<p>Hi :)
I am an international student from Italy and next year I'll be a junior.
After a lot of thinking, I realized I want to be homeschooled. School's pressure is not healthy for me, but the main reason I'd like to study at home is the inability of my professors. Not all of them, of course. I feel like I am wasting my time at school: 30 hours per week, 30! In some of them, we do nothing (i.e. Religion, P.E, English) and I think some other professors are not qualified enough, because they literally read the book (I am talking about History, Art history, Philosophy, Physics) so not all, but most of my school morning is wasted (and also i have an hour of commute). Once at home I spend all my evening studying and doing homework or cooking for my family, with little time left of ecs and free time.
But from next year on, I'll have to prepare also for SATs, my college essays, my driver license and I have no time for it. Plus I'd like to learn about other subjects I do not take at school (some languages for example).
I tried talking to my parents, but they not think much of homeschooling, mostly because they believe I won't study by myself. But I will. I do enjoy learning. I do want to learn. And I can do it by myself. (If in class a professor only reads the book, at home I have to study it on my own)
Can you help me convincing them?</p>
<p>You could suggest doing an online high school. Pretty much homeschooling, but with some accountability and no need to waste time if you’ve mastered some material. I don’t know any specific ones besides the University of Texas’s online high school, which seems decent. But you should research flexible possibilities. Maybe look to take a couple of classes at a community college.</p>
<p>Homeschooling is a huge decision. Before you decide to do it, please thoroughly research it. And ask yourself these questions?
Am I able to do most(if not all) of my work on my own? Because parents can only be of so much help especially if they are not committed to your homeschooling endeavors. </p>
<p>What do you want to do after high school? I am guessing that you are a hardworking student and love learning so you probably want to go to college. Most colleges accept homeschooled students(if they meet admission requirements) but research to make sure that you will be able to meet all their regular requirements and special homeschooling requirements. Also ask yourself this question, How will I prove to colleges that I am a good candidate for their freshman class? How will I present my grades and my high school experience in a way that college admissions will understand? </p>
<p>What will I do when I can’t learn something on my own or need extensive resources that are not readily available to the average homeschooler(I don’t know what exactly your situation is)? Being a homeschooler myself, I can tell you that you will run into classes that you will want to take but can’t do on your own. What will you do in this case? Are there teachers at your old high school who can help you or professors at a local college? Consider taking classes at a local university or even at your local high school. </p>
<p>What extracurriculars are you gonna do as a homeschooler? This is one of the toughest things I have found in my experience because opportunities are not readily available to you like they are at your regular high school. You will have to search for extracurriculars on your own. For example, I run for my sport extracurricular activity. I have also gotten into yoga and want to start rock climbing in the summer. I also participate in music. I am part of the choir at my church and plan to join orchestra when I move this summer. I also have a few hobbies. Pretty much you have to find something that interests you and shows that you care about more than just your books(because even MIT wants an interesting student body) </p>
<p>Who will be your mentor? You may think that you will do just fine homeschooling independently(like without alot of parental help) but you need some one to keep you on track and offer guidance. Maybe you can convince your parents to take a more active part in your homeschooling or you can find a professor, teacher, or any other responsible adult to keep track of your progress and give you advice on various things like summer opportunities, scholarships, testing, and college admission. They should also be able to help you with extracurriculars and the like. THIS IS REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT!!! So many homeschoolers get to the end of their high school years and they don’t get into college or something and they wonder what they did wrong. Your mentor should be able to help you not to make these mistakes and be really successful. Also mentors give you outside pressure to get your work accomplished. Like you might say I need to get this chapter of chemistry done by next week, but that usually doesn’t put that much pressure on individuals because we (as human beings) are honestly not that good at pushing ourselves especially when we don’t like something. Your mentor will give you that extra push to really get stuff accomplished. So before you decide to homeschool, FIND A MENTOR!!! </p>
<p>Lastly, when deciding between homeschooling and more traditional types of school, make sure you really know your personality and situation. Unless you can provide me with more info on yourself, I can only give general information. Keep in mind that homeschooling doesn’t work well for some personalities (especially if you are going to be doing it independently) and for some situations. There are times when it would just be better to keep on going to school. BUT, if you think you can make it through the rigors of homeschool(because it is tough) it is an extremely rewarding experience. When you homeschool you will most likely be more mature, motivated, and more prepared for college life and academics than the average student. Not only is homeschooling great for your future but it is also great for your present. Being a homeschooler gives you time to learn what you want, when you want, and how you want. You can pretty much learn anything and call it a class and you can take whatever classes you want because you are your only limiting factor. You can create so many wonderful opportunities for yourself and learn so much. So I definitely want you to look into homeschooling and also look at yourself and your situation honestly. </p>
<p>If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask :)</p>
<p>I have a friend that did online schooling all through Middle School, and he ended up way ahead of everyone else, and he’s going to be graduating a year early. Also I feel as if it would be a lot more flexible with your time and activities. There are certain limitations as far as extracurricular activities go though.</p>