<p>I'm a 14 year-old soon-to-be homeschool highschool freshman (freshman on Aug. 2, e-school,) and I'm wondering what other homeschooled teens, freshman to senior, plan on doing after high school.</p>
<p>I'm probably going to vo-tech school for two years, so I'll be good enough to be employed by the military. I cannot join because I have a history of asthma. But, I can still work for them, which I'll do.</p>
<p>What about other homeschooled teens here? I know that the military, a year off, college, or straight entry into the workforce are all options. What's on your minds?</p>
<p>Well, I can tell you where my two graduates are--one is a senior at Hillsdale College, starting to look at graduate schools. The 2nd was inducted into the Naval Academy at the end of June--she's surviving Plebe Summer. She hopes to go into aviation.</p>
<p>My dd is a 15 year old always-homeschooled Sophmore who plans on going to a 4 year in-state college after graduating from high school. (She's hoping for James Madison University).</p>
<p>Right now, she's planning on majoring in Early Childhood Special Education. JMU has a 5 year Master's Program that she hopes to enroll in.</p>
<p>hsmamainva, I am always surprised when lifetime homeschoolers decide to become school teachers. :) I guess not having spent time in classrooms, they aren't tired of school buildings.</p>
<p>Another book that tells about the lives of homeschool graduates is <em>After Homeschool</em> by Tamra Orr. I'm not sure how widely available the book is, as she is a local author, but it does have a write-up on my son, among others. :)</p>
<p>I know what you mean, homeskulmom!! I wonder how she's going to appreciate the monopoly mindset of the public school system, seeing as how she's never been in it! </p>
<p>But..she's only 15 and may change her mind! She's changed career choices quite alot over the past 3 years and I'm sure that's going to change again before she even reaches college!</p>
<p>That's the reason she wants a 4 year college, where she can have that freedom to change her major without it having major reprecussions.</p>
<p>I considered being a school-teacher. I know how the school system is, considering I was in public PK-7, private school another part of 7th, public again in 8th, homeschooled since Oct 14 05.</p>
<p>But...I've been around kids already a little much in my life. I don't mean like little brothers and sisters (I don't have those, but I do have plenty of nieces to make up for it.) I mean that I've been raising my 2nd oldest niece since I was 11. I've already seen the ups and downs of being a teacher, or parent, both of which are close to the students in school...so I've decided against schoolteaching. </p>
<p>I think I'll go to tech-school for something in computers, just not sure what specifically. I think I'll just put my main focus on getting through the next year!</p>
<p>heartcross - congratulations to both of your graduates. That's proof right there that homeschoolers are just as good (and in a lot of times - academically- better than ps'ers.) My dad is dead-set against homeschooling. But since my mom is my legal guardian though he lives in the home (long story) she pretty much has 100% authority over my education. And she doesn't care what I do.</p>
<p>hsmamainva - yea, your daughter isn't the only one who's changed her mind. I've already done that about 10 times. Just comes along with being a teenager I guess, but then again there are some who know from the time their 9 or 10 what they want to do and they end up there as an adult.</p>
<p>texas137 - I have both of those books on reserve at my local library :)</p>
<p>Susantm - I bet if there was a local author here who did that, there wouldn't be that many homeschool graduates to include. :-P 'Cause it's Kentucky, and most parents are dead-set in the ways their parents went along with: sending them to school. Which makes me wonder 'cause most people didn't even go to school here 'til the 1930s... but w/e. :P</p>
<p>Actually, although it is a local author, the homeschool grads come from all over the country, and the book was published nationally. I'm not sure if there are any from Kentucky, however. :)</p>
<p>I graduated from homeschool this year, and I will be attending the University of Chicago in the fall. My major is yet undecided, though I most likely will pursue math or classics (Greek, specifically). As for my after-college plans, things are still up in the air. I have thought much about teaching, either at the high school or college level, as my experiences with tutoring grammar and writing have been excellent; I find so much joy in helping others learn, and at the same time I brush up on what I have learned, as well! Medicine, either being a doctor or pursuing research, also might be of interest to me. What I really want to do, though, is stay in school for the rest of my life, continuing to learn and obtaining adequate knowledge in most every subject. If only I could do that!</p>
<p>Katharos: although you may not be able to physically stay in school for your whole life (unless you become a teacher or a professor), you can certainly learn forever. There are more books to read than you'll ever get through, and more places to visit than you can ever see, etc. I am still amazed, in my 40s, how much there is to learn. The worst of that is that so much of what I learned when I was younger was wrong, or has changed. You'll find that will happen to you as well.</p>
<p>For instance, I have learned that literacy rates in colonial America were HIGHER than they have been since mandatory attendance in public schools was instituted. Makes ya go hmmmm....</p>
<p>Sorry, rightbehindu, I never answered your question but kind of hijacked your thread.</p>
<p>So, here's what I can tell you about kids we know who have finished homeschooling. One travels extensively throughout US and Central America but plans on attending university at age 20 or so. One is working as a camp counselor in the summer he turned 18, and is attending community college during fall, winter and spring to get his hs diploma AND AA degree. </p>
<p>My oldest is only 15 so has a few years left before hitting the road. But her plan as it stands now (subject to wild fluctuation) is that she will attend a 4-year LAC, including a study abroad year. She would also like to continue working on her art and designing. And she wants to earn money, so I don't know at exactly what age she'll attend college. The great freedom allowed homeschoolers is that it doesn't matter WHEN they attend college. She could start at 16, or 24, depending on what other life experiences she is involved in.</p>
<p>Thank you for that! Yes, the beauty of life is that one can continue to learn, which I hope to do. I just feel so idiotic at times, almost as if I knew nothing. I think being in school (homeschool, classes through a university, and on to college in the fall) has helped me, as studying almost is what I do with my free time. Ah, homeschoolers can learn all the time!</p>
<p>katharos: My mother, a very wise woman, says that feeling that you don't know anything is a sign of intelligence :) It's the people who think they know everything you have got to watch out for.</p>
<p>rightbehindu92- I have homeschooled ever since sixth grade, and now I will become a Senior this fall. As I type, I am at the computer lab at Johns Hopkins in the middle of a precollege course. My first choice is Rice since it is near home, and my second choice is here at JHU. I have not decided on my major yet, but I know that is will deal with math and science.</p>