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Homeschooling through High School

Todd Larsen

Texas Home School Coalition Association REVIEW © November 2005

Home schooling your high school student can often be more challenging than in his earlier years, especially with students who are planning to attend college. Some of these challenges are: biology and chemistry labs, higher-level math, essay-writing skills, and analyzing literature. As there are many excellent approaches in this endeavor, I will not attempt to explain the many options; rather, this article will explain the path my wife and I have chosen with our three sons. Daniel is a twenty-year-old senior at the University of North Texas, David is eighteen and in his second full year of college, and Eric is sixteen and is in his second year of high school. We desire that our three sons obtain college degrees, to give them an advantage in the job market. There are alternatives to college for some who have successful family businesses or others who might learn a trade through mentoring or apprenticeships.

The first two years of home schooling high school were a continuation of earlier years—with a strong emphasis on math, writing, and reading—while studying a variety of subjects from science to history. During this time, we outsourced some of our sons’ classes. Daniel participated in a Christian Worldview discussion group that met once a week to discuss and compare different worldviews. This class not only helped solidify Daniel’s Christian faith but also offered a great analytical study in ancient literature. Another outside class was an AP¹ (Advanced Placement) English course taught especially for home schoolers by a former private Christian school teacher. This class met once a week and improved our sons’ essay-writing and literature-analysis skills. Daniel took the AP English test at the conclusion of the course and received three hours of college credit for English composition, while David and Eric received college credit by taking CLEP¹ (College Level Examination Program) tests. 

During the second two years of high school, we have taken the outsourcing to a new level. Our community college allows high school students who meet college entrance requirements to take two college courses per semester.² We believe that there is no better way to prepare for college than to actually take college classes. Many of the standard high school courses are also required during the first two years of college. Why should the student not take the college class for dual credit and only have to take it once? Courses taken at the college by our sons included biology and chemistry (solving our lab sciences dilemma), American history, government, and English composition. For example, a typical semester would have the child taking biology with lab and government at the college while taking math, language arts, history, and music at home. Daniel had accumulated twenty-six hours of college credit by the time he graduated from high school.  

Throughout all four of their high school years, I have worked with my sons on their math. The boys do most of the math work independently, and I serve as a reviewer and help them over the rough spots.  

The transition from home school to community college was not effortless. My boys were not accustomed to test taking and did not have the study skills needed to excel in a college setting at first, but they acclimated rather quickly. Many colleges offer a one-day, how-to-study seminar.

 In order to qualify for enrollment at our community college while still in high school, the home school student must provide a transcript showing he has completed seventeen credits of high school coursework. Also, the student must pass an entrance exam showing competency in writing, reading comprehension, and math. The transcript must include (by year) each course completed and the grade received. For example, a full year of algebra would equal one credit. We gave our children credits for music lessons, athletic pursuits, and other outside activities, in addition to the normal academic courses. Any parent who considers this option should contact their local community college to determine its admission requirements.

A major benefit for the student is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment from successfully completing college-level work at a young age. When the student graduates from high school, it is much less daunting to begin a full-time college course load, because he already has college experience. Since many of the basic courses are already completed, the student is enabled to move quickly into more interesting classes. Also, when the time comes to transfer to a university, the student is no longer considered a home school student but a transfer student, which simplifies the process. For a college transfer student, SAT¹ or ACT³ scores and high school transcripts are not required, because the basis of admission to the university is the student’s grade point average at the community college.

Although some have questioned the wisdom of enrolling high school students in college while shunning the local public high school, we have found the community college setting to be wholesome and serious, especially as there are no students living on campus. Several of our middle-aged friends have sat in classes along with our sons, which adds an air of responsibility and inhibits a frivolous atmosphere.

Outsourcing certain classes during high school has provided another benefit. Our sons have tended to take their outside courses more seriously and have worked harder than for the courses taken at home from their parents. I believe this is part of the natural progression for most boys as they grow older and more independent. While dual credit is not for everyone, I believe it to be a worthwhile option for many families.

¹  Information about these tests cam be found at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html

²  All Texas community colleges are required to allow dual-credit enrollment for all Texas students.

³ ACT information can be found at http://www.actstudent.org/regist/currentdates.html

Meet Todd Larson

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