plans for DD/school

Pre-College Issues Home Schooling and College
1

<p>DD is 13. She attended private schools up to last year at the end of seventh grade. She's always been years above grade level in English, language, reading but she has ADHD and her lack of executive funtions made school a tourture session. She has the intellegence but she was always plagued by her organization problems. There may be a DX of aspergers added in the future.</p>

<p>In 7th grade I realized that her self esteem was suffering. The school system was determined to make her acheive a level of organizaion that simply was not possible. The school was also at a loss of what to do with her underdeveloped math ability.</p>

<p>After finally reading WTM I decided almost instantly that I would withdraw and begin home schooling.</p>

<p>I spent the last quarter of last year foucisng on math. After years of math tutors she was still about 4 years behind grade level and not showing any signs or progressing. I discovered she was a visual learner and started her on MUS. She caught up about 2 years in 9 months. She still doesnt like math but it doesnt generate tears or the blank look as it did before.</p>

<p>Now I'm at a loss of what to do next. Her English and writing level is really beyond where I feel I could be of much help to her, especially with two toddlers to care for. At 13 her SAT reading and writing scores are 580. ACT English score of 26.</p>

<p>I'm currently outsourcing writing with home2teach and Latin with either Latin in the Christian trivium or the Potter's school.</p>

<p>I'm thinking about having her take English classes at the CC online. John's Hopkins CTY classes look attractive but they are more than we can afford until I go back to work. </p>

<p>I've been talking recently with the CC. They were not terribly receptive at first but now that she sat for their placement test and scored high they've agreed to allow her to take classes for credit (with the exception of math). We just need to have any instructor sign off that their class would not contain content not appropriate for a 13 year old.</p>

<p>DD is thrilled with the idea and keeps talking about wanting to have an associates at 17 instead of a high school graduation. Keep in mind she is ADHD and is hyper focused on this right now.</p>

<p>I think she is capable but I would need to have her take the first few classes on line so that I could help teach her the organization she needs to stay on top of the classes. Right now trying to do both teaching and organizing her is too much for one person (me). I know going back to school would not be a good fit as there would be no help for her to learn the skills she needs. </p>

<p>Here is a snap shot from the past---> she get assignments from 7 teachers, normally looses assignments from 5 of them, just gives a blank stare during math and manages to complete Latin and be one of the top students in Latin. The teachers get frustrated and force her to take the consequences of the missing assignements/grades. Without most of her assessments or knowing to prepare for tests she does test well from memory and averages out most subjects with C's (along with an A in Latin and an F in math).</p>

<p>so here is my thought...</p>

<p>Let her take ENG 101 on line from the community college next fall. She would also continue with her on line Latin and writing classes. At home we focus on primarily on Math as well as organization (can I create an ongoing class for this?), Science, history and Logic.</p>

<p>Provided she gets an A in the class i would let her take 2 or 3 more the following semester with MAYBE one of them on campus.</p>

<p>does this sound feasible?
Is there anything I should think about?
Could she be eligible for financial aid or scholarships?
Could this plan jeopardize any future aid or admissions?
Should I just look into online AP courses instead?</p>

<p>I would love any thoughts on this.
Please be gentle</p>

2

<p>Well, I’m not terribly familiar with CC courses for homeschoolers (I did everything at home, no online courses) but I would like to say that all homeschoolers are eligible for financial aid and scholarships. I got scholarships at three of the schools I got accepted to (one was full tuition) and grant aid at them all without having a GPA or outside courses. As long as you follow each school’s instructions for applying for financial aid, your daughter should be as eligible as any other applicant.</p>

3

<p>My daughter took her first community college class (also English/writing) online when she was 14. She is a very organized person by nature, and she found it challenging and sometimes frustrating to deal with the mechanics of the course delivery. Reading assignments were in one place, writing in another, group discussion (contributing online postings to a discussion board) were in another, deadlines in yet another.</p>

<p>Your CC may have their online courses better organized and more user-friendly, but it is definitely something for you to do with her for the first class, I think.</p>

<p>I took an online course myself last spring, and also found it quite annoying in the mechanics. The content was not the issue, just the interface.</p>

<p>It should not have any negative impact on future admissions. She probably will not be eligible for FA presently unless she is an admitted student – this is a little different than a non-admitted student just taking selected courses, a dual-enrolled student, or something like that.</p>

<p>If she is a normally admitted student (full or part-time) she may end up having to apply to another college later as a transfer applicant instead of a first-time freshman. Nothing wrong with that, but something to keep in mind. Your CC can explain all this to you, and how their own policies work.</p>

<p>Online AP classes might be a good idea, but I’d hold off a little on that and see how the online CC classes go first.</p>

4

<p>We have found Scholars Online Literature classes to be quite challenging. They don’t give academic credit because they aren’t accredited, but really you could get plenty of challenges without worrying about grades on your permanent college transcript. </p>

<p>I’m not sure the online cc would necessarily be a great class. You can check out the teachers with Rate my Professor webistes, perhaps. I know some of the homeschooling parents have been disappointed in some CC English classes. Also it’s hard on the kids if they don’t get good grades, and can affect their transfer chances.</p>

5

<p>Just by way of clarification, I should add that although my daughter found the online interface of her CC composition class frustrating, she did learn a LOT from the class, did very well in it, and I think got a very, very good grounding in how to write a researched, academic paper. This was however not the intro freshman comp class, but the second semester continuing comp class.</p>

<p>The first semester freshman comp class she actually took at the CC as a regular in-class course, and not an online one. That first class was actually too rudimentary for her and was pretty boring… but definitely worth it since it was a prerequisite for the 2nd semester class which was very challenging, but very instructive.</p>

<p>But classes can vary so widely, even at the same CC. It’s definitely a great resource for homeschoolers though.</p>