4 Must-Have Resources for Planning the Homeschool High School Years
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It’s hard to believe that I’ve officially graduated my first homeschool high school student, only to be on the brink of starting the process all over again with my rising 9th grader. I’ve got to tell you, I feel a lot better prepared this time around. The first time through, I never really posted a lot about homeschooling high school because I wasn’t sure I knew enough about what I was doing to try to tell someone else what to do.
I did post the Homeschooling High School series with the help of a couple of online friends who were also homeschooling their high school students, which contains some helpful information.
One area in which I really felt that I did get it right was in the resources I used to educate myself on subjects such as high school transcripts, courses, and credit hours.
4 Vital Resources for the Homeschool High School Years
I’ve shared these resources before, but I thought those of you just preparing for high school might appreciate a refresher, along with an extremely helpful addition.
Total Transcript Solution by Lee Binz
Total Transcript Solution is a wealth of valuable information for homeschooling parents from a mom who sent her homeschooled sons to college on full scholarships. Now, Lee helps other parents navigate the high school waters through her blog and membership classes. She’s written dozens of books, so she really knows her stuff.
Total Transcript Solution is a package that includes downloadable MP3s, downloadable PDFs, resources that include dozens of transcript templates in both MS Word and Excel, a one-time phone consultation, and an ebook that answers dozens of questions about homeschooling high school and covers such topics as:
- Determining high school credit (including info for those whose kids may not be at grade level in certain subjects)
- Assigning grades
- Calculating credit value
- Delight-directed learning in high school
- Making a high school transcript
I highly recommend this course for parents who plan to homeschool high school students.
The Homescholar Guide to College Admissions and Scholarships by Lee Binz
Lee has also published the book, The Homescholar Guide to College Admissions and Scholarships, which I highly recommend. I read it toward the end of Brianna’s high school years and really wished I’d had it sooner. You can read my review. Lee breaks the college application process down into easy-to-understand language and ends each section with an “Executive Summary for Busy Parents,” a bullet-point guide covering the take-away and action points for each chapter.
Learn the secrets to successfully navigate the college process from start to finish, including selecting a college, negotiating college fairs, earning college scholarships for high school students, and marketing your student effectively.
Lee covers important topics such as:
- Preparing for college from planning a rigorous academic schedule for high school to when to take which tests
- Finding the right college, whether your student wants to attend a private, public, or Ivy League school
- How and when to apply to colleges
- Taking the right steps to apply for financial aid and scholarships
- Practical considerations like a gap year, cutting costs, and dealing with colleges that aren’t homeschool-friendly
She even includes a chapter on College for Struggling Learners, which introduced me to the fact that there are colleges that specialize in students with learning challenges.
I think you’ll find this book helpful even if your homeschool high school student isn’t planning to go to college. First, because you never know when a kid is going to change his mind and, second, because I think there are still things that most parents are going to want to make sure they include in their student’s high school education, regardless of the student’s plans for the future.
The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling High School
The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling High school offers tips on all aspects of homeschooling the high school years, from planning to post-graduation. You don’t want to wait until 9th grade to start preparing to homeschool high school. That’s just a recipe for stress.
This comprehensive guide has ways you can use middle school to get ready for high school, tips for teaching many of the core high school subjects, thoughts on choosing a curriculum, and information on electives, graduation, and more.
How to Create a Master Portfolio for Homeschool High School Student
I did not put together a portfolio for my oldest child, but it’s on the list of things I wish I’d done differently. Although our state doesn’t require it, I think it could be very helpful for backing up mom-written transcripts and showing an admissions officer samples of a student’s work.
This article by the 7 Sisters Homeschool offers input on how to put together a student portfolio, what sections to have, and what to put in each of the sections.
I don’t necessarily think you need to use all four of these resources, but each is very helpful and brings a little bit different perspective to the table.
More Helpful Homeschool High School Resources
Here are some books that you might find to be invaluable resources for homeschooling your teens through the high school years:
- Homeschool High School: A Handbook for Christian Education
- The HomeScholar Guide to College Admission and Scholarships: Homeschool Secrets to Getting Ready, Getting In and Getting Paid
- Cure the Fear of Homeschooling High School: A Step-by-Step Handbook for Research & Planning
- Homeschooling for College Credit: A Parent’s Guide to Resourceful High School Planning
- Save Your Sanity While Homeschooling High School: Practical Principles for a Firm Foundation
Have you homeschooled a high school student? What resources did you find helpful?
You Might Also Enjoy
- 3 Ways to Plan for High School
- Homeschooling High School with Your Child in Mind
- Earn College Credit While Homeschooling High School
Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.
Thanks for the resources, Kris! I hadn’t heard of any of them……off to check them out now.
These are the resources I am looking for! My daughter will be in 8th grade next year and I am a little panicked about the high school planning aspect. Thanks for sharing what worked for you.
I really like Lee Binz’ e-books and videos. She has really helped me feel more prepared. (My daughter is heading into 10th grade.)
Hi Kris, are you making your own transcript from Lee’s program? I am trying to decide if I will use that or a transcript from HSLDA. Do you know if there is a difference? Thank you for sharing the resources!
Yes, it’s one from Lee’s program. The funny thing is, a friend directed me to one she used, downloaded from the site of an area college, and it’s nearly identical to the one we’re using. That made me feel better – you know, that the forms Lee has created are pretty standard and won’t scream “homeschooler” when received by colleges.
Wow, that is really neat! I’m just having a hard time deciding if I want to do them. Most people around here pay to have them done. I’m leaning more towards wanting to try myself. Thanks again!