@jean1960. Wow I think I would stay away from you at homeschooling events. My son has special needs and that is WHY we are homeschooling. It is not a crutch nor is it an excuse. It is a fact. He has to work 10 times harder than a child who does not have his specific issues. I suggest you not comment on other people’s children, especially those who you have never met in real life.
@buddy16 Before you sink money into CTY check out Thinkwell. CTY uses them for their classes and jacks up the cost by several 100%. You can use the videos directly thought thinkwell and save a ton.
I don’t understand what you mean. If saying a child has “special needs” is a “crutch,” why are you saying your children have “special needs”? Isn’t that an excuse? What is it an excuse for?
@buddy16 - I LOVE CTY courses! Are you taking it online? I usually find that the lectures online are pretty easy to follow, and I like that you can work at your own pace. However, the in-person classes are even better. When you apply to college, the Common App tells you how many recommendations are required per college. Most colleges only accept 1-2 recommendations, but some will take an additional recommendation as well. I would strongly recommend having at least one recommendation from a teacher that you have known for a while, because they can give more insight on your learning and your progress. Especially with your scores being slightly lower, good teacher recommendations that explain your other good qualities beyond scores are important. I would not submit more than 3 recommendations max because admissions are just not going to read more than 3. Your scores are what they are, and you may not get into the colleges that judge purely on scores. However, you can increase your chances by trying to schedule an interview with the school, visiting campus, and tailoring your essays to the specific programs offered by the college. I think reaching out to colleges to schedule interviews is very, very important. It demonstrates interest, and not everyone goes the extra mile. Additionally, interviews are important for home schooled applicants, because colleges are sometimes skeptical about home schooling. Showing up for an interview virtually cannot hurt you!
@travelinspace thanks so much for your response! Yes I am taking the CTY course online, I’m really enjoying it so far. the lectures online help a ton and the material is really in depth. I will definitely schedule some interviews and visit campuses I’m interested in. Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate it 
I transferred to online school during first semester which in turn meant I did not complete it at my old high school. How does sending first semester grades to colleges work with only incomplete grades? It was for medical reasons, and I’m not sure how my transcript looks now-- it may have Ds and Fs or an I for not finishing.
The school I am applying to allows you to enter your own first semester grades, so I guess to fill the requirement I will go ahead and put “incomplete” for all the classes I was formally in. Any advice is appreciated.
So glad I stumbled onto this site! You and several others here are treasure-troves of helpful info!