by 2015 convention speaker Cheri Frame
Entering ninth grade, Anna knew her passion for horses and her drive towards innovation would determine her college plans. Her parents concurred and so created a high school plan with plenty of science and math courses to prepare for her college goals. Tom was not so sure that college was where he was headed. His talent for music and interest in technology consumed much of his free time and he wanted to pursue job opportunities immediately after graduating high school. Both students had something in common. They used their high school years as a platform to launch them into adulthood.
Homeschooling parents can give their students a great advantage by helping them determine and prepare for a chosen college-career path while in high school. With career goals in mind, students tend to be more focused and goal-oriented, encouraging them to define a strategy and post-high school plan. This creates a change in thinking. Instead of viewing high school as the last four years of your students’ K-12 education, think of them as the first years of a college-career plan. Within this context, the purpose of homeschooling high school shifts from simply assuring students have enough credits to graduate, towards graduating students who are prepared, creative, and independent adults who love the Lord. Partnering with your students to achieve this outcome will help them pursue opportunities they may have otherwise passed by. I call these opportunities the three best kept secrets about homeschooling high school.
Secret #1: Shave college costs and accelerate your degree.
High school students are not usually thinking about the cost of college or who will pay for it but most parents are very aware that college is expensive. Credit-by-exam (CBE) is one of the best kept secrets in higher education! Students can save a significant amount of money by including CBE in their high school schedule. CBE allows students to earn college credit by passing an exam thereby demonstrating mastery of material often taught in introductory-level college courses. Exams cost under $100 and can earn students 3 to 12 credits per exam. CLEP, College Level Exam Program, and DSST, formerly DANTES Subject Standardized Tests, are two of the most popular nationally-recognized programs.
To prepare for the exams, students do not have to study any one particular curriculum or be a minimum age. This is why these exams are gaining popularity among homeschool students. In our homeschool, we used them as a final exam to courses our students were already studying in middle and high school. Courses like US History, Literature, Biology and Algebra. Study it once, study it well, and move on became our motto. Saving time and money are just a couple of the many benefits students achieve by including CBE into their high school plan.
Secret #2: Choosing a career direction in high school is not too early.
Traditional advice often discourages teens from making important decisions that move them toward adulthood too early. It is assumed that students who delay investigating degree and career options until they are in college will somehow make better choices. However, there is ample evidence to suggest that students’ interests and natural talents are formed early. High school students who investigate their strengths and match them with compatible careers gain a great advantage.
“You can be anything you want to be” is simply a waste of energy. God has granted each one of us unique skills and talents. The better the fit between our individual traits and our choice of college majors or careers, the more likely we are to succeed and find satisfaction. Today, career information is abundant and easily accessible. Students are often very interested in learning how their personality traits can align to career areas for which they are best suited.
While many think that there is only one career area they are best suited for, there are several that may be good choices. Taking the time to explore these options during high school, not afterwards, allows students to customize their high school courses and graduate with a plan of action. Those who don’t make this effort may feel aimless and get lost in the crowd.
Parents, you don’t need to have all the answers to be a great college-career coach. Like all things in homeschool, partner with your student, be a facilitator, ask questions, and enjoy the journey together!
Secret #3: Highly employable skills are best learned at home.
Today’s employers are looking for more from a job applicant than academic credentials and work experience. They are looking for candidates that have established transferable skills. These skills include the ability to communicate effectively, to understand how to organize large amounts of data, and to put yourself aside and work as a team. Building transferable skills is an important aspect of everyone’s career development.
Understanding what these skills are and how to demonstrate them will help your student graduate with confidence and stand out to employers as well as scholarship and interview committees. Many assume that transferable skills are taught in college or on the job. Here’s a secret: Parents, you are the best equipped to teach and train these skills to your student while they are still in high school!
Let me give you an example of what that might look like. Communication skills is one example of a transferable skill employers are seeking in a job candidate. Employers want to know that their employees can add value to their team and connect with their customers.
Who answers the phone in your house? Who places the order at the fast food counter? Who makes the student’s dentist appointments? If it is the student, then they are already gaining valued communication experience. Coach them on proper and engaging conversational etiquette – eye contact, handshake, body language. There is no hidden magic behind standing out in the crowd. Teach an awareness of these skills and give plenty of time to practice and your student will have skills for life.