come learn at your house? Again this is something that I need to repeat to myself: "Don't give up the biggest advantage homeschoolers have in the mistaken belief that having a lot of "outside validation" is the most important thing for college admissions. " I think I am just buckling a bit under the fact that I feel like the entire homeschooling experiment is "on me" and I need to pull some big flourish at the end to prove that I did it correctly. Yeah, we live in a very competitive area, and I grew up in a VERY competitive area, and APs are/were the "minimum". I was feeling okay with my alternative homeschooling route, but I don't want to shortchange my kiddo because of my own ... issues. I assume that no one is going to know WTMA or Lukeion. The digging deep comment is both exactly what I need to hear and the very thing that makes me grind my teeth. I can remember being an 8th grader and the pressure to find the amazing thing that was going to make me special. Back then we were also being directed to pursue a job we would love. The idea that I had to find a thing, and be deep and amazing, and love it, and ultimately use it to support myself - as a kid it just totally shut me down. I can see that with my son. Idk. Clearly college prep is bringing up all of MY old wounds. Thank you for all of the other information. I'm slowing wading through all of the suggestions on this thread.

My son is currently a freshman. He takes the majority of his classes at WTMA, and I have been very impressed with them, however they do not offer any honors or AP classes. A number of the classes he has taken (at WTMA and Lukeion) are classes that I would consider honors level classes, but I do not feel comfortable applying a label that the provider doesn't use. I am happy to create honors classes for him, but then I am back to the same issue of grades issued by me. The college counselors I have contacted have said that in order to apply to selective schools my son really needs "outside validation" in the form of duel enrollment, CLEP exams, or AP exams. There seems to be no agreement which of these would be the most advantageous. Please help. I do not care if he qualifies for units once IN college, I am only concerned with making him an attractive candidate for competitive schools.

The approach is to write in a particular style about a topic. Most of the source materials are fables, greek myths, historical perspectives, etc. I don't remember anything that I would consider "mature". There are readings to do, but it is not literature based. An example is given and evaluated and then the student writes in that style. Reading the description of Lange's it seems quite different because the focus at WTMA is not on producing a "thesis based essay." Here is the blurb from the Rhetoric 1 online syllabus: The first year of a three-year high school sequence. Introduction to the techniques of persuasive writing. The initial focus is on sentence and paragraph construction; students then move on to the progymnasmata exercises (narrative, description, fable, proverb, anecdote, refutation/confirmation, commonplace, praise and blame, comparison, speech-in-character) to teach thesis establishment, development, and support; the year concludes with the construction of a persuasive piece following the pattern established by Aristotle in Rhetoric.

My child currently has Marissa Henry and is having a great year. Feel free to message me if you have specific questions.

The Swallows and Amazons series puts me right to sleep...

All Whole 30 recipes would work for her. My recommendation for people recently diagnosed is always to start with simple foods and do NOT try to recreate your previous diet. It’s overwhelming, expensive, and depressing to even try. Instead make a list of meats, a list of fruits/veggies, a list of acceptable grains, and a list of safe sauces. Then mix and match from those lists. Once she gets a few weeks under her belt then expand to looking for “fun†compliant recipes. I was diagnosed celiac in 1998. There was wheat in everything (like chicken broth and soy sauce) and nothing was labeled with a GF symbol. I cried and cried about “losing†wheat. Things are much easier now, and it is also much easier to find recipes and network with others in the same situation. And the good news is that your sister should begin to feel SO MUCH BETTER. I can’t eat gluten, oats, soy, dairy, and I can only eat eggs occasionally. I follow a whole 30/paleo/Keto type diet and there are plenty of recipes I can use without any modifications. Feel free to have her pm me if she wants to talk. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes. It will drive his future wife INSANE. I speak from experience. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My Senator explained to me that all homeschoolers received their curriculum and supplies for free from the state. Um, no. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would suggest you look at some of Kelly Leveque’s nutrition work. She recently came out with a book called Body Love that is kinda girly, but the science is solid. She talks a lot about how to turn off your hunger hormones and elongate your blood sugar curve to promote weight loss without hunger. Her meal suggestions are protein + fat + fiber + greens. You can listen to her give the basics if you search her name in podcasts and listen to a few interviews. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bump Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you!

Correction 2 lectures per week. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, he is doing the Saxon version. I briefly lost my mind and switched him to asops, but for us that was a mistake and WTMA graciously helped us untangle my mistake. His instructor is Ms. Ostaff, who he has had for multiple years. She seems organized, well prepared, and caring. I would describe the pace as “steady†in the same way that Saxon is a constant but not flashy march forward. There is plenty of repetition (like Saxon) but all the material gets covered. Each week has two lectures, a discussion question, usually four modules of homework, and a quiz. The homework and quiz are done on MathXL. It takes a bit of getting used to, but is fairly easy to use. For homework you have three chances to get each question right, and it immediately tells you if it is right/wrong. There are examples for each problem that you can click on for a step by step breakdown. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My son is currently in Algebra I at WTMA and is having a good experience. I have had nothing but positive experiences with WTMA. If you have specific questions I can follow up.

A friend of a friend launched these: http://twistedsifter.com/2015/05/cancer-survivor-designs-get-well-soon-cards-that-dont-suck/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am looking to make gift tins of treats. Can I make these now? Is it too early? I’m thinking peanut brittle, chocolate fudge, chocolate covered toffee, eggnog fudge, divinity, Buckeyes. Thoughts??? Give me advice! [emoji4] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bueller?

Bump. We're waiting too...

Witty wordsmith at Lukeion? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pumpkin pie. Blech! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I really hate the addition of alcohol to TOTing. Why do parents need alcohol to deal with every single kid activity?!?! Every year I end up with at least one lost crying child asking me to help find their parent. I seem to be the only sober adult who is paying attention in the whole darn neighborhood. I used to like making costumes and taking pictures. Now I’m sorta over the whole thing. [emoji853] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There are very few I would keep.

Maybe it’s like when I take a road trip with my kids. “Oh I’ll just throw in an extra box of crackers. And maybe some cheese sticks. And a bag of chips. And....â€. [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What about a knitting group? Often libraries have knitting groups, the people tend to be nice, it’s usually quiet and relaxed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My (white) daughter is going as Princess Elena this Halloween. [emoji4] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk