<p>I know I tend to be an iconoclast who challenges traditional ideas so I'm going to throw this out to let you all shoot me down before I go to far with this idea.</p>
<p>Now that we have pretty well taken care of the college search for D#1, (thanks to lots of help on CC), I am beginning to think about D#2.</p>
<p>We have homeschooled all our children from day one (told you I was unconventional). D#2, however, is attending public school this year for the first time. She is doing OK. All A's the first semester. Has a couple B's so far this semester but will likely buckle down and get them up to A's. She is intelligent, scores in the 99 percentile on most subjects in the standardized test scores. However, she does not have the same work ethic as does her older sister and is likely not on the same path toward NM status. We are not pressuring her to do that and she obviously does not feel the pressure.</p>
<p>We live literally next door to a community college. I inquired about her taking a math class this summer at the college. She could use one step up in math to keep her on track for an IB diploma. The college said "no way". They said they are not a glorified secondary school. I then asked if they would allow her to take the class if she had her GED. The college said that if she had her GED she would no longer be a secondary student and she would be welcome.</p>
<p>So that planted the idea. Why not forget high school, get her GED and start college? She isn't really that involved with the high school social scene. </p>
<p>I broached the subject and she seemed intriqued with the idea, but unsure.</p>
<p>High school seems like such a waste of time for her. She does very little homework, getting almost all of it done in class. We have to drive her to school in the morning and pick her up in the afternoon which takes a total of 1 1/2 hours a day, when we live right next door to the community college.</p>
<p>She wants to be an architect. Of course, the college doesn't offer that. But they do have most of the prerequisites...math and such.</p>
<p>Does your high school offer joint enrollment? At our HS, kids can take classes with a nearby university, and the state pays for it because it is part of their high school education. But it has to be a class that isn't offered at the HS. If the advanced math is available at the HS, you should be trying to get her in that, first.</p>
<p>I don't have any experience with the GED. Some colleges are more open to unconventional students, and I would expect them to look into the reasons behind a GED. But I suspect other colleges probably still associate a GED with "drop out" students. And I also wonder if there is an age requirement for getting a GED. (Like, must be past the age where you can actually attend HS.)</p>
<p>Many colleges have an "early admission" program where students can enroll without a highschool diploma, usually after completing their junior year in high school. I don't know the easiest way to get a list of these schools but I am sure some more informed parent here can provide a link.</p>
<p>"Why did you decide to begin to use the public school?"</p>
<p>Very insightful question Adad. We switched her to public school because we were having a difficult time motivating her at home. We thought that perhaps she would respond to other teachers. That has been true to a point. She does work harder, but still is a low achiever. It was not difficult to get all As the first semester. At this point she is basically coasting.</p>
<p>She is a 15 year old freshman but taking mostly sophomore classes. That is how they track pre-IB students at this school. The only subject she needs to advance in is math. That is the reason for the call to the college. Apparently she may be able to just skip the next level of math at the high school and she may try that. The level she is in now is called "Integrated Math 1". </p>
<p>Our schools will not let her dual enroll at this age. I do believe you need to be at least a junior.</p>
<p>I wonder if you can try again with a different individual at the cc. My S took a math class at a nearby 4-year college (but with somewhat of the feel of a cc). It was a summer class. It is not uncommon for our hs kids to take a course there to accelerate their math program. Perhaps you spoke to the wrong individual. S was between Fr and Soph year, I believe.</p>
<p>How do you feel about your D - at 15 - being at school with 18-22 year olds? How does she feel about it? I am not thinking so much of them being "bad influences", but just having commonalities for conversation between class/lunch, etc.? But since her mom is an iconoclast, maybe she is too? :)</p>
<p>Also, she has virtually just started at the hs - may not be very involved in the high school social scene, but might she be interested in ecs? clubs? sports?</p>
<p>IF the intergrated 1 in Alaska is like the INT 1 here it is a 9th grade class- I doubt the community college would allow her to take a math class there until she could get to college level- here the CCs require you to take a placement test to take English/Math.
I hate INT math but that is what we have- but in my opinion it skips over a great deal of basics and gives teachers and students the impression that they are at a higher level then they are-
You may already know about this site because you have homeschooled- but it may give info about additional materials that she could use for her math studies
<a href="http://www.mathematicallycorrect.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.mathematicallycorrect.com/</a></p>
<p>I don't think you can take the GRE until you are 18. I know a lot of homeschoolers who have taken community college courses while they were still of high school age so you might want to check if they have a different policy for homeschoolers or check out another college. There are some that are friendlier than others about highschool kids taking there courses. You need to shop around. If the math is the problem, she might want to take a summer school math school in some private venue to bump her up a level. And then have her continue in highschool, if that is what she likes. Or continue homeschooling her. I think you have the same problem many of us have for our kids who are not eager student in finding the right school or venue whether it is homeschooling, junior college, correspondence school, private school, public school..</p>
<p>GRE is very different from GED
In washington you can take GED at 16- a friend did that and entered UChicago at 17.
In Alaska you can also take it at 16 with parental permission and proof you are no longer enrolled in school.</p>
<p>I think that if she isn't able to get into the swing of the high school- that a CC would be a reasonable choice-</p>
<p>Our only other college choice is 50 miles away...</p>
<p>I have looking into a private school for math with no luck. We can always do it at home and that may be what we end up doing.</p>
<p>I agree that the integrated math is just not cutting it. The community college next door has several math classes below college level that are designed to help adult students catch up on their math skills before college algebra etc. Those are the classes in which I was hoping to enroll her. </p>
<p>She can take her GED at 16 here. Then go staight to school. I'm not to worried about the bad influences...there are plenty of them already at the high school. She can handle them. And we are only 100 yards away from the college so she can come home for lunch.</p>
<p>Emeraldkity4, thanks for the link. I saved it on favorites.</p>
<p>We used Saxon Math for our first daughter and it worked great and was good for homeschooling. For some reason D2 doesn't like it. D1 is planning to double major in physics and astronomy with math her 3rd choice for a major so Saxon Math can't be too bad. Anyone have experience with Saxon Math???</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry about the GED hampering her chances at a selective college down the road ... I have one and it didn't bother any of the Ivies etc. that I applied to -- the only college that wouldn't accept it was the U of Wisconsin!</p>
<p>You might think, though, about whether if she has a GED and enrolls full time at the CC, she may have to apply to college as a transfer student. That's not such a down side if her goal is to just get through school and start designing buildings, but if she wants to spend 4 years having "the college experience," it could be a downside to begin as a sophomore or junior. Also, if she becomes interested in highly selective schools, it's generally much harder to get in as a transfer than as a freshman. If she has any ideas about where she might like to go, ask around about those schools' policies about accepting CC credits.</p>
<p>Maybe Tokenadult will reply to you. He homeschools his children. For math, he advocates Singaporemath.
If you want to accelerate your child in math in a more structured way, you could try the distance learning programs (EPGY, CTY, CTD). They are pricey, but they come with tutors.</p>
<p>"Did your older D take any college level courses while being homeschooled? I don't remember her situation."</p>
<p>Yes, D1 did math through geometry at home and then took College Alg and Calc1 at the college next door. DW and I are not math whizzes at all, so we couldn't help. Then she took Calc2 at the U 50 miles away along with Physics and Chem. She is taking Physic2 from U of Wisc via correspondence this semester. She isn't planning to transfer any of those credits to college however.</p>
<p>I'm going to check out Singapore Math. I have heard of it but never looked into it. </p>
<p>Hanna...glad to hear the GED didn't hurt. And yes, I do believe it financial aid may be a problem...we'll see.</p>
<p>My nephew started community college at 15 and completed his AA in a year and a half. He was able to transfer to a very good four year college as a junior. He has elected to take things slowly and stay for at least three years. You are not compelled to graduate in two years if you transfer in as a junior. I would advise you to seek out someone sympathetic at the community college. If your daughter is exceptionally bright and can make a case that she is mature, etc. someone in authority can allow her to enroll. My nephew had no challenge in a country day school or at an expensive prep school. He did the CC route just to get into college as soon as possible.</p>
<p>JVD:
If your D has already taken Calc2, no wonder she is bored with 9th grade math. It has nothing to do with the specific curriculum, more with the level. I did not realize that your D had taken Calc 2 already, in which case, Singaporemath, which is only a high school program, won't help.<br>
I hope Texas137 responds to you. She homeschooled her son who is a math whizz. I believe she would recommend UT-Austin online courses. They are cheaper than EPGY and there is a wider range.</p>
<p>Mine began community college classes at 13, four-year college classes a year later, and took the GED, for purposes of the federal Byrd Scholarship, at 16. She had 66 credits by the time she left home - and not a single college or university required her to apply as a transfer student, nor even requested that she consider it. (It might be different at state u.'s - she didn't apply.) </p>
<p>MIT, by the way, has all their courses online.</p>
<p>"If your D has already taken Calc2, no wonder she is bored with 9th grade math. It has nothing to do with the specific curriculum, more with the level. I did not realize that your D had taken Calc 2 already, in which case, Singaporemath, which is only a high school program, won't help. "</p>
<p>D1 took Calc 2, Now I'm dealing with D2 who is a freshman taking Int Math 1. She basically did not do much math at home last year at all. She had a problem with motivation...and we had a problem with her lack of motivation :) </p>
<p>Now she is motivated to do well for her teachers sake and her peers. At least I think that is why she is at least doing the work. Also, she does have a goal of becoming an architect and knows she needs the math. </p>
<p>Other than her lack of motivation, she is mature for her age. She communicates very well both in written and oral form and is generally intelligent but not a genius. </p>
<p>My first goal is just to try to get her on target for an IB diploma and for that she needs to step up one level in math. Then that brought on the idea of just chucking HS and going to college now with a GED. I think this is going to take a little more thought. And of course, D2 has to be on board with what ever we do...that is always a challenge.</p>