A Question from a usual K-8 board user...about getting ready for college...

[...................]

Now that you are navigating the college admissions waters, do you wish you had more help, counselling, and accountability? Why have you, or have you not, enrolled in distance learning, or Umbrella Schools to help with transcripts?

 

Do you think getting transcripts together and applying to colleges is really that difficult?

 

Is there one book you could recommend that helped you navigate these waters more smoothly?

 

THanks!

[Lucy]

:bigear:

[JanetC]

We are continuing to high school independently, but do plan to use some outside classes and test scores to help validate "mommy grades" on the transcript.

 

I'll recommend a couple of books to get started:

 

Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling Teens by Debra Bell*

Setting the Records Straight by Lee Binz

 

*Note: This one is an unabashedly Christian resource. If the OP's signature didn't indicate that she is religious, I would still recommend the book, but maybe just getting it from the library since there are a lot of sections secular homeschoolers will skip.

 

--Janet

[SkateLeft]

We're in the throes of the college application process, and just waiting for fall application periods to open up.

 

My daughter is focused on chemical engineering, and we've narrowed it down to 5 engineering schools and 1 LAC with an engineering program, though she's pretty set on her first choice school (which has already awarded her some scholarship money). She's applying to the others to see how she ends up financially. We crossed off any school that isn't homeschool friendly (requires the GED, etc.), and she is focusing on schools where she's in the top 10% of applicants.

 

We're both very organized and don't procrastinate, so we didn't need the accountability of an umbrella program. (My younger daughter definitely isn't as self-disciplined, and does need outside accountability.)

 

Transcripts are easy, and the college admissions process hasn't really been hard. It's just been time consuming. I suspect the financial decisions will be tougher over the next year. I spend a lot of time reading the experiences of others, combing through college websites and calling and emailing admissions and financial aid folks.

 

Dual enrollment courses and a great ACT score mean that the schools we're considering don't require much additional information. I received an email from one admissions director yesterday explaining that with my daughter's credentials, they won't need certified lists of course materials or anything. I know some people aren't crazy about dual enrollment or APs, but in our case, they've really made the whole process much easier!

 

I haven't found any useful books. Instead, I've learned so much more from the wise and experienced folks who post on this forum, and from admissions and financial aid reps I've emailed and gotten to know. It really pays to network with these people!

[...................]

OK, well I bought the Debra Bell book. AND in my state, dual enrollment for all homeschool students is free at community or state colleges. I am also good friends with the the county official that work with getting underprivileged students into college with lots of scholarship money (we are not underprivileged, thank God, but she will be helping us...she is a fount of knowledge.)

 

I like it that dual enrollment helped your process. :) That's good info to hear.

[angela in ohio]

I honestly see no need to pay someone else to keep track of the transcript for me, so we have continued to homeschool independently. I don't find it difficult at all.

 

I do see the value in paying for individual online classes with great instructors, but I wouldn't want to go with one source.

 

We did decide to hire a college admissions counselor, too, at least with first dd, to help us decide her best options and make sure we are packaging everything well and doing everything necessary to get her where she wants to go. It's probably not necessary, but she has big dreams, and she has worked too hard for mom to mess itup now. :D

Edited June 8, 2012 by angela in ohio

[datgh]

I love Debra Bell's book. If you ever get a chance to hear her speak, go. I think she really knows her stuff when it comes to getting your kid through high school. Her best piece of advice for me was to ask yourself where would you like to see your kid as far as college goes (Ex. Going to a four year liberal arts school.) then start there and work backwards. I wish I would have heard her about four years ago when my kids where just heading into middle school. If I could have followed her advice from that point on, my kids would be on a much better track for college. Good for you for starting to think ahead early.

[Musicmom]

Now that you are navigating the college admissions waters, do you wish you had more help, counselling, and accountability? Why have you, or have you not, enrolled in distance learning, or Umbrella Schools to help with transcripts?

I have one dc already in college (just finished sophomore yr) and one who will be applying late this summer and early fall. Looking back, I'm so glad we decided to continue homeschooling independently for high school. It was scary at first (and a little lonely as so many of my friends started putting their kids in school for high school), but we really didn't need oversight or accountability. Starting in 11th grade (second half of 10th for ds), we used one carefully chosen outside (online) course for each child--both for outside verification of grades and for our dc's growth in independence (managing work from an external source, meeting external deadlines, communicating directly with the outside teacher/tutor, etc.) For ds it was calculus courses through Stanford EPGY (Education Program for Gifted Youth.) And for dd it is AP classes through PA Homeschoolers.

 

Do you think getting transcripts together and applying to colleges is really that difficult?

No, it really is not difficult at all. It takes effort and work (just like the rest of homeschooling! :D) and I know I stressed over it, but in the end, it really was not as hard as I thought it would be. It's mostly a matter of researching and finding out what you need to do, just like you research for the earlier stages of homeschooling.

 

Is there one book you could recommend that helped you navigate these waters more smoothly?

The book that really helped me was Homeschooling High School: Planning Ahead for College Admissions by Jeanne Gowen Dennis. It gave me confidence, an overall vision for planning and many helpful examples of the nuts and bolts of transcripts, course descriptions and record keeping. I referred to it over and over in my first dc's high school years.

 

Once you have a vision from a book or two, then this board is a treasure trove of information to help as questions arise in the process.

Edited June 11, 2012 by Musicmom
fixed spelling error