mmmgirl

I have been homeschooled since 7th grade, and I've always loved it. I've enjoyed the freedom to design my own curriculum and the ability to take dual enrollment classes and do an amazing (but time-consuming) internship. Lately, though, I've been feeling kind of over homeschooling--I don't hate it, but taking college classes has shown me how much I actually enjoy being in the classroom, participating class discussions. I also want to be certain that I'm prepared for AP exams, since I'll be taking several in May. Finally, although I have an amazing group of homeschooled friends, I feel like I rarely see them and that I never have any fun. For the first time, I have good friends who go to public school and I really feel like I'm missing out with everyone going to homecoming and everything except me.

I'm thinking about going to high school for the second semester of my senior year. It'll be after college applications are due, so hopefully it wouldn't complicate that too much. I think I'd be able to transfer into all-AP courses (which would be similar to the schedule I'm taking now). I would be able to have a little bit of the high school experience (like prom and graduation) before I go to college.

I'm just worried that my homeschool credits might not transfer and I wouldn't be able to graduate. I wouldn't mind taking a couple online courses to catch up if I had to. I would really appreciate some help with this as I'm sick of homeschooling. I really wish I'd started public school in 9th grade.

steellord321

I was going to go into a spiel about what a massive waste of time K-12 is, but go with your gut. It's only a semester and like you say, apps will be done. IF it's just for prom/graduation though, I'm sure you can go to prom as a guest and maybe ask the admins about graduation since you live in the district. You could probly just take the GED.

You should definitely ask your parents though. Since they had good reasons to keep you from high school, they might be hurt by this. If you explain it like here, but leave out the "I wish I started in 9th grade," they'll probably understand. They spared you a life of trauma. Be grateful.

mmmgirl

It was more or less my decision to be homeschooled, and my mom has always said I could go back to school if I wanted. That's a good idea about going to prom and graduation as a guest, but it would feel weird to me if they were all strangers. Thanks for the response, though.

lokii2

Heh. I'm actually in the exact same situation. I've been homeschooling since the middle of 9th grade and I'm really over it. I have friends, but they're kind of fragmented and I only see them occasionally. I've been taking CC classes but it's not the same It's not like actually going to a school, it's like taking classes and leaving, in my experience anyway. Although it's quite a refreshing change from being at home.

I'm planning on going back for the spring semester for prom and everything, but most of my requirements will be done so I can just take the AP classes I want. I'll just get the fun bits of the HS experience without having to worry about colleges or anything, and then I'm planning on going to a really fun college and making up for my study-intensive lackluster HS experience ^_^ I'm a really social person so I've been dying inside lately :S

What kind of homeschool do you do? Is it like a you make up your own curriculum kind of thing? Mine's actually sponsored by my school district so there shouldn't be an issue with credits. But you know, you might not need to actually graduate. A lot of colleges don't care if you have the piece of paper as long as you have the coursework and everything.

And yeah, I really wish I hadn't left in the first place But at least we still have college, right?? And we can still make the most of our senior year

mmmgirl

I have some leeway over what I study, but I can't just make it up. When I was starting high school my mom and I read a book called the Well Trained Mind, which was basically about this homeschooling philosophy where you have to take really challenging courses in literature, history and Latin. So the courses are as hard as APs but it's really weird and I can't get college credit. At the time I loved the structure and thought it was cool and interesting. Now I really regret doing it and I feel like my friends in high school are so much better prepared for college with so much less effort.

Thanks for the response. Good to know there's someone else in my situation.

mmmgirl

Bumping.....

Marie96

Hey! I'm homeschooled too. How are you being homeschooled? Mine has been through a Distance Learning Program from a school (who offers on-campus classes and the DLP method that is for "homeschoolers" and internationals) that is based in TN while I'm in SC. They are accredited and have sent several of their students to Ivies. If you're worried that your credits won't transfer to the highschool that you're wanting to go to, just check with them and also check with your states regulation/policies to see if you can get credit. Most of it just depends on the method that you're using and if it is accredited or not. Oh, good choice on the dual enrollment! I am doing that too! (I actually switched to them when I was in 9th grade because the people I was with before weren't accredited and it would have been up to the colleges if they would consider it awarded or not.)

If you do switch to the highschool, there may be a few questions about why you decided to make that change as it will appear on your applications.

mmmgirl

I don't use any of the accredited programs. It wasn't an issue when I registered for dual enrollment, I took the college's placement exam and they just took my GPA at face value.