<p>Different paths to success. </p>
<p>[Meet</a> the family who sent six kids to college by age 12 - TODAY.com](<a href=“http://www.today.com/news/meet-family-who-sent-six-kids-college-age-12-1C9316706]Meet”>Meet the family who sent six kids to college by age 12)</p>
<p>Very nice. Super home schooler. Many paths to the same place.</p>
<p>Very nice story. A bit polarizing to make your title about “Ivy vs…”
But thank you for sharing.</p>
<p>Oh you got to throw an Ivy to grab the CC attention, but there is no polarizing involved in comparing the Northeastern vines with the Alabama homegrown American Wysteria. Hundreds of years of prestige versus a decision to rely on homeschooling and ignoring the preoccupation of joining well-known schools.</p>
<p>I lived in an area that was very heavily into homeschooling. Many of the families I knew did quite well homeschooling their kids, and there were a number of them who did finish college at age 18, even. A family who was in charge of some of the required state testing for homeschoolers was a great example of how well it could work. Two kids with full scholarships to local school, one a national university, and one who got into Harvard. It can be done well, not doubt about it, and the kids and families that I knew, were socially very much normal, in fact, less dysfunctional than average.</p>
<p>Where the problem lies, however, is that there are too many homeschooling families that do not meet the bar . When that happens the kid loses out. A cousin of ours homeschooled her son after issues with the school, and she called in “Unschooling”. The problem is that he did not get the education he should have as she was not disciplined enough to provide it and let too much go. Even worse are families who have some true problems. In sending your kids to school, others see them, and if there are some real problems at home, some of them just might show up. With no one watching, the chances are higher that things could fester.</p>
<p>Some of the parents who homeschooled simply had no idea about things such as PSATs, state scholarships, things that the GC of some school do discuss and at least send canned notices about, and the kids talk among themselves. Some of the homeschooling circles pride themselves on not being overly focused on college, which is fine, but sometimes they overlook it entirely. Going to school often opens up other worlds and possibilities to children, not all of them good, but some of them things that are opportunities beyond what their parents are imagining. </p>
<p>Now this family clearly does not fall in those categories, as they seem very much aware of college requirements and finding employment as evidenced by the one daughter’s career plans. Well done, is what I have to say for them.</p>