Our daughter is 5 years old and we are considering home schooling her. However, we are concerned that our decision may have a negative impact on college and career options. A few notes: My wife is a stay at home mom whom will be the primary teacher. She has an AS degree with the local community college. I work 50 hours a week but will supplement her teaching focusing on math, science and technologies considering that I have a BS degree in chemistry and a MBA in Technology Management. We have home schooled her so far but with her 6th birthday approaching next week and 1st grade starting in August … a decision needs to be made. Current status: She is reading quite well and seems to be far ahead of her friends who are enrolled in the public kindergarten class. She is also doing quite well with math (addition / subtraction) and knowing a wide-variety of subjects such as reading time, months, days, …. Etc. She also attends piano and dance lessons outside of the home. We believe that there are many advantages to home schooling but there are concerns on how this may negatively impact her college and career options. Any feedback and comments would be appreciated.
Hi and welcome to the spot. My advice is to not worry. I do not believe that being homeschooled with negatively effect a child with regard to a career or college. I believe that being homeschooled makes a more well rounded child and it is just as easy for a homeschooler to get inot a good college as it is for a public schooled child. I had the same concerns at first to be honest. Now I know better. You and your wife are more than adequately prepared to teach at home and it sounds to me like you have done a fine job so far. My advice is to not worry and not push her too much at a young age. Many times people will load on lots of work on a small child because they have a fear of that child being "behind" the ps kids. In reality ps kids are usually behind the homeschooled child.
Most colleges these days not only accept homeschool students, but welcome them eagerly. Many (but not all, of course) homeschool kids get great scholarships to major (not just small, unaccredited colleges, etc) universities. Of course you don't know at this point what college your children would be interested in going to, but just to satisfy your own concerns, you might look into the enrollment requirements are for a range of universities around you. Here are some articles that HSLDA has on their site about colleges and homeschoolers: http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/Issues/C/College.asp
Welcome! It sounds like your daughter is blooming and thriving with homeschooling. We're still relatively new to it (13 months and going strong), but I so wish I had started my oldest in K. She attended a great school but I can see that she would have blossomed in her love of learning more...she's slowly finding it again. And my younger 2 are as well. My youngest is doing K (some 1st grade) work this year. I can tell that he'll thrive so much better at home given his specific interests. Best advice would be read everything you can get your hands on about homeschooling, check out HSLDA and your state homeschool groups. I have several friends whose completely homeschooled kids are in college and excelling or just got accepted...many with great scholarships. And honestly, if you decide down the road to have her go to private or public school for middle/high school, the tools she gets now at home can only help her. When we started, I didn't really think all that much about high school and now I can see us schooling all the way thru. Welcome again!!
I just don't see how it could negatively impact college or a career. Maybe after you start looking into it more you will find that homeschooled children thrive and have more advantages available. Take a look at the other threads on homeschooling in the news and look for articles throughout this website. Also,check around for local homeschool groups. Our public library also has several things to do for homeschool famillies.
We choose to homeschool primarily because the schools in our area just were not an option. We made sacrifices to avoid them. Other reasons that weighed heavily were philosophical and religious. Additonally student teacher experience, sunday school teaching, summer missions teaching, and many other experiences including teaching indoor field trips in the PS system where I was a "mad scientist" cummulatively gave more negative impressions of what was happening in the schools. Listening to the children tell what they were experiencing on a day to day basis in many different PS's in our area was disheartening to say the least. I often left our time together on the brink of tears. Total that up with the fact that I went through PS with a slight learning difference that was not addressed leaving me squandering potential as I struggled to finish tests where I finished 65-75 percent of material and getting the same grade. As a kid I had neighbors who attended a private school where they used self paced materials. I was green with envy. All through school I understood and retained more than most of my classmates, read advanced materials for liezure etc and still was barely passing in many subjects. I realized that one size does not fit all. This was confirmed later when despite the fact that I was not sucessful in higher math in HS, I went through Calculus III in college. I did not want my kids to be boxed, tracked, or otherwise categorized early on as my spouse and I had been. We currently plan to send our students to private high school so they can transition later. How ever we are not concerned, for If we homeschool throughout, we will just have them take a GED or other exam and enter a small Jr. college, or private college. Of course we will prepare for and have them take the ACT and SAT as well. It is my opinion that students are better off not being sent away to large state institutions right off anyway. The student to prof ratios are horrendous, and often they only see GTA's anyway. It is hoped that as we see our childrens areas of talent we can encourage them and offer additional opportunities in those areas. Such experiences will only further develope them for success in the world of work.
I would not worry at all about college. My one nephew who was homeschooled from early elementary school all the way through high school is going to be graduating from our local community college and then attending one of the best science/ technology schools in our state starting in the fall. I know of quite a few homeschool kids in our area that are now attending excellent colleges and universities.
I am just starting as well, but I would like to add two notes. First in my family there are 3 HS kids who are going to a major college on full ride 4 year scholarships. One is 21 and will graduate with his Masters in Aerospace Eng. in May. with honors. All 3 of these kids were able to decide early on what they wanted to be when they grew up because of the vast experiances and chance to explore their possiblies. Also they were able to specialize their studies to things they were intrested in and see if they really wanted to do those things. They also love learning and enjoy the process. Second, I think you should take it one year at a time. Who knows what the future may hold for our nation, or your family. Plan for 1st grade if you make it through there then shoot for 2nd grade. and so on... I hope this helps at least a little bit. You can read lots of books that show that HS kids are better off at College.
WELCOME! I agree with the other ladies. Also think about it: Why would it be that you've done so well so far, but you suddenly aren't good enough for your dd now? It's not true at all! Not only are you guys well educated (which, to tell the truth, doesn't truly matter in how well you homeschool, but it can make people feel better if they know you're educated....for whatever reason), but you obviously love your child and want the best for her! What teacher is going to love and be as concerned about the welfare of your child as you are? NONE! They can't, they don't have time, and often children get lost in the crowded schoolroom, and pick up the habits of 20 or more other kids all her same age. How could that be better than what you've been doing all along?!!! I think you'd do great to homeschool!
I wouldn't worry about it! Just last night we went out to eat with my cousin and I met her boyfriend for the first time. He and all of his siblings were homeschooled, and he is about to go to law school, one is working on her PhD, one was a National Merit Scholar, and the other got a scholarship to college as well. So it can be done!
There is no real need to worry. Colleges are starting to seek out homeschool students. In fact, some are jumping on board and working to offer classes online to High School students so they will be more likely to attend their particular school upon graduation. My nieces were both homeschooled all the way through. Both are attending a local college and making a 4.0 grade point average. One of them received several scholarships. The schools were more than happy to accept them when they saw their ACT scores. Hope this helps.
From a parent who is researching the college and carreer avenue for her soon to be 12th grader who homeschooled mostly but went out last couple years and my home school again; don't worry! There are so many scholarships out there specifically for Homeschoolers at big universities even that I am not worried. Stanford, Berkley, Azuza Pacific, etc! Thats west coast but I know it is that way all over. We were concerned in this area as well up until a few weeks back when we found out the sky is the limit!
