Would this have a negative impact on son's future?

[Janeway]

Background..he home schooled through 10th grade. He was not weak on subjects at all. In 10th grade, he did an outsourced history and literature class and writing class. We did science at home, which included biology (science shepherd) and astronomy (used nephew's college textbook plus stuff from Great Courses and events at a state university), math through algebra 2 (using Derek Owens for algebra 2). Then he got in to the classical school. Since he loved philosophy and all that, he wanted to back up and start in 10th grade there. This was fine as in our state, you do not have to register your grade level or anything so they let him go in to 10th. I simply omitted some classes on his transcript in order to make it so he could start in 10th grade. After two years in the charter school, he was done with it. I tried to convince him to stick it out for senior year and he did not want anything to do with it. He turned 18 yrs old at the beginning of the year. We let him leave. We had not decided yet if we would tell him he has to transfer to the local public school or home school. I decided to tell him to just try the local public school. Their classes are on a block system so he could start end of October and complete some entire classes. He took US History and Economics. All he has left that he needs to graduate at the public school is 1 science class, that is it. But, for the spring, they put him in astronomy (which is okay, it won't hurt to review), Latin 4 (again, is okay, he already tested out of Latin 4, it will be an independent study so he can actually study higher level stuff), Ap English (not really okay, he already has dual enrollment credit for English so he will not be able to receive credit for this at most of the schools he is considering going to) for the spring. At home, my husband has been wanting him to work on computer science and son has put a bunch of work in to a program my husband had him doing. Apparently, according to my husband (this is my husband's career) son is doing great and has done tons of work. 

 

My husband is asking me why son cannot just home school to finish high school. It is too late to do dual enrollment. He has already been admitted to all the colleges he is interested in at this point. Husband wants son to focus on computer science and math as he has already had tons of the other stuff. 

 

Is there any reason to say no, he just needs to go? I feel like it does not hurt to send him...it is just a waste of time kind of. But then he gets the diploma from the public school. I mostly worry that a college that already admitted him will raise their eye brows at him attending the public school for nine weeks and then home schooling the rest of the year, after having attended the classical school for a few weeks at the beginning of the year.

[catz]

I think I would contact those admission departments directly and ask.  

[Lanny]

Are you positive that the Public High School can and will accept his previous courses, when he was Home Schooled and then in the Classical school / Charter school?  If you are in TX, I do not believe they can accept HS courses towards a High School Diploma.  High School isn't a good time for a student to be switching around and now he is a Senior.

I agree that the OP (it will be much better if her DS does this and not his mom) contacts the Admissions Departments of the Colleges and Universities the DS is applying to and ask them for guidance and comments about what they would do, if they were in the shoes of the DS here.

Good luck to him!

[Janeway]

1 hour ago, Lanny said:

Are you positive that the Public High School can and will accept his previous courses, when he was Home Schooled and then in the Classical school / Charter school?  If you are in TX, I do not believe they can accept HS courses towards a High School Diploma.  High School isn't a good time for a student to be switching around and now he is a Senior.

I agree that the OP (it will be much better if her DS does this and not his mom) contacts the Admissions Departments of the Colleges and Universities the DS is applying to and ask them for guidance and comments about what they would do, if they were in the shoes of the DS here.

Good luck to him!

They already did. He has been in public school for the last few years. He is 18 yrs old now.  The classical school was a charter school which is a public school. He left there and started the local public school in October. His preference was to just finish high school as a home schooler but I wanted him to just try the local public high school. They have a block system so he would be in all new classes in the spring..well..starting next week. My husband feels like he is wasting his time. He wanted our son to take things like computer science and for the spring, the public school has him in things like Ap English (son already has dual enrollment English so none of the colleges he is likely to attend will take credit for both), Latin 4 (he already has tested out of this but they did not take test out credit) and astronomy (we did in 9th grade but it is not on the transcript).  I am trying to get the school to let him take calculus instead of English. His transcript from the charter school gives him 4 or 5 English credits already so he does not need another English to graduate. 

[GoodGrief]

So, on his transcript he has 9th grade homeschooled, 10-11th charter, and 12th (since October) in a traditional public school?

When he applied to colleges, the app listed the plan to take spring classes at the public school? But he really just requires one more class for graduation?

I think first  I might talk to the high school and see if he can just do the science class and still graduate from there. To drop out of a traditional system with one semester remaining to homeschool without extenuating circumstances will probably not look good on paper. It won't matter once he graduates from college, but if something happens to derail that plan, this might be an issue.

If the high school approves his taking just the one class, I'd talk to the colleges and see how the change in plan for the spring would affect admission.

 

[Lanny]

I am not familiar with the regulations that apply to Classical Schools or Charter Schools in Texas. I believe the OP is in Texas. I am very familiar with the regulations that apply to a Public High School in Texas (under TEA regulation) issuing a High School Diploma, because my DD was subject to those regulations and her Diploma is here in the house.

OP, the requirements for a High School Diploma  included five (5) EOC examinations. Has your DS taken and passed those? If not, will the Classical school or Charter school be able to issue a High School Diploma to him without proof that he's passed those exams?

How did he do on the ACT and SAT exams?

I see Rigor, previously, but at the moment, one course isn't Rigor and that's one thing they will be looking for.

At this time, is he working or volunteering or something that will add to his application?

Good luck to him!

 

[EKS]

I would either stick with the plan for spring that you indicated on his college applications or contact the colleges and ask what they think.

[Lanny]

Has he taken Chemistry and Physics? I reread the OP but didn't see those mentioned. I saw Astronomy.

[Janeway]

16 hours ago, GoodGrief1 said:

So, on his transcript he has 9th grade homeschooled, 10-11th charter, and 12th (since October) in a traditional public school?

When he applied to colleges, the app listed the plan to take spring classes at the public school? But he really just requires one more class for graduation?

I think first  I might talk to the high school and see if he can just do the science class and still graduate from there. To drop out of a traditional system with one semester remaining to homeschool without extenuating circumstances will probably not look good on paper. It won't matter once he graduates from college, but if something happens to derail that plan, this might be an issue.

If the high school approves his taking just the one class, I'd talk to the colleges and see how the change in plan for the spring would affect admission.

 

When he applied to all these schools, he had not withdrawn from the charter school yet. He did all the applications back in August. He has already been admitted and has scholarship offers. We are just waiting on financial aid to made final decision.

[Janeway]

1 hour ago, Lanny said:

Has he taken Chemistry and Physics? I reread the OP but didn't see those mentioned. I saw Astronomy.

He took biology, chemistry, and physics, all officially on the transcript, all preAP/honors. We did astronomy too, but never put it on the transcript.

 

My hunch is that he should just finish at the public school and see if he can drop the English and take calculus instead. His school counselor wants him in English instead of calculus, claiming colleges might withdraw his admission if he does not. I have spoken to all except one college and they all say they would not withdraw his admission based on that. He already has 4 credits in English. What my husband wants us to do is take him out of public school and let him home school for this last semester and do the calculus, computer science at home. 

[Janeway]

3 hours ago, Lanny said:

I am not familiar with the regulations that apply to Classical Schools or Charter Schools in Texas. I believe the OP is in Texas. I am very familiar with the regulations that apply to a Public High School in Texas (under TEA regulation) issuing a High School Diploma, because my DD was subject to those regulations and her Diploma is here in the house.

OP, the requirements for a High School Diploma  included five (5) EOC examinations. Has your DS taken and passed those? If not, will the Classical school or Charter school be able to issue a High School Diploma to him without proof that he's passed those exams?

How did he do on the ACT and SAT exams?

I see Rigor, previously, but at the moment, one course isn't Rigor and that's one thing they will be looking for.

At this time, is he working or volunteering or something that will add to his application?

Good luck to him!

 

His SAT was 1450 I think..something around that range, 1400+, not above 1500. His PSAT index was 220, missing NMSF by 1 point. He took the Latin subject test and had a 760. He has taken no other subject tests.

[Janeway]

3 hours ago, Lanny said:

I am not familiar with the regulations that apply to Classical Schools or Charter Schools in Texas. I believe the OP is in Texas. I am very familiar with the regulations that apply to a Public High School in Texas (under TEA regulation) issuing a High School Diploma, because my DD was subject to those regulations and her Diploma is here in the house.

OP, the requirements for a High School Diploma  included five (5) EOC examinations. Has your DS taken and passed those? If not, will the Classical school or Charter school be able to issue a High School Diploma to him without proof that he's passed those exams?

How did he do on the ACT and SAT exams?

I see Rigor, previously, but at the moment, one course isn't Rigor and that's one thing they will be looking for.

At this time, is he working or volunteering or something that will add to his application?

Good luck to him!

 

Oh yes, he took all the EOCs that were required at the public school and scored well.  A charter school is a public school.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Janeway

[Frances]

7 hours ago, Janeway said:

When he applied to all these schools, he had not withdrawn from the charter school yet. He did all the applications back in August. He has already been admitted and has scholarship offers. We are just waiting on financial aid to made final decision.

So have all the colleges been notified that he changed schools and changed senior year classes from what was on his submitted applications? If not, I would start there. At this late date, I would definitely lean towards keeping him in the public high school and work on getting the best schedule. Hopefully, he can still do CS and math stuff with your husband outside of school (it sounds like Astronomy and Latin might be easy blocks for him) and during the summer, even if he ends up having to stay with the current schedule.

Edited January 4, 2020 by Frances

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

You have to call each college and ask very specifically and get a name and confirmation of the phone call via email.  Honestly, I would not do anything to jeopardize his admissions.  SO I would 100% verify, in writing, that the college admitted him based on 9-11th grades and what they want from 12th grade.

My son ended up dropping a class, and I called one college and their answer was "He is admitted on 9-11th grade, and not failing any courses needed for graduation.  Since he actually already completed all courses necessary for graduation in your state, he could actually drop every class he has and still attend.  If he FAILED every course he had, maybe, it would raise a red flag but even then it's just not how our system works....."  Which, of course, we did not do- he completed and did great in of the other all planned courses, but it was good to know that dropping one due to a concussion was no big deal. 🙂

You just really have to call.

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

Also, after calling all of them IF you decide to change plans you have to upload all of that onto the common App if I recall correctly

[Lanny]

6 hours ago, Janeway said:

He took biology, chemistry, and physics, all officially on the transcript, all preAP/honors. We did astronomy too, but never put it on the transcript.

 

My hunch is that he should just finish at the public school and see if he can drop the English and take calculus instead. His school counselor wants him in English instead of calculus, claiming colleges might withdraw his admission if he does not. I have spoken to all except one college and they all say they would not withdraw his admission based on that. He already has 4 credits in English. What my husband wants us to do is take him out of public school and let him home school for this last semester and do the calculus, computer science at home. 

 

The bolded is concerning and should be investigated.   

My DD also took Astronomy and I wonder why his transcript doesn't include Astronomy?

Question: At this time is he enrolled in a school or is he a  high school "drop out" wanting to go back and get an accredited diploma? 

FWIW, many students who take "Calculus" in High School, AP or other, are lost in engineering school and transfer into another school.  I don't see him with a STEM interest, but he has some, and your DH is certainly pushing him in that direction.

I think I understand what your DH would like him to do, and why, and I also think you issuing a Home School diploma may be the only option available to him at this time. I think you are in Texas and I have familiarity with the regulations there.

Good luck to him!

[chiguirre]

On 1/3/2020 at 10:37 AM, Janeway said:

 Ap English (not really okay, he already has dual enrollment credit for English so he will not be able to receive credit for this at most of the schools he is considering going to) for the spring.

Does he have credit for both ENGL 1301 and 1302 or just 1301? If it's just 1301, the school counselor is right that he needs another English credit that's literature focused. If he has both, make sure that the counselor knows that because AP English Lit usually counts as ENGL 1302 (if your using TCCN course numbers or its equivalent if the school has their own numbering system).

[Janeway]

18 hours ago, Lanny said:

 

The bolded is concerning and should be investigated.   

My DD also took Astronomy and I wonder why his transcript doesn't include Astronomy?

Question: At this time is he enrolled in a school or is he a  high school "drop out" wanting to go back and get an accredited diploma? 

FWIW, many students who take "Calculus" in High School, AP or other, are lost in engineering school and transfer into another school.  I don't see him with a STEM interest, but he has some, and your DH is certainly pushing him in that direction.

I think I understand what your DH would like him to do, and why, and I also think you issuing a Home School diploma may be the only option available to him at this time. I think you are in Texas and I have familiarity with the regulations there.

Good luck to him!

He is currently registered. He attended in the fall. Our local schools have a block system where they do all of one credit (up to 4 classes each fall and then spring) in one semester. So basically, a schedule might be English, History, and Latin in the fall and then Science, Math, and another Latin credit in the spring. That would be 6 credits. In the fall, he took US History and Economics. In the spring, he is supposed to take AP English, AP Latin, and astronomy. Astronomy is not on his transcript because he did that as a home schooler before starting public school. My husband is the one that thinks he should just stay home in the spring and I am the one who thinks he should just go. For how senior year has gone, he started the year enrolled at the charter school, which is a public school, but he wanted to leave and reminded me he was about to turn 18 yrs old. I wanted him to stay, but honestly, was a bit over the whole fire and brimstone act on behalf of the school. And he had the highest college board test scores out of the entire school and he was not challenged at all. 

 

I, personally, think he should just finish the year at the public school. It is my husband that thinks it would be better if he just came home, but I also think my husband won't complain if he just goes.  We did do astronomy at home, but it has been a few years and the new teacher might have a different direction to take things. The Latin is set up as an independent study so hopefully, that will compensate for son already having completed everything for AP Latin. I do think son would benefit from the calculus but not the English so if we could get those two things switched, it would be great.

[Janeway]

1 hour ago, chiguirre said:

Does he have credit for both ENGL 1301 and 1302 or just 1301? If it's just 1301, the school counselor is right that he needs another English credit that's literature focused. If he has both, make sure that the counselor knows that because AP English Lit usually counts as ENGL 1302 (if your using TCCN course numbers or its equivalent if the school has their own numbering system).

The schools on my son's list, except one of them (UTD) will not take more than one AP or dual enrollment credit in any subject. And son will not take AP exams for the most part. He won't take any with an impromptu essay component. Son has Aspergers and the only accommodation in his IEP he has that changes how a course is handled with him is no impromptu anything, mainly essays. That rules out taking the AP English exam. Baylor accepts SAT Subject test for Latin credit and son already has two years of Latin credit with them based on the score he already earned last year on that test. The liberal arts schools all do their own language test at the school and place and give credit accordingly. We have opted to not do the calculus exam just because I have read that it is beneficial to retake the actual calculus course at the school if planning to take higher level maths. The rest of the schools on his list are liberal arts schools, no universities, and they all limit what they will take in AP and dual enrollment credit. 

 

edited to add: if he did not have Aspergers, I would not be avoiding this stuff. It is his Aspergers that is making things difficult. He has low tolerance for stuff, even though he is very academically smart.

Edited January 5, 2020 by Janeway