Is it really so much more expensive for high school?

[Jenny in Florida]

I keep seeing people say this, as though it's just taken for granted, that it costs so much more to homeschool high school than it does for younger kids.

 

But I'm just not seeing it.

 

Yes, when the kids were really bitty, I got by with workbooks from the dollar store and free worksheets online. For the preschool and early elementary years, I probably spent less than $100 per kid per year.

 

But by the time each one was about 9 or 10, I was usually spending between $200 and $300 on each one each year.

 

When my daughter did high school, with the exception of the one disastrous year when we signed up for a lot of expensive stuff she ended up hating and quitting, I spent right around $300 each year.

 

My son is beginning a full high school schedule this year, and I've spent just under $400 counting a bunch of extra art kits and supplies that I probably would have bought him just for fun, anyway.

 

Also, keep in mind that he's doing more credits this year than is typical for high school (probably about 8.25 by the time all is said and done). His plan is to finish high school in three years.

 

It just doesn't seem like such a big leap to me. So, I'm wondering what people are doing at the high school level that ends up costing so much more?

[4wildberrys]

Science and math seem to be the big expensive ones here, at least on paper so far. At least because I want to do it 'right' and use what I consider to be the best materials----so for example, if we use Apologia Chemistry from MFW at $80 and add in the Logos Science lab kit (awesome!) at $200, right there is close to $300. If I decide I want to use a labbook for this science, add in another $45. Then the next MUS program is $100. I have all the history books I need, but if I add in consumables for the rest of his subjects, I am looking at another $1-200. So right here is about $600---and I have guessed at right around $1000 each year, even WITH all the materials we already have. This is buying everything new and buying some new programs due to the ones used with dd not working.

[Carrie12345]

Science is my personal weakness. Secular science options (actual curricula, at least) are limited. Ds's was $270 this year.

Latin was $60.

Spanish was $77 and change.

Geometry was $70.

I don't even remember how much MCT was, because I bought it last year.

 

I LIKE packaged curricula for high school. I just don't see myself squeezing in 3 (and, eventually, 4) kids worth of completely teacher-intensive schooling, and ds wants some independence, anyway.

 

Even with history, which we're not using a set curriculum for, I've purchased many of the "real" books so they may be written in, as opposed to borrowing from the library. At $6-$20 a piece, I'm sure I'm well over $100.

 

I do, however, intend to reuse much of the material with multiple children, which is why I buy new for ds. It's going to be hard enough to get it through 5 kids, let alone any preceding them!

[Julie in CA]

High school materials have definitely been more expensive than the younger grades. Part of that can be attributed to the fact that my dc are taking some subjects/levels I've never taken, and that I feel less confident about facilitating. In the case of those classes, I'm looking for the best *independent* way of covering the material, which often means an online class, dvd supplementation, or a community college class with it's ridiculously priced textbooks. :glare:

[momofkhm]

Around here it's outside classes. I don't teach writing. So that's an extra $150 per month for all three kids, so not just high school it includes my middle schooler as well. Then there are the foreign language classes. Between dh and I we can teach science and math. But dh decided we should outsource the oldest's science this year.

 

It's the advanced classes to get into college. These are the people who are going to write college recommendations.

 

I know not every kid goes to college. But it's what dh and I have decided. We will have a college prep schedule. And it's true that not every college requires the same classes. But we decided they would have what was required should they decide to go to Duke. (We can't afford Duke so it's not in the realm of possibilities.)

 

We will prepare them to get into the best college they can. For that we need outside classes, advanced classes and such.

 

I know a lot of people who spend the money just on math classes. Teaching textbooks maybe. Or at least something with dvd's to do the teaching.

[katilac]

Here are the areas I find that drive the cost up in high school:

 

*Texts are almost uniformly more expensive, and more texts are needed - ie, I might be able to "do" science in the earlier years with library books and other cheap resources, but I don't have the mojo to do that for high school credit

 

*Science labs

 

*Foreign languages

 

*Books - I spend more on books as they get older, because it gets more important that they have certain ones, and their own copy (as opposed to library books, and what we find at great prices :D). And sometimes it's buying 2 or 3 copies, because it's a little hard to have meaningful discussion of a book if we're not reading it at the same time :tongue_smilie:

 

*Testing - we don't test much in the earlier years, but for high school we will test for verification purposes (PSAT, SAT, national Latin exam and other subjet exams, etc) and each test has a fee.

 

*Outsourced classes - many people will outsource some high school classes so the student has the chance for teamwork/discussion/etc, for verification purposes, and so on

 

*Experiences and opportunities tend to be more expensive for older kids; they may start taking additional lessons, entering competitions, traveling for clubs, and so on. My kids don't do sports, so their earlier activities weren't that expensive, but there is a lot that I consider very worthwhile in the teen years.

[In The Great White North]

No, it doesn't have to be.

 

Far more used textbooks are available, especially once you get to college level texts.

 

Outsourcing is the main culprit. And they often get you twice by insisting on the latest edition of the textbook. The more you can do yourself, the cheaper it is.

 

If we only count the stuff bought for homeschooling (that we wouldn't have paid for if they had been in school) it averages under $500 per year for all three.

 

A lot of things listed by pp's are things we would be paying for if they were in school also: PSAT, SAT, APs, music lessons, sports, travel, etc so I don't see how one can count them as "homeschooling" expenses. Obviously, whether or not one does these things is a personal choice, but it is independent of whether or not one is homeschooling.

[regentrude]

We spend very little on books (used college texts are incredibly cheap), but the larger cost come from science labs (we will spend $200+ on chemistry lab this year), and language instruction (we pay for weekly tutoring sessions with a native speaker - there is no other way to achieve fluency).

One we start dual enrollment, there will be tuition cost.

So, definitely more expensive than middle school.

[regentrude]

Here are the areas I find that drive the cost up in high school:

 

*Texts are almost uniformly more expensive, and more texts are needed - ie, I might be able to "do" science in the earlier years with library books and other cheap resources, but I don't have the mojo to do that for high school credit

 

 

Not if you use introductory college texts for non majors and use an older edition, rather than the current one. Those science texts are to be bought for under $10.

[Jenny in Florida]

I LIKE packaged curricula for high school. I just don't see myself squeezing in 3 (and, eventually, 4) kids worth of completely teacher-intensive schooling, and ds wants some independence, anyway.

 

In the case of those classes, I'm looking for the best *independent* way of covering the material, which often means an online class, dvd supplementation, or a community college class with it's ridiculously priced textbooks. :glare:

 

Interesting. I never considered that buying more or more expensive curricula necessarily meant more independent study? My son does most of his work independently, anyway.

 

I'm wondering what it is about buying packages that makes it easier? (Honest question, I promise. I'm not picking on anyone.)

 

It'We will prepare them to get into the best college they can. For that we need outside classes, advanced classes and such.

 

Again, I'm puzzled. My daughter got into college just fine on our $300 a year homeschooling. And I fully anticipate my son will, too.

 

I keep wondering if I'm just missing something or doing something wrong because I'm not spending significantly more on high school. But I guess it just boils down to a different approach.

[katilac]

Not if you use introductory college texts for non majors and use an older edition, rather than the current one. Those science texts are to be bought for under $10.

 

That would be lovely, except that I need a teacher's guide and answer key (see note re: science mojo). Are those available cheaply as well? I've been assuming that college texts wouldn't have typical teacher's guides, but I certainly hope that I'm wrong.

[SailorMom]

From $100 to $400 seems like a pretty big leap to me!

[katilac]

A lot of things listed by pp's are things we would be paying for if they were in school also: PSAT, SAT, APs, music lessons, sports, travel, etc so I don't see how one can count them as "homeschooling" expenses. Obviously, whether or not one does these things is a personal choice, but it is independent of whether or not one is homeschooling.

 

Correct, for the most part. To me, the statement is really "teens are more expensive than younger kids," period. We try not to have a hard line between "school" and "life" so that is how we think of it. The expense increases no matter where or how they school.

 

Some of the testing and classes we will do as home schoolers we would NOT do if the kids went to school, though, or we wouldn't have to pay for them. Science lab equipment, for example. The reasons for doing some of them is for outside verification of skills, and for discussion and challenge. If they were in school, they automatically have outsiders evaluating them, peers challenging them, and so on, and some of the tests/classes would not be needed.

[SailorMom]

That would be lovely, except that I need a teacher's guide and answer key (see note re: science mojo). Are those available cheaply as well? I've been assuming that college texts wouldn't have typical teacher's guides, but I certainly hope that I'm wrong.

 

Ug - those teacher's manuals are insane. I bought both used - but the one for algebra was about $40, and the biology book was $50. Add that in to the price of the texts.

I could probably do without - if I wanted to spend A LOT more time grading.

[Julie in CA]

Interesting. I never considered that buying more or more expensive curricula necessarily meant more independent study? My son does most of his work independently, anyway.

 

I'm wondering what it is about buying packages that makes it easier? (Honest question, I promise. I'm not picking on anyone.)

 

 

 

Again, I'm puzzled. My daughter got into college just fine on our $300 a year homeschooling. And I fully anticipate my son will, too.

 

I keep wondering if I'm just missing something or doing something wrong because I'm not spending significantly more on high school. But I guess it just boils down to a different approach.

My dc all study very independently, and pretty much always have. When they were younger, if they hit a snag, or needed some elaboration on something they had a question about, I was able to help them. Some of the high school subjects are beyond me at this point. I cannot help with pre-calc/trigonometry even if I wanted to, because I've never taken it, so I look for the book or program that will offer them the guidance I cannot provide.

 

While it's certainly possible to homeschool very inexpensively, I'm finding that with as many in high school as I have, it's worth buying a program with a few more "bells & whistles" in order to fully cover everything, and cover it well.

 

Maybe it comes down to the fact that I'm not as bright, or well-educated, or maybe my kids aren't as on-top-of-it as yours. ;)

[katilac]

<snip>

I'm wondering what it is about buying packages that makes it easier? (Honest question, I promise. I'm not picking on anyone.)

 

Again, I'm puzzled. My daughter got into college just fine on our $300 a year homeschooling. And I fully anticipate my son will, too.

 

I keep wondering if I'm just missing something or doing something wrong because I'm not spending significantly more on high school. But I guess it just boils down to a different approach.

 

I'm not the one who posted about packages originally, but for me, packages might make things easier because they include solution manuals and teacher's guides for the subjects that challenge me. I would love to McGyver high school science with nothing but a used textbook, duct tape, and my brain, but alas, I know it's not going to happen :D

 

Yes, it's just different people doing things in different ways, none of which is the RIGHT way. Kids get into colleges with all kinds of schooling, backgrounds, and abilities. Is it your kids who do lots of theatre stuff? That isn't cheap in my neck of the woods. It's somewhat immaterial, imo, whether one considers an extra-curricular expense to be a "home school" expense or not. It's an expense designed to give the child a positive learning experience, with the plus of looking good on a college application. Maybe it's because we try not to draw a big, fat line between schooling and life, but I don't see much of a difference between the expense of extra-curriculars and the expense of a math class. The money tends to go where the interests and needs are for that particular student.

[Mosaicmind]

I will spend a total of $1300 for all 4 years of highschool for dd. We are doing American School and that is all we will have to pay and she will get a diploma at the end. I suppose I will have to buy some pencils and paper but that's it.

[katilac]

Maybe it comes down to the fact that I'm not as bright, or well-educated, or maybe my kids aren't as on-top-of-it as yours. ;)

 

:lol: :lol:

 

I'm started to feel like a slacker for needing answer keys and other support for high school classes, lol! Why does high school science have to be expensive? Why, for physics, I simply had my kids build a bridge across the river. They dumpster-dived for all the materials, and had to petition city hall for permission, so it counted as a civics credit, too!

 

Now I'm imagining Bree from Desperate Housewives as an uber homeschooler . . .

Edited August 24, 2011 by katilac

[Jenny in Florida]

From $100 to $400 seems like a pretty big leap to me!

 

It didn't happen in a single leap, though. We're talking about spending $100 on preschool and early elementary 10 years ago, increasing a little bit at a time and then stabilizing between $300 and $400 for several years.

[Julie in CA]

I'm not the one who posted about packages originally, but for me, packages might make things easier because they include solution manuals and teacher's guides for the subjects that challenge me. I would love to McGyver high school science with nothing but a used textbook, duct tape, and my brain, but alas, I know it's not going to happen :D

:iagree: Yes, this.

 

You've articulated it much more succinctly than I could. :001_smile:

[Jenny in Florida]

Is it your kids who do lots of theatre stuff? That isn't cheap in my neck of the woods.

 

Theatre doesn't have to be expensive. My kids have gotten most of their experience in community theatre. And my son has been paid at least a small stipend for several shows he's done.

[Julie in CA]

:lol: :lol:

:confused: *Why* are you laughing?? I was *serious*. :glare:

 

(Just kidding :tongue_smilie:)

[silliness7]

3 credits for English/Bible/History with MFW are $400

1 credit Math text with Dive CD $100

1 credit Science with Dive CD $100 (and that is with no lab stuff)

1 credit Spanish I - Breaking the Barrier w/ Barron's study book $100

1/2 credit Keyboarding - $20

1/2 credit Logic - Traditional Logic w/DVD $64

 

That's nearly $800 for 7 credits.

 

I purchased nearly everything used and had a few things gifted to me. But if you were buying brand new. There you go. You could save about $130 if you didn't use the CD or DVD help. Actually, the $50 DIVE CD takes care of teacher book, test book and lab book. So if you didn't do DIVE you'd have to get the whole kit and caboodle which would probably be more than $50. I didn't price it.

 

That does not include our fee for band and choir. Dues for Civil Air Patrol. Soccer fee. And we are trying to get going with debate club. So we'll need a book for that. Tournaments are only possible with a trip. Hoping to be able to squeeze in one very affordable trip.

 

I do not consider these extra curriculars to be optional for ds considering his college choice. Yes, high school is crazy expensive. Thankfully we do get some help with these and ds has 2 paper routes to help pay for the extra curriculars.

[Carrie12345]

Interesting. I never considered that buying more or more expensive curricula necessarily meant more independent study? My son does most of his work independently, anyway.

 

I'm wondering what it is about buying packages that makes it easier? (Honest question, I promise. I'm not picking on anyone.)

 

 

Answer keys and lesson plans.

I am NOT doing an hour's worth of Algebra or Geometry every day to make sure he's getting the right answers! Nor am I going to study a Biology course again. Instead, I can spend 5 minutes with an answer key to discover whether he's got it down, or if I need to spend some time going over specific concepts with him.

And I can spend 2 minutes reminding him of what's on the menu for the day, rather than who knows how many hours writing out my own lesson plans. (I've been working on US History plans for WEEKS, and I'm only through the first quarter of the year... if that!)

[Mrs Mungo]

It all depends upon what you're doing.

 

I did buy a packaged science curriculum with a CD of lab sheets, tests, everything done. We have a packaged math curriculum with CDs. But, that's because those things are not in my comfort zone. I majored in literature. We don't even own a literature program aside from the books she reads. She did Latin online last year, that was around $500 by itself. I'm not suggesting *you* need those things, but *I* need them for now (she's my eldest, maybe at some point I'll be more comfortable with it). :)

 

I agree that part of it is that teens are more expensive in general.

[Jenny in Florida]

:lol: :lol:

 

I'm started to feel like a slacker for needing answer keys and other support for high school classes, lol! Why does high school science have to be expensive? Why, for physics, I simply had my kids build a bridge across the river. They dumpster-dived for all the materials, and had to petition city hall for permission, so it counted as a civics credit, too!

 

Now I'm imagining Bree from Desperate Housewives as an uber homeschooler . . .

 

No, no! I'm not trying to make anyone sound or feel like a slacker. I'm just wondering what it is I'm doing differently and if maybe I'm doing something wrong.

 

I think, though, that it has a lot do with whether we're trying to replicate something like a traditional high school experience at home. That is not what we're trying to do, which means we have the freedom to do things our own (coincidentally less expensive) way.

 

So, using science as an example, my son is doing something we're calling "Science in Popular Culture" this year. He's reading some books about the real-world science behind the technology of Star Wars and the herbology of Harry Potter. I got most of them from PaperbackSwap. He'll do some more reading from the library. We're coming up with our own labs and projects as we go along, and I've found a lot of good ideas online. Even counting a couple of silly kits I bought on clearance, I've spent about $40 on this subject.

 

Last year, he took Earth-Space Science through FLVS, which will also count toward his high school credits. It was free to us.

 

I did spend a fairly big chunk on English this year, if that makes you feel better. I just got carried away thinking about how much my son would enjoy different materials and ended up over $150 there.

[silliness7]

Interesting. I never considered that buying more or more expensive curricula necessarily meant more independent study? My son does most of his work independently, anyway.

 

I'm wondering what it is about buying packages that makes it easier? (Honest question, I promise. I'm not picking on anyone.)

 

 

 

Again, I'm puzzled. My daughter got into college just fine on our $300 a year homeschooling. And I fully anticipate my son will, too.

 

I keep wondering if I'm just missing something or doing something wrong because I'm not spending significantly more on high school. But I guess it just boils down to a different approach.

 

I'm not worried about any of my children getting into college. I'm worried about paying for it. :001_smile: If spending an extra $500 in highschool could net a full ride (crossing my fingers) or 1/2 ride. It's a good return.

 

I think much of it also depends on your confidence to teach a certain subject and how much hand-holding you need. If what you are doing works for you, don't change!!

[Mrs Mungo]

I think, though, that it has a lot do with whether we're trying to replicate something like a traditional high school experience at home. That is not what we're trying to do, which means we have the freedom to do things our own (coincidentally less expensive) way.

 

And I guess that is the bottom line. I was fine not replicating "school" at home until high school. Now, I'm out of my comfort zone. I want her to do well on testing, to have the tools to succeed in college classes. I don't know how to do that for subjects not in my comfort zone other than to replicate school at home. TWTM method is too nebulous for me. If I had a background in science, then I'm sure I would be more comfortable with it.

[Jenny in Florida]

I'm not worried about any of my children getting into college. I'm worried about paying for it. :001_smile: If spending an extra $500 in highschool could net a full ride (crossing my fingers) or 1/2 ride. It's a good return.

 

That probably depends on what kind of college your student wants, too. At the college my daughter attended, she qualified for the highest level of merit aid based solely on her ACT scores. My son will likely stay in Florida. So, we're aiming at Bright Futures, which for homeschoolers depends on test scores and volunteer hours.

[Carrie12345]

No, no! I'm not trying to make anyone sound or feel like a slacker. I'm just wondering what it is I'm doing differently and if maybe I'm doing something wrong.

 

I think, though, that it has a lot do with whether we're trying to replicate something like a traditional high school experience at home. That is not what we're trying to do, which means we have the freedom to do things our own (coincidentally less expensive) way.

 

So, using science as an example, my son is doing something we're calling "Science in Popular Culture" this year. He's reading some books about the real-world science behind the technology of Star Wars and the herbology of Harry Potter. I got most of them from PaperbackSwap. He'll do some more reading from the library. We're coming up with our own labs and projects as we go along, and I've found a lot of good ideas online. Even counting a couple of silly kits I bought on clearance, I've spent about $40 on this subject.

 

Last year, he took Earth-Space Science through FLVS, which will also count toward his high school credits. It was free to us.

 

I did spend a fairly big chunk on English this year, if that makes you feel better. I just got carried away thinking about how much my son would enjoy different materials and ended up over $150 there.

 

I'm not trying to *replicate* b&m school, but I do admit that some of my standards are similar. But I don't really concern myself with how my homeschool compares.I I'm just doing what's best for my family. If that looks a bit like PS, so be it!

[jamajo]

3 credits for English/Bible/History with MFW are $400

1 credit Math text with Dive CD $100

1 credit Science with Dive CD $100 (and that is with no lab stuff)

1 credit Spanish I - Breaking the Barrier w/ Barron's study book $100

1/2 credit Keyboarding - $20

1/2 credit Logic - Traditional Logic w/DVD $64

 

That's nearly $800 for 7 credits.

 

Yep. This is pretty much what my 9th grade year looks like. Plus I pay $140 to do Science at a local co-op for 36 weeks. Volleyball league is $95 a month for 6 week season to be followed up by some other community sport yet to be determined and $15 per week for private Art lessons.

 

I started homeschooling in the 2nd semester of DD 7th grade year. I don't have the freedom of building upon an academic foundation that was laid in the early years at home. Cosequently, I do feel the pressure to stay on track with a traditional education done at home with the flexibility of developing my child's gifts (Art) and strenthening her weaknesses (writing/critical thinking/vocabulary).

 

If I could homeschool a child from the beginning, I would use a more relaxed approach with cheaper options because I would have the gift of time to educate that child.

 

The advantages of a boxed curriculum for me is the lesson planning all done, neat and tidy for 36 weeks of school and the credits have already been calculated for my child's transcripts. The comprehension/scope/sequence flows so lovely.

I just love the philosophy of MFW. :tongue_smilie:

[silliness7]

I would love to McGyver high school science with nothing but a used textbook, duct tape, and my brain, but alas, I know it's not going to happen :D

 

 

:lol::lol::lol:

I'm lovin' that!!

[angela in ohio]

For some it is, for some it isn't apparently. I'm not sure that is any surprise. Everyone does it their own way. If we HAD to homeschool on much less, I could, of course, but I prefer to do it the way we do. We make sacrifices in other areas (no vacations, old cars, etc.) because I want to have a larger high school homeschool budget, because it's the way we choose to do it.

 

For us, it costs many times more. Science lab supplies are a few hundred dollars a year along. Like regentrude, I use older edition college texts for as much as possible, and we use the library or my home library for as many of our literature books as possible, but other things are fairly expensive. For example, we use VTI for beginning high school math, because I think it is fantastic, but it is expensive. I could just use the Jacob's and Dolciani textbooks I got at the library sale for $.50 if I had to, though.

 

And then music lessons increase and get longer, so that costs more. They start doing more competitions and contests, and those cost more. We don't even do any online or university courses yet; those will increase the cost, too.

[silliness7]

I guess we each have to decide when it's O.K. to start with a b&m school or to start replicating one at home.

 

For me, highschool is replicating time. It's a compromise to actually sending them off. College would be the time for the actual b&m. But I know there are people who are much more creative with college and wouldn't be comfortable with a b&m college. That's not us, although I'm open to ideas as I come across them. I also have friends who aren't comfortable replicating high school at home and have decided that now is the time for b&m.

[MamaJo]

I'd say it is true for most people if you include the outside classes and extracurriculars than many people do.

[Jenny in Florida]

For some it is, for some it isn't apparently. I'm not sure that is any surprise. Everyone does it their own way.

 

I understand that completely. I was just surprised, because it seems like everyone takes it as a fact that, of course, high school costs more. And, since we're not finding that to be true, I wondered what I was missing.

[Jenny in Florida]

I guess we each have to decide when it's O.K. to start with a b&m school or to start replicating one at home.

 

Or, like us, you can just wait until college to do either, I guess.

[dragons in the flower bed]

My biggest purchases this year were Artistic Pursuits supplies and electronics components. We aren't doing formal music lessons because of cost. Literature and history is basically free, but when the kids are doing real things, things adults do as hobbies, it costs money.

[Margo out of lurking]

It's an outside class for science here too. About $550/year, plus we pay for the textbook and test book. Additionally, my dd has attended several events with a national homeschool organization, which I think have cost ~$250-$350 for event. There seems to be one (different) subject each year that ends up costing more than I'd like. Last year, it was lit. This year, I think it's writing. So far anyway.

 

While I'm grateful for the options we've chosen, we could be paying much less and still have an excellent outcome.

[Jenny in Florida]

For our family, we have found that high school years do cost more than non-high school years.

 

You seem to be in the majority.

 

Here's what I'm seeing people say are the expensive things:

 

- Outside classes

 

- Curricula for subjects parents don't feel comfortable teaching without additional support such as answer keys and teacher manuals (math, science, foreign language, mostly)

 

- Packaged curricula that allow students to work more independently

 

- Curricula and textbooks that more closely replicate what is being done in brick-and-mortar schools

 

- Science lab supplies

 

I also notice that several people mentioned extracurriculars, but I'm not counting them, because they are not homeschool specific. I'm wondering what it is about educating kids at home that requires extra spending in the high school years, but most people I know who have kids in school are enrolling them in all the same extras my kids do.

 

Interesting.

 

Thank you all so much for your responses. I'm beginning to understand a little better now why we're not seeing the big difference in our homeschool.

[Irene Lynn]

I keep seeing people say this, as though it's just taken for granted, that it costs so much more to homeschool high school than it does for younger kids.

 

But I'm just not seeing it.

 

Yes, when the kids were really bitty, I got by with workbooks from the dollar store and free worksheets online. For the preschool and early elementary years, I probably spent less than $100 per kid per year.

 

But by the time each one was about 9 or 10, I was usually spending between $200 and $300 on each one each year.

 

When my daughter did high school, with the exception of the one disastrous year when we signed up for a lot of expensive stuff she ended up hating and quitting, I spent right around $300 each year.

 

My son is beginning a full high school schedule this year, and I've spent just under $400 counting a bunch of extra art kits and supplies that I probably would have bought him just for fun, anyway.

 

Also, keep in mind that he's doing more credits this year than is typical for high school (probably about 8.25 by the time all is said and done). His plan is to finish high school in three years.

 

It just doesn't seem like such a big leap to me. So, I'm wondering what people are doing at the high school level that ends up costing so much more?

 

I would agree with you that it is not a given. Homeschooling CAN be done with little expense. Our dd was also doing a full high school load at age 13 for about $400, but costs rose at age 14 due to choices that we felt were worth it for our particular girl in our situation. She was blessed (She wasn't so sure about the blessing part. :D) with a sibling at age 13.5 after being a happy only for those preceding years. We opted for our dd to take two classes at a coop. They were not classes that we couldn't handle at home. We made this choice because I felt she needed to try to make friends (which didn't happen, but it has given us this experience to talk about. That has been valuable.), and I thought she could use a couple of classes without a loud baby interrupting her day. She went two days a week and was there over lunch, too. She has never been one to seek out a social life or even pay much attention to it at all. This gave her some experiences for us to talk about. She loved one of her teachers in particular.

 

The next year, she took Creative Writing, which is not my strength and appears to be one of hers, and I wanted her to have input from another teacher and be exposed to assignments that I might not have thought of and get away from her now terrorizing brother. She also had speech there. She could have done speech more cheaply, but this seemed like a good option for us. Plus she had a teacher, who did not seem to care for her too much. While I had hoped that she would enjoy all her teachers, I was actually glad that she had to deal with a little discomfort and work through it. It wasn't too bad and she actually found that she rose above it anyway. This particular girl needed to have a variety of experiences that I am sure others would not have had to spend money to get, but it seemed like we did.

 

Junior year was all at home, but it was heavy and I definitely did spend more than $400. I could have spent less. My choices were varied to give her experience with different approaches and different types of testing. Some things were more book/lit. based, with plenty of books. Some things were more textbook oriented with tests. One had more find the answer in your book and nearly fill-in-the-blank sort of thing. Oddly enough that was her hardest. (With aptitude testing we learned that she has a VERY low aptitude for scanning, which is part of the reason that I chose this particular curriculum. I felt she need some exposure to this approach. She actually agreed, but she also didn't enjoy it.)

 

In her senior year, she took 3 CC classes, which cost more. Again she could have done most of this at home successfully, though the art class was far superior to anything she would have had here. That did gain her an amazing letter of recommendation for college. I also indulged in some Teaching Company DVDs to add to our home designed full year economics course. Oh, wait that was her junior year. :) She had Teaching Company DVDs in her senior year to add to our home designed Statistics and Probability course. Those CC courses also exposed her to people that she wouldn't have met and situations that were, well, different from her own. :) And they forced her to grow up some, since I let her handle most of the stuff involved with CC. If she needed to go to an office for some paperwork, I didn't help. She learned that she could do it and that people are generally nice. When she got a warning for not getting her parking pass yet, the officer was nice and low and behold she managed to get that scary task done promptly. That was worth paying for! :) It all gave her more confidence as she entered college. I know some kids do FAR more things and learn these lessons years before this age, but I didn't have that kid.

 

Anyway, I have never worried about her ability to learn. She can do that fine! In fact, she could have learned more efficiently while spending much less money, if I had not had our rather time consuming little guy and I had just focused on her learning academic subjects. I started spending more money in high school to give her exposure to more difficult/less efficient methods of learning for her. Life is not going to provide her with her favorite methods very often, I can assure you. ;) I know my wonderful dd. She needed to learn that she could deal with all sorts of situations, so that when she got to college or life in general, she wouldn't melt down. (She tended to melt down a lot with new things. I would say that she has definite Asperger like tendencies, though probably (maybe) wouldn't receive the diagnosis.) She is in her first week of college, and I can tell you that I am SO thankful that we were able to spend that extra money to give her broader exposure to structured learning and awkward social settings, than staying home with me or doing things in small groups with other homeschoolers or in a mentoring situation would have done. None of that was too painful, though some of it was uncomfortable, and she truly sees the value of it. It was only a small amount each year, rather than a sudden immersion her Freshman year at college. She will survive! Wooohooo! :)

[Julie in CA]

Thank you all so much for your responses. I'm beginning to understand a little better now why we're not seeing the big difference in our homeschool.

I'm wondering, how did you cover lab sciences without spending much?

Did you not do some of the more standard choices like Biology and Chemistry with labs? I haven't figured out how to do those inexpensively and well without buying equipment or resorting to outside classes. :bigear:

[angela in ohio]

- Outside classes

 

- Curricula for subjects parents don't feel comfortable teaching without additional support such as answer keys and teacher manuals (math, science, foreign language, mostly)

 

- Packaged curricula that allow students to work more independently

 

- Curricula and textbooks that more closely replicate what is being done in brick-and-mortar schools

 

- Science lab supplies

 

Other than science lab supplies, none of those really describe our reason.

 

I think there is another reasons: students with expensive interests. :D My dd wants to study drafting in high school. That's a few hundred dollars in books and supplies to do it well. My other dd wants to study web design and take the AP Computer Science test. Another few hundred dollars in software, books, etc. As I said in my pp, we could do it less expensively, but we choose to budget a larger amount for those things.

 

And another is that classical education can be expensive. It involves chewing through a LOT of books, and often books that you can't find used or at the library. WTM history/lit, which looks nothing like what they do in most schools, costs us $100-200 each year, even with the $4.00 used copy of Spielvogel we use. Our library often has crummy translations or versions of the classics (which are hard enough without an outdated translation,) and we end up buying most of them, as well as reference books and additional materials.

 

Anotehr reason for us is that we want to use Christian materials. A secular high school would be less expeisive, I'm sure, because our library doesn't carry the books I need, and even a cheap used college textbook often needs to be supplemented with books I have to buy new.

[Jenny in Florida]

I'm wondering, how did you cover lab sciences without spending much?

Did you not do some of the more standard choices like Biology and Chemistry with labs? I haven't figured out how to do those inexpensively and well without buying equipment or resorting to outside classes. :bigear:

 

My daughter did biology using a text someone handed down to us. It was free and turned out to be one of her favorite texts ever.

 

We did some of the labs recommended in the text but mostly made up our own lab series, focusing on botany since that was most interesting to her. I searched online and found lesson plans for all kinds of things to do.

 

She took Chemistry through FLVS. We supplemented for the labs, though, with a Thames & Kosmos kit. The kit was $200, and we used the equipment over and over.

 

Her other science was astronomy. I bought an introductory college text and access to a series of online labs. That was one of the years I spent more on science, and she ended up hating it. (She did only three years of high school before heading to college.)

 

My son took Earth-Space science last year through FLVS. It apparently counts as a lab science, although I certainly don't think it deserves to do so.

 

This year, he's doing a home-made science course, and we're making up the labs as we go. They will mostly involve "common household items" and some gardening supplies, I think.

 

I'm not sure what he'll do in the next couple of years, but I'd be surprised if we stray too far from what we've been doing.

[Jenny in Florida]

I think there is another reasons: students with expensive interests. :D My dd wants to study drafting in high school. That's a few hundred dollars in books and supplies to do it well. My other dd wants to study web design and take the AP Computer Science test. Another few hundred dollars in software, books, etc. As I said in my pp, we could do it less expensively, but we choose to budget a larger amount for those things.

 

I can see that, I guess. Neither of mine has interest in those kinds of things (at least not yet). My son is mildly interested in computer programming, but I doubt he'll get to the AP exam in that subject. My loose plan is to have him do the English AP's, but those won't require more than books and maybe a study guide.

 

And another is that classical education can be expensive. It involves chewing through a LOT of books, and often books that you can't find used or at the library. WTM history/lit, which looks nothing like what they do in most schools, costs us $100-200 each year, even with the $4.00 used copy of Spielvogel we use.

 

We must have lucky there, too. I've pretty much always been able to find the books we want and need used or cheap if I'm patient. (PaperbackSwap and BookMooch are my friends.) Of course, I'm not following TWTM strictly, either. So, I can stay flexible and plan classes around what I can find at a good price. I'm sure if you're working from a more specific list or lesson plan, you have fewer options.

[6packofun]

Right. I don't feel "safe" just hoping that my older children's interests and the fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants methods from years past (which I loved, btw) will ensure good scores on the tests our kids *must* take to get into college. And a lab is a lab. You either buy the supplies or pay someone else to do them. Colleges want to see lab sciences. *shrug* :D

[FaithManor]

Ds for Freshman year -

 

Lial's Algebra - already used for dd. Paid about $75.00 total for student and teacher's editions on eBay and Amazon.

 

Jacob's Geometry - same as above

 

Campbell's Exploring Life (college biology text) - $28.00 for used s.e. and $12.99 for the online activities c.d. $75.00 for the instructor's manual used (had a hard time finding it too.)

 

English - $35.00

 

Drafting - used college book - $25.00

 

Introduction to Java - MIT opencourseware and technically free, but we made a donation of $100.00 to the program.

 

Henle Latin year 3 - about $25.00 for the bundle, used from ebay.

 

History - three different college texts that I have cobbled into a program that I am happy with - about $75.00 in used books.

 

Lab supplies - $50.00 (We already had the equipment from homeschooling dd through high school. But, during her years, we easily spent $1000.00 over the four years for that. We are a very science oriented home.)

 

Art History - I bought Sister Wendy's History of Painting, Janson's History of Art for Young People, Stories of Art by Gombrich, and Harmony Arts 9th grade program, plus McConnell's Boys lesson plans and then tweaked into a mixture that will snag his artistic leanings. I think my total for all of this is maybe $65.00

 

So that comes to $490 and change not including the value of books we are reusing from dd's high school courses. I didn't include incidental supplies or more books added to the home library for our Great Books/Literature studies.

 

Next year he will be taking 3 MIT opencourseware courses so we'll make a $300.00 donation and the cost of books, plus OSU online German which is, I believe, $250.00 per semester. His second year Java programming book is hard to come by used, so we could spend as much as $200.00 on that puppy. I'll easily have more than $1000.00 into his Sophomore year.

 

Faith

[Momof3littles]

DH is a chemist. I have a strong biology background. I think we will both end up getting a little lab-crazy and I think it will be a bit expensive. I believe true lab experience is very important for anyone interested in the sciences.

 

I also am assuming we'll be paying for community college and other supplementary coursework.

 

Thankfully we have a long time until we need to worry about it, but yes, I do anticipate it will be more expensive. It certainly can be done for a reasonable amount of money, but I feel for us it would involve compromises I'm not willing to make. I'd rather plan on my kids being over prepared for things like lab science courses.

[Jenny in Florida]

Right. I don't feel "safe" just hoping that my older children's interests and the fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants methods from years past (which I loved, btw) will ensure good scores on the tests our kids *must* take to get into college. And a lab is a lab. You either buy the supplies or pay someone else to do them. Colleges want to see lab sciences. *shrug* :D

 

I don't consider what we do "fly-by-the-seat-of-our pants." For many years, I've carefully collected materials and written lesson plans, just like the people do who author the curriculum packages folks buy. My daughter did well enough on the ACT to get into college and earn the highest level of merit aid available. It seemed to work fine for her.

 

And, no, a lab is not a lab. Not really. There's a whole thread going on elsewhere about that very subject, the widely varying standards for what counts as a "lab" and how much class time should be devoted to doing them. As I mentioned, the online class my son took last year apparently "counts" as a lab science as far as Florida is concerned. I honestly forgot that it did, given how few hands-on activities he did. All of the science we've done at home has been more rigorous than that.

 

I'm not arguing, by the way, that my approach is "better." I was just curious why other folks seemed to assume high school costs so much more.

[In The Great White North]

Did you not do some of the more standard choices like Biology and Chemistry with labs? I haven't figured out how to do those inexpensively and well without buying equipment or resorting to outside classes. :bigear:

 

I lucked into a $20 microscope at a garage sale when my oldest was about 10 from some med student, whose father had used it in med school; a box full of lab glassware at the dump and some homeschool hand-me-downs from a friend for another $20. We ended up buying full price only the actual chemicals, which we probably overdid but all 3 dc will use them (we never were into micro-chemistry. :D)

 

The books were mostly used. I bought a physics book at a used book store and when the owner figured out what I was doing with it, he gave me his stash. He had been a physics prof before he retired and had a collection. The book shed at the dump comes up with college text books all the time, even though people aren't supposed to leave textbooks there. (I don't know why - they're a lot more fun than the endless Harlequin romances.)

 

Honestly, our biggest lab challenge came from Apologia, which required slugs after the ground had frozen around here. Not happening.