This book is giving me a nervous breakdown...

[danielle]

Anyone else read this? What High Schools Don't Tell You: 300+ Secrets to make your kid irresistible to colleges by Senior Year by Elizabeth Wissner-Gross. Problem is, I think she's right. Other opinions?

Danielle

[Halftime Hope]

Maybe I can invite you to finish the book, if you think it is wise, then take a break. Take a few days without thinking about college planning at all. Then come back to it and start with re-examining why you are homeeducating and what your goals are for your student. What do you want to accomplish with this child. Does that align with the picture you are seeing in the book? If not, then where are you going to stake out your claim for your homeschool and in particular, for this child?

 

My husband has been challenging me on this, recently. He says that if I live by what others think I "ought" to do, it will completely suck the life out of me and the children, and we'll completely miss what God wants for us/for each particular child.

 

I wouldn't be afraid to implement the suggestions in the book that make sense or algin with what you feel is important for your student, but start from there, not from the angle of pleasing colleges.

 

Peace and blessings!

[Gwen in VA]

I read the book. I hated it....I hated her attitude of "gotta win at all cost." I hated her attitude of "the prize (getting into a good school) is worth sacrificing everything..."

 

I still have the book on my shelf. Why? Because it gives the best description I have found anywhere of how to find/create opportunities for your high school child.

 

I use the book VERY selectively. There are GREAT parts to the book, but I have practically x-ed out parts of the book.

 

I recommend the book for parents of high-achievers......but I recommend it with the caveat that I disagree with about 50% of the advice given!

 

I love the advice of the previous poster -- remember why YOU are homeschooling and stay true to that. Seek all kinds of advice (including this nasty book), but then throw out everything that doesn't coincide with your goals and your desired path to achieve the goals.

[readwithem]

Anyone else read this? What High Schools Don't Tell You: 300+ Secrets to make your kid irresistible to colleges by Senior Year by Elizabeth Wissner-Gross. Problem is, I think she's right. Other opinions?

Danielle

 

Ha! I thought I had that book but the one I have is "What Colleges Don't tell you". Man there sure is a lot of silence going around :)

[Anne/Ankara]

I agree with the other posters-- it's a great book, but overboard for most of us! And yet, there are a huge number of great ideas in the book, and it is well worth reading. I think the key is not to become hyper-active in high school, but to take your students' abilities and interests seriously and develop a game plan that will truly help them achieve their goals.

 

After the nervous reaction passes (second-guessing whether we are doing a good enough job in home education), then I'm ready to seriously consider many of her ideas. Frankly, that's a good exercise for me!

[Brindee]

 

My husband has been challenging me on this, recently. He says that if I live by what others think I "ought" to do, it will completely suck the life out of me and the children, and we'll completely miss what God wants for us/for each particular child.

Beautifully put, and sooo true!

[Maverick]

:iagree: I agree with what others have said--I read What Colleges Don't Tell You by the same author (got it from the library) and I'll probably check it out again. Although I hate her attitude and dh and I are committed to praying about our children's futures and helping them figure out where God is leading them, like Gwen said it had some great advice about providing opportunities for kids and also how to jump through the hoops that selective colleges want if that is in your child's future. There is a lot of useful information there if you can separate the wheat from the chaff!