5 or 6 classes per year in high school?

[LNC]

You can see my 10th grade daughter's schedule in my signature. Her pace not is not doable long term. 2 hrs per day for 4 online classes = so 8hrs plus piano, math, and chemistry. Her English load is extra heavy still bc we jumped in at the end of week 3 and she is catching up.

 

Is 5 classes standard or 6? I definately think she should self study for 1-2 AP classes in the future bc the AP classwork is too time consuming and stressful.

 

We were already planning to avoid the really heavy science, math and history APs!!

 

Next year 11th grade:

Pre calculus - dual enrollment

AP Environmental science - self study with approved syllabus

AP Macro Economics - Pa Homeschoolers - class ends in Feb then self study Micro too

AP English Lit - Blue Tent

Lukeion Latin 3

 

Will this still be working 8am-8pm plus most of the weekend? I I feel like I am ruining her life, please advise!.

[kiana]

That's a lot of APs. For some students (those who could already be in college) that many APs is not a problem, but for many other students it is just overwhelming and college prep/honors courses are a better option.

 

I noticed you said pre-calculus as dual enrollment and mentioned that others were struggling with it. Choosing the two-semester college algebra + pre-calculus course is probably a better option for a student who has completed high school algebra 2.

[Jenny in Florida]

Is 5 classes standard or 6?

 

Six classes per year is pretty standard, since 24 credits is a fairly typical requirement for graduation. 

 

Honestly, it looks to me as though the classes you have her doing may simply be too much, not in terms of number of classes but in terms of the rigor and the amount of work required. 

 

If the student, herself, is driving that level of challenge and wants to take all of those AP classes badly enough that she is willing to devote 10-12 hours a day to studying, that's one thing. (I'd still discourage it, truthfully, because I would want her to leave time to sleep, eat, relax, socialize a bit and pursue extracurriculars.) But I am not sure what would be gained by requiring a teen who didn't choose that path to trudge through it.

[freesia]

I think that 6 is more "normal". You could count PE or another type of elective. That said, if she is having a hard time this year, why are you loading her schedule so heavily? I think that type of schedule should be only for students who thrive under that type of pressure. Even if she is very, very bright, I think she'd be better served by having a balanced life and room to breathe.

[EKS]

Six classes is standard, though in the schools around here, one of those will be an elective that is usually less rigorous than the other five.

[bobbeym]

I think 6-7 credits per year is more common for high school, especially a college bound student.   Next year seems very AP heavy.  Maybe limit it to 1 or 2 AP classes and the rest honor level?

[bettyandbob]

6 is standard. You would need to complete 6 to earn a diploma from the online high where I work. In the district where I live 7 is standard. A typical 10th grader seeking an academically challenging program might take 2 APs, but I haven't heard of students taking 3 in 10th grade--just to compare to public school.

[LNC]

Well, if I had known how time consuming the classwork would be I wouldn't have done it. And I am trying to fix it for the future. I don't think she would be happy with a high school level class or textbook at this point. She loves what she is learning, but we both think it is too time consuming.

 

We would try to cut down classwork by self studying for AP Environmental Science all year and AP Microeconomics (after AP Macro class finished in Feb). Just 2 AP classes online. I think AP English Lit will take the same time as Blue Tent Honors English 2. So really, one less online class next year.

[Excelsior! Academy]

The classes do seem a bit heavy.  Our local ps used to do block scheduling 4 per semester, so eight per year.  Could you do something similar?  So the 4 online classes + piano.  School through the summer with Math, Chemistry and English. 

 

OR 

 

A modified loop schedule...online classes plus 1 more subject per day + piano.  Monday online classes, block of Chemistry and piano practice;Tuesday online classes, block of English and piano practice; Wednesday online classes, block of math and piano practice; rinse repeat.  You would be covering two of the subjects twice per week.  If you are doing literature reads for part of English that could carry over onto Saturday, so in theory you would cover two blocks of Chemistry, Math, and English a week.

 

 

 

 

Please ignore horrible grammar and run-on sentences from those offering advice on how to schedule English.  :blushing:

[Pawz4me]

The public high schools here do eight credits per year.  They're on the semester system and the kids take four classes per semester.

[LNC]

8 classes might include drama, pe/dance and music - all of which she takes weekly and I could give credit for. I was counting them as extra curriculars instead of a course.

[Penguin]

My oldest boys graduated from a college prep private high school. All students had 7 periods. Most took 7 credits, but some had 6 + a study hall. The number of APs depended on the individual.

[freesia]

8 classes might include drama, pe/dance and music - all of which she takes weekly and I could give credit for. I was counting them as extra curriculars instead of a course.

I would probably use one credit worth for credit (120-180 hours) and use the rest for ECs.

[J-rap]

Six classes is the standard amount at the local PS here (plus a study hour, and a minority of students actually choose a class instead of the study hour, therefore filling up all seven slots with classes).  However, at home, we would sometimes do 7 in a year, and other times do 5, if the classes are intense.  The PS here has a requirement of 23.5 class credits to graduate.  So, I kind of based what we did on that amount, averaging 6 a year (but like I said, sometimes we'd do 7 and sometimes 5).

 

 

 

 

[LNC]

Some if you mentioned NC block schedules.

 

I live in NC so the 4 class per semester block schedule/ 8 total per year is what I have heard for public school too. BUT - APUSH and most other APs are 2 semester classes at our local high school. So AP students take far less than 8 classes per year. That is what I am comparing with.

[Melissa B]

Is precalculus spread over two semesters at your local college? Or are you only taking one semester of math? If it is spread over two semesters and each semester is at least 3 credits it would be common to give your student two math credits for the year, bringing your credit total back up to six.

[LNC]

Is precalculus spread over two semesters at your local college? Or are you only taking one semester of math? If it is spread over two semesters and each semester is at least 3 credits it would be common to give your student two math credits for the year, bringing your credit total back up to six.

2 semesters

[Bootsie]

The average college students needs to commit 9 hours per week for 15 weeks to be successful in a typical 3-hour credit college course (such as macroeconomics).  AP courses are usually spread out over an entire year, suggesting that the college level work is done, but over an extended period of time.  If this were the case, it would appear that spending 5 hours per week (in class and outside of class) would be sufficient for a year-long AP course.  However, my experience is that usually this is not enough time for an AP course.  In my area, most AP courses require summer pre-work, in-class work, and an expectation of 5 hours per week of homework; this leads to a time commitment that goes far beyond the typical college course for the same material.  I have often seen that these courses retain the "busywork" of high school courses while adding some of the college-level expectations.  

[kiana]

The average college students needs to commit 9 hours per week for 15 weeks to be successful in a typical 3-hour credit college course (such as macroeconomics).  AP courses are usually spread out over an entire year, suggesting that the college level work is done, but over an extended period of time.  If this were the case, it would appear that spending 5 hours per week (in class and outside of class) would be sufficient for a year-long AP course. 

 

Don't forget that this is for college students of average age and preparation -- average high school students, being younger, may need to put in more time to attain the same results.

[nancy in nj]

I think that this courseload looks super-heavy for 10th grade.  I have the impression that Lukeon Latin is rigorous and extremely time-intensive--more time intensive than most of the AP courses my dd took from PA Homeschoolers and less flexible in terms of balancing her workload throughout the week.  If latin is a priority, then you may need to think about dropping one AP for 11th grade.  Otherwise, is it possible to self-study Latin or look for a less time-intensive alternative?  For this year, since you are already committed to 4 online classes, is it possible to put off chemistry to next year, and substitute an easier science?  Another thing to consider is that 2 hours a day each for AP Psyc and AP government seems excessive--you might want to sit down with your dd to see if she is overstudying in these subjects. Is she spending too much time reading/outlining the reading assignments?  Usually PAH classes have so much built-in review that it isn't really necessary to take notes on the chapters unless it is specifically required for the class.  If she is worried about retaining the material, it may be helpful to research and buy a very high quality, high level AP review book for those subjects that she can use for weekly review.  My daughter did this for APUSH her senior year and it worked out great.  

[LNC]

I think that this courseload looks super-heavy for 10th grade. I have the impression that Lukeon Latin is rigorous and extremely time-intensive--more time intensive than most of the AP courses my dd took from PA Homeschoolers and less flexible in terms of balancing her workload throughout the week. If latin is a priority, then you may need to think about dropping one AP for 11th grade. Otherwise, is it possible to self-study Latin or look for a less time-intensive alternative? For this year, since you are already committed to 4 online classes, is it possible to put off chemistry to next year, and substitute an easier science? Another thing to consider is that 2 hours a day each for AP Psyc and AP government seems excessive--you might want to sit down with your dd to see if she is overstudying in these subjects. Is she spending too much time reading/outlining the reading assignments? Usually PAH classes have so much built-in review that it isn't really necessary to take notes on the chapters unless it is specifically required for the class. If she is worried about retaining the material, it may be helpful to research and buy a very high quality, high level AP review book for those subjects that she can use for weekly review. My daughter did this for APUSH her senior year and it worked out great.

With the AP classes the weekly assignments look like read 1 chapter, read several articles, read or watch lectures, watch videos, attend chats, group projects, on and on. Takes forever, but she LOVES the material and wants to talk about it all the time in her free time! I think she needs to get in a better groove. She is setting up appts to Skype with a TA about study methods and time management, which I am glad she is initiating. The amount of assignments is why I am considering getting my own syllabi approved for a couple AP classes next year.

 

The 2nd problems was catching up in English, which is almost resolved.

 

Next year, Lukion 3 is going to be incredibly hard and time consuming which we need to be prepared for. So far so good with Latin bc she was really well prepared from previous dialectic stage programs, but it is ramping up...

[LNC]

With the AP classes the weekly assignments look like read 1 chapter, read several articles, read or watch lectures, watch videos, attend chats, group projects, on and on. Takes forever. I think she needs to get in a better groove. She is setting up appts to Skype with a TA about study methods and time management, which I am gkad she is initiating. The amount of assignments is why I am considering getting my own syllabi approved for a couple AP classes next year.

 

The 2nd problems was catching up in English, which is almost resolved.

 

Next year, Lukion 3 is going to be incredibly hard and time consuming which we need to be prepared for. So far so good with Latin bc she was really well prepared from previous dialectic stage programs, but it is ramping up...

I was going to add that Dive Chemistry and Chalkdust Algebra 2 are incredibly easy for her. A huge blessing considering, but they still take some time.

[swellmomma]

It is neat to see the difference between the countries.  Here in Alberta Canada, high schools are on a semester block schedule with 5 classes per term so 10 classes per year.  My own kids do slightly more than that because some of their extracurrics count towards CTS classes.  

[nancy in nj]

It sounds like the PA Homeschoolers classes will calm down once she gets in the groove, and it is great that your dd is enjoying them!  My dd often worked on her PAH group project stuff later in the evening after activities--it was always so social that it didn't feel like school work and often read articles (or source documents, in the case of APUSH) at night while she was watching tv and skyping with her PAH friends.  I bet your dd's reading speed will also increase dramatically as the year progresses.  You can also have her do Algebra or Chem at a slightly slower pace to make each day lighter for the next month or so until she gets fully caught up in English and gets more efficient in doing her AP work.  You can evaluate later in the year whether you need to revise your 11th grade plans.  If she loves the peer interaction at PAH, you might want to consider having her take environmental with them (my dd best friend loved the class and she is NOT a science person at all).  Since your dd is doing well with Chalkdust, why not just continue pre-calc at home?  Just build in some time for her to study for the SAT II Math II so that you have that score for her college applications.  My dd used Chalkdust through pre-calc and with some targeted SAT II test prep (maybe over the course of a month) scored a 790,  If your dd enjoys her online classes (as mine did), it is perfectly fine to NOT have her do dual enrollment.  The first physical classroom my dd set foot in since 2nd grade was at Chapel Hill last year.  There was absolutely no transition problems at all, and she has no problem working in groups or standing up and giving presentations in class, and she was the one who explained to her hallmates where to find and how to use a syllabus!  

[Orthodox6]

I am most familiar with six or seven.

[Mom22ns]

Public schools here do 8 classes per year as well. Our district does that as 8 classes at a time, the next over does that as semester blocks 4 classes at a time. I think the key is not how many classes, but the balance of classes your student can handle. Having only 5 credits per semester would be very strange on a local transcript. However, having 3 APs and two other heavy classes does make a tough load. 

 

I don't know what your dd's goals are. If she is trying to get into an elite college, then the APs may be important. If not, stop. Really. Stop. Pick one a year that she cares about and drop the other classes to high school level instead of college level work. Let her have a life if that is what she wants. 

 

There are kids that can do 4 or 5 APs and still have a life. They are not only smart, but fast, efficient workers. Not all kids are made for schedules like that. If doing 3 APs and 2 heavy classes is too much - DON'T! 

 

I guess the question is, does she feel like you are ruining her life? Is she choosing the classes or are you? Her high school schedule should be her choice with your guidance. You are the counselor. You tell her she needs 4 years of science. You tell her what kind of classes would help her to get into what kind of college. You tell her what options are available. You help her to know the time commitment involved in each. Then, you let her decide which science she wants. The same story with economics and English. You could do a nice light Micro/Macro economics next year. !/2 credit of each and have it take one hour/day for the year. She could do a program light Excellence in Lit and get a nice standard high school English credit in one hour/day. Together you need to decide on the priorities.

 

Ds knowingly signed up for 10+ hours of school per day this year. It is a struggle and I'm not sure if he regrets it or will regret it, but we talked honestly about the time commitments of each class, his work speed, his goals, his options and he made the choices. I discouraged the second AP because I thought it would be too much. Dh encouraged it. We're all trying to make it work. 

 

If it were my child, I would come up with at least one more class to add to the list to get up to 6 credits which I consider a minimum. I'd make it light and enjoyable to your dd. I'd also really talk to her about what she wants and if the AP route is the right choice for her or if she can lighten the rest of the load. 

[Orthodox6]

Public schools here do 8 classes per year as well. Our district does that as 8 classes at a time, the next over does that as semester blocks 4 classes at a time. I think the key is not how many classes, but the balance of classes your student can handle. Having only 5 credits per semester would be very strange on a local transcript. However, having 3 APs and two other heavy classes does make a tough load. 

 

I don't know what your dd's goals are. If she is trying to get into an elite college, then the APs may be important. If not, stop. Really. Stop. Pick one a year that she cares about and drop the other classes to high school level instead of college level work. Let her have a life if that is what she wants. 

 

There are kids that can do 4 or 5 APs and still have a life. They are not only smart, but fast, efficient workers. Not all kids are made for schedules like that. If doing 3 APs and 2 heavy classes is too much - DON'T! 

 

I guess the question is, does she feel like you are ruining her life? Is she choosing the classes or are you? Her high school schedule should be her choice with your guidance. You are the counselor. You tell her she needs 4 years of science. You tell her what kind of classes would help her to get into what kind of college. You tell her what options are available. You help her to know the time commitment involved in each. Then, you let her decide which science she wants. The same story with economics and English. You could do a nice light Micro/Macro economics next year. !/2 credit of each and have it take one hour/day for the year. She could do a program light Excellence in Lit and get a nice standard high school English credit in one hour/day. Together you need to decide on the priorities.

 

Ds knowingly signed up for 10+ hours of school per day this year. It is a struggle and I'm not sure if he regrets it or will regret it, but we talked honestly about the time commitments of each class, his work speed, his goals, his options and he made the choices. I discouraged the second AP because I thought it would be too much. Dh encouraged it. We're all trying to make it work. 

 

If it were my child, I would come up with at least one more class to add to the list to get up to 6 credits which I consider a minimum. I'd make it light and enjoyable to your dd. I'd also really talk to her about what she wants and if the AP route is the right choice for her or if she can lighten the rest of the load. 

 

Wonderful post!

 

 

[FaithManor]

The Michigan Merit Curriculum outline is:

 

Four years of math

Four years of English

Four years of Social Studies - Us History, World History, Government/Econ (each are half credit unless one is taking AP's) plus elective which could be geography, psychology, European History, etc.
Three years of Science - two lab based so if physical science is taken as a freshman than biology plus either chemistry or physics is required

 

Online learning experience

Computer class - some kids take a programming class online and they can't count this for both so often times they take two computer classes and count one as online, and one as computers.

 

One credit of fine arts

Two credits of foreign language

 

That is 20 or five classes per year.

 

Many of the more competitive, college bound kids here, are taking something at the tech center - Criminal Justice, Ag Science, CNA licensing, etc. for three credits - full half day of school, and then eating lunch on the run and getting back to campus to take three more classes. Since our district doesn't offer much in AP's (just calculus, physics, and biology and all in a rotation so they do not offer them every year and not every student gets into a rotation where he or she can get all three), the tech center plus an extra course - often DE through the not very good CC here but it's better than nothing - is the best they can do to position themselves better for college admission's.

 

3/4 of the student body is expected to meet the merit curriculum requirements. 1/4 will have IEP's that indicate they are not capable of achieving that, and will have a general diploma which is, if memory serves, 16 or 17 credits. 3 math - can all be remedial if necessary but they try to get them through algebra1, four English/Reading Comp, three social studies, two science - physical science and life science (remedial - not as difficult as the non-AP biology many of us took back in the 70's and 80's), computer class, online class, and two electives sometimes a year of something at the tech center such as food management and catering, data processing, etc.

 

DD had 26 or 27 credits when we graduated her and the boys will hover right around 25 or 26.

[Lynn in Caribbean]

We just visited a fairly selective college (Wake Forest) - the admissions counselor said that they want to see 5 academic courses for each year in high school.  So, one course from each academic area each year - English, math, science, social studies, foreign language.  

 

High school is generally 6 courses per year, 24 credits for graduation (in our home state) - so that leaves 1 elective credit each year for fine arts or other fun stuff.

 

Editing to add: When he said 6 credits/year, the admissions counselor was referring to "regular" scheduling, as opposed to block scheduling.  I guess with block scheduling you end up with more classes, but I would think the admissions counselors realize that they are "block" classes and do not expect students on regular schedules to have as many classes as students on block schedules.  I am not really familiar with block scheduling, just saying I don't think you can compare the number of classes on a block schedule to the number of classes on a regular schedule.

[AppleGreen]

According to our local high school, students are required to have 28 credits to graduate. That is a minimum of 7 classes per year. I do live in a state that uses that zany block schedule, but 7 classes seems like a lot to accomplish in a year with depth and attention. 

 

I am really starting to worry about the feasibility of homeschooling high school, particularly with a larger family. 

[MariaT]

Keep in mind that it is still just a little over a month into the school year. She will increase efficiency as she goes on, and by November she will be cranking out material, and it won't seem as overwhelming anymore. It sounds like she is loving the classes, so I would let her rip.  Elite students learn to work smart, and she will learn to do that.

 

My oldest DS took APUSH online from NU-CTD as a Freshman, along with AP Psych, and it was also ALOT of assignments every week, particularly the APUSH. Basically, about 5-7 major essays/writing/Terms and People that took paragraphs to answer. He learned to do it, and he learned to do it well.

 

At some point every year I whisper to my husband that the kids are overbooked. Again. And every year he says, "You always say that, and they turn out just fine." 

 

As long as they are happy, we make adjustments along the way to make things work-- just as other posters here have suggested.

 

Maria

 

 

[Lori D.]

Probably just little ol' rebel me  :tongue_smilie: , but… I don't tend to think in terms of how many credits are standard for everyone else, but rather, what helps my individual student explore and still accomplish enough to be prepared for college or whatever the future goal is. ;)

 

Some credits can be accomplished in partial amounts each year, or as summer school, so I didn't tend to fret about trying to match a "standard" of 5 or 6 credits a year.

 

Is there a specific college DD is shooting for that is highly competitive or selective, that she NEEDS a lot of APs and overall credit total? Because when you look at the minimum admission requirements for the average university, it's only 20 credits. Yes, I know, more than that is needed for competing for scholarships or special programs; but my point is that 5 credits per year equals the 20 credits that are the minimum for getting into the majority of colleges, as long as they are the "4x5" type of credits -- 4 credits each of the 5 core subjects: English, Math, Science, Foreign Language, Social Studies. :)

 

 

You can see my 10th grade daughter's schedule in my signature. Her pace not is not doable long term. 2 hrs per day for 4 online classes = so 8hrs plus piano, math, and chemistry. Her English load is extra heavy still bc we jumped in at the end of week 3 and she is catching up.

 

Next year 11th grade:
Pre calculus - dual enrollment
AP Environmental science - self study with approved syllabus
AP Macro Economics - Pa Homeschoolers - class ends in Feb then self study Micro too
AP English Lit - Blue Tent
Lukeion Latin 3

Will this still be working 8am-8pm plus most of the weekend? I I feel like I am ruining her life, please advise!.

 

I will mention that dual enrollment takes a big bite out of the schedule, what with the commuting back and forth and in-class time, PLUS, homework and study time. Not to mention that college classes move at a much faster pace and THAT requires extra time to get used in order to keep up. AND if DD is also going to do 2 online classes with the dual enrollment, and 2 AP classes -- that seems like PLENTY to have to balance next year, and be able to do it all well.

 

Remember, not all classes are created equal (in content complexity and amount, time and effort to complete). Visualize a balance scale: 5 rigorous/advanced classes = 7-8 average and light classes.

 

As I recall, your family needs to have DD score high on SAT/ACT tests for scholarships; that is something else to remember to balance into the equation for 11th grade -- a test prep course, or regular test practice. Taking a 6th class on top of what you have listed would likely not leave much room for that...

 

And what about extracurriculars? Those are often important to contributing to making a student "interesting" and stand out in selective/competitive college admissions -- sometimes more than a super-abundance of academics and APs...

 

And, what about any unexpected opportunities or special programs that DD may miss out on if the schedule is so very heavily booked each year? Just a thought!

 

 

Not that you asked for opinions about what classes to take or not take, BUT ;) … JMO… In looking at the 11th grade line-up (esp. if she makes it through to the end of the VERY heavy 10th grade year), my reaction is: UG!

 

What are DD's interests and where is she getting the opportunity to explore interests or passions in the 10th grade or 11th grade schedule? And definitely sounds like overload for NEXT year, if she is already so heavily booked this year in 10th grade (which looks like 7 credits -- 4 online classes + piano, math, chemistry). And esp. since you mention that the pace she is working at this year in 10th is not doable long term.

 

Personally, unless DD is REALLY into Latin, or is going into a medical/science field where Latin would be super useful, I'd consider dropping foreign language after Latin 2 to allow DD a lighter schedule to balance the Pre-Calc as dual enrollment and the heavy APs of Science and English Lit. OR... slow down the Latin, and take 2 years to complete Latin 3, and graduate with a total of 2 or 3 credits of Latin.

 

I would definitely drop the "soft" APs of Micro and Macro Economics (which are not going to contribute much for college admissions in the way AP math, science and english do) -- and just do the regular 1 semester of Economics next year. That would allow room to pursue an elective of personal interest, and to help her feel like school is not just about heavy academia… But again, that's just me, and maybe your student is really motivated and WANTS to pursue all APs and STEM courses…

 

 

Just my unsolicited 2 cents worth…  :laugh:  BEST of luck in planning for next year! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

PS

 

 

I don't think she would be happy with a high school level class or textbook at this point. She loves what she is learning, but we both think it is too time consuming.

 

I get this. But sometimes "less is more". As in: you enjoy and get more out of FEWER high-level / rigorous / time-consuming courses. Which would also suggest to me taking just 5 credits in 11th grade, but all high-level ones, to make the most of them. If she finds she has lots of time on her hands, well, that gives her the opportunity to try some extracurriculars, or an elective of interest, do some volunteering, or get into a cool special program or opportunity… :)

[Lori D.]

On 10/1/2014 at 10:42 AM, AppleGreen said:

According to our local high school, students are required to have 28 credits to graduate. That is a minimum of 7 classes per year. I do live in a state that uses that zany block schedule, but 7 classes seems like a lot to accomplish in a year with depth and attention. 

Fortunately, what the local high school does is NOT what you have to do with your homeschooling. ? And really, what you would do with homeschooling high school would NOT compare, for many reasons.

I just wanted to encourage you: I have VERY AVERAGE students who were not interested in rigor, nor self-motivated to do tons of credits during high school. DS#2 also had mild LDs that we had to spend extra time on through high school. Yet we still managed to do high quality courses at home, taking about 6 hours a day with no work over the weekends and only some light reading 1-2 evenings a week -- and we easily accomplished 6 to 6.5 credits per year. That also gave us time to do several extracurriculars each year, without it overloading our students or killing our family time and relationships.

Neither DS did any APs (neither DS was interested in a competitive/selective school). Both only took 1 SAT and 1 ACT. This is just us, because neither DS had ANY idea of what they wanted for future career (still trying to decide that in their early 20s!!) -- but what was FAR more important to us in the high school years than pushing through a big load of high academics, was giving both DSs the opportunity to explore interests, develop friendships, and develop good work/life habits through having time for extracurriculars and other opportunities.

Our outcome: DS#1 graduated with 26 credits, DS#2 with 24 credits. Both sons have gone on, first to the community college, and now DS#1 is at a 4-year university. Both have kept up high GPAs, and both have earned scholarships. So admissions and finances have all worked out well, even thought DSs have transcripts with a smaller credit load than some students.
 

If you really need to "keep up" with the public high school's 28 credits for some reason, then here are some ideas for increasing the credit load without overloading the student: 

- dual enrollment  (4-unit and 5-unit courses can be counted as a 1-semester college course = 1 YEAR of high school credit)
- summer school (accrue work for another 1-2 credits, or plan on a lighter class getting knocked out over the summer)
- schedule your homeschool high school on a block class schedule  (only try this if the individual student would thrive on this)
- "double up" (IF spending a LOT of hours on an extracurricular, count SOME hours towards a credit -- don't "hide" a great extracurricular as part of a credit, however)

Examples:
* sports team involvement can count towards PE credit
* mock government program hours can count towards Gov't credit
* robotics, rockets, or other science/engineering club can count towards Science credit
* history recreation group involvement can count towards History)
 

On 10/1/2014 at 10:42 AM, AppleGreen said:

I am really starting to worry about the feasibility of homeschooling high school, particularly with a larger family. 

Fortunately, you move more into a mentoring and administrative role in the high school years; there is a lot of independent work done by the student -- and SO many curricula options out there now don't require YOU to do the teaching (video lessons, tutorial helps, etc.). AND, especially now, there are so many CHOICES out there for outsourcing some of your high school:

- trade off with another homeschooler (each teach both students in parent's ur strong area)
- local tutor
- local homeschool co-op
- local "university model" school (3 days in a school setting, 2 days at home)
- take 1-2 classes at the local public, charter or private school (if allowed)
- online classes
- dual enrollment

Just want to encourage you, homeschooling high school is not so scary or as hard as you might think. There are SO many resources now available that weren't in existence just 4-6 years ago!

Then talk with your spouse and child and see what is the best educational option for that student for meeting your goals and the student's goals. That very well may be going to a traditional school, and that would be great. Just don't decide that out of fear, or thinking that the school is offering something that you can't compete with until you see what you would be able to do at home. ?

Wishing you and your family all the best, whatever form your high school educational journey takes! Warmest regards, Lori D.

Edited September 13, 2018 by Lori D.

[Teachin'Mine]

I don't think the problem is the number of classes, it's how much time the online AP classes are taking and how stressful she's finding them to be.  It sounds like the academic level is right, just not the method.  Could she drop down to one or two of those online classes and take the dropped ones, or others, at the community college?  The pace for the semester college classes is fast, but I would guess that there's much less "wasted time" than with the online AP classes.   If she's able to enroll, there might be a class she'd like to take even this semester with a later start date.  Or she could take just one or two next semester to ediease the transition for next year.   If she's a student who studies well on her own, then she may find that studying one or two of the AP subjects on her own would suit her better than keeping to the class schedule with homework, assignments and tests.  Just a thought.  Some of this may have already been answered as I haven't read through the whole thread, so my apologies if it has.

[LNC]

Thanks everyone for thoughts and advice. I think I will update in a month about how things look. She dropped one weekly afternoon volunteer comittment - she has 100s of volunteer hours certified as a 10th grader, but with increased academics has to slow down just a bit.

 

She also got study advice from an AP class TA which really ecouraged her. The class first 2 test grades were low class wide, and the teacher said by far the hardest of the year, which the TA confirmed based on her previous experience in the class.

 

She is almost caught up in English, by Tues, and is finding that workload manageable, yet rigorous, now. I dont think she will be working "all" weekend like the last two, so we can plan a fun outing with friends.

 

I showed her this thread, and she enjoyed reading it. She said she wouldn't enjoy taking high school level classes anymore now that she has experienced AP. So I guess I am not not ruining her life! I will update about if grades, time management and efficiency improve in a month. Maybe our rough start can help someone else!

[Mom22ns]

I showed her this thread, and she enjoyed reading it. She said she wouldn't enjoy taking high school level classes anymore now that she has experienced AP. So I guess I am not not ruining her life!

 

I'm glad to hear you're not ruining her life  :thumbup:

 

I would point out that doing "high school level classes" can vary a lot as a homeschooler. Many of our high school level courses have used college text books as the spine. The only difference between what we do and AP is that we aren't prepping specifically for a test (although my kids sometimes CLEP at the end) and that we move following our interests and a pace we deem reasonable, rather than a pre-approved syllabus. It doesn't have to mean a shallower study and could actually mean greater depth to her study if she drops the AP and studies independently, but as her interest and time leads.

 

Just another though. I'm glad things are beginning to level out and you are both feeling better!