7 Tips for a Successful Senior Year

Posted by Sallie | 0 comments

I have to admit I was terrified of this year and what it meant for Victoria.

• Would her homeschooling efforts be considered good enough for college?
• Would all the extra things she had done through out the past three years be acceptable material for her transcripts?
• Would I have taught her what she needed to know in order to “survive” out on her own if she should she go away for college?
• Did it matter that she forced an accelerated schedule on herself and finished a year early?

These questions, and more, seemed to be a constant side conversation in my brain at the beginning of this year. My nerves really began to falter as she started making those first contacts with colleges. God blessed me early on, though, by providing such good responses to her inquiries to colleges, that my nerves settled and I was able to enjoy this year and the “senior year process” more than I thought possible.

I thought I would share a few things that made it easy for us to get through this year of college contacts, test taking, and so forth. Here goes:

1) Enjoy the time you have with your child! Homeschoolers don’t always have fun things like prom and ring ceremonies as memory makers so take the time you have for enjoying and making memories of your own. Don’t push but let your child work at their speed. For us, this meant finishing a year early because it was what our daughter wanted. For others, it might mean finishing up 3 or 6 months late. That’s ok!! Work with your own schedule to create the least amount of stress as possible!

2) Visit college websites for your school of choice early! We began looking at college websites two years ago. Once you have narrowed down your choices of schools, visit the actual campuses if possible. Victoria’s first choice is not a local college, but is in my home state of Kentucky.  When we were in Kentucky this past Christmas visiting family, we made a side trip to visit the town and school one morning. It was early and buildings weren’t open but we were able to still get a feel for the community.  We will be making another side trip to the school and community in July.  We are looking forward to it!

3) Colleges vary in what they want from homeschoolers as far as requirements for entrance. Don’t be afraid to ask what the school prefers!  Many colleges will require a GED, while others might look down on it. We found that our school of choice really only wanted a transcript and an SAT score.  Don’t assume you have to have something. Always check with your college of choice.  It will save you and your child time and effort, as well as the school!

4) Create an effective transcript and portfolio. We have used a free online program (http://teascript.com/). This program was VERY simple to use. We also created a portfolio folder of letters and certificates from extra programs Victoria has participated in over the last few years. It is one thing to list all of those activities in a transcript. It is a step above to have those letters available for review along with your application by the admissions department of a college!

5) Sign up for a program such as the ones available from http://www.collegeboard.com/. This website offers practice SAT tests, as well as a daily email with the SAT question of the day. This made studying easy for Victoria and put a lot of information at her fingertips in one easy spot.

6) Search out financial plans and available scholarships NOW! We have a small college savings plan but when the economy took a downward spiral, unfortunately so did our savings plans. I had hoped they would be exempt from the economic turmoil. I was wrong! Victoria is able to apply for several military dependent scholarships. She is also looking at a college from the Work Colleges Consortium, Berea, as her first choice. Working through school for 10 hours a week in one of the school shops, rather than footing the cost of a full 4 year degree, is something to look into. Check out http://www.workcolleges.org/ for more information.

7) Plan a party! We have decided to wait for a party until after Victoria has completed her SAT test and made her final choice for college entrance. She is taking a year off so we have plenty of time but we are moving ahead with some grand plans! We are excited for her to be able to celebrate the great accomplishment of High School Graduation with all of her family and friends!! Hey, you deserve a party, too!!

I thank God everyday for all the blessings He has richly bestowed upon my family, this year especially. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This promise has become a cornerstone of our year! I pray it can become yours as well!

Sallie is an off-again, on-again homeschooling mom to her 4 children, ranging from elementary to high school. In her writings, she discusses the challenges of homeschooling a child with disabilities and offers insight to those who sometimes feel all alone in a round hole world. Please visit her at Seaside Tales