Homeschoolers aiming too low?

timely · 05-06-2008, 10:42 PM

In years past at our large local homeschool graduation, many graduates were going on to 4-year universities. The past 2-3 years, it seems that most are heading for community colleges. I wonder what is up with that. I wondered if any of you have noticed a similar trend in your homeschool community and if you have any ideas about what might be going on.

christi · 05-06-2008, 10:58 PM

Maybe they're taking some community college courses for a couple years to make transferring to a 4 year university easier. They might also be trying to save some money on tuition, get a job to save for college, etc. It's become pretty popular to do that now.

huguenot · 05-07-2008, 06:55 AM

I have noticed the same thing in our community. I think it is a combination of things: Dual enrollment has gotten so popular that they are already familiar with the community college process and people and it is an easy option. On the other hand, the college application process seems to have gotten a lot more complicated than when we were in school and homeschoolers don't have guidance counselors to walk them through the process. It frustrates me. I've spent a lot of time talking to folks about it this year in our group and I'm thinking of volunteering to help other families next year.

Cardinal Fang · 05-07-2008, 08:17 PM

I think it's partially the economy. If a student is planning to attend a large state university, it's much much cheaper to do the first two years of gen ed at a community college.
In California, the good community colleges are just as good for those lower level courses at a fraction of the price.

lolcats4 · 05-08-2008, 11:24 AM

Yep, good community colleges are just as good/if not better than the introductory classes at a state university. Certainly there is more individual attention.

And it saves LOADS of money.

huguenot · 05-08-2008, 11:54 AM

I agree - community college is an excellent, cost-saving option. What has frustrated me, though, is students that are very merit-aid likely or students likely to get full financial aid (we have a state program for very low incomes), who don't seek those opportunities. We've also had several students enlisting who were pretty likely to get ROTC scholarships.

Liist · 05-08-2008, 12:05 PM

Take dual enrollment, they are free. with enough dual enrollment credits and AP credits, I can pretty much skip straight to the good courses at a state university. And I'll get quite a bit of financial aid if I stay in my state.

Not much money to be saved besides room and board, and I'm NOT going to stay with my parents for another 2 years.

rightwing41 · 05-10-2008, 09:26 AM

Ive noticed this too! while Im not homeschooled, my two younger siblings are. We all thought kids were homeschooled to get ahead of the public school kids. Going to community college and small local colleges seems to kind of defeat the whole purpose of homeschooling.

hifi · 05-10-2008, 10:13 AM

^^
many would disagree with the notion that the "whole purpose of homeschooling" is to "get ahead of public school kids"; hence, the provacative title of the thread.

hifi · 05-10-2008, 10:14 AM

oops, wrong thread - but still applies here as well.
re: thread "Why do you homeschool."

hifi · 05-10-2008, 10:20 AM

are homeschoolers aiming to low? some, undoubtedly - just as in public schools. i should think we would do well to bear in mind that homeshoolers, just as their peers at public schools, have a wide range of capabilities;
everywhere you will find the prepared, the unprepared, and those who -
bless them - will never be prepared for what many at this site consider success.

huguenot · 05-10-2008, 12:03 PM

Yes, I do want to say, that in our circle of friends, there are kids will all sorts of talents and abilities, and some of those are not planning on college. It shocked me at first. How could they not go to college?? Due to ability grouping, all of my school friends went to college. It has surprised me that my children have friends from a much wider socio-economic circle than I had. They have friends who are apprenticing in machine shops, others who are starting their own businesses, others going to community colleges, others to Tier I colleges. Like you suggested, hifi, success is not always how it is defined here at CC.

I do want to make sure that homeschoolers whose abilities and ambitions would naturally aim toward selective colleges are prepared to seek those out.

hifi · 05-10-2008, 12:12 PM

^^ agreed.

(i also agree that guidance counselors are sorely needed for most homeschoolers.
this site is extremely useful but would also like to have a counselor for my homeschoolers)

tokenadult · 05-11-2008, 09:20 AM

My best friend from childhood went to two years of community college for purely financial reasons, taking care to take courses that would transfer to the state university. He ended up with a graduate degree in electrical engineering and a lot of fellowship support for his graduate research. He's had a very successful career as an engineer for high-tech companies. Community colleges are not the end point, but only the beginning, for a lot of able students.

Liist · 05-12-2008, 10:19 AM

Just like in marksmanship, I believe in aiming high, but not too obviously high. You are guaranteed to hit the target and even hit it dead on because you aimed higher at a longer distance.