Why has no one heard of Bridgeway Academy?

[Hunter's Moon]

Bridgeway Academy looks wonderful. Yet, no one has heard of it. I am starting to get a bit nervous.

 

http://www.homeschoolacademy.com/

 

Anyone heard of this correspondence program, at all?:glare:

[ThatCyndiGirl]

It reminds me of those sites operated by that very controversial woman in the homeschooling community, can't remember her name, but I'd know it if I saw it.....

 

I tried to find the name of the owner on google, but havn't had any luck so far.

[Hunter's Moon]

I've talked to an admissions counselor and he has been so very helpful! I also talked to a woman in the finance department so it isn't like he is the only one running it. I looked it up on Google maps and it isn't a home, but a small building that says "something educational" on the sign (I can't read the first word). Everything else with them checks out. I just don't want to give a down payment of $600 bucks and get screwed over.

 

Ugh!!! What should I look for when ruling out a home school academy online? They have very helpful information on their website and like I said, the guy has helped me immensely. They even send me weekly newsletter to my e-mail. Do you think they would put this much work into conning me? They are accredited with Pennsylvania schools and private schools so how could I search for them that way?

[Hunter's Moon]

I found them on this site for the National Association of Private Schools:

 

http://napsaccreditation.com/naps_school_list.htm

 

Can someone lie about accredidation? I mean, they're on this list with so many other schools.

 

Maybe I'm looking into it too hard?

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I'm still googling.

 

I'd be leary of sending someone $600, though. That's just me. If I were going to spend that kind of money it would be for something that has been around for MANY MANY YEARS, like Calvert or something similar.

 

 

I had never heard of Bridgeway Academy until this morning.

 

 

Yes, you can lie about accredidation and having a storefront doesn't mean anything. I know I sound really cynical. I just hate scammers.

 

 

I did a whois search for the owner of the domain name and found nothing listed. (It lists GoDaddy which is how mine shows up, too simply because I bought my domain name through them.)

 

What I did find through googling is that they offer Adult G.E.D classes which seems like an easy money-maker. Not saying that that is BAD, per se,....just there it is.

Edited April 23, 2010 by ThatCyndiGirl

[Catiejoy]

In Indiana, you can go to the State Dept of Education web site to see registered schools- perhaps you can do so with PA

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Read this.

 

http://www.homeschoolspot.com/showthread.php?p=242080

 

Still looking.

[Hunter's Moon]

I really like everything they *say* they have to offer. I'm so confused. They have been around for 20+ years.

 

Their name is on the private school Accredidation website though. How could they lie about that?

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I'm not saying that they lied about accredidation, just that anyone CAN. The fact that they are listed on the accredidation website is good.

 

Like I said, I had never heard of them until today. I read a abit about them and they claim that the student "earns high school and college credit at the same time". How can they say that? The college determines that, not a correspondence high school. Maybe they were talking about AP or CLEP?

 

 

It seems like you were having reservations, which is why you started this thread. Maybe it's your intuition?

 

 

And, yes, they would go to this much trouble to scam a person. I'm not saying that Bridgeway is that way, but people in general who want to get something over on someone else WILL put that much time and effort into it.

[Hunter's Moon]

Wow. If they aren't accredited I have no clue what i am going to do for homeschooling. I will be in 11th grade next year and it'll be my first year home schooling and I want transcripts and a diploma. I really don't feel comfortable using that site. Any other accredited online home schools I should look into?

[Hunter's Moon]

I would be doing traditional home schooling where they send me the books and such. The one where someone can earn college credits as well is dual enrollment and they do it with another college. That is their fully online courses though. I am just so confused now. I really don't know what to do. I am skeptical of using them now because they might have been faking accreditation even though it wasn't proven. There is no way I can even talk to the students on that site. Ugh!! Any other good accredited home school programs for a high schooler? I think I looked through all of them though and Bridgeway seemed the best.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

I read a bit more about that accreditation "board" that they use. There are quite a few online academies as well as some brick and mortar schools, some in my area. It doesn't seem like a very rigorous accreditation process.

 

Have you looked into dual enrollment at a local community college? For instance, you can take English I and have it count for both high school AND college credit.

 

How about Calvert? They have been around for many years and I considered them at one point.

[Michelle in AL]

Can you call the accreditation web site and verify their accreditation?

Can you ask Bridgeway for some student references?

 

Keystone, I believe, is accredited. The only negative I've heard is that they aren't too challenging and that teacher interaction is minimal.

 

Is Oak Meadow accredited?

[mom2jjka]

It reminds me of those sites operated by that very controversial woman in the homeschooling community, can't remember her name, but I'd know it if I saw it.....

 

I tried to find the name of the owner on google, but havn't had any luck so far.

 

 

Mimi Rothschild? (founder of Jubilee Academy , Morning Star, Grace...and about a dozen others...:glare:)

 

http://www.homeedmag.com/editorial/204/mimi-rothschild-taking-over-homeschooling/

 

 

Just google her name and you'll find out lots of info. ;)

Edited April 26, 2010 by mom2jjka

[Hunter's Moon]

What is Calverts tuition?

[Hunter's Moon]

I don't think it is for high schoolers. Ugh!! I'm so frustrated! Maybe Bridgeway is accredited but I REALLY don't want to take the chance. Their tuition in all is about $2000

[Ellie]

Wow. If they aren't accredited I have no clue what i am going to do for homeschooling. I will be in 11th grade next year and it'll be my first year home schooling and I want transcripts and a diploma. I really don't feel comfortable using that site. Any other accredited online home schools I should look into?

Why must it be accredited? Most homeschoolers don't bother with that.

[Once Again]

Have you looked into K12 or (if you are interested in a Christian school) Abeka? Both are well established, accredited schools.

[Hunter's Moon]

Why must it be accredited? Most homeschoolers don't bother with that.

 

Because I have been in public school until Sophomore year and I want a diploma. My mother won't let me home school unless they offer a diploma.

[Hunter's Moon]

I need three years of the same language to get into the college I want. K12 doesn't have Italian.

[mom2jjka]

ACE offers a 'legit' accredited diploma

CLE has a diploma program

so does CLASS ( Christian Liberty Press)

 

You might also look into NAHRS You choose your subjects/publishers, they take care of your transcripts and offer you an actual diploma (and they are accredited)

[Old Dominion Heather]

I used them many years ago, so I know they have been around forever. They are accredited and are easy to work with. Here is a link: http://nebraskahs.unl.edu/

 

I hope you can get it worked out soon. I know how stressful it can be!

 

ETA: I just looked at the Bridgewater site and the only think that jumps out at me is the lack of testimonials. Normally this type of site is full of people who are raving about the curriculum, etc... However, they include a quote from the Gov. of PA and claim to be partnering with BJU Press to provide accreditation for their students. It looks pretty legit, but be aware that they only added the high school program LAST YEAR. Make sure the high school program IS ACCREDITED not just the lower grades.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Old Dominion Heather

[Starr]

There is something in Maine as well.

[Hunter's Moon]

http://www.homeschoolacademy.com/rotating-block-posts/hello-world/

 

Does this mean that they really are a real school?

[AngieW in Texas]

If accreditation is what you're after, there are a lot of colleges that offer enrollment programs.

 

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/uc/ttuisd/

http://www.utexas.edu/ce/k16/ut-high-school/overview/

https://www.ndcde.org/Home.aspx

 

I know about Texas Tech and UT because I live in Texas. I've seen North Dakota's foreign language classes mentioned on this board before.

 

Check out colleges in your state. Just google "<name of college> high school" to see if they have a program like this.

 

You can do this with colleges outside of your own state, but I thought your mom might accept it better if it was with a college that is accredited within your own state.

[Hunter's Moon]

I really like CLASS BUT they also don't have Italian. How much does three years of language really matter to a school?

[Luckymama]

I really like CLASS BUT they also don't have Italian. How much does three years of language really matter to a school?

 

Check the college's website. Does it say "recommended" or "required" for the three years of the same language? You can't get around a requirement, unfortunately. Check a bunch of other schools, too. It seems that three years has become a standard for the more selective schools.

[mom2jjka]

Or sign up for CLASS and then do Rosetta Stone Italian on the side.

[Country Girl]

I don't know anything about them personally, but they are listed in the newest BJU Press catalog that I received a few days ago. The BJU catalog has a 2 page spread announcing their new partnership with them. Based on that, I'd feel pretty comfortable that it is a legit program and not a scam.

 

HTH!

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Oh, I just remembered! We considered OU High School for our oldest. Like a pp said, "sign up for what you want THEN add on Italian". You are not likely to find a program that has every single thing you want.

 

http://ouhigh.ou.edu/

 

ETA: That note from Governor Rendell wasn't a testimonial OR an endorsement. It was a letter written to a graduating student. It seems odd that they would post that as a testimonial.

[Hunter's Moon]

I don't know anything about them personally, but they are listed in the newest BJU Press catalog that I received a few days ago. The BJU catalog has a 2 page spread announcing their new partnership with them. Based on that, I'd feel pretty comfortable that it is a legit program and not a scam.

 

HTH!

 

Is there anyway I can see the catalog online or even the announcement pages? Thanks.

[Hunter's Moon]

If not, could you atleast tell me if it was the one in Catasauqua, Pennsylvania?

[Country Girl]

Is there anyway I can see the catalog online or even the announcement pages? Thanks.

 

Yep, go to the BJUP website and type in Bridgeway in the search box. Two results will come up, the first being a PDF of the newest catalog. Clcik on that and it will bring up the catalog and you can find the announcement on pgs. 56-57.

 

HTH

[Hunter's Moon]

http://a2zhomeschool.com/curriculumexpress/bridgeway-partners-bob-jones-university-press/

 

Thank you Country Girl. Thank you all of you. I especially appreciate my help from ThatCyndiGirl. You looked things up for me and everything. Lol. Thank you.

[Country Girl]

Here is another link I found on the BJU website that should help too.

 

https://www.bjupresshomeschool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentView?storeId=10151&ddkey=http:ClickInfo&krypto=yAooBNJ0d49dNn6dt83o3E9O5T1HTT%2FxTJyIKdFN7l2VplSNE1VGl2zVmjKtU7684Zxz%2BClgAFEZ%0A8sDp2HDFTg%3D%3D&catalogId=11201&langId=-1&pageName=bridgeway

[ThatCyndiGirl]

You're welcome! I was going to send you the link to the thread about this on mothering.com, but it's YOUR thread! LOL :lol:

[Hunter's Moon]

Lol yeah. I was pretty much freaking out posting forums everywhere.

[Liza Q]

You are in PA, right? Have you looked at the Public Cyber-Charter School option? I have a friend in PA whose children are in the Connections Academy and it is considered like being in PS, but at home. Accredited, transcript, everything. And it is paid for by the state of PA.

 

Let me see if I can find any info on it.....ok,here is the info at the PA state education website:

 

http://www.education.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/Charter_School_Regulations/7359/

 

And here are a few cyber schools that you can look at.

 

http://www.pachartercoalition.com/index.html

 

http://www.pacyber.org/

 

http://www.connectionsacademy.com/pennsylvania-school/home.aspx

 

If you have already looked into this and decided against it, please disregard.

[vmsurbat]

One school that immediately popped into my mind is the American School which is a correspondence school that has been around for more than 100 years...

 

It is both nationally and regionally accredited and fairly affordable. I also think they will work with you to include the school work you've already done. It is certainly worth a look...

 

http://www.americanschoolofcorr.com/

 

HTH,

Edited April 23, 2010 by vmsurbat
type

[junepep]

I really like CLASS BUT they also don't have Italian. How much does three years of language really matter to a school?

 

BTW - Three years of language does not always mean three years of the SAME language ;) just that you'll have had to take a cumulative three years of A language.

 

However, most Ivy League schools require you to to take an additional 4 semesters of a foreign language as a graduation requirement -- and they also let you test out of this requirement. So it's in your best interest to study 1 language the whole time, however you can keep up with Italian as a side project and take a year or two of something else in the meantime to go with a reputable HS program.

[Ellie]

Because I have been in public school until Sophomore year and I want a diploma. My mother won't let me home school unless they offer a diploma.

1. Your mother can issue you a diploma. She will still have to comply with the homeschool laws in your state regardless of whether you enroll with a distance-learning school of some kind or not, so she might as well issue the diploma.

 

2. A distance-learning school does not have to be accredited in order to issue a diploma. CLASS and BJUP's School of Home Education both issue diplomas and neither is accredited. The vast majority of homeschooled graduates receive diplomas either from their parents or from non-accredited school programs of some kind.

 

I appreciate the fervor with which you've been researching--I've seen your posts on several different forums--but the truth is that your mother also needs to be involved in this research and decision. You're giving her second-hand information, when it would be better if we were having this discussion with her as well as with you. Are there no local homeschoolers with whom you could talk?

[Luckymama]

BTW - Three years of language does not always mean three years of the SAME language ;) just that you'll have had to take a cumulative three years of A language.

 

However, most Ivy League schools require you to to take an additional 4 semesters of a foreign language as a graduation requirement -- and they also let you test out of this requirement. So it's in your best interest to study 1 language the whole time, however you can keep up with Italian as a side project and take a year or two of something else in the meantime to go with a reputable HS program.

 

Actually, some schools do require three years of the SAME language now. Ds wanted to switch out of Latin last year and take two years of a second language. Our state flagship school requires three years of one language (among many other requirements) for the auto-admit program for instate residents. Since the school is on His List, he stayed with Latin for this third year.

 

Again, you need to check websites of schools of interest to you. You may find no foreign language requirement, two years required, three years of the same language, three years of any language, four years of a language (UVa, I believe)...

[Mrs Mungo]

Oh, I just remembered! We considered OU High School for our oldest. Like a pp said, "sign up for what you want THEN add on Italian". You are not likely to find a program that has every single thing you want.

 

http://ouhigh.ou.edu/

 

 

My eldest will be taking some classes from OU High School next year. Here is a blurb about their high school program:

OU High School (OUHS) provides the opportunity for teenagers and adults to earn a fully accredited high school diploma through distance learning. Students can also take selected courses to supplement a high school program at another school. Our courses are also often used to augment home schooling.

Choose from over 100 courses developed and taught by experienced faculty and delivered online or through print. You can also enhance your academic record with more than 60 freshman and sophomore college courses available for dual high school and college credit.

Make time for your life now, while you prepare for your future. OU High School courses allow you to take charge of your destiny.

 

 

It sounds like it fits all of your needs. They don't have Italian but most high schools do not offer Italian. I'd suggest French or Spanish, you can always take Italian through another source as an elective.

 

 

 

How did you post a thread on mothering when you said you were 16? You must be 18 in order to post on mothering. You might not be aware that some of the moderators from there post here.

[Hunter's Moon]

My eldest will be taking some classes from OU High School next year. Here is a blurb about their high school program:

 

 

 

It sounds like it fits all of your needs. They don't have Italian but most high schools do not offer Italian. I'd suggest French or Spanish, you can always take Italian through another source as an elective.

 

 

 

How did you post a thread on mothering when you said you were 16? You must be 18 in order to post on mothering. You might not be aware that some of the moderators from there post here.

 

No, I didn't know that. I just joined that site today because I saw someone else years ago had posted a question about Bridgeway so I figured I would give it a try. Thanks for letting me know.

[Guest Bridgeway Cara]

Hello Ladies,

My name is Cara and I am the vice president of operations at Bridgeway Academy. Someone notified me about this thread and I thought I’d take a few minutes to answer some of your questions and put your minds at rest. First though, I have to commend you on your researching abilities and commitment to finding the best option for your families. We know that there are many schools out there that are nothing more than diploma mills (and we don’t like them either! J) Unfortunately, it’s getting harder and harder to see the good from the bad. My hope is that you are able to take my input, check out our site a bit more, maybe jump on a webinar or talk to an admissions counselor and really get a feel for what the culture is like for Bridgeway students – all to help you develop a sense of confidence that we are a legitimate option.

Our company originally started as a homeschooling curriculum provider to area private schools. Out of that, in 1989 Bridgeway Academy was “born†and we’ve been helping families homeschool their children ever since. Over 20,000 students have gone through our program and 82% of our graduates have gone on to college or university. We’ve had students accepted into 2 year community colleges, 4 year universities, Ivy League schools and everything in between. One year, one of our grads had to choose between Georgetown and a full ride at Harvard – how’s that for “optionsâ€!

We are a family owned and operated company. Our principal, Jessica Parnell, is the current owner and the daughter of the couple that originally started us back when we were only a warehouse. She has a degree in education and was both a high school English teacher and Director of Gifted Education, as well as home school mom at different points in her life. You can read more about Jessica and her approach to teaching on her homeschooling blog: www.jessica-parnell.com.

Bridgeway Academy has been known by different names over the past 20 years (The Homeschool Academy, Northeast Education Associates, etc). Our warehouse is still in existence – it’s where the academy orders all their curriculum shipments from. You can find them at www.curriculumexpress.com.

Our sister company The Essential Learning Institute (ELI) focuses on helping children with learning disabilities. More info on them can be found on their website: www.ldhope.com.

You can also find out about us through BJU Press. I’m sure many of your have heard of the Bob Jones curriculum – you may even use it. This year marks the first school year that we will be partnering with them to be able to offer their students an accredited option. You can find more information about that partnership in their catalog on pages 8 & 9: http://www.bjupress.com/catalog_pdfs/2010-homeschool-catalog-distance-learning.pdf and on their site: https://www.bjupresshomeschool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContentView?storeId=10151&ddkey=http:ClickInfo&krypto=yAooBNJ0d49dNn6dt83o3E9O5T1HTT%2FxTJyIKdFN7l2VplSNE1VGl2zVmjKtU7684Zxz%2BClgAFEZ%0A8sDp2HDFTg%3D%3D&catalogId=11201&langId=-1&pageName=bridgeway

Understanding accreditation – what it means, how it helps and what it will do for your child’s education – can get tricky and we know it. We hear from families all the time who are trying to sort out what to do with homeschooling and how accreditation fits in. Accreditation means that an outside body has come into your establishment, reviewed your protocol for hiring staff, running your offices, selecting curriculum, getting parent feedback, staying true to your mission statement etc – all with the aim of determining whether they can validate the education your students will receive. On that topic, we are currently nationally accredited through the National Association of Private Schools (NAPS) and we are a candidate for regional accreditation through AdvancED – which we expect to have in June.

We are registered as a private school in our state: http://www.edna.ed.state.pa.us/EntitySearchResult.asp. And, in addition, we are also approved and licensed by the Department of Education in the state of PA to issue valid diplomas to our graduates: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/home_education/7404/home_education_organizations_serving_pa_families/508213 .

In most cases (if not all) Dept of Ed licensure weighs heavier than accreditation – and we have both. When our students graduate they walk away with a diploma that is fully accredited, fully recognized and fully licensed by the Department of Ed. Our graduates are able to go on and pursue their future with a solid foundation underneath them a full transcript to back it up.

We offer dual enrollment courses through a partnership we have with Davis College in NY. This allows high school juniors and seniors the option to earn college credit through Davis that we recognize on their high school transcript. The possibilities with this program are awesome – in fact, when our valedictorian from last year gave her speech at our annual ceremony, she stood there having already earned a 2 year degree because of the work she had done in our dual enrollment program. You can learn more about it by visiting this site: http://www.knowledgeelements.com/dualcredit/.

We service all types of students – athletes, performers, children with learning disabilities or health issues and more. We are NCAA approved, which means that student athletes can earn the recognition needed to apply and receive the sport scholarships they need to fund their college level education.

This past year our student body was over 1,100 students strong – spread all over the country and internationally as well. We operate extension schools within the country and in other countries that allow additional students to benefit from the individualization and flexibility of our program.

I hope that has answered most of your questions – or at least pointed you in the right direction. Also, if you have not done so already, I HIGHLY recommend you register and attend one of our admissions webinars. If you haven’t participated in a webinar before, it’s basically an hour-long seminar that is delivered via your computer and online connection. It’s a live presentation that allows for plenty of interaction with the presenter and other searching parents, as well as open Q&A time. They are held multiple times per week and allow you to get an overview of the current academic situation, your option to homeschool, and what it looks like to homeschool with US! To register for the next available one, please visit our site: http://www.homeschoolacademy.com/homeschool-news/homeschooling-news/dangerous-trends-facing-education-today-2/?mainbutton. Right now we are currently hosting “What’s Up With Schools in America?†on Mondays ( 4-5pm EST), Wednesdays (7:30-8:30pm EST) and Fridays (1:30-2:30pm EST).

OH! I almost forgot – someone had seen a picture of the front of our building and commented that it said “education…somethingâ€. The awning actually says “Education Center†and I agree – we need a new sign! J

Thank you again for all your research – whether Bridgeway Academy is the right fit for your family or not, I’m convinced that you ladies will find what you are looking for!

Take care,

Cara Rutledge

VP / Operations

www.bridgewayacademy.com

[Brindee]

Well, that's nice to hear from someone at Bridgeway!

 

I do have a question, tigersgrowl, If the tuition is $2,000 a year, couldn't you find something cheaper that is also accredited? Maybe that's not important in your case, I don't know. But we'd try to find something closer to $1,000, then add in the language if that wasn't part of it! That other $1,000 could be used as a down-payment on a car, or put in savings for college or something!

 

Just wondering if you considered that.

[dancer67]

I also wanted to say that just because a school is accredited, doesn't mean anything. Not unless it is in the following. Such as the NEASC etc......

 

 

• Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  

 

 

• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC-CIHE) Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
  
  • (NEASC-CTCI) Commission on Technical and Career Institutions
    

   

   

 

 

• North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA-HLC)
  

 

 

• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  

 

 

• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges
  

 

 

• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC-ACCJC) Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
  
  • (WASC-ACSCU) Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
    

   

   

 

[Hunter's Moon]

Well, that's nice to hear from someone at Bridgeway!

 

I do have a question, tigersgrowl, If the tuition is $2,000 a year, couldn't you find something cheaper that is also accredited? Maybe that's not important in your case, I don't know. But we'd try to find something closer to $1,000, then add in the language if that wasn't part of it! That other $1,000 could be used as a down-payment on a car, or put in savings for college or something!

 

Just wondering if you considered that.

 

We really looked around but couldn't find much that would match what Bridgeway could give me. My parents and I think it would be best for me. Most other places I looked, you would pay by semester course or whatever. We happen to have more money in the summer so my dad just wants to pay for it now then pay for it over the year because we can spare $2000 in the summer but can barely spare $150 a month in the winter. We also feel that Bridgeway would be best for the situation I'm in. My mother doesn't feel she can teach and wants me to take a fully correspondence course that offers a diploma, and a transcript, and record keeping, and grading, AND all the classes I need. I'm sure if I had started earlier than Junior year we could have figured more stuff out and how to do it more. She won't believe me when I say she can give me a diploma, and keep my records, and make my transcript. I have shown her everything online about it but she still won't go along with this.

 

She was strongly against home schooling in the beginning but eventually warmed up to the idea that I'll be able to teach myself. I am not saying she is irrational but she would rather give me a "sure thing" or what she thinks is a sure thing anyways.

 

I understand what you are saying though. My dad is impressed with Bridgeway also and feels that if they can do what they say they can, $2000 isn't a lot. I know, it seems selfish of me to ask my parents for $2000 when I could possibly get it cheaper or even better, free.

Edited April 27, 2010 by BeatleMania

[Stacy in NJ]

You sound very capable and motivated. What a wonderful experience for both you and your parents. Good luck with your search and don't forget to post on the High School Board for advice. There are many experienced home schoolers over there willing to help.

[Hunter's Moon]

You sound very capable and motivated. What a wonderful experience for both you and your parents. Good luck with your search and don't forget to post on the High School Board for advice. There are many experienced home schoolers over there willing to help.

 

Thank you so much :)