Hang in there. My oldest is dysgraphic and your son is way ahead of where mine was at that age. My oldest can now write college level papers and has full tuition scholarships. Break down writing/composition into lots of pieces: Work on handwriting - do you still need a program to work on how to make letters, etc.? Lots of copywork - this integrates handwriting practice with teaching spelling and grammar naturally. It's amazing how much some kids will absorb by simply copying. Begin to teach some basic grammar based on whatever they are copying. Have your son dictate and you write answers for many subjects. Dictate a sentence for him to write. Start one day by him doing it as copywork and then the next day you dictate it to him. Keep doing this over and over. Pick something easy like one word/one sentence answers for your son to answer on his own and SLOWLY work up from there. If it is too hard for him to do on his own, you write it down and then let him copy small amounts. Don't overwhelm him. IF it's hard, then believe it is HARD. There are a lot of pieces that all have to come together before a student can be a fluent writer. Also, for many dysgraphic kids, it is helpful to teach typing.

I listed my courses, how many credits - most we're one credit, a few 1/2 credit, and one grade for the course.

Doctors don't generally order an MRI with sedation just to appease the parents. I think he's making sure nothing else is going on. If you still have concerns, then I'd tell him directly what your concerns are and ask if you still need it.

I wouldn't skip any parts of the Intro to Algebra book, but I'd consider taking longer than one year. Many consider the first 13 chapters (through quadratic equations) as Algebra 1. The other things sometimes covered are a very simple introduction to matrices (how to find a determinant), basic function notation, the vertex of a parabola. AoPS doesn't introduce these topics until later and then they take them much more in depth. Many schools only cover the rest of the Intro to Algebra book as their Algebra 2 class and nothing else is covered. (Parts of the Intermediate Algebra book are typically covered in a precalculus class and other parts of that book simply go deeper than what is typically covered.)

I'd list ballet as extra-curricular. I might write up a course description for PE that includes learning about fitness and nutrition (probably learned in ballet), stretching and other fitness exercises (done at the beginning of ballet) and whatever else you want to include. I might add that much of the physical fitness was done alongside her goal of ballet, but I'd list the actual ballet class separately.

My creative writer middle schooler has really benefited from some of the Brave Writer creative writing classes.

Like many others, we started with schools in a day's driving distance. We made a big list and talked over several schools. We picked a couple to visit. The first couple of visits were ho-hum, but then he found a school he really liked. From there we narrowed the list significantly based on size of school and other factors he decided were important. We also pulled out a list from college confidential of schools with great merit aid based on ACT/grades. When we first looked at that list, nothing jumped out at us as being better than our big state school, but now that he knows a little more what he wants, there is one school that really looks good and we are driving there this week. Get a feel for a couple of different schools. Look at the major departments if you know what you want to study. Don't completely knock out pricey schools if scholarships are a possibility, but make sure your student knows xyz school isn't a choice unless you get a set amount of $$.. Go back and revisit lists that have schools listed by great financial aid and see if anything new pops out at you.

Love BW classes for my accelerated kids. I think they are very good classes no matter what your level of writing. As a mom, I'm always impressed with the feedback that kids that can already write well get (as well as all of the kids).

I pick co-op science for fun and great teachers. If it's a complete class with reading/homework etc. then you certainly don't need more science. Assuming you won't be doing any outside work (reading/homework) for the co-op, then I pick my own science at home separately. I think it is fine for an 11 year old to only do science at co-op and then get more some other year, but at my home we do lots of science. I would simply pick whatever I want to teach at home and do it. If there is some overlap, I may or may not complement what is learned at co-op with what I teach at home.

I think you should give credit when it is due. I also tend to compare my English course to what students might do in another English course and only give one credit if it is similar to a single English course. If you obviously went beyond a full course, then give the credit for more. I also tend to think that English is often on the high side of hours for one credit. In my case, I might take a Center for Literature course (1 credit on their website) plus 2 Brave Writer classes (1/4 credit each) and add some of my own stuff and call it all one English credit.

I haven't used support for Derek Owens, but I know that others have used him and have access to email questions, get answers and sometimes even get video answers. I've used Derek Owens materials, but do all my own support and grading.

I schedule a "week's" worth of videos divided over the days of the week. She has the option of doing a bunch in one day, but that doesn't work well for her. After watching the videos, I see if she can do the workbook practice problems herself. Sometimes she can, sometimes she needs be to go back over the teaching material. I run the homework problems a section or two behind the videos she is watching. I also take the test and just give one page a day for the week rather than all in one day. Basically I aim for some videos and about 2 pages of work per day, but I usually aim to have the 2 pages cover different topics. My son (when he did physics) did all the videos in double time and took notes in double time - I have no idea how he processed it this fast, but it worked for him.

I'd be careful about using something for high school that the publisher says is grade 7. I have no problem using a mix of things (some aimed at younger) to create a high school course. If you want to use R&S's history for high school, you certainly can, but I wouldn't say it is because it is "advanced".

Lots of reading of Sonlight books is a great option. Another option (though it might be too expensive) is Center for Literature. They have a discussion only option in which students read literature once per month and then have an online discussion. The discussion is live, but you do not have to talk. You also have the option of downloading it and listening at your convenience. My kids have learned a lot of literary analysis in a very laid back way by doing these courses. My oldest has said that it has changed how he thinks about everything he reads. I think writing is a must, but you can concentrate on good writing over quantitiy. There are lots of ways to approach writing, grammar, vocabulary and they don't all have to be separated out.

I'm not putting in on my transcript as I would not expect it to be on most school transcripts. I'd list it where the colleges specifically ask on the application or add it to the list of extracurricular activities.

We've visited in both schoolyear and summer. I haven't found a big difference between the two - admissions presentations and campus tours are similar. Dorms can be interesting to wander through on your own during the schoolyear, but most you don't have access to. We've been able to talk to departments both in schoolyear and summer. If you want to see the daily hustle of the campus, visit during schooltime, but otherwise it doesn't make much difference.

I agree with Lori D.

If you are doing LOF Beginning Algebra, you could probably start with AoPS Intro Algebra. On the other hand, AoPS Prealgebra is of a similar level to many algebra books and it contains a lot of other topics such as beginning number theory, counting, probability, statistics, and geometry. I'd consider getting more than one book if it doesn't double shipping. AoPS is definitely worth going out of your way to get.

Youth group - church Boy Scouts Ultimate Frisbee

I think everyone should be able to do the problems at the end of each section and the review problems (not challenge). All starred problems are hard (and may be optional for some students). My oldest did every problem in the book. I've tutored another student who also did every problem. My second (good in math, but doesn't love it) has to do all the end of section and review problems. He is to attempt the challenge problems, but if/when he is getting too frustrated we just drop the rest. I am now doing AoPS Prealgebra with my daughter. We do it buddy style. Most of the problems we do together with me helping/teaching as needed and giving immediate correction for anything she is missing. I pick and choose the challenge problems for her to attempt. She is thriving this way but would flounder if left to do it on her own.

In response to some of your other questions: Yes, you can buy the workbook from Lulu and watch the videos. What you would be missing are the homework pages and test pages. I don't think you miss much by skipping the tests, but the homework helps reinforce it. I bought it all on a flash drive back when he was selling it that way. For all his courses, he offers half-price option in which you buy the book and he gives you access to the videos, homework, tests and all the solutions and you grade it yourself. Since much of the prealgebra videos are on youtube for free, you might email him and ask if you can get access to the homework. I think Derek Owens preps well for algebra, but I knew my daughter both needed more reinforcement as well as to take it deeper with AoPS. She was ready for the challenge of AoPS, but needed much more reinforcement of skills such as fractions, decimals, percents. Doing DO first was perfect for her and set her up well to do AoPS. Some kids could go straight to algebra, but I knew she needed more reinforcement. (She deals with multiple learning disabilities so has challenges from multiple directions). I try to use the videos first (though my daughter isn't a huge fan) and then anything she has problems with, I go back and teach with the workbook. My son has used the half-price (with me grading) option for physics.

It doesn't fit your guidelines as it is video based, but my daughter did very well by doing Derek Owens prealgebra (with me grading) and then has followed it up with AoPS Prealgebra which is definitely a step up.

My quick answer would be no calculator in prealgebra (or really in any AoPS book). However, if you have a student that has disabilities surrounding adding/multiplying large numbers, etc. I'd consider a calculator so they can focus on learning the algebraic techniques while not being so hampered by the burden of certain numbers. If they need a calculator, then they probably also still need to be working on some of those basic arithmetic skills.

AoPS problems are set up to not need a calculator. Answers are given in radical form or pi/4 etc rather than rounded to decimals.

I "teach" AoPS by sitting down with my student and working through the teaching exercises together. I then assign the end of section and chapter review problems for them to do on their own.