homeschool girl spelling with copywork

My College Road Map

Be sure to keep an eye out for my new college prep planner, My College Road Map, published by Apologia in 2019! It will help your children successfully travel the route from high school to college, giving them the best opportunity to thrive in school, their career, and life. While most college prep manuals are Read More

Let them Go

College Prep: Let Them Go

After reading the past posts, you now know everything you need to know to help your homeschooled child find the college of his dreams. Whew! It’s been quite a journey, but you’ve been faithful and you’re almost there. Now it’s time to let them go. Sending a child off to college can seem like a Read More

Easy Admission Essay

College Prep: Admissions Essay

It is my desire that this College Prep: Admissions Essay post will clear up the mystery of the dreaded college essay!It’s the one part of the college application that causes students the most stress. But it doesn’t have to. The purpose of the admissions essay is simply to: Get to know your child better Find Read More

Visiting Colleges

College Prep: Visiting Colleges

College visits are an important part of choosing the right school. They help your child get a feel for the campus, the students and professors, and the overall atmosphere of the institution. Visiting colleges inspires your child to finish strong while looking forward with anticipation to the day he moves into the dorm. My desire Read More

Paying for college

College Prep: Paying for College

Although we need to discuss transcripts, college essays, and some other important college admissions items, I want to jump ahead to this post, College Prep: Paying for College, because this topic is a concern for so many. If you are worried about paying for college, be aware that there are many ways to make it Read More

Portfolios

College Prep: Portfolios

Years ago, when homeschooling was new, colleges required personal interviews and thick portfolios outlining every detail of the homeschooled student’s high school coursework and experiences. Now that homeschooling is more mainstream, portfolios are no longer requested or required. However, in this post, College Prep: Portfolios, I’ll explain why they are still a good idea. Here are Read More

Recommendation Letters

College Prep: Recommendation Letters

Most universities and scholarship boards require applicants to submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher. This can be tricky for homeschoolers since colleges do not want letters from parents. When my daughter began her college application process, she had never completed a class outside the home except for an online dual enrollment course through Read More

SAT Subject Tests

College Prep: SAT Subject Tests

Like AP exams, colleges put a lot of stock in the SAT Subject Tests, sometimes known as the SAT II tests. In fact, some Ivy League and top tier universities require at least two SAT Subject Tests to be taken before a student is even eligible to apply to that university.  Like CLEP, the SAT Read More

CLEP or Not

College Prep: CLEP or Not?

CLEP has become quite popular in the homeschool community. You may be wondering, “What is CLEP?” Should I consider it for my child? In this post, College Prep: CLEP or Not? I’ll share the upside and downside of CLEP in college admissions. CLEP is a test created by the College Board to assess college level knowledge Read More

Dual Enrollment

College Prep: Dual Enrollment

Now it’s time to talk about College Prep: Dual Enrollment. But what exactly is dual enrollment? It’s when a high school student takes college courses while in high school. The student is enrolled in both high school and college at the same time and the classes count for both high school and college credit. Dual Read More

AP Anyone?

College Prep: AP Anyone?

In this post College Prep: AP Anyone? I’m giving away one of the secrets to wooing those admissions counselors and luring in an acceptance letter from the college of your child’s dreams. For academic hopefuls, the junior year matters. Time to spit shine that transcript! My daughter never took an AP class until her senior Read More

Standing Out

College Prep: 9 Ways to Stand Out in College Admissions

In the last blog, we talked about depth—not breadth—when pursuing extra curricular activities. In this one, College Prep: Standing Out, we’re going to talk about ways to get noticed in college admissions. Commitment, leadership, and long-term involvement are what colleges like to see. Homeschooled students have the rare opportunity to become experts in the fields Read More

Be Unique

College Prep: Be Unique!

Be Unique! Colleges look for students that “stand out” from among other applicants. They’re interested in those they feel will enhance their school and campus. That’s not to say a “typical” student can’t get in, but it helps to show that your child is special and can offer something unique to the student body and to Read More

SAT or ACT

College Prep: SAT vs. ACT

So you know your child will need to take college entrance exams as part of the college admissions process, but which test should he take and when? This post, College Prep: SAT vs. ACT, explains the similarities and differences of the tests to help you think through which test is best for your child. The Read More

Think Extracurricular

College Prep: Think Extracurricular

Colleges love extracurricular activities. So shouldn’t my child do as many as possible to impress the admissions committee? That seems to make sense but it’s not the case. Think not too many, not too few. Depth not breadth. Ultimately, do what you love in a way that shows the colleges the unique person you are. Read More

High School Planning, College, and Career Guidance

College Prep: Great Transcripts

Ideally,  ninth grade is the time to begin mapping out the courses your child will need in high school to graduate with a great college prep transcript.  It’s okay to begin thinking through the courses in eighth grade or even later than ninth grade. My older daughter decided she wanted to go to college in Read More

8th Grade Counts

College Prep: 8th Grade Counts

Jumping through hoops. Yep. That’s what it boils down to. Navigating the road from high school to college can be tough. You’ve been told it’s easy. You’ve been told it’s hard. You’ve been encouraged. You’ve been discouraged. You’ve been given information. You’ve been given misinformation. Well now it’s time for the truth.  But let me Read More