Does anyone use an umbrella-type school

[yarrow]

to keep track of their children's high school years and produce a transcript? Some local moms have told me that it is very difficult to "prove" to a military academy or competitive college that your child did the work that mom & dad state on the transcript. I was told that it is easier to use an umbrella school. In this case, the mom mails the child's work into the school in the spring & the school verifies that the credits were earned. In the senior year, the school will produce a transcript that can be used for college applications.

 

does anyone use one? Can you recommend one?

 

My apologies if this is less than clear - I have a headache and can't seem to make it sound like I want it to!

 

Thanks,

Karen

[Alyce]

don't know much about the academies. Most colleges have no trouble accepting a mom made unaccredited transcript. In the upper level colleges you will find more hoops to jump through though. They may require course description, textbook information, portfolio etc. This question probably should be asked on the High school board as well since that's where the mom's who are currently going through this are. I for one really see no reason to spend extra money for an umbrella school when you can do just fine on your own.

[TravelingChris]

I used Clonlara for my first. I think it helped him and definitely helped me. That said, I am going alone now. I still may use some service to help me with some of this, if my dh doesn't do it, but I feel confident enough to do this on my own now. I think that the part I think is most important is great descriptions and great recommendation letters. My son's advisor at Clonlara was able to do this very well and my husband has great recommendation writing skills too. If it was all up to me, I would probably enroll my kids again in an umbrella school. The difference between professional descriptions and recommendations and ones like I can come up with are great enough.

[K-FL]

Do a search here re: military academies. I seem to remember they require some type of cover & Margaret in CO used NARHS for her dd.

 

As to other schools, as usual check their web sites, but most have no trouble w/ mom transcripts although they may require SAT-IIs.

[Brenda in MA]

I used NARHS for my first son, and it was a complete waste of money. I had a disagreement with them in his junior year, so I decided to take him through the college application process myself without their guidance or transcript. He was accepted everywhere he applied and is doing well in college.

 

That said -- I do think the military academies might be different. Hopefully, Margaret will chip in and offer her experience on that.

 

It's always a good idea to check with the colleges your student is interested in and see what they require.

 

Brenda

[In The Great White North]

DS was accepted to USMA and USAFA this year without an umbrella school. They had no issues with my "mommy transcript." He had one PA Homeschoolers AP course (US Govt) and one course at the local high school (Math Modeling.)

[Blue Hen]

Karen,

 

This is what many folks in my area believe also so it isn't just true for your location. IMO, it is a myth. I wish there was a Myth Buster segment on this, just like on the TV show. It would be busted. I'm giving a talk this Friday night on this topic for a group of local moms who do not wish to use an umbrella or satellite school. Can be done --- just read my signature line.

 

Carole

 

ps -- yes, there are folks who need an umbrella or satellite school, or love being associated with one. I'm glad they are there for those folks and that we have the option of joining one or not. My choice is to go alone---with the help of this board and a few yahoo groups.

[Kate in FL]

We started out with NARHS but dropped it when we found on the NCAA would not accept their transcript. It was good for me though because it forced me to keep good records those first couple of years. (Record keeping is NOT one of my strengths) We had no problems with our homemade transcripts and my son is headed to an Ivy in the fall.

[yarrow]

NARHS and possibly give them a try. My son is finishing his 10th grade year and I've been terrible at record-keeping. I had no idea I needed course descriptions (whoops!). When my older daughter went to college, they did accept her homemade transcript but she had high SAT scores & it wasn't a top-notch school.

 

Any helpful hints on what NARHS is going to want to see for the last 2 years of work?

[Blue Hen]

I had no idea I needed course descriptions (whoops!).

 

I pulled course descriptions together the summer between DS' Junior and Senior year, so it isn't too late. I hadn't sold any of the books he used so it was easy to pull together the texts, resources, books read and supplemental texts he used. For the actual descriptions I read several high school course curriculum documents before writing my own course descriptions. It helped me to see what schools put into their documents.

 

Carole

[K-FL]

 

Any helpful hints on what NARHS is going to want to see for the last 2 years of work?

 

Here's the link to their handbook

You'll be able to see the forms, descriptions, etc that they use. It's not too difficult if you've got a portfolio already.

[AHASRADA]

For anyone considering NARHS, I got a letter in the mail from them, stating that their tuition will be increasing from $425 to $525 after August 31, 2010, AND they are doing away with grandfathering! This means that new students will be subject to any future tuition increases.

 

The good news is, if you register before this August 31st, you will pay the current tuition ($425) AND have the benefit of grandfathering. They are also having a spring sale: $100 off ($325) if you register by June 18th, and $50 off ($375) if registering by June 30th.

 

So, if you are thinking about trying NARHS (as I have been), this is probably the best time, because if you do decide to stick with them, you will be locked in at the current (pre-increase) rate for your child's entire HS career. If you register early, it's no sooooo expensive to give it a shot.

 

My question is in regard to NARHS's accreditation. I am not so concerned about colleges accepting a "mommy transcript" as I am other high school programs we may transfer to, and having proof of HS enrollment during his HS years.

 

I have always intended to use an umbrella program, so ds could be enrolled in a "real school" to list on paperwork. I would also like some outside accountability and feedback.

 

I personally prefer the programs offered by Hewitt and Kolbe, but Hewitt isn't accredited at all, and Kolbe is only accredited by a Catholic accrediting agency. I (or ds) may end up deciding he wants to graduate from Oak Meadow, for example, but their program is too expensive for us to follow for all 4 years. However, he could transfer in for his senior year, IF he has a transcript from an accredited institution.

 

So, I am thinking of registering with NARHS, just for the accreditation, and using a mix of Kolbe, Hewitt and Oak Meadow courses, some with grading, and applying them all to a NARHS transcript. I feel this is the only way to ensure we are not closing any doors, if he wants to use those credits to transfer somewhere else that does require an accredited transcript.

 

Does this make sense? Does anyone have a feel for whether NARHS's accreditation "counts" more than, say, Kolbe's?

 

Any feedback would be appreciated, as I am trying to decide about NARHS before their special expires!