# Where does a HS'er get a guid. counselor?



## bourbonred (Feb 27, 2008)

Have you ever as a homeschooling family felt like you could really use a guidance counselor? Writing your highschool transcript is painful and preparing for college is a nightmare. I'm trying to navigate my 2nd child through uncharted, uncommon waters as a gifted highschooler who will have her Assoc. in Arts & Assoc. in Science by the time she is age 17. There are issues with maintaining "high-school" status while attending community college part-time. She can't be a full-time college student and take the PSAT for National Merit scholarship potential. And then there's issues with local schools not wanting to let you take the psat. :hair We haven't even begun scholarship research or applying to the colleges she has chosen. I'm not complaining about my blessings...honestly. I just feel a little overwhelmed sometimes.

Editted to add: Just called national merit corp and a student can carry full-time hours as long as she is still considered a "high school student". OHHHH, so much to learn!!!


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## MarkP (Jan 5, 2009)

I have enjoyed looking at this site and all the information contained and have bookmarked it for future reference. It contains advice, explanations, directions from someone who has been there.


http://www.totaltranscriptsolution.com/


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## bourbonred (Feb 27, 2008)

Thanks MarkP. Has anyone used this lady, Lee Binz, at The Home Scholar? Her website sounds like an infomercial, but $47 wouldn't be much if it does all she claims. How are most of you handling highschool, non-traditional courses?


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## BusyBees2 (Dec 10, 2004)

Your state's homeschool organization might be able to give you guidance, and hslda also.

I'm not close to being there yet, but Vicki Bentley at hslda is an amazing woman who knows transcripts inside and out. She just spoke at our support group last month. She's graduated something like 20 high schoolers~!


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## my3boys (Jan 18, 2011)

Are you under an umbrella program? If not, you might find a local Christian or other private school that would be willing to let you see their guidance counselor. In our experience, public schools do everything they can to avoid dealing with homeschooled kids. Unless you want to enroll them there of course!

My ds took online classes for 9th and 10th grades at home. We found enrolling in an umbrella program with one of our local Christian schools to be extremely helpful, although they can be somewhat controlling. That's to protect themselves and you. They provided access to their guidance dept. and allowed the umbrella students to test with their regular students as well.

You need to look into the laws in your state. We were in TN when ds was home and they required testing at certain intervals for students under 18. 

Didn't the college require testing before she enrolled there?


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

The PSAT board recommends that schools accept home schooled students. We find that the local Christian schools are usually willing to test the home schooled students - as long as they register in time to order the tests. Although the test is Mid October, I think the order deadline is sometime in August, so you would need to contact a school before then. The National Merit scholarship qualification is only for the 11th grade year, so you want to make sure she takes it then.

Also, one of the local Christian schools guidance counselors here will work with home educated students - but for a fee. 

What do you mean by high school non traditional courses? My sons got their Government credit by doing some curricula, but most of it was working in the courthouse, volunteering for political campaigns, and Teen Pact - all over the course of three years. Which is non-traditional, but I suspect you may be talking about college courses that most high school students don't take.
Dawn


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## offthegrid (Aug 11, 2009)

bourbonred said:


> We haven't even begun scholarship research or applying to the colleges she has chosen. I'm not complaining about my blessings...honestly. I just feel a little overwhelmed sometimes.
> 
> /QUOTE]
> 
> Have you contacted those colleges and asked them for guidance? Just because their applications give a list of "required" things for acceptance doesn't mean they won't allow for something else. I'd start with the end goal -- ask them what they need. My guess is most colleges would be thrilled to accept a gifted student, regardless of their high school path.


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