Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

I have completed my HS education including the past 1st semester of my senior year.

I had previously home schooled for my 9th grade year then through showing a "portfolio" of work that I had accomplished at home, presented it to the high school to receive credits for what they determined by their standards of time spent and amount of written work shown.

Then for my 10th grade year I returned to the local public school. I had some personal stuff at home going on and therefore my attendance was skimpy, I barely passed with C-'s.

Then I moved to a new town and went to their public high school. I performed quite well getting all A's and B's in basic graduation required classes.

This past year I was part of the school musical in the beginning of the year but I wasn't going to school all the time. Since about Dec my attendance has dropped. I was advised to take the bare minimum requirements for graduation. Since I hadn't received credit my 9th grade year for English I have been making up for that by doubling up on English classes. But yet the problem was that the classes that I had been advised to take were all B level classes and sometimes-even freshman.

I was able to perform well on midterms/finals of my classes doing quite well (A-B). But the problem is, due to the advising of just taking bare essential classes that doesn't include any Honors, AP, or many A level classes.

I had taken a 1st semester Psychology A-level class, which I was able to get a B- on the final. This proves that I am able to do senior level work. But due to scheduling and proper advising I don't even have all of the college required classes and haven't been challenged at all.
I really, really, really would like to go to college. I'm feeling really bad that I wasn't given a fair chance at doing well in senior level classes so that I could possibly have applied and been accepted to a really good college.
What should I do?

I have chosen to homeschool for the rest of my senior year. I am going to enroll in American school so that I will be able to receive an accredited hs diploma. It is already too late to enroll in CC classes since the term has already begun.

I have a lower self-confidence about getting into college because right now there are so many holes in the college prep courses that colleges look for that I haven't taken.

Should I take some AP/CLEP exams? How would I prepare for them since I'm not in the courses?
Should I take Fall 02 and take CC courses before entering college? But then again I don't feel like entering college late into the year, especially it being my 1st year.
Are there any programs or such that I might look into doing?

Arrgg....

Is there a way that I could get a hs diploma without having to do correspondence courses?
How do homeschoolers say that they have graduated hs without getting the GED or an accredited diploma from a school? I still want to aim to finish in June or the beginning of the summer so that I could go to college.

What to do...

Jen

By Nathan (Homeschool) on Thursday, February 21, 2002 - 04:29 pm: Edit

Whew! That’s over a page long and extremely complicated. First, what is needed to graduate from a homeschool varies by state. You should probably find out exactly what the graduation requirements in your state are. Second, you can study for AP/CLEP tests through prep books made from people like the Princeton Review and Barrons. Barrons usually gives you a lot of information about the subject matter, while PR is better at preparing you in test taking strategies. My local high school signs kids up for the APs in Feb., so you may want to take that into consideration (though I am not sure if you MUST go through the public school, or can just sign up on your own and when either of those deadlines would be for you).

Third, I don’t know what “American school” is but if they do indeed offer a diploma that is accredited by the same agency that accredits most of the public schools, that would be great. If it isn’t accredited by that accrediting agency, then you should consider other ways to prove your “worth” to colleges. One way to do this is to take the GED. In fact, that’s what I suggest you do. I can tick off a list of state universities that will auto-admit a person if they have a GED and a certain SAT/ACT score and GPA. Many other state schools make the whole admissions process much easier on applicants with GEDs. Another thing you should possibly look into are SAT IIs. Math Ic, Writing, and a third one of your choice would be recommended. These really help show colleges you are capable of good work.

If you really want to go to college in the fall of this year, I think your best bet is to get a GED (as backup for that school), take the ACT and SAT if you haven’t, and consider taking SATIIs and AP/CLEP tests. I took your “really good college” remark as meaning a tier 2 and above school. Most of these school’s application deadlines have passed. However, many great schools have “rolling admissions” and have not closed down their application gears yet. Plus, you can always transfer out if you really don’t like the school or you just want to go to a different one.

If you are willing to wait a year and go to a 4-year institution in the Fall of 2003 you could finish high school and take community college classes for a year, transferring in somewhere as a sophomore.

In any case, I strongly suggest you write a supplemental essay to your application explaining your situation to your prospective colleges. This would give them a “more complete picture” and could be to your benefit if written well.

By Jennifer on Thursday, February 21, 2002 - 06:33 pm: Edit

Yes, thank you for your reply.
It is a very complicated situation and I sometimes baffle my mother to insanity! lol j/k

I see what you are saying about taking the GED.
I was thinking of using that as an option, but then I heard somewhere that colleges tend to look down on it, and don't offer as much financial aid to GED passers than they would if they had gotten their diploma. Any truth to this?

By Dadster on Friday, February 22, 2002 - 09:30 am: Edit

Do you think you do well in interview situations, Jennifer? Because of the complexity of your situation, it might really help your cause to meet with an admissions officer from each of your targeted schools (when you get to that point).

I'd try to emphasize your readiness to buckle down and become a serious college student - the multiple changes in your high school record, and the variability in grades, etc., will no doubt be worrisome to some admissions officers. In general, they are more reluctant to admit a student that they think might stay for a semester or two and then bail out. You need to sell them on the fact that the turbulent times are behind you and you are ready to work. Good luck - I'm sure you'll find a school that matches your interests and that is happy to admit you!