homeschooling then college?

Question

my first year i went to a lutheran high school, last year i went to a public highschool because of my grades my freshman year...
ive had a bad time with my soph. year, 60% attendance all year basically, and i'm just really really paranoid when i'm there..i hate it. and iw as talking to my mom about this mu high school at mizzou university in MO (where i live)... and she told me that once a college sees the three changes i've had in different schooling they won't accept me. she's made lots of excuses about it because she doesn't think i can do things by myself...but is that true?

there's a high school diploma program at one of the universities in (where i live). it is state approved,fully accredited..and it has the same requirements that public schools in missouri has. my mom is a teacher and is part of the st.louis public schools district..she knows about this, she just makes up crap about how colleges won't accept me for doing this...

ive tried going to highschool for two years, not everyone can just go everyday thinking everythings fine..that's the problem with me

Answer 1

Totally not true. You can go to college. Try a school like Penn Foster High School. After you finish their high school program you can go into their college. My parents told me the same thing. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.

Answer 2

I don't believe colleges really care how many high schools you've been to, as long as you've taken the proper tests and gotten your high school diploma or GED (which, by the way, is a diploma for homeschooled kids, etc.)

And you can totally teach yourself your subjects. That's not an issue. The main point of having kids is to make sure they can get along without you.

You could try homeschooling yourself during summer break this year and see how that works for you and your mom. And if you're still unsure about getting accepted at mizzou university, you could go to a community college for a year or two just to get your act together and get ready for college there.

Oh, and be ready-- high school is NOTHING like college. There are many more opportunities available at colleges than there ever will be at high school. You don't need public school.

Answer 3

I don't think the problem will be getting into Mizzou if you get good grades from a state-accredited HS substitute...I think that keeping your head above water in college will. When you get to college there is going to be more people than in HS, there is going to be TONS more homework and studying..HS is a tiny taste of what it is going to be like--with some key differences. I think that attending a HS is an important part of college prep. I think if you make yourself do it and try to have fun you will be better off down the road. Maybe this is what your mother sees but doesn't know how to tell you so instead she just shuts you down.

If you are stuck on not going to HS then my final words of advice are--do WELL in the program you take, score high on the ACT, and you will get in.

Answer 4

Yes, they will accept you. Maybe since your mom is a teacher, she is just naturally resistant to you homeschooling because she does not understand it.
If this is something you want to do, then you need to start doing your homework now, and present your case to your mom.
Don't go to the table with feelings and emotions, but with solid evidence that your choice is legit and the college you want to attend will accept your transcript.
I am familiar with the type of program you are describing and it carries the exact same weight as if you had sit in a public school classroom for 180 days. Your mom is bound to respect that aspect of it. If you choose this program and you finish it, if yours in MO is like ours in TX, then you will have a state issued diploma and certified transcript upon graduation.
It is the same curriculum as used in the schools, one word of warning: you do not have a teacher sitting in a classroom making decisions to skip assignments, or to make an exam open book or things like that. You will have to complete everything assigned. The program here in Texas requires you to maintain a 70 in assignments and a 70 on your final or you fail. (no averaging)
It is intense, but the level of education you will receive in this type of program will far exceed the education your peers are receiving in the highschool that are using the same materials.
With your mom's permission, contact someone with the program and talk to them about college. Talk to someone at the college.
Then sit down with your mom and present this as a do-able situation.

Answer 5

The number of high schools you have attended doesn't affect how colleges look at your application. What they really look closely at are your high school transcripts and grades, extracurricular activities and letters of recommendation, and test scores from the SAT, ACT and any AP tests you have taken, in that order. Your application essay also makes a big difference: admission officers want to know if you're just attending college because your parents and peers expect you to, or if you really have some goal in mind, a positive reason for being there.

They will look at your attendance record and wonder why you didn't come to class, which is why your application essay will be important: it will give you a chance to explain why you had such a tough time at a traditional high school. (And I suggest now you start looking at colleges that emphasize alternative curriculum, like Evergreen State in Washington. You sound like you have a tough time with the typical classroom environment.)

It's not impossible to get into college with homeschooling as long as there is an official record of your progress---so make sure the program you want to get into has placement testing, a set of state-approved texts and benchmarks for you to meet, and lots of college prep courses. Just remember, homeschooling works best for students who are independent thinkers and good self-starters, curious, bright and motivated. If you're just going to spend your time snoozing and surfing the internet, then you are better off in a structured environment.

You're also going to miss out on not only interaction and discussions with other students (unless the homeschooling program you want to get into has an online discussion forum or virtual classroom), but also on building relationships with teachers and other adult mentors. You might have a teacher online who will direct your education, but your interaction with him or her will not be the same as getting to know your teacher in person. I am now good friends with some of my former professors, and their advice and encouragement are priceless. I don't think I would have developed these sort of relationships had I enrolled in an online university.

I suspect your mom doesn't want to go through the trouble of having to track your progress and classwork, which parents have to do in homeschooling. I can't blame her---not everyone is cut out to be a teacher, and not every parent wants the responsibility of teaching their kid high school math, science, English, etc.

Ask yourself if you really have the motivation and self-discipline for homeschooling before you get into it. Good luck!

I teach at a college and I am a graduate student, so I know a little about getting into one.

Answer 6

You can get into college. I left school at 14 years old (sort of unoffically became an unschooler, lol).

I got my GED, I had to go to a community college for a while, but I worked hard and got a high GPA and was able to transfer to a pretty good university.

I'm not sure if homeschooling would benefit you at this point or not in getting into a good college immediately, but no matter which choice you make, no problems in your past can stop you from going to college if you just keep working hard toward it.

Answer 7

She may honestly believe that colleges won't take you. Keep in mind we parents tend to fear for the worst in protecting our kids. :)

I doubt it's true, but an easy way to show her that she's wrong is to email a few colleges and ask them. Print off the emails and give them to your mom.

Answer 8

if you really want to get into college- you will find a way. Convince the people who do admissions how important it is to you.