High School Credit: Question & Answer

by Diane Hopkins on May 9, 2012

Louisa is getting credit for her homeschool cooking class

Why not just take the ACT (or SAT) exam to get into college?

The simplest way to get into college is with a good high school transcript, so you save yourself a lot of pain if you get credit along the way.  Without a transcript, then the weight of college acceptance falls upon the ACT test (or SAT test, as each college differs).  And not all students take tests well, so that can cause problems. When my daughter Emily took the ACT test, she came home discouraged. The test was based on math, English and science, specifically physics in her case (there is a random variable unit to the ACT test and she ended up with physics).  She excels at history, and other subjects that are not tested on the ACT.  So the test was not really an accurate assessment of her knowledge and education.  She ended up being accepted into the university of her choice, mostly because of her transcript.

How do I organize a curriculum for high school?

Every high school offers a different twist on graduation requirements and every college has its own entrance requirements, but they all have these basic requirements in common:

  • 4 years English
  • 3-4 years Math
  • 3-4 years History/Government
  • 3-4 years Science
  • Financial Literacy
  • Health
  • Fitness for Life
  • Physical Education
  • Computer skills
  • Fine Arts
  • Elective credits

We sit down at the beginning of each year and decide on what needs to be done to get us one year closer to our goal (a full high school transcript), and what credit we can get while exploring my teen’s pressing interests. Generally, a high school student needs 7 credits per year to graduate.  Considering each class as counting for 1/2 credit per semester, you can see that a year long (2 semesters) class in English, Math, History and Science will give you 4 credits.  Now you can choose the other 3 classes/credits each year.  For example, cooking, sewing, photography, computer graphics, music, art, sports, and much more can fulfill the basic graduation requirements.  Fine Arts includes homemaking skills, music, and art, so there is a lot of credit that can be gleaned in these areas which many teens enjoy.  Sports interests can complete the Fitness for Life and P.E. requirements. Just document what you do (activity, date, duration) and you’ll have a syllabus that can be used to get credit. I always take a few photos of the activity, such as canoeing, hiking or whatever other sports we do.  They add to the credibility of your claim to credit.

My daughter Louisa has been putting the finishing touches on her Cooking class notebook, assembling recipes and photos she has taken all year long of the dishes she has cooked, how-to notes she has taken, and new recipes we have created together. She has lots of photos, recipes, and experiences that more than qualify for a year of cooking class credit.  I am absolutely sure she learned more in my kitchen under my tutelage than she would have at the high school.  Best of all, she has learned to cook with natural, wholesome, whole grains and healthy foods.

So, it isn’t too restricting or difficult to fulfill the required high school classes in an interesting, enjoyable way in homeschool, receiving credit for the good educational experience at home.  Just make sure to keep your documentation, your notebooks, so that it is plainly evident that you did the work and deserve credit!

How can I make sure the books I use for textbooks meet the National Standards?

I spent a little time bothering with this in my own homeschool, and gave it up.  For one thing, who decides what the National Standards are? Not God. So, some person or committee determined what all American children need to know, possibly influenced by special interest groups or political agendas.  I think the right decision-making committee for what is important for your child’s education would reside right around your dinner table.  In my experience, homeschool curriculum or other good quality instructional books out on the market most often exceed the requirements for National Standards.

What if my school is “unworkable” as to giving credit?

There are other ways to get credit.  There are businesses that will give you credit which the colleges recognize for homeschool high school classes that meet their standards, for a fee.  You will find them on the internet.  You can also get online credit from the electronic high schools.  My concern with online classes is that it is more time on the computer, less time in relationships and face-to-face interaction:  the opposite of what a teenager needs. While I haven’t found these classes to be as good as homeschooling, they can give some foundations that you can build on in homeschool, while still receiving credit. Check with your local high school for online school.

Does it help in college entrance to have a partial transcript from high school?

Most colleges consider a partial transcript insufficient.  However, taking AP (Advanced Placement) classes does make a difference to colleges, so if you are considering a few classes at the high school, taking AP would be the best choice from college acceptance perspective. But ballroom dance, choir and other non-core classes are my preference, as they provide the most social connection and give your teen the much needed group classes, that cannot be done alone at home.

Please leave a comment here.  Thanks!

 

 

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }


     I'd sure love to hear your comment!

Heather May 12, 2012 at 6:45 pm

Okay, for any folks coming over from the email newsletter, like I was, and reading this blog out of sequence, who perhaps had the same question I had, one post above, the answer is well covered in the previous blog post!
Thank you, Diane.
(And your girls are in our kitchen, cooking with our girls, every week, via your family cookbook, half way across the country!)

Heather May 12, 2012 at 6:37 pm

OH oh…The highschool creates and sends a transcript ? Our highschool is dead set livid against homeschooling in our state. I thought we created the transcript, and since home was school, that was official enough.
I have read several general "homeschool to highschool" manuals, but none very concrete in the details.
Where can I read the high school to college specific steps that I have been missing?
And, Thank You! I learned important things already.

Diane Hopkins May 12, 2012 at 4:04 pm

You take your pictures of the classes in your notebooks to the high school counselor to grant you credit. Then the school will create an official transcript that goes to the colleges. Don't worry about "messing" her up! If you are a loving mother who has spent time with her learning, then you have only blessed her life!

Sandy May 12, 2012 at 3:24 pm

I have heard when you send in your transcript to colleges you do not want it to be more then one page. Sometimes it happens but try and keep it as close as possible. So if that is the case how do we go about including pictures of classes they took like dance, cooking, photography and so on? My daughter will be going into the 11th grade next year and we are down to the wire. My fear is I have messed her up somehow and she will not be able to get into the college she wants. I just want to make sure I am prepared and doing it "right"!! Thank you so much for your help and time.

Diane Hopkins May 10, 2012 at 6:31 am

Let's see if I can paint a clearer picture:
At the beginning of the year, get a notebook for each subject. So, make a history notebook, a science notebook, etc. for all of your topics. Your core classes will need big binders, and the electives and other topics can fit 2 or 3 subjects in one binder. Now, decide on your textbook or the book or information you are going to use as the foundation of your study of that topics. Xerox the front cover of the book and the table of contents. Divide the table of contents into the number of weeks of your school year and put dates by each topic on the table of contents, so you know how to pace yourself through the year. Put in a set of dividers with tabs. As you begin your studying, you will discover what you want to write on those tabs, and what type of work you want to complete to make the information stick with you. So, for example, for history, in the front of the notebook is the photocopy of the cover of the book, and the photocopy of the table of contents. Now a divider tab, and name it "Assignments" maybe. Another divider tab may be named "Quizzes", or "Essays" or "Mapwork" or "Memorization" or whatever method you and your student like best for learning the information. As the school year ticks away, the notebook fills up with the work you assign. At the end of the year, your notebook is full of quality work, and all the textbook has been read.

If you are not using a textbook, but creating your own syllabus for Cooking, for example, your tabs might be "Quick Breads", "Salads", "Soups", etc. For Fitness for Life, it would be a log including date, activity, length, etc. that shows you have done the sports or activity and consistently exercised.

Hope this helps! It really is super easy. It helps your child have all his work neatly organized and at the end of each year, the amount and quality of work speaks for itself, as far as credit goes. Just take your notebooks in to the high school counselor, along with your plan (a paper with the high school's graduation requirements and your current year's classes, showing how they complete the requirements of that year).

Let me know if you have any other questions.

; 0 ) Diane

Diane Hopkins May 10, 2012 at 6:20 am

English: I use our year's History study as the topic for of all our writing. So my student writes a paper each week based on the time period and issues we are studying, and a research paper based on something they enjoy in our history studies, so that fulfills the compostion/writing part of our English studies. I use Winston Grammar (some of my children have liked Easy Grammar) for the grammar part. Vocabulary Cartoons has been fabulous for both vocabulary and spelling. We do memorization, once again based on history. So during our American History year of history, we memorized the key points in the Bill of Rights, and the Gettysburg Address and other documents and poems. We read literature books that elucidate the era of history, so this year we read such classics as Uncle Tom's Cabin, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc. Papers are written on each book read. I like to use the literature books along with a study guide so the discussion questions are provided, less work for teacher! We also have a movie list—this year it was Gone with the Wind, Across Five Aprils, Lewis and Clark Expedition, etc. And papers are written on each movie. So by fully studying, reading and writing about history, it turns out to be more than enough content for English!

Computer skills: I just use the free online tutorials for "Office" which are Powerpoint, Word and Excel. I teach them to type with Typing Instructor when they are younger.

P.S. In case you can't find something, I carry all these product in my store: http://www.LovetoLearn.net

Cassandra May 10, 2012 at 4:55 am

Hi Diane,
Perfect timing on this topic. My son took a DIVE science class and a half year of AP World history so I think he will be able to get some credit for this. I am starting to understand the process of transcripts/credits etc. but I am still not able to picture the process of doing the work/documenting it/getting the credit on paper. If it is not an online class do I simply have him document the work and put it together and then on a piece of paper I have just write 1 completed for that? I know you mentioned something about going to your local high school during that process?

Sheila May 9, 2012 at 8:10 pm

Well said Diane! We will begin homeschooling high school next year. A few classes we are doing through a co-op (math and science) and some will be at home (social science and English). I like your ideas for documenting electives done at home. A great resource that I found very helpful (and made the HS transcript thing less scary!) was Cafi Cohen's book, Homeschooler's College Admissions Handbook.

Anissa May 9, 2012 at 7:42 pm

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with all of us on the homeschool path. My eldest are 8. I have been trying to glean bits of homeschooling wisdom here and there over the years and I have certainly enjoyed your insight. Keep sharing! It is amazing to read encouraging words and helps.

Michelle May 9, 2012 at 6:14 pm

You are so in tune. I know so many people with questions about high school credit. Thanks so much for this post.

I am familiar with your resources, but what have you done for 8 full semesters of High School English?

How (and with what resources) do you teach your teens about health, finances and computer skills?

deanne May 9, 2012 at 5:24 pm

Congratulations to Louisa for getting accepted! What was the school of her choice? Thanks for the information. It is very encouraging!

JR May 9, 2012 at 4:21 pm

Thanks you SO much for this info. It couldn't've come at a better time! You ALWAYS seems to give me hope and courage to face this daunting task of Home Learning. I just went to our local homeschool conference and received a bit of encouragement but, unfortunately the feeling of being OVERWHELMED persists. Much love and blessings to you and yours. Jac

Elizabeth Tew May 9, 2012 at 1:56 pm

Thanks for the information. I am ready for my 4th child to go to high school next year so it is helpful. Any way we can get that lemon pie recipe?

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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }


     I'd sure love to hear your comment!

Heather May 12, 2012 at 6:45 pm

Okay, for any folks coming over from the email newsletter, like I was, and reading this blog out of sequence, who perhaps had the same question I had, one post above, the answer is well covered in the previous blog post!
Thank you, Diane.
(And your girls are in our kitchen, cooking with our girls, every week, via your family cookbook, half way across the country!)

Heather May 12, 2012 at 6:37 pm

OH oh…The highschool creates and sends a transcript ? Our highschool is dead set livid against homeschooling in our state. I thought we created the transcript, and since home was school, that was official enough.
I have read several general "homeschool to highschool" manuals, but none very concrete in the details.
Where can I read the high school to college specific steps that I have been missing?
And, Thank You! I learned important things already.

Diane Hopkins May 12, 2012 at 4:04 pm

You take your pictures of the classes in your notebooks to the high school counselor to grant you credit. Then the school will create an official transcript that goes to the colleges. Don't worry about "messing" her up! If you are a loving mother who has spent time with her learning, then you have only blessed her life!

Sandy May 12, 2012 at 3:24 pm

I have heard when you send in your transcript to colleges you do not want it to be more then one page. Sometimes it happens but try and keep it as close as possible. So if that is the case how do we go about including pictures of classes they took like dance, cooking, photography and so on? My daughter will be going into the 11th grade next year and we are down to the wire. My fear is I have messed her up somehow and she will not be able to get into the college she wants. I just want to make sure I am prepared and doing it "right"!! Thank you so much for your help and time.

Diane Hopkins May 10, 2012 at 6:31 am

Let's see if I can paint a clearer picture:
At the beginning of the year, get a notebook for each subject. So, make a history notebook, a science notebook, etc. for all of your topics. Your core classes will need big binders, and the electives and other topics can fit 2 or 3 subjects in one binder. Now, decide on your textbook or the book or information you are going to use as the foundation of your study of that topics. Xerox the front cover of the book and the table of contents. Divide the table of contents into the number of weeks of your school year and put dates by each topic on the table of contents, so you know how to pace yourself through the year. Put in a set of dividers with tabs. As you begin your studying, you will discover what you want to write on those tabs, and what type of work you want to complete to make the information stick with you. So, for example, for history, in the front of the notebook is the photocopy of the cover of the book, and the photocopy of the table of contents. Now a divider tab, and name it "Assignments" maybe. Another divider tab may be named "Quizzes", or "Essays" or "Mapwork" or "Memorization" or whatever method you and your student like best for learning the information. As the school year ticks away, the notebook fills up with the work you assign. At the end of the year, your notebook is full of quality work, and all the textbook has been read.

If you are not using a textbook, but creating your own syllabus for Cooking, for example, your tabs might be "Quick Breads", "Salads", "Soups", etc. For Fitness for Life, it would be a log including date, activity, length, etc. that shows you have done the sports or activity and consistently exercised.

Hope this helps! It really is super easy. It helps your child have all his work neatly organized and at the end of each year, the amount and quality of work speaks for itself, as far as credit goes. Just take your notebooks in to the high school counselor, along with your plan (a paper with the high school's graduation requirements and your current year's classes, showing how they complete the requirements of that year).

Let me know if you have any other questions.

; 0 ) Diane

Diane Hopkins May 10, 2012 at 6:20 am

English: I use our year's History study as the topic for of all our writing. So my student writes a paper each week based on the time period and issues we are studying, and a research paper based on something they enjoy in our history studies, so that fulfills the compostion/writing part of our English studies. I use Winston Grammar (some of my children have liked Easy Grammar) for the grammar part. Vocabulary Cartoons has been fabulous for both vocabulary and spelling. We do memorization, once again based on history. So during our American History year of history, we memorized the key points in the Bill of Rights, and the Gettysburg Address and other documents and poems. We read literature books that elucidate the era of history, so this year we read such classics as Uncle Tom's Cabin, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc. Papers are written on each book read. I like to use the literature books along with a study guide so the discussion questions are provided, less work for teacher! We also have a movie list—this year it was Gone with the Wind, Across Five Aprils, Lewis and Clark Expedition, etc. And papers are written on each movie. So by fully studying, reading and writing about history, it turns out to be more than enough content for English!

Computer skills: I just use the free online tutorials for "Office" which are Powerpoint, Word and Excel. I teach them to type with Typing Instructor when they are younger.

P.S. In case you can't find something, I carry all these product in my store: http://www.LovetoLearn.net

Cassandra May 10, 2012 at 4:55 am

Hi Diane,
Perfect timing on this topic. My son took a DIVE science class and a half year of AP World history so I think he will be able to get some credit for this. I am starting to understand the process of transcripts/credits etc. but I am still not able to picture the process of doing the work/documenting it/getting the credit on paper. If it is not an online class do I simply have him document the work and put it together and then on a piece of paper I have just write 1 completed for that? I know you mentioned something about going to your local high school during that process?

Sheila May 9, 2012 at 8:10 pm

Well said Diane! We will begin homeschooling high school next year. A few classes we are doing through a co-op (math and science) and some will be at home (social science and English). I like your ideas for documenting electives done at home. A great resource that I found very helpful (and made the HS transcript thing less scary!) was Cafi Cohen's book, Homeschooler's College Admissions Handbook.

Anissa May 9, 2012 at 7:42 pm

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with all of us on the homeschool path. My eldest are 8. I have been trying to glean bits of homeschooling wisdom here and there over the years and I have certainly enjoyed your insight. Keep sharing! It is amazing to read encouraging words and helps.

Michelle May 9, 2012 at 6:14 pm

You are so in tune. I know so many people with questions about high school credit. Thanks so much for this post.

I am familiar with your resources, but what have you done for 8 full semesters of High School English?

How (and with what resources) do you teach your teens about health, finances and computer skills?

deanne May 9, 2012 at 5:24 pm

Congratulations to Louisa for getting accepted! What was the school of her choice? Thanks for the information. It is very encouraging!

JR May 9, 2012 at 4:21 pm

Thanks you SO much for this info. It couldn't've come at a better time! You ALWAYS seems to give me hope and courage to face this daunting task of Home Learning. I just went to our local homeschool conference and received a bit of encouragement but, unfortunately the feeling of being OVERWHELMED persists. Much love and blessings to you and yours. Jac

Elizabeth Tew May 9, 2012 at 1:56 pm

Thanks for the information. I am ready for my 4th child to go to high school next year so it is helpful. Any way we can get that lemon pie recipe?

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