High School Plannning Already!?

[Guest]

I can't believe we are here already with my oldest. It seems only yesterday he was 5. :crying:

 

I feel utterly overwhelmed with thinking about this. I have my basic grad plan for him. Outside of that, I have no idea what curriculum I want him to use.

 

He is college bound with a desire to be either a mechanical engineer or computer science major. His writing and math skills are still a little weak but we are working on them. We try to stay secular but I will consider other options. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

 

Thank you!

[lionfamily1999]

This is what I've been doing all week :p

 

I started off by asking dd where she wanted to go to school (general area). Then, what she wanted to do. After that, I started looking at schools in VA that would fit the bill and I had to extend our search. I was really hoping to get her a 'top five' for now, but she picked three... Radford, VCU, Scad.

 

We watched some of the videos and then I started digging through their admissions requirements. Now, I'm not the most PC capable, and I had the WORST time trying to find the requirments for VCU and Scad. Radford, on the other hand, actually had a tab specifically for homeschooling :D

 

From there, we started looking at the schedule I'd copied from TWTM. Then we started hunting around for art classes (since that's what she would be majoring in). None around here, but we have family she could stay with and take a week long course here and there. We're looking into dual enrollment at the local CC. I have to call them and find out if the requirements are different for hsers. The AP classes I found had a difference of nearly $400 per class :glare:.

 

So, basically...

 

1. We found the distance she wanted to travel.

2. Her preferred degree.

3. Colleges that fit that bill.

 

And now, we're making some changes to her schedule, we're making plans for her transcripts and portfolios. Oh, and we're going to start job hunting this summer :D I plan on using that for her credit in personal finance :lol:

[angela in ohio]

Read through all the posts on the board that list what everyone is doing for 9-12. That will give you some ideas.

 

Find the requirements of your state and a few colleges you might consider. Also try consulting a high school homeschool planning type book (though I find most of them light academically, so not always helpful.) I also looked at private schools in the area and classical schools, to get an idea of what was out there.

 

Start making a list by subject of what you might want to use, based on recommendations here and other places. Order catalogs, samples, etc., and get to a convention to look at things in person if possible.

 

Both of my girls are considering engineering or computer science, too, as well as teaching in the math or science fields. I am making sure that they get 4+ years of science and math. We are also going to make sure we get at least a few APs, and definitely one in math and one in science. Working backwards from their end goal helped.

[regentrude]

He is college bound with a desire to be either a mechanical engineer or computer science major. His writing and math skills are still a little weak but we are working on them.

 

 

With this interest, I would make a strong math program the absolute top priority. For college success in engineering, he must have rock solid algebra skills. Whether they had calc or not in high school is secondary; most universities would prefer their engineering students to take their calculus class anyway. But thorough knowledge of algebra is absolutely essential.

(I am emphasizing this point because I teach physics at an engineering school and see students struggle every semester because of weak math skills.)

 

A second priority: strong science. As an engineer or comp sci, he will have to take calculus based physics. It is possible to do this and succeed without any highschool physics - but it will be a lot easier for the student if he had and algebra based (not just conceptual) physics class during high school. I would also include a rigorous chemistry class.