Doing HS courses in 8th grade?

[2boysmom]

Hi, I'm new posting, but a long-time lurker. So, this is my first post here on WTM boards. (I frequent SL boards though, so some might know me from there) Thanks for any responses and help/advice. Anyway....

 

I've been thinking about H.S. and planning. Then came across, the My Father's World program for H.S. (looks like for us, a perfect fit). Now, my son is a 7th grader, but I was looking at this program and think he could do this H.S. program for 8th grade, this Fall really. It's not a "leap" for him, a challenge maybe, but not a huge "leap."

 

And I got to thinking..."Why should he wait?" Why should we just "bite" our time till High School. Why couldn't he just go ahead and start this high school courses now? People do HS math and Science in 8th grade don't they? Can't they do History, Language Arts? Is this crazy?

 

So, in thinking this through, if he could do this, this would be my plan:

 

8th grade:

Ancient History, Lit/writing, Bible - MFW-3 credits

Algebra I-MUS-1 credit

F Language: Japanese-Rosetta Stone and Kumon (writing)-1 credit

Latin I course-Artesian Wells Classical Tutorials "online" class-1 credit

Physical Science Apologia-Potter's School-1 credit

Latin I course-Artesian Wells Classical Tutorials "online" class-1 credit

Electives: AWANA TREK, Karate, tennis, guitar

 

9th grade-

MFW-World History, Lit/Bible-3 credits

MUS-Geometry-1-credit

Science-Biology I -Potter's School online-1 credit

Language-Japanese II (Rosetta) Kumon (writing) cont'd-1 credit (1 year)

Latin II-Artesian Wells Classical Tutorials "online" class-1 credit (1-year)

Electives: AWANA TREK, Karate, tennis, guitar, Health

 

10th grade:

MFW-US History to 1877, LIt/Bible-3 credits

MUS-Physics or Potter's School online Physics 1-credit

Science-Chemistry Apologia -Potter's School online 1-credit

Language-Japanese III (Rosetta) Kumon (writing) cont'd 1-credit

Latin III-Artesian Wells Classical Tutorials "online" class-1 credit

Electives: AWANA TREK, Karate, tennis, guitar, Health

 

11th grade: (take a break from regular courses and do prep for ACT/SAT)

SAT FOCUS: Focus on prep for SAT/writing through online courses/visit colleges in US. 1-credit

Math: Pre-Calculus MUS 1-credit

Language: Japanese IV 1-credit

Electives: AWANA TREK, Karate, Tennis, Film class/Web design, overseas short-term missions project (he's interested in these things)

 

12th:

MFW-U.S. History 1877 to Present/Lit./Bible 3-credits

MUS-Physics or Potter's School online Physics 1-credit

Science-Chemistry Apologia -Potter's School online 1-credit

Language-Japanese III (Rosetta) Kumon (writing) cont'd 1-credit

Maybe a AP course or CLEP? 1-credit

Electives: AWANA TREK, Karate, tennis, guitar, Film-making, Web-design

 

Total credits: as is a lot, but seems reasonable...Do colleges look on too many credits with "suspicion?"

 

Couldn't I just count his 8th grade (High School classes) for his 9th grade transcripts/year (keeping grades/records, etc?) Would there be harm in this?

 

I'd love for him to have his Jr. year of H.S. focus on SAT prep, since it's so important for him to do well on those tests for college admission.

 

Anyone ever done this? Is is "cheating" to start High School courses in 8th grade? I would call his "8th grade" "9th grade" on his transcripts (but just do them a year early) I honestly think he could do the courses I mentioned above.

 

Looking for advice here, if I'm totally "whacked out..."

__________________

[elizabeth]

Absolutely ok unless you are getting a diploma from the state it is of no moment . I officially grade skipped dd by filing my paperwork with a note that said we are accelerating into 9th as that comports with the level of work she is doing. Since we are in Iowa we must take ITBS yearly or do portfolio review. I am testing in accordance with the grade I have her in and keeping a transcript as well. We will either have a gap year where she takes several courses at the community college or hs for an extra year with a senior project and some serious volunteer work to help her hone in on what whe wishes to achieve with her college work. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

[Mrs Mungo]

If you are planning on doing 4 years of high school, then I wouldn't count eighth grade classes as high school classes. If you want your student to graduate early, then start his high school classes next year and call it high school.

 

This isn't a matter of biding your time until high school. It's a matter of things looking legit as far as high school credits go. Every homeschool resource I've read on transcripts and such says not to count 8th grade work for high school credit, even if they are doing advanced work.

 

Yes, it does look suspicious if a student has way too many credits, especially on a parent-created transcript.

 

For example-One credit is calculated by doing 150-180 hours of coursework. Is your student going to be working on Bible/Lit/History for 3 hours every day?

 

Are you really going to give 5 credits of Japanese? You don't think that will look weird since there are only 4 years of high school? My dd has finished 2 levels of Rosetta Stone in 2 years but she's not getting high school credit for it because she did it in junior high. Usually, one credit is given for each level of Rosetta Stone. You can't take two years to do one level and call it 2 credits. Maybe that's not what you meant and I'm reading wrong?

 

Here's a little blurb from BJU:

A "Carnegie unit" of credit is determined by the amount of time that a student studies a subject successfully. This measurement is used to determine completion of a high-school diploma. The measurement is based on 180 days of instruction (2 semesters) for an average of 45 minutes per day. The basic standard for earning a diploma is approximately 24 credits, which must be accumulated between the 9th and 12th grades. The number of credits required for a diploma varies depending on where a student wants to attend college or the state in which the student lives.

 

eta: Note that 24 credits is the norm. If your student had 32 credits, it would look like you didn't know how to create a transcript or count credits.

Edited March 20, 2010 by Mrs Mungo

[Mrs Mungo]

Absolutely ok unless you are getting a diploma from the state it is of no moment . I officially grade skipped dd by filing my paperwork with a note that said we are accelerating into 9th as that comports with the level of work she is doing. Since we are in Iowa we must take ITBS yearly or do portfolio review. I am testing in accordance with the grade I have her in and keeping a transcript as well. We will either have a gap year where she takes several courses at the community college or hs for an extra year with a senior project and some serious volunteer work to help her hone in on what whe wishes to achieve with her college work. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

 

Just to clarify my points, I would have no problem at all with what elizabeth describes here.

[2boysmom]

If you are planning on doing 4 years of high school, then I wouldn't count eighth grade classes as high school classes. If you want your student to graduate early, then start his high school classes next year and call it high school.

 

This isn't a matter of biding your time until high school. It's a matter of things looking legit as far as high school credits go. Every homeschool resource I've read on transcripts and such says not to count 8th grade work for high school credit, even if they are doing advanced work.

 

Yes, it does look suspicious if a student has way too many credits, especially on a parent-created transcript.

 

For example-One credit is calculated by doing 150-180 hours of coursework. Is your student going to be working on Bible/Lit/History for 3 hours every day?

 

Are you really going to give 5 credits of Japanese? You don't think that will look weird since there are only 4 years of high school? My dd has finished 2 levels of Rosetta Stone in 2 years but she's not getting high school credit for it because she did it in junior high. Usually, one credit is given for each level of Rosetta Stone. You can't take two years to do one level and call it 2 credits. Maybe that's not what you meant and I'm reading wrong?

 

Here's a little blurb from BJU:

 

Well the classes I was considering are labeled "high school classes" so they would be high school level classes taken in 8th grade, not "beefed" up 8th grade classes. Does that make sense? The MFW High School course is a 3-credit program including Bible/Lit. and History. They say it's 3 credits worth for the whole course, so I'm following what they say. On a transcript though, I'd separate these into History/Bible/ and English Comp. (one credit each).

 

I actually wouldn't print anything about doing these classes in "8th grade", I'd just print them as doing them in his "9th grade year' on the transcript.

I don't see why this would dishonest, just a technicality of terms? What difference does it make if the classes are the same, just taken a year earlier?

 

We live in Japan, so taking Japanese every year is a priority and he was born here, so his classes are "advanced." It's likely he will continue taking year-long classes, because we live here. (I'm not sure that was clear, just clarifying). But, yes, i see your point about 5 years. I'd probably take 5 years, and give only 4 credits for the sake of "looking right" on a transcript.

 

What do we say then if your child actually does the work for those credits?

Do you just forget about them for the sake of looking legit to colleges? What do others do? I understand the Carnegie units, but shouldn't a year long High School class be given 1-credit? I'm confused. Thanks for your help and time:)

 

 

I should say too that we aren't subject to State laws because we are overseas (homeschooling 1st-through High School). We've been told by our former state, we are not subject to state laws unless living in the country. This won't be the case for us. So are we free to do what we like and "accelerate" to 9th? (skipping 8th courses)?

Edited March 20, 2010 by 2boysmom

[Teachin'Mine]

Just a different perspective, I don't see any problem with getting high school credit in 8th grade. The credits are for the classes taken, not for the age of the student. My daughter is doing some 8th grade classes and some high school. Kolbe doesn't allow any credits for work done prior to 9th grade, but many other accredited schools do.

 

In my junior high/high school, we began languages in 7th grade. 7th and 8th grade combined counted for Spanish I. If we took four years of Spanish in high school, we graduated having completed through Spanish V. I think it's fine to put these on the transcript as long as the work is truly up to the corresponding high school level. SAT II tests can help to validate what's on the transcript too.

 

I don't think there's any one right way to do the transcript, so it's good to get different ideas, and then you and your son can decide how to list everything in the end. You can also check with college admissions for what they'd prefer to see. :)

[Joan in GE]

There have been several threads in the recent past about counting 8th grade credits with lots of different experiences, insights, opinions and quotes from different places. I'm not quite sure how to search that effectively but if you read through the different thread titles you should come across them...

 

Sorry, I have to get off now so no time to search myself.

 

Joan

[gingersmom]

I am in a similar situation as my daughter left private school at the end of 7th grade. Technically this current year would be 8th grade. We have been doing a mixture of 7/8th grade as I felt she needed to play catch up on some subjects.

 

We are going to officially begin 8th grade next year and 9th grade in some subjects at the same time.

 

I plan on doing a transcript without the year and just list 9, 10, 11, 12 and give her credit for classes she took in her combined 8/9th grade year.

[EKS]

My son is doing essentially all high school work this year--his 8th grade year. I am going to order his transcript by subject, rather than grade level. I am also going to wait until the time comes that I need to issue a transcript to decide whether to include the courses from this year. Anything that he has done that might potentially be considered high school work I have been very careful to document as well as be very sure that the output is at high school level, not just the input.

[G5052]

My son is doing essentially all high school work this year--his 8th grade year. I am going to order his transcript by subject, rather than grade level. I am also going to wait until the time comes that I need to issue a transcript to decide whether to include the courses from this year. Anything that he has done that might potentially be considered high school work I have been very careful to document as well as be very sure that the output is at high school level, not just the input.

 

One speaker I heard that spoke on transcripts recommended recording at some level at least from 7th grade on, partly because it gives you "practice" and because if you choose to graduate them early, you're ready to do that. If you need to adjust and balance the mix at the end, you won't be in a panic if you do in all along.

[mcconnellboys]

I think most homeschoolers who school all the way through at home have a lot more credits than typical high schoolers. My older son began doing high school level courses in seventh grade and then as a sophomore wanted to go back into a private school. I still had to submit my transcript for the classes he did at home with me when he applied to colleges last fall. No one raised an eyebrow about the fact that he did hs level work early or had more than the usual credits.

[2boysmom]

Thank you for your replies. The things shared helped me a lot. I just didn't know if it was totally insane or not. Sounds like it could work for us. :)

[4wildberrys]

I agree with you putting your son in MFW AHL next year if you feel he is ready. But would you really not do any history for 11th and JUST focus on the SAT??? Why not continue on with the MFW history for high school and graduate him early? I'm not judging or trying to be rude---really :D I just cannot imagine skipping a whole year just to study for a standardized test............there are just SOO many great things to study out there :tongue_smilie:

[Miss Marple]

I would call his "8th grade" "9th grade" on his transcripts

 

If you do that, what do you do with his 9th grade courses? Is everything just moved ahead a year or are you combining 8th and 9th? It might look odd to have 4 credits of foreign language in a year (Latin and Japanese) as well as 2 science credits and 6 credits from MFW.

 

The limiting factor I have seen is not what I put on the transcript/portfolio, but rather what/how the university/college my dss apply to want to see. All the places we looked at didn't care what the student did before 9th grade. They had specific courses they wanted to see from 9th-12th. It didn't matter that ds did Algebra 1 in 7th, they wanted to see 4 years of high school math *in the high school years*. For example, in our case that meant we never showed the Algebra 1 but instead showed geometry, algebra 2, trig, and Calc. 1.

 

I think it is very typical for homeschool students to do high school work early. But putting the courses a student completed in 7th or 8th grade on the 9th grade year probably won't go over well. The universities were very specific that the courses be completed in 9th grade and at those universities, I think it would be dishonest to say that courses were done in 9th when in fact they were done in 8th. While it would be nice to have a year to study for the SAT, most students in public and private schools don't get that advantage.

 

By all means give him the courses he can do and has an interest in. But realize that you may need to continue doing regular high school course work through all years of high school in order to comply with the university/college admission requirements. I'm sure there are plenty of colleges where this may not apply. So your best bet is to have a general idea of the requirements of the schools your son may be interested in attending.

[Miss Marple]

I don't see why this would dishonest, just a technicality of terms? What difference does it make if the classes are the same, just taken a year earlier?

 

I think the universities have been subject to a lot of folks trying to game the system so to speak. And because of that they have implemented more specific rules for admissions. These rules may include asking that the courses be listed *specifically* under the grade in which they were completed. To do otherwise would be dishonest.

 

I have known moms who have had their 6th graders do American History with their 11th grade siblings and since they used the same text, they felt the student should get the same credit. I had these students in my high school co-op classes. They were not prodigies, they were not able to do high school work in high school. The absurdity is that the transcripts were created by plugging in the courses under the years in which credits were needed. This meant that most of the high school years were spent doing 4 or fewer courses per year because mom pulled all sorts of "credits" from the elementary/junior high years.

 

It becomes glaringly obvious to the university when these students cannot compete. Hence the need of the universities to be very specific about admission requirements.

 

I'm not saying that your son cannot or should not do high school level work early. In fact, just the opposite if he is able. But because of some of those who have gone before us, we find ourselves subject to more specific requirements.

 

Why not just accelerate him to 9th grade skipping 8th? I have known many homeschoolers who do this. Then they use what would have been 12th grade originally to do a year at a community college, gap year, etc. It has worked well for those I know.

[2boysmom]

I agree with you putting your son in MFW AHL next year if you feel he is ready. But would you really not do any history for 11th and JUST focus on the SAT??? Why not continue on with the MFW history for high school and graduate him early? I'm not judging or trying to be rude---really :D I just cannot imagine skipping a whole year just to study for a standardized test............there are just SOO many great things to study out there :tongue_smilie:

 

 

Well, I should clarify, that we live in Japan and we'd take that year to travel to the states, visit colleges, possibly do some CC classes (we can't do here), etc. So, that would be the perfect year for us to do it because it lines up with our furlough year. (1 year in the U.S. every 5 years). I'm not saying do a full year of SAT prep., but having that be a major "focus" that year, since it's so important to do well on the test.

 

Thanks for everyone's replies and help. I think I got a better idea of what to do.

[2boysmom]

Why not just accelerate him to 9th grade skipping 8th? I have known many homeschoolers who do this. Then they use what would have been 12th grade originally to do a year at a community college, gap year, etc. It has worked well for those I know.

 

This is a good idea, but how is that more honest? A gap year in the Senior year, or a gap year in the Jr. year? What's the difference? In my mind, it's the same, just taking different years for a "gap" year. I'm not following...

Though I totally understood your other points. Thanks for your help.

[Miss Marple]

A gap year in the Senior year

 

Because it isn't a gap year in the senior year, rather what would have been the senior year. This is usually done to allow the student another year of maturity or experience before starting a college career.

 

And the student has indeed graduated by this point - it's just that he/she is younger than his college peers at graduation and the extra year allows for the student to regain that year.

[Janice in NJ]

I would consider accelerating in math, and foreign languages. Algebra I in 8th is not uncommon, so it's a great way to begin the math sequence early. College are very familiar with that type of acceleration. Lots of regular high school students are also taking their foreign language II course in 9th grade. So I wouldn't hesitate to begin those with a very academic child - especially since the Latin course is an on-line course with an outside teacher. I would strongly consider having your child sit for the National Latin exams for all three years; it will easily and inexpensively validate your child's work. (He really did master high school Latin in 9th grade - standardized test verification.) Your schedule also lists that he will continue through Japanese IV. That's good. If your child begins any language sequence early, college still want to see that they did something with that acceleration - they didn't just finish early. So he will still have three additional years of a language - Japanese II, III, and IV on his official 9th-12th grade transcript. Good.

 

Science: Very often physical science is taken in 8th grade with bio, chem, physics, and an advanced science in high school. So I would consider tackling that in 8th grade too if your child is up for the challenge. You will still have plenty of science options for high school.

 

However, I would not begin the MFW high-school sequence early. Colleges want to see at least three "history" courses and four solid years of English in the four years before graduation. They are generally not interested in what you did in the humanities in the fifth year (8th grade) before graduation no matter what "level" it was. IF you accelerate, they want to see what you DID with the acceleration - they want to see advanced coursework - not a year off from English. So I would definitely save the MFW course for 9th grade. Use them in those 9th to 12th grade years. Spend his 8th grade year working on writing. Skills that he learns will make acquiring those credits much less time consuming. Begin taking a look at PSAT/SAT prep books if you want to accelerate or get ahead. It's never too early to start exploring that world. Read challenging literature together; he will acquire the skills that he needs to work quickly and efficiently in his high school humanities courses.

 

And you will be able to see how this thing is going to work next year. Two languages are doable but time consuming. You'll know by Christmas if your child is up for the challenge. Managing and organizing high school level coursework and record keeping can be different from junior high. I would start with courses that are typically accelerated for motivated students. Colleges are used to seeing that. And a motivated student has lots of options. But I wouldn't accelerate the humanities courses. I would work on upper level skills though. You can easily tweak the MFW course to demand more of your student academically when he takes the ancients course in 9th grade. Take the World History course in 10th grade. And then decide in 11th if your child wants regular 11th grade English/US history or AP/CLEP options: AP English Comp with AP US History (not uncommon for accelerated kids in high school) with maybe Economics/AP English Lit in 12th (Also not uncommon).

 

So if your child is up for the challenge, I would take math, physical science, Latin I, and Japanese I, and another English/History course in 8th grade. If you want to take AP/CLEP American history in high school, I would consider an American History course - expand his knowledge base now - it will make studying American History at a more evaluative level easier and less time consuming in 11th grade. You can always use a jr high course; focus on those high school skills: reading volumes of material and reducing it to its main ideas. Explore points of view: what are the issues here, how are the various points of view supported - how does each side build its case. Write a research paper - learn the steps and practice the steps. Etc. Begin to write a literary analysis paper. Lots, lot, lots to do. A challenging 8th grade course load will also help you get a feel for his ability to handle all of this. It was tougher than I thought it would be; I had heard SO much chatter about homeschool kids and how advanced they all were. I just assumed that all my kids would be able to handle challenging course work in all of their subjects in high school - just because they were home schooled. It hasn't been so. It's easier to take your student's academic temperature in 8th grade than it is to realize that his whole world is crumbling mid-year in 9th grade. Junior high was a great time for me to poke around in that high-school world and take a sober assessment of my child's interests, skills, and abilities vs. "everything I had heard about homeschooling." I've discovered that even a truly gifted child doesn't need to be accelerated in every subject. OUR family thrives when each child has a balanced life and a balanced schedule. None of my kids are naturally inclined to WANT to be studying all week and all weekend. So I try to generate a challenging course-load that still allows them time to get out and about with other kids as well as volunteer etc. :001_smile: I'm digressing....

 

Back to the main course load: if you find that the schedule and the pace is just too much, you can spread Japanese I out over the 8th and 9th grade year. He can finish it in his spring of 9th grade year and it will fit nicely on his high school transcript: Level I in 9th, II in 10th (he will have some extra time to mature so he can handle all of that time-intensive coursework in 10th grade) and Level III and IV in 11th and 12th. Nice transcript.

 

I would push those humanities skills in 8th grade: reading, thinking, and writing. AND I would focus on organizational skills: scheduling, managing and juggling deadlines, pacing, and keeping track of paperwork - believe it or not, this was one of the toughest things to figure out when my first high schooler started high school (for the child and for ME)! With the other kids, I learned to focus on this in junior high. It's a great time to begin master the processes that produce an organized life; it will serve them through high school, college, and their life beyond academia.

 

Peace,

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

Edited March 21, 2010 by Janice in NJ

[Miss Marple]

humanities skills in 8th grade: reading, thinking, and writing. AND I would focus on organizational skills: scheduling, managing and juggling deadlines, pacing, and keeping track of paperwork - believe it or not, this was one of the toughest things to figure out when my first high schooler started high school. With the other kids, I learned to focus on this in junior high. It's a great time to begin master the processes that produce and organized life; it will serve them through high school, college, and life.

 

This is excellent advice! Actually the whole post is excellent :-)

[2boysmom]

I would consider accelerating in math, and foreign languages. Algebra I in 8th is not uncommon, so it's a great way to begin the math sequence early. College are very familiar with that type of acceleration. Lots of regular high school students are also taking their foreign language II course in 9th grade. So I wouldn't hesitate to begin those with a very academic child - especially since the Latin course is an on-line course with an outside teacher. I would strongly consider having your child sit for the National Latin exams for all three years; it will easily and inexpensively validate your child's work. (He really did master high school Latin in 9th grade - standardized test verification.) Your schedule also lists that he will continue through Japanese IV. That's good. If your child begins any language sequence early, college still want to see that they did something with that acceleration - they didn't just finish early. So he will still have three additional years of a language - Japanese II, III, and IV on his official 9th-12th grade transcript. Good.

 

Science: Very often physical science is taken in 8th grade with bio, chem, physics, and an advanced science in high school. So I would consider tackling that in 8th grade too if your child is up for the challenge. You will still have plenty of science options for high school.

 

However, I would not begin the MFW high-school sequence early. Colleges want to see at least three "history" courses and four solid years of English in the four years before graduation. They are generally not interested in what you did in the humanities in the fifth year (8th grade) before graduation no matter what "level" it was. IF you accelerate, they want to see what you DID with the acceleration - they want to see advanced coursework - not a year off from English. So I would definitely save the MFW course for 9th grade. Use them in those 9th to 12th grade years. Spend his 8th grade year working on writing. Skills that he learns will make acquiring those credits much less time consuming. Begin taking a look at PSAT/SAT prep books if you want to accelerate or get ahead. It's never too early to start exploring that world. Read challenging literature together; he will acquire the skills that he needs to work quickly and efficiently in his high school humanities courses.

 

And you will be able to see how this thing is going to work next year. Two languages are doable but time consuming. You'll know by Christmas if your child is up for the challenge. Managing and organizing high school level coursework and record keeping can be different from junior high. I would start with courses that are typically accelerated for motivated students. Colleges are used to seeing that. And a motivated student has lots of options. But I wouldn't accelerate the humanities courses. I would work on upper level skills though. You can easily tweak the MFW course to demand more of your student academically when he takes the ancients course in 9th grade. Take the World History course in 10th grade. And then decide in 11th if your child wants regular 11th grade English/US history or AP/CLEP options: AP English Comp with AP US History (not uncommon for accelerated kids in high school) with maybe Economics/AP English Lit in 12th (Also not uncommon).

 

So if your child is up for the challenge, I would take math, physical science, Latin I, and Japanese I, and another English/History course in 8th grade. If you want to take AP/CLEP American history in high school, I would consider an American History course - expand his knowledge base now - it will make studying American History at a more evaluative level easier and less time consuming in 11th grade. You can always use a jr high course; focus on those high school skills: reading volumes of material and reducing it to its main ideas. Explore points of view: what are the issues here, how are the various points of view supported - how does each side build its case. Write a research paper - learn the steps and practice the steps. Etc. Begin to write a literary analysis paper. Lots, lot, lots to do. A challenging 8th grade course load will also help you get a feel for his ability to handle all of this. It was tougher than I thought it would be; I had heard SO much chatter about homeschool kids and how advanced they all were. I just assumed that all my kids would be able to handle challenging course work in all of their subjects in high school - just because they were home schooled. It hasn't been so. It's easier to take your student's academic temperature in 8th grade than it is to realize that his whole world is crumbling mid-year in 9th grade. Junior high was a great time for me to poke around in that high-school world and take a sober assessment of my child's interests, skills, and abilities vs. "everything I had heard about homeschooling." I've discovered that even a truly gifted child doesn't need to be accelerated in every subject. OUR family thrives when each child has a balanced life and a balanced schedule. None of my kids are naturally inclined to WANT to be studying all week and all weekend. So I try to generate a challenging course-load that still allows them time to get out and about with other kids as well as volunteer etc. :001_smile: I'm digressing....

 

Back to the main course load: if you find that the schedule and the pace is just too much, you can spread Japanese I out over the 8th and 9th grade year. He can finish it in his spring of 9th grade year and it will fit nicely on his high school transcript: Level I in 9th, II in 10th (he will have some extra time to mature so he can handle all of that time-intensive coursework in 10th grade) and Level III and IV in 11th and 12th. Nice transcript.

 

I would push those humanities skills in 8th grade: reading, thinking, and writing. AND I would focus on organizational skills: scheduling, managing and juggling deadlines, pacing, and keeping track of paperwork - believe it or not, this was one of the toughest things to figure out when my first high schooler started high school (for the child and for ME)! With the other kids, I learned to focus on this in junior high. It's a great time to begin master the processes that produce an organized life; it will serve them through high school, college, and their life beyond academia.

 

Peace,

Janice

 

Enjoy your little people

Enjoy your journey

 

Yes! Thank you for the time you took in writing this all out. Wow! It touched my heart. I'm really needing direction and I appreciated all that you said. It was all very helpful and full of insight. Thanks again!

[Granny_Weatherwax]

 

I actually wouldn't print anything about doing these classes in "8th grade", I'd just print them as doing them in his "9th grade year' on the transcript.

I don't see why this would dishonest, just a technicality of terms? What difference does it make if the classes are the same, just taken a year earlier?

 

 

So you will actually be putting 16 credit hours for 9th grade on the transcript?

 

I think that will be a little much.

 

My 8th grade DS will be doing high school work next year and I will not be putting it on his high school transcript.

[Brindee]

Absolutely ok unless you are getting a diploma from the state it is of no moment . I officially grade skipped dd by filing my paperwork with a note that said we are accelerating into 9th as that comports with the level of work she is doing. Since we are in Iowa we must take ITBS yearly or do portfolio review. I am testing in accordance with the grade I have her in and keeping a transcript as well. We will either have a gap year where she takes several courses at the community college or hs for an extra year with a senior project and some serious volunteer work to help her hone in on what whe wishes to achieve with her college work. We will cross that bridge when we come to it.

:iagree: This is what we're doing. I debated on how to do it, and dd REALLY wanted to do 9th next year. She is ready, so we are basically skipping 8th and moving to 9th.

 

What do we say then if your child actually does the work for those credits?

Lots of homeschoolers do highschool level work in Jr. high (6th/7th/8th grades). What I've seen others do, is to just do the work at the level that challenges your child, and motivates them to learn and to well. If that is highschool work, then so be it. HOWEVER, they don't add those credits to the 9th grade year, they just start their transcript wherever they are when they begin 9th. So, just using math and science for example: the 9th grade transcript would have Geometry and Biology. 10th grade--Algebra 2 and Chemistry, etc., etc.

 

So are we free to do what we like and "accelerate" to 9th? (skipping 8th courses)?

I'd think so. That's what a few people on this board, including my dd, are doing.

 

All the places we looked at didn't care what the student did before 9th grade. They had specific courses they wanted to see from 9th-12th. It didn't matter that ds did Algebra 1 in 7th, they wanted to see 4 years of high school math *in the high school years*. For example, in our case that meant we never showed the Algebra 1 but instead showed geometry, algebra 2, trig, and Calc. 1.

 

I think it is very typical for homeschool students to do high school work early. But putting the courses a student completed in 7th or 8th grade on the 9th grade year probably won't go over well. The universities were very specific that the courses be completed in 9th grade and at those universities, I think it would be dishonest to say that courses were done in 9th when in fact they were done in 8th.

 

I think the universities have been subject to a lot of folks trying to game the system so to speak. And because of that they have implemented more specific rules for admissions. These rules may include asking that the courses be listed *specifically* under the grade in which they were completed. To do otherwise would be dishonest.

:iagree:

 

Why not just accelerate him to 9th grade skipping 8th? I have known many homeschoolers who do this. Then they use what would have been 12th grade originally to do a year at a community college, gap year, etc. It has worked well for those I know.

Yes, as mentioned above, lots of kids do this because they have worked hard in their 6th & 7th grade years and have advanced through what would be required in 8th grade. So, by skipping 8th, then you can do those highschool classes and get the credit for them.

 

Once they graduate from highschool a year early, they don't have to go straight to college. That can be an enrichment year--to do extra studies, do a mission trip, take CC classes, or work for a year in a job that's in the field they are interested in, or just to earn some money for college.

Edited March 22, 2010 by Brindee

[emubird]

That first year of "high school" looks to me like an 8th grade year for an honors student. I would do it, but not list it as a high school year, except that I would list the math and foreign language courses as "taken before high school". That would be perfectly reasonable and in line with what public school kids are doing.

 

It's pretty much what we did, and colleges were more than fine with it when it came time for applications.

 

I would probably add more math, history, writing in the later high school years. My daughter made up her own history courses based on what she wanted to study. She got through Calc III (and would have done differential equations if other things hadn't attracted her interest). She read a lot of literature and we turned it into classes on her transcript.

 

I wouldn't plan on so much time for SAT prep. There's only so much you can do of actual studying for it. It's better to be up on math in general and to have read a lot over the years previous to the test than worry about studying for the test per se.

 

There's no problem with having extra foreign language on a transcript, we discovered. I wouldn't worry about that.

 

Emu

[MomsintheGarden]

You've gotten some great replies (and a lot of them)!

 

Here is what we did with my dd, now a high school senior.

 

Dd did the WTM high school history and literature at the same time as her older brother did. She is 2 years younger than he is, so she did Rhetoric Ancients in 7th grade, Medieval in 8th grade, Early Modern in 9th grade, and Modern in 10th grade. It worked out fine, except she is a sensitive soul and was negatively affected by the 20th century lit. I think she could handle it better now.

 

She also did Algebra I in 8th grade. I felt this was "normal," as Alg. I is often taught in middle school these days. She finished Calc II this year and will be taking the AP for that this spring.

 

She continued to do a full high school load for 9th-12th grades. Because she was able to do some subjects early, she has had time to do APs and CLEPs (English & history) in 11th and 12th grade, and will begin college with many credits, more than many students her age, but within the range of normal. I only put what she did in 9th-12th grades on her transcript, with the exception of a (very) small note that she did Ancient and Medieval history/literature in 7th-8th grades.

 

I would "vote" (joking here - you are the parent and I totally respect that) to not skip a grade. If you feel your son is ready to do a high school course, have him do that next year. Many young people are not quite ready to begin a four year school early, but are able to do college level work while they are still at home. Also, your student will have the added difficulties of adjusting to life in the States and a family that is far away. I think the gap year and community college options are also worth considering.

 

I have two more points to mention. First, you do not mention the PSAT. In my opinion, the PSAT can be even more important than the SAT if your student has the potential to become a National Merit Semifinalist or Finalist. I would recommend having him study for the PSAT intensively during the summer between his sophomore and junior years, and having him take the test when you are in the states in October of his Junior year, to count for the NMSQT. You will need to make arrangements the June before the test. I recommend not studying for the SAT as a full course during the jr. year - just do a small amount of study each day for it, with the exception of timed essay writing, which can be incorporated in his English or history curriculum. He should also do the free SAT question of the day from the College Board.

 

Second, please keep in mind that a student's coursework and activites done in the Junior year are the most important for his college applications. What a student is taking in his senior year is very important as well, but those grades will not be available for applications submitted in the fall.

 

Just my $0.02.

 

GardenMom

[Janice in NJ]

I'm glad that it helped. :001_smile:

 

Peace,

Janice

[Guest teri.e]

You've gotten some great replies (and a lot of them)!

 

 

 

I have two more points to mention. First, you do not mention the PSAT. In my opinion, the PSAT can be even more important than the SAT if your student has the potential to become a National Merit Semifinalist or Finalist. I would recommend having him study for the PSAT intensively during the summer between his sophomore and junior years, and having him take the test when you are in the states in October of his Junior year, to count for the NMSQT. You will need to make arrangements the June before the test. I recommend not studying for the SAT as a full course during the jr. year - just do a small amount of study each day for it, with the exception of timed essay writing, which can be incorporated in his English or history curriculum. He should also do the free SAT question of the day from the College Board.

 

Second, please keep in mind that a student's coursework and activites done in the Junior year are the most important for his college applications. What a student is taking in his senior year is very important as well, but those grades will not be available for applications submitted in the fall.

 

Just my $0.02.

 

GardenMom

 

Great advice... thanks! I realize this is an old thread, but I appreciate it nonetheless.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

This is a good idea, but how is that more honest? A gap year in the Senior year, or a gap year in the Jr. year? What's the difference? In my mind, it's the same, just taking different years for a "gap" year. I'm not following...

Though I totally understood your other points. Thanks for your help.

 

One possible advantage to doing the gap year senior year is that courses like Chemistry and higher level math would be done (or mostly done) by the spring of Junior year and the testing season. In other words, he wouldn't be taking an SAT test without having taken his highest level of math or an SAT II Subject test in the first few months of taking the course. (I had to take SAT II Subject tests for Chem and Physics after only a couple months of instruction because I'd delayed those courses until senior year. Not pretty.)

 

Plus those upper level courses would have complete grades for consideration during college applications. Plus if the courses were harder than expected, then he could use the senior year to retake them or use a different means (online coursework or a correspondence course for example).

 

Update: Oops, just noticed this was an older thread. Thanks to whomever bumped it, since it is similar to my questions today.

[Joan in GE]

It turns out for us that ds will do only 3 years of high school. He did have math and French credits in 8th grade (similar case for foreign language as he is born here). But since we have enough credits in the three years of high school, (and the umbrella school would have charged to evaluate the 8th grade year), he's just using the credits from high school on his transcript.

 

There are a fair number of students in the US who just do college work their senior year and some even graduate early completely. (My cousin's daughter graduated in January of her senior year in ps and went away to college that spring.)

 

Here is info I found from the UC.

 

Joan