In the home school it is not necessary to specifically differentiate ninth grade from tenth, or tenth from twelfth for that matter, except as necessary in relating to the rest of the world (Sunday school, etc). Rather, be sure that courses follow in logical progression (do not start Advanced Math before Algebra I).
A minimum outline of college preparatory work will look like this:
English - 4 credits (Must include Composition and Literature; Recommended to include Research, and Public Speaking)
Social Studies - 3 credits (Must include World History, U.S. History, State History; Recommended to include Government or Civics, and Economics)
Mathematics - 3 credits (Must include Algebra I and II, or Algebra I and Geometry; Recommended to include additional 2 credits in Trigonometry and Advanced Math.)
Science - 3 credits (Must include Physical Science and Biology; Recommended to include additional 2 credits in Chemistry and Physics with labs-see discussion below)
Fine or Practical Arts - 2 credit (Music, Visual Arts, Home Economics, etc.)
Physical Education/Health - 2 credits
Foreign Language - 2 credits
Electives - 5 credit
One credit in high school is traditionally accepted to be one year of a subject working forty minutes per day for 180 days (or 120 hours), plus homework. In the home school, students do not waste the huge amount of time that is wasted in the classroom, so the same amount of work may take your student much less time. College bound students should have a minimum of twenty credits, being sure to cover all required subjects.
You will want to tailor work in the later phases of high school to fit the college study goals your child anticipates. For instance, if he/she wants to study in a field of science, another two years of math and science are recommended. In choosing electives, you can use a subject of interest. Be aware, however, that most state funded colleges do not consider Bible a valid elective. Also, be sure to keep your child's uniqueness in mind when you design his/her course of study.
For exact minium graduation requirements for the state of Oklahoma, visit the following link.
This brochure from HSLDA is also helpful in preparing a 4-year program for high school.
Developing a High School Program--Sample 4 year Plans
If Your Child is in Grade 11 or 12......
Be sure your child registers by the deadline for the ACT. The ACT is typically given in the fall and spring of the junior year and fall of the senior year. Your child can take the test more than once to improve his or her score. You can find schedules and practice online at http://www.act.org Another helpful site is http://www.actprepinfo.com
Attend a college or job fair with your child.
Help your child narrow his or her choice of college.
Encourage your child to consider mentoring younger students or providing some form of voluntary community service.
Check into a Job Shadowing program at places of interest to your child. This allows your student to gain first hand experience in a field they might have some interest in pursuing.
Get a Career Assessment for your student. This will help them and you determine what path best suits them. You can then plan your classes to that end.
CAREER ASSESSMENT NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Francis Tuttle is making the Discover Career Assessment
available to homeschoolers to take at home online.
You need to contact Mary Brundage of Francis Tuttle and give her your address
and she will mail you a password to gain access to the assessment. It takes
approximately two hours but you can exit and return as needed. Her phone number
is 717-4277. She said to feel free to leave your phone number, address and a
description of what you need on her voice mail if she is away from her desk. She
will follow up with you as soon as possible.
Other resources are available at:
Investigate concurrent enrollment programs. These programs allow qualifying juniors and seniors to take college courses for credit. Some colleges offer free tuition for high school juniors and seniors. Here are a couple for you to look into. Many of the classes are available online to do from home.
OSU-OKC CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS
Are you considering concurrent enrollment for your high school junior or seniors?
They can begin accumulating college hours for free tuition at OSU-OKC as soon
as this Summer. They get free tuition but must pay for fees. For more information
and a copy of the guidelines and an application go to the following website:
Kadie Ramsey is the recruiter. Give her a call and she will help your student get enrolled.
The phone number for more information at OSU-OKC is 945-3216.
REDLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT
Perhaps the best way to describe the value of Concurrent Enrollment
classes at Redlands is to highlight the combined benefits of saving both time
and money. You’re saving TIME, because you’re taking full advantage of your
junior and senior years in high school. You’re saving money by taking college courses
NOW, at today’s cost, regardless of where you eventually choose to attend college.
For more information about attending RCC or to receive an admission packet,
contact Student Services at (405) 262-2552, ext. 2417, or e-mail
studentservices@redlandscc.net. Trisha is the counselor you would talk to.
CLEP tests are also available and give full credit for a fraction of the cost. Students can begin taking the CLEP test as soon as they have mastered the information in that subject area, such as Math, Science, English, History, Foreign Language, etc. The cost for the test itself is $50 and can be taken on very short notice at the campus of their choice. Some colleges may charge an additional fee.
Encourage your child to explore taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses and get a head start on college.
Tour the college campuses your child is considering.
As you do your research, the moderators from HSLDA's Homeschooling Thur High School website have passes along
some of the parameters you will want to keep in mind :
College size--Large and small colleges each have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example,
large colleges have a wide range of majors (helpful for when a student starts out in one major, but later
determines he or she is really interested in pursuing another). On the other hand, smaller schools often
have smaller classes with professors who are more approachable and able to make themselves
more available outside of class.
Proposed major--Not all colleges offer all majors. Certain colleges are well-known for specific majors, while some
concentrations that are not as sought after may only be offered at a few colleges nationwide.
School websites list their majors and often will let you know if a particular major necessitates particular high
school courses for admission. Students in high school may have no idea what major they may want to consider, but
if they are interested in two or three different possible majors, you may want to be sure that a particular
college offers all three of the possibilities or a transfer to another school may be required.
Location--Location is an important factor when choosing a college. How far from home do you want your student to be?
Will she be coming home for weekends? Is the school within driving distance, or will it necessitate plane fares for each
trip home? Also consider whether the college is urban, in a small town, or in a rural area.
Secular or Christian--Carefully consider whether or not a secular or Christian school will best fit your child's education.
To help you narrow down your search for a college, the College Board website (www.collegeboard.com) has a great
college search engine. Just specify your parameters and the search engine will bring up a listing of colleges that match
Cost--Consider all costs including tuition, books, fees, room and board if relevant, and the cost of a computer (an essential
these days). Also, consider miscellaneous types of fees such as school supplies, clothes, cost of transportation, etc.
Proximity to a sound local church--Check to see if there is convenient transportation provided to local churches each week
and if the church of your choice is student friendly (Do they encourage members to adopt a student?). Take time to visit
possible churches with your student during the campus visit. Doing such homework and searching out a good local
church is extremely important. Also, investigate the campus ministries that will be available to your student.
For some families, this may be completely new information, but learn as you go and remember that we are here to support
and help you through the college process.
Printed with permission from HSLDA Homeschooling Thru High School Newsletter. http://www.hslda.org/highschool
Make sure admissions applications are sent in to the colleges your child is interested in attending.
Obtain financial aid forms from the colleges your child is considering. Complete the forms as soon after January 1 as possible of your child's senior year.
Set up a record-keeping system to monitor your student's progress and keep some type of written record of educational experiences. This information can be recorded by hand in a journal or professionally with a computer program. The following is a list of known homeschool record keeping programs for the computer with links to their websites. The first two I know will print out a professional looking transcript from the information you enter.
Last, but certainly not least, prepare your student spiritually. This article from HSLDA's Homeschooling Thru High School Newsletter leads us to a great start.
SPIRITUAL PREPARATION
Spiritual preparedness is crucial for your student as he enters this next phase of his life.
Below are some suggestions and tools to help you in this process.
First, we recommend that you and your child set aside a special time to pray together as you
explore this next phase of his educational journey.
Second, help your student develop a biblical worldview that he is able to articulate. You can start this
process by asking him to write out his own personal spiritual manifesto--what he believes and why. As
preparation, consider having him read Paul Little's books, "Know What You Believe"
"Know Why You Believe"
Organizing and articulating his thoughts will challenge him to evaluate his core convictions and let you
both know where he is in his spiritual journey.
You might also consider sending him to camps such as Worldview Academy or Summit Ministries or have
him sign up for the Generation Joshua high school program. Most of these opportunities are offered in the
summer, so you can choose one close to his departure for college. For more information about these
programs, check out this site:
Third, to help you and your student further understand where he is in his thinking and what college might be the
best fit for him, have regular chats together. Discuss topics you feel are important: what
he wants to do with his life, what are his gifts, church attendance during college, Christian ministries on campus,
Christian friends, and other like topics. Encourage him to think through his responses to peers who might urge
him to participate in drinking, sex, or online gambling. Formulating his convictions in these areas now can help him
resist peer pressure later.
Last, parents--keep on praying!
Printed with permission from HSLDA Homeschooling Thru High School Newsletter. http://www.hslda.org/highschool
