Changing Schools

Nineveh

Merely Christian
We are with the ABeka accredited DVD curriculum right now. But...

Entering into my daughter's high school years we have need to make a change. She's been wanting to try Switched On Schoolhouse for a couple years now. It looks like this might be the time.

I have a couple of concerns. The first is how opting for a non accredited curriculum will affect my daughter getting into college. The second is how non accredited SOS functions.

Is anyone else using SOS? If so, how do you like it? How does it work?
 

nicholsmom

New member
Would you like for me to e-mail some local homeschool moms whose kids have graduated and gone on to college? I know one in particular who has one in med school, one in bio-medical graduate-level research, and one is an undergraduate studying to become a missionary. I could ask her for you about the curriculum and how it affects college entry. She's the one who's teaching the Biology lab that my daughter attends.

Shall I ask her?

How did your daughter learn about SOS? What about it, exactly, that draws her to that particular curriculum?
 

Nineveh

Merely Christian
Would you like for me to e-mail some local homeschool moms whose kids have graduated and gone on to college? I know one in particular who has one in med school, one in bio-medical graduate-level research, and one is an undergraduate studying to become a missionary. I could ask her for you about the curriculum and how it affects college entry. She's the one who's teaching the Biology lab that my daughter attends.

Shall I ask her?

Wow! Thank you, yes, please :)

I'm under the assumption ACT/SAT and a GED should do the trick for somewhere like IVYTech. That's how we were leaning for the first couple of years as the tuition is cheaper and the credits transfer.

How did your daughter learn about SOS? What about it, exactly, that draws her to that particular curriculum?

I heard about it through Mr. Enyart then checked it out on the 'net. She liked the idea of going to school "on line". But I'm not sure if that's how it works. It does seem to be more interactive than the ABeka DVD curriculum though.
 

nicholsmom

New member
Wow! Thank you, yes, please :)

I'm under the assumption ACT/SAT and a GED should do the trick for somewhere like IVYTech. That's how we were leaning for the first couple of years as the tuition is cheaper and the credits transfer.
All done. I'll post her response on this thread when I get it.

Your daughter can actually graduate from high school - and it's much better than a GED. All you have to do is make sure that she gets in all the right credits for one of the three paths to graduation for Indiana and then have her take the graduation test with her class. She will then be allowed to graduate. In our area, the home school association actually holds a graduation ceremony that I'm sure you could join in.

Look online for the Indiana graduation requirements - it's very likely that your daughter already has completed several of the high-school-level courses and has those credits under her belt. It matters not when she takes the classes, just that she has completed them and what grade she got. Your job is to record all of that and to turn it into a transcript in the end. My friend who I just e-mailed said that she just kept an index card on each subject so that she could record all the grades on it, and then kept a folder with samples of work for each child (keep that as light as possible).


Concerning SOS:
I heard about it through Mr. Enyart then checked it out on the 'net. She liked the idea of going to school "on line". But I'm not sure if that's how it works. It does seem to be more interactive than the ABeka DVD curriculum though.

Cool :Nineveh:
 

nicholsmom

New member
Here is what she said:
The only difference in curriculums regarding colleges and acceptance could be whether or not a curriculum is accredited or not. Currently even that is not an issue although there are some trying to tie high school curriculum more tightly to college accetance (watch out for anything about P-16 legislation, P for
preschool and 16 for post-secondary education). You are absolutely
correct that it is the ACT and SAT scores that are important for scholarships and acceptance.

The GED you are correct of course is not needed either. The P-16 movement, however, would change that and make a statewide test requirement for all of us. I have been concerned about that ever since the ISTEP+ test was initiated. How could it maintain its status if so many of us don't fool with it? But PRAISE GOD, for now it is not a requirement.

May our LORD bless and keep you as you serve Him by raising your precious children.
LOVE in Him,

[name redacted]​

Here is a link to the site on Indiana's requirements for earning a diploma: http://www.doe.in.gov/core40/docs/faq.pdf

I've sent a follow-up question on the accreditation of courses - what it means, how to find out about different curricula, etc. I'll post it here when I get that answer.
 

nicholsmom

New member
I have no idea if this is helpful at all, but you can find a substantial amount of college material online for free. Even though she is in high school, I suggest you familiarize your daughter with college material. And since she is homeschooled, there is a good chance that she could handle college courses anyway. Here are two resources that have been helpful to me:

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm

http://academicearth.org/

Thanks, Squishes - those college courses are great for those like me who take the ecclectic approach to curricula choices. I plan to use some college courses for high school credits that will then also apply to college credit, especially in the last couple of years of high school. Great classroom experience too.
 

nicholsmom

New member
The answer on accreditation:

Sorry for the confusion, accreditation is from a Board that determines whether or not certain parameters are met on accountability, correlation with State Standards, instructor qualifications, you know - stuff that ultimately doesn't necessarily matter. I've heard that Harvard refuses to submit to accreditation. They set their own standards. That is what I hope homeschoolers will always do - set higher standards than any accreditation board. Indiana University offers an "accredited" program for High School students. It is pretty expensive. None of the curriculums like Abeka, Alpha Omega, Apologia, Math U See are accreditated that I know of with the State of IN. Don't worry about it. I shouldn't have mentioned it.

DON'T change what you are doing. You are doing a great job. Bible knowledge and application , loving to learn and soft hearts for our LORD and others are the main goals!

That last bit was for me - and others like me who choose to mix and match curricula and get in that Bible, etc.
 

Nineveh

Merely Christian
... None of the curriculums like Abeka, Alpha Omega, Apologia, Math U See are accreditated that I know of with the State of IN. ....

WOW! So, ABeka's accredited curriculum was a waste of money anyway. Glad I found out now instead of tossing good money after bad only to find out when she applies for college it's no good.

Thank you and your friend so much for this info :)

My sis in law told me about a "CLEP" test. I Googled it but haven't had the time to check it out yet. She seemed to think it was on par with ACT/SAT.

Thank you for the links Squishes :)
 

Squishes

New member
WOW! So, ABeka's accredited curriculum was a waste of money anyway. Glad I found out now instead of tossing good money after bad only to find out when she applies for college it's no good.

Thank you and your friend so much for this info :)

My sis in law told me about a "CLEP" test. I Googled it but haven't had the time to check it out yet. She seemed to think it was on par with ACT/SAT.

Thank you for the links Squishes :)

My understanding of "Clepping" is getting out of basic college courses by taking a test.
 
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