The coming year will actually be a super-senior year for my youngest. She already has 4 solid English credits including AP Lang, 4 math credits through AP Calc AB, 4 lab sciences, 5 LOTE (3 Chinese, 2 French), and 4 social sciences (cultural geography, world history, US history, AP Psych), and 4 art classes (including 2 at a local college) so she's pretty solid. Next year is still a bit up in the air as I'm waiting on the local CC to release their fall schedule (comes out Friday), but so far the tentative plan is: English: at home with writing mainly focused on a large research paper and lit focused on novels with a "growth" theme along with science themed non-fiction Math: she'd like linear algebra, but AP/DE stats might be easier to find, we may skip math or its possible she'll do AP Calc BC (aka undecided) Science: neuroscience at Aim Academy possibly adding either DE gen chem prep class at the local CC or self-study AP Chem and/or AP bio at home or other college level chem/bio through edx or similar. LOTE: French 3 at Aim Academy Social science: gov/econ with Nate Gilbert on Outschool over the summer Electives: capstone project (combining her love of art/animation and science), maybe a DE art credit She has a time intensive extracurricular (starts at noon most days) and 4 solid years of HS under her belt, so this is going to be a lighter year for her. We had planned on having her graduate this spring and take next year as a gap year, but she has more she wants to learn before college, so here we are.

Field and country specific. My daughter applied to programs (physics/astro) in the US and in Canada. In the US all of her choices were direct from BS to PhD, but in Canada (for at least the school she chose) a masters along the way is the default, though there are ways around it to go straight to PhD. Right now she is looking at starting research that would be great for a masters thesis, but not quite right for a PhD. Her advisor feels like she will learn the tangent she wants to go down for her PhD while doing this research for her masters. I would guess your son would want to reach out to the schools he is looking at to see what the requirements are and if his masters would fulfill them.

Guess who’s wants to study optics now?!? I don’t know why I didn’t think of trying to focus on biological applications for physics concepts. She’d much rather do things like this than hearing about people pushing pianos off cliffs. Thank you!!

I had not seen this. Thank you!! Oh, that's an interesting idea of how I might approach this!! I wonder if I could find a physics that focuses on brains, that is aimed at high school students. That would almost certainly get her excited about physics. If not, I'll make sure to cover electricity/circuits with her before she goes to college. Thank you!

That looks like an interesting book too. I knew there would be someone on this board who could help me find what I was struggling to find. Thank you so much! It's possible I could help, but it has been a long time since I took physics. That said, my oldest is a physics grad student now. When the oldest has time, she is happy to help her younger siblings with anything physics or math. She can't understand why baby sister doesn't love it like she does though. lol!! Thank you!! That is an interesting idea, though I know if she were to do an internship she'd want something to do with brains. The kid loves learning anything and everything about brains, and we have a lot of medical stuff around so that would be easier to find. Though I imagine they do have some physics stuff as my oldest was able to do an REU one summer at the local state flagship. Also, my high school only had physics taught by the biology teacher too. Must be more common than I thought.

Oh! That is just the kind of twist on things that might pique her interest. I put it on hold at the library and will get it for her if she likes it. Thank you!!

My 16-year old is convinced that she really doesn't like physics. She started a dry, algebra-based, physics course two-ish years ago and ended up instead veering off track with a deep dive into astronomy (which she loved) rather than finishing it. She's always self-studying, reading books, or watching videos about lots of different science topics -- even physics related ones as long as they don't have physics in the title. Since her intended major (neuroscience/biochem/chemistry) will almost certainly require a physics sequence, I want to make sure she has at least had an exposure to the basics before she gets to college, but it doesn't need to be a "credit worthy" class. She will already have at least six science credits by the time she graduates. She has taken calculus, so it can be calculus-based, algebra-based, or even just concept-based, videos, books, etc. My main goal is for it to be engaging so she doesn't shy away from what she really wants to study in college or do for a living just because she doesn't want to take physics. TIA!!

We reached out this past year when none of the French 2 times worked for my daughter due to classes at a local college, and she added an afternoon section. She might not want to add another section of French 3, but she’s super nice and might be able to work something out?

So far my 16-year old has taken Oak Meadow Biology, Clover Valley Honors Chemistry, physics/astronomy, and Mapping the Body with Art anatomy/physiology. She is fascinated with biology and bodies and how chemistry makes us do/think the things we do. The next obvious step would be the local CC for DE chemistry or biology so she could get into a lab instead of only using microchem kits at home, however she is in a day program for ballet so fitting in in-person classes especially with separate a lecture and lab component is very difficult. Do you have any recommendations for a great next science class for her? FWIW, she is a currently thinking about a bio/chem/biochem/neuroscience major with a fine art and psychology double minor when she gets to college, though we both know that is likely to change. We are thinking maybe neuroscience at Aim Academy or perhaps a great MOOC about bio/chem/neuro if anyone has one they recommend, but really open to any ideas. If she does an AP science it would have to be a very streamlined version. She enjoys the topics and so far has picked up all the material quickly, but again will have little time, so nothing with a lot of "busywork." Thanks in advance!

My daughter emailed the AP coordinator at the local public school and was told if she was in the boundary she could take AP exams there. We aren't in CA, but wanted to second this suggestion. I hope you find someplace.

I had planned on my high schooler taking AP Studio Art with PAHomeschoolers next year, but I see they are no longer offering it. Does anyone have advice on another way to put together an art portfolio for college apps as a homeschooler? Is there an advisor people recommend online? TIA!

I tried a sort of out of the box chemistry with my current high schooler, and it was a disaster. We ended up pivoting in the middle of October just like you are doing. We chose Clover Valley Chemistry's honors (not advanced honors) asynchronous, parent-graded course. My daughter loved it! She learned a ton. Highly recommended. That said, I don't know what support comes with it as it all just clicked for her, but Connie is very nice and can probably help you figure out if the course would be a good fit for you. And I'm pretty sure the labs use the kit you've already purchased, though you'd have to double check as it's been a couple years since she took the course.

We are debating graduating my youngest at the end of the coming year. In that case her freshman year will look very similar to yours. Colleges love to see rigor increase throughout the four years so the "easier" 9th grade year might not be the stumbling block you think it is. I would still tend to agree with the others that if she's going to take classes at the local CC, I would consider not graduating her and count the more advanced credits as DE (unless she's going to go to a school for undergrad that would give credit for them if they were taken after HS, but not if they are DE). I have a kid looking to transfer, and the scholarships really are much more limited for transfer students. The biggest hole I am seeing is that almost every college wants four years of English, and, without putting her "8th" grade year down as 9th, it looks like she only has three?

As has been mentioned here, thinking of the floor/minimum can be a big disservice to a college bound kid. While you likely can get into a college with 4 English, 3 science, 2 social studies, etc. You really need to look at the colleges and majors your child is interested in, and find not just what the minimum is, but what they are wanting/expecting from admitted students. My youngest is all over the board as far as the type of college she wants to attend and her possible major, so we are sticking with 4+ credits each of the main 5 -- math, science, English, social studies, LOTE -- like was mentioned above. As far as what level is the minimum for any subject it depends on the kid. Mine is interested in science and/or fine arts so I would say the floor for her in math is calculus to keep her competitive for a possible science major. For your son interested in music, calc might not be needed. Mine will have a lot of fine art electives, but others may not need any fine arts or only need one credit. I think the reason you aren't getting the answer you want here is because there is no one standard for homeschoolers. I really would look into college expectations for the schools/majors in which your kids are interested, especially if either is considering competitive schools, and go from there.

We are debating (and likely going to) graduate my youngest and least academic kid early. She has been doing high school level work since she was 10 or 11, but just isn't into school. She wants to dance, and that is a career with an expiration date, hence our considering letting her graduate at 16. If you live in a state that covers DE or it's not cost prohibitive, could you compromise and instead of graduating him early, assuming he already has all the credits you want him to have to graduate, let him take DE classes that focus on entrepreneurship/business or other things that will help him grow his business? Good luck with your decision!