Course load for the next four years?

Pre-College Issues Home Schooling and College
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I've only been homeschooled since January of this year. I'm British, so our high school, etc is different to yours but in your system, I'd be starting my freshman year in September. So, obviously, I'm currently planning for my courses over the next four years. I am basically given the freedom to choose what I learn and my mum is very rarely over my shoulder though I do appear at random moments to ask her something about a Constitutional Law lecture I've seen on youtube. So basically, I have freedom to learn but that also means that I plan things too but that's my decision. I'll be choosing the courses I do, I'll be learning the material. So yep. </p>

<p>I love the American way of courses, etc since we don't really do maths in the same way over here. And yep, we call it maths, not math. So I want to do it proper with courses and stuff though I'll still be doing it 'electively', if you like. And my mum still won't be over my shoulder grading papers, etc. I'll probably be going up to her every now and again, asking her to read it then point out any errors but assessment and grades wise I'm hoping to grade myself from tests, etc. Whether they're practise tests done at home or SAT IIs/GCSEs will depend on the subject.</p>

<p>Anyway, here's what I'm thinking of doing my freshman year.</p>

<p>MATHS
I'll be taking the placement tests on Teaching Textbooks to find out where I should start then I'll be taking that course. I'll also be taking Accounting alongside that for a GCSE in it.</p>

<p>ENGLISH
English Lit (Lots of reading. I figured not only do I enjoy reading, it might also help my SAT.)
Creative Writing (I'll be attempting NaNoWrimo in November - writing a novel in a month. I'll also be working on a few creative writing projects, hoping to attempt getting a couple published. I've also had a couple of reports read out on the radio, one of which I have a certificate for but the others got lost in the post.</p>

<p>SCIENCE
Biology (Studying for IGCSE/SAT II. Campbell Biology & Longman Biology for IGCSE.)
I also have an uncle who retires in a month or two and he's a science teacher who should be useful for this subject ;D</p>

<p>HISTORY
American History ()
Psychology (For some reason this is under history on the HSLDA's high school booklet. But anyway, it's what I'm considering majoring in in college. Textbook will be Barron's AP Psychology. I'll also be reading various books from the library and listing them too. I'm very interested in research about this too. Using some resources from [here[/url</a>] also.)</p>

<p>LANGUAGES
French (For IGCSE/SAT II w/o listening. Any recommendations for textbooks? I've been taught French in school since I was 4 but I had a teacher that taught us the same stuff over and over until we reached 11. We actually didn't write in french until we went up to secondary school at 12 and didn't have her as a teacher. But I also did french from then until January when I was fourteen and I'm planning on attempting it again.)
Latin (For SAT II w/o listening. I haven't learnt any of this before but I'd like to try it. Also looking for textbooks?)</p>

<p>OTHERWISE
I might be trying some graphic design/programming stuff here. We've just recently got Photoshop CS4 and I taught myself HTML when I was 9 and I've since learnt odd bits and pieces of CSS & such but not a lot so I'd like to get into this again. I'm also going to dig out my mums college books when she did computer maintanance and networking (I think) a couple of years ago.</p>

<p>Other than that, I'm open to suggestions. I'm also wondering if you think I'll be overloading myself on that? I don't know what the norm is.</p>

<p>Anyway, grading wise. Like I said, tests/practise tests. Some textbooks seem to have quizes for each chapter online if they're actual school books. So they'd be quizes. So yes, I might also ask my mum to submit the courses with AP textbooks to be classed as AP. 'Cause you have to submit the syllabus to put AP on your transcript apparently. I don't think I'll be taking AP exams unfortunately because AP won't give me any information unless I call them and the only school I can find that does do them doesn't have an email and is all the way down south and I'm quite far up north so I don't know if that'd work. Anyway, I'll be taking the SAT. I'm hoping to get as high a score as I can (as is everyone else ;D) but what does everyone think about putting SAT Prep on my transcript? Good or bad idea?</p>

<p>Other than that, I was wondering about extra curriculars? We're not really 'big' on them over here. We're not really all that big on sports either unless it's dance for girls or football for boys and dance doesn't really do it for me. So basically, I was planning on working part time from when I'm 16-18 and from when I turn 15 (October, a month into my freshman year) I'm planning to volunteer in a Red Cross shop nearby. I've also been told I'd enjoy volunteering at the Citizens Advice ([url=<a href="http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/%5Dhere%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/]here](&lt;a href="http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Brain-and-Cognitive-Sciences/index.htm%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Brain-and-Cognitive-Sciences/index.htm)&lt;/a&gt;). Basically everything I'm planning on doing, I plan on sticking at though. I'm not gonna drop it easily. But yes, my extra curriculars would be volunteering all four years and working two years. But would that be enough for Ivy League. I'm hoping to intern/volunteer with Invisible Children during my summer at college but I doubt future stuff would be taken into account. But yes, would my extra curriculars be a big let down?</p>

<p>Okay, that was longer than it was supposed to be. Sorry. S: Opinions? (:</p>

2

<p>Okay, can’t be bothered reading that? I’m not suprised : D Here’s the short version.</p>

<p>MATHS:
Algebra I
Accounting (IGCSE)</p>

<p>ENGLISH:
British Lit (SAT II?)
Creative Writing</p>

<p>SCIENCE:
Biology (SAT II & IGCSE)</p>

<p>HISTORY:
American History (SAT II)
Psychology</p>

<p>LANGUAGES:
French (SAT II & IGCSE)
Latin (SAT II)</p>

<p>OTHER:
Graphic Design
Programming</p>

<p>ECs:
Planning on volunteering @ Red Cross Charity Shop after I turn 15
Planning on working from 16-18
Planning on volunteering @ Citizen’s Advice 16-18
Hoping to volunteer/intern with Invisible Children during college summers</p>

<p>Any other ideas for things I could possibly do? We’re not big on extra curriculars over here. S:</p>

3

<p>If you are drawn to a more traditional approach (and it seems like you from what you’ve written), then that plan looks fine for a freshman year. Basically you want to hit the 5 core subject areas (math, English, science, social science, foreign language) and take challenging courses in those areas.</p>

<p>I would not put SAT test prep down on your transcript, nor should you use Barron’s or any other test prep book as your primary text to study a subject. If you’re at a loss of what books to use, try checking at some colleges and see what texts they are requiring for their lower division entry-level classes. You can usually find that information at the college bookstore’s website.</p>

<p>For foreign language you could try Rosetta Stone. They are highly recommended, or for Latin an online course might be your best bet.</p>

<p>Rather than thinking in terms of ECs, you might do better to think about what you LOVE and putting time and energy in that.</p>

4

<p>I am drawn to a more traditional approach now, though I haven’t been doing anything in a traditional way since I left school in January. My mum wants me to go to a local sixth form college for my a-levels when I turn 16 whereas I’d like more freedom of doing them through a correspondance course so we’re not sure about that yet. </p>

<p>Thank you for the advice on textbooks and SAT prep. I’ll look into textbooks again. (: </p>

<p>I’ve heard a lot about Rossetta Stone too. I don’t think we can afford it at the minute though but I could probably spend a month or so working on revising what I already know before I go any more in depth with it since I haven’t done much in the way of French since I left school.</p>

<p>Latin, I actually found a Latin course that’s free and supposed to take 3-5 years and it’s got audio and uses a textbook that’s free online so I’m actually considering that. I think it’s called Latinum? (:</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice on ECs too. I was hoping to put a lot more effort into my writing & attempt to get some things published if I can. I can’t really draw & I’m not a very arty person. Same goes for music, unfortunately. I played flute for a while in school but dropped it after the head of music irritated me too much.</p>

<p>I do have a guitar now though that I was hoping to learn to play eventually. I might start actually concentrating on that now, whether I’m musical or not ;D </p>

<p>I’m probably aiming to high but I was hoping to apply to Ivy schools & I know ECs are even more important for them so any recommendations for new things to try? I don’t want to do them purely because they’ll look good on my application though. (:</p>

5

<p>I agree - don’t list AP prep books, or _____ for dummies as textbooks, get collegiate-level texts if you can.</p>

<p>Unless you’re going for a completely non-technical major at a LAC college, I’d suggest going for at least Calculus I/Differential Calculus/AP Calculus AB by “senior” year for your “maths” lol.</p>

<p>As far as programming goes, HTML and CSS is pretty weak. I’d suggest getting into at least JavaScript, where the flow of the program can be altered by loops and whatnot (CSS and HTML “programs” only have one way to be read/interpreted, ideally, and aren’t really considered programming to some)</p>

<h2>But would that be enough for Ivy League.</h2>

<p>It’s quality, not quantity as much - do something to set yourself apart, something that shows you have initiative, leadership and that shows you’re altruistic. Also try and delve into EC’s that aren’t purely academic.</p>