Designing a College Prep High School Program
From a lecture delivered at ENOCH's Convention in 2002
By Debra Bell
Opening Thoughts:
This is a good direction whether or not your child goes to college. Key to homeschooling in high school is to exploit the opportunities of home-schooling's freedom from schedules and choice: travel, apprenticeships, unique opportunities and internships.
You need competent writers, able to write good essays, for college and scholarship applications.
Gaps in the educational program are permitted if unique homeschooling opportunities have been pursued.
Try to network internship ideas among children, friends. This responsibility leads to high profile benefits.
Goal: go through college without debt, especially if a daughter who may marry so a future husband isn't saddled with her debt. If the son plans a high income career then there may be an allowance for taking on some debt.
What do scholarship and college application boards look for?
Most deserving: remember to be gracious and write thank you notes
Character qualities: independence, initiative and leadership demonstrate that the student will complete his degree and may become a future benefactor
Willingness to learn? Is the student open to the exchange of ideas or is he stubborn and argumentative?
Outside evaluations: Ethically, you should have other than the parents' opinions. Can you validate her proficiency with an outside source: French teacher, lab teacher, piano instructor, internship director?
Coursework: need life science, world and American history, foreign language. Take AP courses online as a possibility. The program should be rigorous determined by your child's interest. It can be less rigorous in areas your child has no inclination in.
Guiding Your Children
Elementary:
Give students broad exposure in a wide range of skills and content area. What graces resonate in your child? Whether language skills, leadership, musical ability they are all to be used for God's glory. What directions is the Lord not leading your child in?
Junior High:
Begin to identify gifts, interest and calling of your children so you can better direct their studies in a strategic and intentional way. Identify their graces (giftedness) and determine how this indicates a future calling. Get set up for maximizing their high school opportunities. Perhaps, you can wait until 10th grade to do your first AP class; do another in 11th and three in senior year? Sometimes AP is too difficult for ninth graders.
Senior High:
his is the time to explore apprenticeship, jobs, tutoring others, volunteer work and ministry exposure. Plan to move from home schooling to community college (2 years) and transfer to another prestigious college for the final 2 years. This is affordable but may make it hard to find friends. Try 1 class/semester at college first. Test waters slowly...
Make a transcript with grades. Add information to indicate how you graded the students. Seek outside validation of these grades. Advanced Placement Courses with test scores are ideal on this for rigorous schools.
Many colleges look for:
4 years English
3 years Science
3 years History
2 years Foreign Language (modern)
College Board
SAT I tests verbal and math reasoning
SAT II tests subject area knowledge
Advanced Placement Testing:
You may study independently (via Barron's guide or the Princeton review) but from what she has seen most of these kids do not pass. You sit for them in May at a local high school. 4 or 5 on a possible 6 will be given credit at better colleges but only a 3 needed for state schools. Between 3 and 6 credits are typically given. They only exempt you from freshman level courses or general ed. credits required by the school. It is harder and more prestigious and better for scholarship awards than the CLEP. By doing well on an AP test early on, (tenth grade) it can open many doors for possibilities while still in high school.
CLEP:
consists of 80 questions and can exempt you from many / all levels. It is less
prestigious but can save you expenses on courses. Best to use once you've selected your college.
Colleges Look For:
4 years foreign language: spoken language preferred
Advanced sciences
Pre-Calculus
SAT II scores:
3 subject areas desired (writing, math and your choice). You must study for them!
SAT I: final time in fall senior year to send to college. It takes much time and effort to apply for college in the fall of senior year so try to give your student a light load of work at this time.
Test Sequences:
PSAT:
10th grade, used for National Merit Scholarship in Junior year so use this time to practice. Use Grubers (very vigorous) or Princeton to prepare for test-taking strategies.
You will need to get a local high school to let you sit for the exam. PSAT requires schools to let you in.
SAT I:
junior year in spring; senior year fall. This is a reasoning test. Scores should be at least 1200 for scholarship consideration and over 1400 for a substantial scholarship (with accompanying letters of recommendation and suitable outside activities)
ACT:
an achievement test in 5 different subject areas. Used rarely in the northeast.
Other ways to prepare for college:
Service, missions, internships and entrepreneurial ventures
Putting the Best Foot Forward in the College Application
Write a winning college application essay that makes the selection committee say, "This is a fascinating kid; I'd like to have her as a student." It should be self-revealing and demonstrate how the student will contribute to the school and participate in the classroom. Will he pursue opportunities? Is the tone humble and not arrogant? Is your kid somebody that the college would like to get to know?
The interview:
Have the student take charge of the process. Ask questions. Mom and Dad if you attend let the student talk. You keep mum. Research the program ahead of time. Go to a college interview at a school you don't really want to attend for practice. Look for info that describes what type of student that scholarship, internship or college wants. Does your child meet this profile? If not, then it may be a poor match.
Securing Recommendations:
Predetermine whom you will ask. Take a class and use that source as an outside evaluation source (letting your child know that a good recommendation and impressions is what she seeks.)
Reference Books for Parents who are preparing ahead of time:
What Smart Students Know about Study Skills Student Writing Handbook Homeschoolers' College Admissions Handbook by Cafi Cohen Homeschooling the Teen Years by Cafi Cohen
Return to the Table of Contents20 May 2008
