High School Homeschooling: Preparing for College

When it comes to college, it isn't usually just the child who is nervous. Parents are as well. In a homeschool environment, parents are more so because they are taking on a number of roles occupied by different people in a traditional school setting. Here is some advice to help you to prepare your homeschooler for admission to college.
Why College?
In this day and age, the more education you have, the better you will fair in the big wide world. A high school diploma hasn't been enough for a long time. Whether you choose a trade school, a four-year university or a specialized school that caters to fashion, art, theater or music, it is important to have a firm foundation in high school in order to gain successful admittance to these centers of higher learning.
You teenager may think they know what they want to do right now, but that can change. As a parent, it is your job to give them the broadest education possible so that even if they change their mind, they are still prepared for college and a career.
Tips for Parents to Prepare your Homeschooler for College
Below you will find some advice to help you make the most of those high school years. You don't have to be a scholar to manage your child's education, just persistent.

1. Begin early - We don't mean first grade, but begin planning their high school years during the eighth grade year. Research the state requirements for graduation. Kids in traditional school attend for 180 days or roughly 1,100 hours of instruction. For a homeschooled child, each credit hour for a subject is equivalent to 180 days. So, for instance in English, 4 credit hours means that they will have to study that subject each of the four years they are in high school homeschool.


2. Talk with your teen - Since they are the one who will enter college, find out about their interests. To make high school more interesting, choose subject matter and electives that cater to their choice of career. One advantage of homeschooling is that there is more flexibility and variety when it comes to including field trips and other activities as a part of the curriculum.


3. Choose electives carefully - Colleges are looking for well-rounded students. If a foreign language is required, you don't have to choose the traditional ones. Your teen might want to study Russian or Portuguese.


4. Keep complete records - This will make it easy when completing their high school transcript and resume. Pay attention to their extracurricular activities, electives, field trips and other activities.


5. Give them every opportunity to excel - The eBook The Teenage Homeschooling Success Manual by Sophia Harris provides parents with all they need to know to encourage, motivate and help their teens find success in high school and beyond. When it comes to standardized college entrance exams (SAT, ACT), practice makes perfect. Throughout their high school career, administer several practice tests so they become familiar with the material and how the test is designed to increase their confidence level.

Homeschooling classrooms have the advantage of preparing their teens for college without extraneous issues that can plague students in traditional school.

Carolann Henderson, homeschooling mom, website editor, researcher, student of graphic design, and musician in our family bluegrass gospel band, The Hendersons. You'll find some more homeschooling curriculum reviews, general homeschooling information, free resources, tips and encouragement on my website. I also have a free gift for you that you will find instrumental in getting and staying organized in homeschooling and all areas of your life along with a free ebook to help you homeschool holidays. You can claim your free gifts by visiting my website http://www.homeschooling-road-map.com and signing up for our free newsletter. We look forward to serving you.