Please brag about your hs graduates

[musicianmom]

If you homeschooled through high school, tell me about your child's awesome accomplishments. I'm looking for some success stories today. :)

[Natalieclare]

Margaret! It's gonna take someone special to post after you!!!!

[momacacia]

The real question is what did the MOM's (and Dad's) do to accomplish this in their kids. I suspect sometimes "it just happens," but not often.

 

(Tell us the secret(s) . . . .:bigear:)

[jennsmile]

My younger brother graduated from CC at 18 1/2. Took another semester of college then served a mission in Norway for 2 years. Then went on to finish his degree in Electrical engineering with minors in computer and something else. Got a job at Micron and was enjoying finding new ways to do things and cracking secure computer systems just cause.

 

My other brother is currently finishing his degree in Ag something.

 

I graduated CC and choose to stay home and raise my family and homeschool. Someday when I figure out what I want to do I will get my bachelors. I am a retired LLL leader.

[Starr]

Awesome - she finished high school! :D (My mom used to say that she had large visions for us but in the end she was thankful we finished high school.) Yes she was admitted into a private college's early entrance program for mostly engineering and science majors, my liberal arts girl. Now she is trying to find her way out. lol No we didn't do everything we wanted, or felt we should but she came out with an inquiring mind and able to articulate her thoughts aloud and on paper. She also has extracurriculars that interest her, not to the extent we might have pushed for but she does well and is well rounded. Don't panic, there is a school/career for every child. They can all look different.

[Beth S]

Our family has NOT pushed for outward success, or a super-rigorous academic path . . . but our 2 oldest (with 3 more to come) are doing well. Instead of bragging, I would see this thread as an encouragement to those "in the trenches"--there is a lot of creative opportunity for homeschoolers.

 

#1 - Did all the pre-requisites for her RN program in highschool. Tutored students at the local cc during summers. She graduated from the RN program at 20yo, and is now working full-time in Labor and Delivery at a local busy hospital (fulfilling her childhood dream).

 

#2 - Is taking dual-enrollment classes at our local cc. Because of #1's tutoring success, he was selected to tutor in their new Math Lab. He (and 3 other tutors) help 2 Math professors teach remedial Algebra to 400 (!) non-traditional students. It combines his love for math with his good people skills. He plans to study mechanical engineering in the Fall.

[missmoe]

My high school grad is currently a freshmen at college.

 

I'm quite proud of everything he was able to do while still in high school. He graduated with 36 college credits. He was able to attend many leadership camps. He mentored at the school district's special education program. He served as a camp counselor at the 5th-grade camp for several weeks as well as for a high school leadership camp. He was chosen to participate in an engineering internship at the local Navy base. He tutored and sold products door to door to earn money for college.

 

He has a scholarship that covers his tuition and was able to pay for most of his housing. He is volunteering at college as a student ambassador.

 

That's my story! This is a kid that from the ages of 12-15 tested our patience so much we often didn't think he would graduate!

Edited November 22, 2011 by missmoe

[mktkcb]

My oldest was the quirkiest, most hyper kid you can imagine growing up. She's lucky I didn't kill her multiple times. And waddya know - she's totally her own person, confident, brilliant and competent. She's a junior at the closest Cal State school to home (she's a homebody), majoring in mechanical engineering, which she is TOTALLY suited for. I've called her my Spock Child LOL...she might be a teensy bit Aspie! She gets very good grades, loves her professors, doesn't get swayed by anyone, and is very focused. She loves kids, and is a fabulous AWANA leader (she got her citation award in high school) at our church. I'm so proud of the person she's become.

[clementine]

:lurk5: :bigear:

 

What a great thread!!! Can't wait to read more!!!

[momtokea]

My oldest was the quirkiest, most hyper kid you can imagine growing up. She's lucky I didn't kill her multiple times. And waddya know - she's totally her own person, confident, brilliant and competent. She's a junior at the closest Cal State school to home (she's a homebody), majoring in mechanical engineering, which she is TOTALLY suited for. I've called her my Spock Child LOL...she might be a teensy bit Aspie! She gets very good grades, loves her professors, doesn't get swayed by anyone, and is very focused. She loves kids, and is a fabulous AWANA leader (she got her citation award in high school) at our church. I'm so proud of the person she's become.

 

I am really enjoying this thread. The bolded above gives me some hope, especially for my ds. :)

 

Keep the stories coming. :bigear:

[Miss Marple]

We homeschooled all our boys from the beginning. My oldest graduated high school in 08 and will graduate from university this coming May. He graduated from high school with 35 college credits earned concurrently. He already has a job in Petroleum Engineering which starts in July. He was so successful in his studies that all his school expenses were completely paid for by scholarships for the last 2 years of his college. His first 2 years he had a full tuition scholarship. He is getting married in June to the sweetest young lady who was homeschooled and is now in pharmacy school. We've known her since they were both 14. I will finally have a 'daughter'!

 

Ds#2 is a freshman in college this year. He has an honors scholarship which goes towards tuition. He graduated with 29 college credits. He is finally figuring out how to study, how long to study, when to study, and what to study :) He had a rough junior year and part of his senior year due to health issues. I feel we really lost the junior year so I am totally thrilled that he is doing so well now. I think he had a rough start this fall, but about 9 weeks into the semester he turned everything around. He was able to spend part of his spring senior year at a school in England and that was a wonderful experience. He would love to go back and he is encouraging his younger brothers to participate in the program as well when they are seniors.

 

Each of my boys is unique and I've tried to tailor the education to fit the student. That's been the hardest part, I think, to realize that one size doesn't fit all. The internet and this board have been the biggest contributors to my own education - as far as how to do this homeschooling thing. There are so many ways to do it, but the biggest factor in making 'schoo'l a success is making it a priority and a commitment.

[JMDRAD]

:lurk5:

[*********]

Our family has NOT pushed for outward success, or a super-rigorous academic path . . . but our 2 oldest (with 3 more to come) are doing well. Instead of bragging, I would see this thread as an encouragement to those "in the trenches"--there is a lot of creative opportunity for homeschoolers.

 

#1 - Did all the pre-requisites for her RN program in highschool. Tutored students at the local cc during summers. She graduated from the RN program at 20yo, and is now working full-time in Labor and Delivery at a local busy hospital (fulfilling her childhood dream).

 

#2 - Is taking dual-enrollment classes at our local cc. Because of #1's tutoring success, he was selected to tutor in their new Math Lab. He (and 3 other tutors) help 2 Math professors teach remedial Algebra to 400 (!) non-traditional students. It combines his love for math with his good people skills. He plans to study mechanical engineering in the Fall.

 

Your story really struck me, thanks for sharing. I do hope to get my RN when the boys are grown. To already be nursing at 20, what an accomplishment!

 

Thank you for sharing ladies, and please post if you've graduated homeschoolers. It's very encouraging to us with younger ones who plan on homeschooling all the way through.

[Quiver0f10]

We have graduated 4 so far.

 

Dd # 1 working full time

 

Ds # 1 -attending college with scholarship. Will graduate in May with a degree in civil engineering.

 

Ds #2-CC classes working towards a degree in business and working full time

 

Ds 3-attendiing college with scholarship. He is a freshman working towards a degree in civil engineering

[Guest Katia]

I've graduated all three of mine from our homeschool.

 

DS - began homeschooling at the end of 4th grade. Went to community college at 15 and graduated with his 2yr degree in Computer Science two months before he graduated high school from our homeschool. He transferred to a 4yr college as a junior at 18yo, got his BA in Computer Science and is now a computer programmer. He's just 27yo and owns his own home; lived in Japan for 5 months, travels......yeah, I'd say he's doing ok;)

 

He was very OCD as a child, and spent waaayyy more time on the computer than I was comfortable with, but it served him well. He still can't spell, but no one cares; he says that is what spell-check is for.

 

DD#1 - began homeschooling mid-Kindergarten through high school. She did not take any community college classes; no interest in it. Is attending college on a music scholarship and is in her senior year. She has a very high GPA; is majoring in English and minoring in French and music. She lives off-campus, plays in the orchestra, is learning to ride a horse and shoot a gun, lived in France for a month last summer, has traveled by herself to England, and has no clue what she will be doing after college. Hopefully getting a job. :001_smile:

 

She was always slow to learn and seemed to be 'behind' all the kids her age. However, she really wanted to go to this college and studied like mad to do well on her ACT, and just made the score she needed.

 

DD#2 - has always been homeschooled from pre-k through high school. She took extra-curricular classes in community college like piano, choir, theatre, swimming/ nothing academic. Is now a sophomore in college on a music scholarship. She is a Music Ministry major. She sings in all the music groups on campus, and is the pianist for the University choir and band. Her GPA is 4.0 so far, and that along with dealing with a broken arm and surgery this semester (by herself since neither dh nor I could get to her). The college is FARRRRR away from home, and this is our 'baby' and she is a home-body, but she is coping very well and loves college......however, she is always more than ready to come home:D

 

She was my 'easy' child to school, and always did well in her academics and was compliant. However, she was my Introvert and never 'social' with kids her age, not even in high school. She enjoyed the company of adults in the nursing home, library and community college.

 

There you go! I think I homeschooled for a total of 16 years. All the kids have told me over and over how glad they were that I homeschooled them, and that I let them help make many of their curriculum decisions during high school. Also, I tried to tailor each child's studies to where they seemed to be headed and where their interests/strengths lie.

[Swimtaxi234]

:lurk5: More encouraging stories please. :D

[Julie in CA]

My oldest ds was generally a lackluster student. He did dual-enrollment at the community college during high school, and when he graduated from 12th grade, he had already earned a LOT of credits for college. With that said, he was generally a "B" student, and content with that. He finished up his AA, and suddenly decided he wanted more. He applied (and was accepted) at a small liberal arts college, and they were generous with their financial aid, apparently based on the fact that though he'd been a middling student at best, he's a really sweet, gregarious, and intelligent young man. He's now almost through with his degree, and loves the path he's chosen--communications, public relations, and marketing. He's got an "A" average, and has held that standard throughout his time at his chosen University. In addition, he's just an amazing person. Easy to talk to, easy to communicate with, and eager to help other people.

 

My second ds has followed a different path from most of the other graduates mentioned in this thread, but I'll tell you about him anyway, because I think his path has been valuable and wonderful in it's own way. He's always had some learning deficiencies, and testing was largely unhelpful in treatment. For the most part, he's just always had to work harder than everyone else. In the end, after all of the hours, he never did pass Algebra. Honestly, he never got beyond pre-algebra. He reads as well as most of the public schooled kids we know, though he won't be reading Homer for fun. ;) At the same time, he's a kid who works hard--REALLY hard, to compensate, I think. While he was in high school, he was hired by a trucking company to drive heavy machinery, which he has a special talent for, and with which he's had lots of practice with on our farm. Now that he's graduated, they've hired him on a more permanent basis. He works from dawn till dusk on many nights, and when he's not working for them, he works for other local farmers. He's one of the hardest workers I've ever seen, and at the same time, he has a heart of gold. He's the guy you want next to you when there's a problem. He's a volunteer firefighter, and worked really really hard to earn his first responder certification. He'd give you his last dollar, he'd give you his last bite of food, and now he has a sweet girl who appears to be just the right fit for him. For all of my worries & concerns & prayers, he's built a life I find amazing and inspirational.

 

Anyway...

I have 3 more students to graduate, and I'm praying they'll be as blessed as the first two. Certainly they're on their way there. My dd's are great students, and my older dd has more self-discipline than I will ever have. She's an accomplished pianist, and works her way quietly but voraciously through whatever academics come her way. She also works part time as an office assistant, and is better able to run my household than I am, all with an enigmatic smile and cheerful manner. ;)

 

Younger dd is vivacious and fun, and she has a special talent for cheering up those who need it. She's great with children, and elderly folks, and delights in seeing that those around her have what they need. I'm expecting wonderful things from her too.

 

My third ds, well, I don't know yet. He's the "wild card" in the bunch. His mind works like an engineer's, but I don't think he has a plan in mind. It's a bit scary to try and sit back and wait for his lead, since he's graduating in May, but I have every confidence that he'll find the right thing for him. I think maybe he's been put here and made this way for my own good, to remind me that none of it is really under my control. ;)

 

Whew! Enough of my brag-fest, huh? :tongue_smilie:

Really wonderful to read all of the stories, and what a great thread!

Edited November 18, 2011 by Julie in CA

[raceNzanesmom]

Our oldest graduated in June. He graduated with a 3.79 GPA, 6 college credits, a ton of volunteer hours, and a desire for higher education. He is currently at the community college because he can afford to pay it in full each semester (his choice). His plan is to get his AA there then transfer to the state college about an hour away.

 

What did we give? Time, encouragement, guidance when needed, discipline when needed and, most importantly, a strong foundation in the Lord.

[TravelingChris]

I'll talk now about my second. My oldest d had an undiagnosed vision problem which I kept trying to get diagnosed from age 2 until she was diagnosed about eight or nine. I had made sure she learned to read, do math, learn other things but she couldn;t read certain type of books because she had double vision. We got the vision problem solved within a year after a doctor properly diagnosed. Then we go on, keep homeschooling. Everything was going well until in 9th grade, she got a seven month long headache. It slowed down math and science to barely a trickle. Finally got her cured of it with a medication and then she had to have shoulder surgery. Okay, done with that and on to Sophomore year- develops PMDD. We get that treated. Here comes Jr, year- towards the end- develops a big problem with low blood pressure and it takes until almost the end of Sr, Year to get under some control. It caused her to faint or near faint often because her heart gives the wrong electrical signal for whether to increase or decrease blood pressure. We also found out that she had a learning problem that we never knew what it was- I knew something was wrong but it wasn't dyslexia or any of the common issues so I had just slightly accommodated based on what I observed. So with all these medical issues along with severe ADHD what has happened to her? No tuition scholarship, currently has an A- or above in every class, was selected for doing research in her freshman year and will be working on anti-terrorism research in the spring.

[jenL]

This is an incredible thread, and I really hope more veterans will continue to contribute. It's wonderful to hear the success stories and TIPS for those of us who are still working in the elementary realm and wondering if this homeschooling "thing" is working. ;)

[-M-]

My oldest was homeschooled from second grade through high school. Throughout his high school and college years, he worked as a swim instructor, coach, and lifeguard 10 to 25 hours per week during the academic year and 35 to 50 hours per week during the summer. He graduated high school with 23 college credits on his transcript and an ACT score that made this parent-teacher think, “All right! Yes, we can!†He then went on to complete his associate degree with high honors, achieve a Category I score on the ASVAB, enlist in the USMC, and earn the title of “Marine.â€

 

It is not what his father and I wanted for him, but it is what he wanted for himself. It is, in fact, what he had wanted since he was ten years old. And while heeding the call to serve is not everyone’s definition of a successful conclusion to a homeschooling narrative, we certainly read it as such.

[WIS0320]

This is an incredible thread, and I really hope more veterans will continue to contribute. It's wonderful to hear the success stories and TIPS for those of us who are still working in the elementary realm and wondering if this homeschooling "thing" is working. ;)

 

:iagree:

 

This is my favorite thread I've ever read here at WTM forums! I'm a little afraid to think beyond 5th grade, I hope I get the confidence I need as we go on. Thanks to everyone who shared about their children.

 

I particularly liked the story about the son who struggled a bit with academics but is happy and content with his life working on farms. I think it is easy to get caught up in the classical education and having our child learn everything from calculus to Latin before they are 16. :) I was a hairstylist before I had children and it made me happy and I was successful and good at it! We don't all have to be PhD physicists or tri-lingual to lead happy and fulfilling lives. ;) Homeschooling should be the one educational venue in which parents can really tailor their child's education to their interests - especially in high school.

 

Thanks again to the moms who have shared, we are four months into first grade and it is easy to lose sight of the big picture sometimes.

[Remudamom]

Okay, quickly, my oldest ds was accepted into a snotty classical college and oldest dd started college at 16 and gets high grades. Youngest ones are still going. Both dds are accomplished pianists and all play lots of musical instruments.

[Margo out of lurking]

He then went on to complete his associate degree with high honors, achieve a Category I score on the ASVAB, enlist in the USMC, and earn the title of “Marine.â€

 

It is not what his father and I wanted for him, but it is what he wanted for himself. It is, in fact, what he had wanted since he was ten years old. And while heeding the call to serve is not everyone’s definition of a successful conclusion to a homeschooling narrative, we certainly read it as such.

 

:grouphug:

If serving our country is not everyone's definition of a successful conclusion to hsing, it should be.

 

:patriot:

My daughter is also hearing that call. It can be a little unsettling at times for me.

 

I'm so encouraged by this thread.

[ForeverFamily]

:bigear: More! More! I want to hear more! This is a great thread! Thanks to all that have shared their success stories! This thread is just what I needed!

[sandellie4]

My oldest has ADHD, and it was a good thing she had so much time -- because it took her so much time to grow up! The high school years were a roller coaster academically, with her changing her focus, and changing her focus, until she realized she liked a whole lot of subjects. She was accepted at a hidden ivy with a full scholarship and is now using her energy to design her own major. :lol:

 

The second one who has finished high school has nonverbal learning disability and was a preemie with grade III brain bleeds. We pulled her out of school in the 6th grade when we were told that she would earn a "completion certificate," not a high school diploma.

 

The middle school years were tough, spent largely on executive function issues, study habits, etc. In high school, she took full ownership of her own learning at home. She taught herself algebra using Teaching Textbooks, writing learning IEW, etc. and when she was tested for admission into a community college that will have the technology supports she needs in an academic environment, she was one of the one-tenth of the students who passed without requiring any remedial courses. While so many other students have issues with dedicating themselves to the work, her commitment is impressing her professors (and her proud mommy!).

 

I am so proud of both of them -- and very, very thankful that I didn't bail on their homeschooling in high school. It was intimidating at times, a lot of times, but now I see what it MEANS. It means they can be themselves!!

 

Sandy

[J-rap]

We did it perhaps a little differently... We didn't necessarily push top courses and college, but what we did, we tried to do it well and thoroughly. When fun and interesting opportunities came up, classwork was put aside. We have the attitude that a lot of things contribute to an education! None of our kids went to college directly after high school, we never did college visits, and to be honest, we never even started thinking about it much until each child's senior year.

 

Our son applied for school in NYC...was accepted and deferred a year. A month after graduation from high school, he packed up his bike, flew to Europe, and biked solo, thousands of miles, across the continent. (meeting the young woman who would become his wife eventually). He then returned after a year, packed up another bag to move to NYC, and did a year of school full-time while working 25 hours/week. He is a very ambitious and self-educated young man, and decided more college wasn't necessary (for the time being) for what he wanted to do. He continued working on his career on his own and with a coach in NYC, got married a year later, was hired to write a screenplay (and was paid for it, even better), and is now working on another screenplay which he will begin filming this winter.

 

Daughter #1 went to Bible school in Costa Rica for a year, took a semester off to waitress and earn her TESL certificate, returned to Costa Rica to work with a missionary organization, returned to the US to work some more, and is now a full-time student at a private Costa Rican university. All of her courses are in Spanish, and she is #1 in her class. She also fell in love with a Costa Rican and will be getting married in December.

 

Daughter #2 completed high school in three years. She then studied in a French immersion school in the French Alps for her first semester after hs, backpacked through Europe for a couple months, and then arranged a Rotary internship for herself to live with a family in Tours, France for the summer. The following year she applied to study at a university close to home, where she was awarded an amazing (paid) internship to develop a television program at the metropolitan children's hospital. This year she is on a semester abroad through that same university in Senegal, West Africa, on a full scholarship. They even paid for her airfare.

 

Daughter #3 is a senior this year. She writes her own music and performs publicly. She has a producer and is recording her first CD next week. She hopes to move to England next fall to try and make her way in the music world there.

 

I'm happy for them and they are doing fun and exciting things. But, what brings me the most joy is that they are kind, thoughtful, giving, and responsible young people. They are each other's best friends, and would do almost anything for my husband and me. They are all taking turns coming home for several months at a time, helping my husband as he recovers from his stroke, and mentoring younger siblings still at home. We are very, very fortunate.

[Tap]

Ds17 is currently dual enrolled (sr highschool/soph college) but taking standard college classes, so if we were just homeschooling, I would have considered him graduated by now. LOL The public highschol is paying for his classes so there is no benefit for me to finalize that diploma just yet.

 

We have spent the better part of this year making and changing plans.

 

His current plan is to spend a 3rd year at the local community college so he can take some extra classes that are not required for his major. He also wanted to lighten his college load, and drop to 12-13 credits, adding the third year makes that more plausible. He is taking the time to broaden his academic base. He has been so narrowly science/math focused for several years. He wanted more time for volunteerism.

 

He has worked at a learning center, tutoring upper level math and science for over a year. He can tutor through college calculus 1 (he is currently enrolled in cal 2).

 

If he kept track, he would have over a thousand volunteer hours accrued during high school at his church (my mental math). He won't track it, because he feels that if he planned to benefit from it, it wouldn't be 'volunteer' any more.

 

He got a wonderful ACT score (thank you Teaching Textbooks) and gets mail from Ivy League colleges for early applications. He won't consider applying, but he says that it makes him realize how many doors he has to choose from in life. He now sees how all of his hard work has paid off and why I would nudge him to keep up his grades. He is now happy for the work he did back then :0)

 

His current plan for next year is to hopefully have a paid internship and if not, continue volunteering at the church. He then plans to spend a year studying at a local bible college. At the end of that year (2 years from now) he hopes to decide if he wants to go into the ministry full time, or go back to math/science (likely chemistry or pharmacy).

 

 

2011/2012 year 2 at community college/work as tutor/continue volunteering-teaching at the church (officially graduate high school)

2012/2013 year 3 at community college/hopefully paid internship/volunteering-teaching at the church/mission trip

2013/2014 bible college/internship/volunteering-teaching at the church

2014---hopefully decide between science/ministry--he will likely finish his bachelors in pastoral studies this year, but it depends on the path he takes.

[JennW in SoCal]

It's rather exciting to be able to add to this thread as several of the posters are women who inspired me while I was in the trenches. But I'm one of the big kids now!

 

I pulled my oldest out of school in 2nd grade. He was a square peg, had some learning issues and ADHD, and was learning more through family life than he was in school. So when we started homeschooling I continued doing what had been working with him, which certainly wasn't traditional, formal schoolwork. We were practically unschoolers til 5th grade when we started becoming more formal with subjects, but I stayed creative and outside the box.

 

At 13 he started volunteering with the tech team at our church where he found his passion, lighting design. By the time he was 17 he was being hired to design lights for community theater productions while he continued working 10 hours a week at church in the tech booth. He graduated early, not with a rigorous college prep transcript, but with the basics and lots of theater electives. After a year in the Disney College Program, he is now getting a Bachelor's degree in show production.

 

I'm glad we were able to tailor his education to his interests and his abilities. He is a wonderful young man who was glad to get math tutoring help this semester from his little brother!

 

This younger ds is graduating this year with I'm guessing 30 community college credits. He was my "control" subject -- I got to experience homeschooling a neuro-typical kid who loves and excels in traditional academics. I like to joke that he "fired" me when he started at the community college as he had passed me in math and science. He just sent off applications to some small liberal arts colleges, so we're waiting to see where he will be next year. In the meantime he has a job at the local science museum. He had been a volunteer, but they asked him to apply when a paid position opened up.

 

Both boys are so thankful to have been homeschooled. After tutoring his older brother, the youngest actually told me how impressed he is that I stuck with homeschooling for so long! They have many fond memories of all the books we shared over the years and the silly extremes I went to to keep them engaged in math.

[JennW in SoCal]

Congratulations, Margaret! I always love to hear about your kids!

[Chris in VA]

Ok--Ds homeschooled high school. He graduated one semester early by doing school in the summer, and went to work from March of what would have been his Sr. year, to Aug. He was able to earn enough to pay for about a quarter of his college the first year. He has made Dean's List every year, despite having some severe difficulties the first year, and being an Aspie. He has had an extraordinary record of attendance and is known to set the bar for his cinema exams. He does have trouble with Spanish--prob won't make DL this semester because of it, but he certainly tries hard!

 

He's also kind, very funny, and responsible. He's moral and upright, too.

 

Nice kid.

 

Will make some understanding, kind woman a very happy wife. Hint, hint.

[FaithManor]

Well, this is fun! DD is one of my favorite topics.

 

The best thing that I can say about DD is that she has a beautiful spirit. She is confident but not arrogant, compassionate, merciful, convinced of what she believes and yet accepting and welcomiong of those that do not, kind, perseverant, and fun loving. She has a rock-solid core. I am the most proud of this...academics and accolades would mean nothing to me if we failed in her character development.

 

1. Right Stuff Award from Space Camp with personal references from NASA employees.

 

2. Multiple mission's trips with World Gospel Missions and personal references from the missionaries with whom she worked.

 

3. Accomplished classical pianist.

 

4. Accomplished vocalist - Soprano with a 2.5 octave range so she sings alto, second soprano, and soprano.

 

5. Accomplished on the flute and piccolo as well.

 

6. Graduated from homeschooling with 28 credits, 5's on two AP exams, very satisfying ACT score, GPA - 3.89...she could applied herself a wee bit more on her Great Books Study! :D

 

7. Currently has 60 credits of pre-med under her belt and is a fully qualified Paramedic having achieved ALL of her levels of FEMA certification and HAZ-MAT certs. Once she has achieved the required work experience, she will be pursuing her flight medic certification.

 

8. Three weeks ago she interviewed with her 1st choice EMS company (needs to take a break from college and work to earn some money) and out of 42 interviews for six full-time positions and one part-time, she was told by the head of the department that she gave the best interview of the day. She was the only newly qualified paramedic that interviewed. She was given her choice of county to be stationed out of (they only had two part-time positions open and the one part-time) and first choice of the job and shift....ahead of the other two interviewees they wanted to hire each of which had work experience in the field! Normal required training hours once hired, 320. They bumped hers down to 160 because according to the shift supervisers and the medical director, they are very comfortable that she is a fine paramedic that needs little supervision in order to "learn the ropes."

(She'll be working Black Friday 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the city. Blech! I'm sure she is excited.)

 

9. She'll be done with her 160 hrs. by Christmas and she volunteered to work Christmas and New Years so that one less paramedic with spouse and family would have to work the holidays. I'll miss her those days. But, I'm proud of her for caring enough about others to do this.

 

10. She's teaching piano and voice lessons on the side and volunteering as a 4-H resource leader. She'll be teaching "medical science" including Anatomy and Physiology, First Aid, CPR, water, fire, and sports safety, and nutrition.

 

She's great! She's thankful she was homeschooled. Her friends, none of whom were homeschooled, always tell me they wish they'd been homeschooled.

 

Oh, and she tutors in math, chemistry, a & p, and college writing for a few students from the uni.

 

:D:D:D Yes, I like to brag about her. Sometimes it seems a little surreal...can all of this really be bundled into one 20 year old???? But, it can happen.

 

Of course, dh likes to go around saying, "One down, three to go."

 

She is about to embark upon being completely financially independent. She will be self-supporting (though we are not asking her to move out even though she could afford rent, because we want her to save as much as she can) with her own medical, optical, and dental insurance.

 

Faith

[mamajudy]

OK. I'll say it (though I'll probably get flamed). Yes, t-i-m-e is a big contributor to our children's success, but many of these experiences and accomplishments take alot of m-o-n-e-y. Music lessons, ballet, trips to Europe, and pilot's licenses don't come cheap. My husband and I have driven old used cars and have forgone many luxuries in order to provide educational experiences for our children. It baffles us when homeschoolers who are able, are not willing to invest in their children's education.

[missmoe]

OK. I'll say it (though I'll probably get flamed). Yes, t-i-m-e is a big contributor to our children's success, but many of these experiences and accomplishments take alot of m-o-n-e-y. Music lessons, ballet, trips to Europe, and pilot's licenses don't come cheap. My husband and I have driven old used cars and have forgone many luxuries in order to provide educational experiences for our children. It baffles us when homeschoolers who are able, are not willing to invest in their children's education.

 

Money, certainly helps, but I can't say enough about involving homeschoolers with volunteer opportunities. Most of my son's accomplishments came about from volunteering.

[OnTheBrink]

Well this isn't a typical success story, because the middle of it is anything BUT successful.

 

My ds graduated, and went on to CC. During that time, I divorced my X and ds took a nosedive for a few years, making stupid choices, not going to school, hanging out with a buncha losers.

 

Then, he decided that losers had nothing going for them, so, on his own, he went back to the CC, fixed some of the classes he bombed and was able to transfer to the U and is now living on his own, working 2 jobs and going to college full-time. Academics were never a problem; external issues, depression, etc, were.

 

Despite the few years' worth of nose-dive, I'm very proud of him. :001_smile:

[KidsHappen]

My middle two are both carrying 16-18 credit hours of honors courses right now while also holding full time jobs. They feel adequately prepared and I feel a sense of accomplishment.

[vmsurbat]

Three of my five have left the nest. With no CC classes, no APs, no co-ops, no clubs, etc. We use standard texts that you can acquire from Rainbow Resources and Hewitt Homeschooling (plus lots of real books). The extent of their formal extracurriculars include soccer (boys), karate (girls), and music lessons (piano). We live overseas as missionaries and "typical" US experiences just aren't available.

 

But we did what we could and that included spending $$$ on acquiring books (mainly used) to provide rich and varied reading experiences. Plus hosting people from all over the world (literally--all continents except Antartica) in the context of our work here.

 

 

It thrills me to pieces and I thank the Lord everyday for how well the children are doing. Our eldest dd graduated from an Ivy League school (full scholarship) and is working her dream in magazine publishing in NYC.

 

Second dd just graduated from a small, private liberal arts college (80% scholarship--worked, no debt) and has now entered the working world, living with a neat group of girls from her college, and enjoying "the real world." At her college graduation, one of her professors came over to me upon learning that she was homeschooled and shook my hand, asking me to send more like her. :001_smile:

 

Our elder son is a sophomore at a large state school but involved in a small engineering department (He has classes taught by the head of the department) and is excelling beyond my wildest dreams. He's an aspie and while I expected he would enjoy his math and engineering classes, he tells me his *favorite* class this semester is history. He won two scholarships in his first year. He eschews the strange dorm room antics of the other students and has found a good social group through church.

 

Our younger son is in the throes of applying for university right now. He has many interests but no outstanding passion. We are moving ahead with applications to a wide variety of schools and waiting to see where the Lord leads....

[southcarolinamom]

My son is a freshman nursing major, starting college with 21 credits (via CLEP exam) under his belt.

 

He has a full ride scholarship, a combination of merit and need-based.

 

Is doing great in school - high A's in both science classes, B's in the other 4 classes. Any time there is "extra credit" offered, he jumps on it! A Self-motivator, if you will :001_smile:

 

His team just finished the championship soccer game for the school last weekend, of which he was a goalie.

[hsmamainva]

My oldest is graduating from the community college in May with a 3.25 gpa.

 

She's then transferring to one of 2 state public colleges (she has guaranteed admission to both, but can't make up her mind which one she wants to attend. She's toured one campus already and will be touring the other one the 1st weekend in December).

 

She plans to double major in criminal justice and psychology. After graduation, she wants to join one of the federal justice agencies (US Marshals, FBI, CIA, Secret Service, etc.)

 

She volunteers with Special Olympics (since she was in 9th grade), has a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, plays the piano beautifully, and she drives a car with a stick shift. :lol: That's something *I* have never been able to master! LOL

[mamajudy]

Well this isn't a typical success story, because the middle of it is anything BUT successful.

 

My ds graduated, and went on to CC. During that time, I divorced my X and ds took a nosedive for a few years, making stupid choices, not going to school, hanging out with a buncha losers.

 

Then, he decided that losers had nothing going for them, so, on his own, he went back to the CC, fixed some of the classes he bombed and was able to transfer to the U and is now living on his own, working 2 jobs and going to college full-time. Academics were never a problem; external issues, depression, etc, were.

 

Despite the few years' worth of nose-dive, I'm very proud of him. :001_smile:

 

You have every right to be proud of him! That's great!:001_smile:

[Onceuponatime]

My oldest is currently a stay at home mom, painting in her spare time. She is a born artist.

 

My oldest son will be a Master of Accounting/ CPA by next September. He already has a position lined up and will start at a salary comparable to my husband's. He just turned 21.

 

My next son is at CC working towards a degree in Administration of Justice, he recieved the Mitchell Award from the Civil Air Patrol before he graduated. What he really wants to do is work in the park service as a kind of wildlife policeman, lol.

[laughing lioness]

DD 24 did a lot of international travel during high school (England, Ecuador and Hungaria/Romania). Her Sr. Year she went back to Romania for 9mths to work in an orphanage. She graduated being conversant in ASL, Romanian and Hungarian. She went back and forth to Romania a couple of times before going to college (full ride/4 year- it was not an academic scholarship, btw). She'll graduate this spring with a degree in International Missions (think Cultural Anthropology/Theology). She is probably going to ramp up the ASL and work as a translator while deciding how serious she is about her beau. She also went through Doula training before she went to college.

 

DD21 is 3 months away from graduating from a Cosmetology program. She graduated in 09 and has worked several jobs since then (including her latest, which she loves). She has campaigned extensively, both in our state and others, and will leave again on Friday for another expense paid campaign blitz. She loves politics. She is planning on going to a near-by school this fall and getting her R.N.

[Amber in SJ]

I homeschooled dd #1 from the third grade. She is now 17 and full time at our local community college.

 

At 15 she was offered a national student mentorship for an online digital arts school, which means she gives online workshops through the school about various digital art forms using various media (photoshop, maya, toon boom, blender, inkscape, etc) to students all across the country who pay to see her teach using her own work as examples.

 

She is in a group that is developing the animation for a video game.

 

One of her short (5 second) animations is on a reel produced by an intern at Disney.

 

This year she did all the art for a short film that is listed on IMDb.

 

She ran an art camp for 6 weeks over the Summer for 30+ students that included making lessons plans, creating a materials budget, handling all the parent crap, etc.

 

She has been in a competition choir for two years; first soprano with several solos this year.

 

She has a driver's license which is a big deal because I do not.

 

At 16 she was allowed (by the CC) to take one concurrent enrollment course per semester. After two semesters of that she decided to test out of high school and go to one of the local community colleges full time. She took the test on her 17th birthday. I guess that is when she graduated. According to our charter school she left with a 3.82 GPA and SAT/ ACT scores to be proud of. Now she is at the community college full time. She is taking 15 units, including a math class!

 

We just finished our first round of college applications for 2012. She will have 36 transferable units by then.

 

From 13-15 I thought one of us was not going to make it through high school.

 

It changed daily which one of us it was.

 

Math & Science caused daily conflict. She paid a younger sibling to do dissections while she watched from across the room and filled out lab reports. I think I have PTSD from teaching her high school math. I still have nightmares about it.

 

She is a lovely, responsible, grown person that is a joy to have in the house 99% of the time. The 1% represents the fact that she still won't clean her room.

 

art is her passion; math is her nemesis.

 

We have a fun relationship now. She calls me between classes to tell me funny things that happen, or to fuss about missing questions on a math quiz. She wants to go on "dates" to movies with me and has requested that we go get mani-pedis together for her formal dance in December. She has turned down activities with friends to hang out with me. This from the child who told me at 14 that she hoped I would die, and at 15 told me that she was planning on telling her children that their grandparents were dead because she was never going to see me again when she moved out. I will miss her terribly when she goes away to school. I consider the fact that we are friends just as much an accomplishment as her academics.

 

DD #2 started high school this year, and the adventure begins anew.

 

Amber in SJ