Ten $1,500 College Scholarships for 2018 Seton Graduates

Do most colleges accept homeschooling graduates?

Homeschool graduates have become so common, and Seton graduates do so well in college, there is little if any problem with being accepted at just about any college in the United States.

Nevertheless, it would be wise to start early, when your student is in his second year of high school, to start investigating and planning for the future. Many colleges offer great scholarships for students with high scores on standardized tests, so encourage your high school student to take practice tests starting in 9th or 10th grade.

Speaking of Scholarships…

Seton is offering ten $1,500 scholarships to Seton high school students graduating in 2018. To qualify, students need to have completed Seton Home Study School for grades 9 – 12, plan to attend a Newman Guide Recommended College or University in the upcoming fall semester, and have submitted an application with college letters of acceptance.

Details, applications, and a complete list of Newman Guide Recommended Colleges can be found at setonhome.org/collegescholarship.

Is it wise to try to have my homeschooling daughter be accepted in the local high school band?

Most local schools are friendly with homeschoolers joining the band or sports, but some, especially those in the big cities, may not.

Check with other homeschooling families in your local community to find out just how receptive they may be. Most smaller schools are happy to have more young people involved and are more receptive to their “neighbors.”

How do I find out the testing requirements for homeschoolers in my state?

You can find the latest requirements on testing requirements and homeschool laws in your state on the Home School Legal Defense Association’s website. HSLDA.org studies the rules for each state and provides a summary of the homeschooling laws for where you live.

Some states may require only a report card from Seton, but if your state requires a standardized test, we offer several. Just go on our Seton website and click on the “Testing” bar or go to Setontesting.com.

Families enrolled in Seton Home Study School receive a 10% discount on our selection of standardized tests. To take advantage of the enrolled family discount, simply call Seton Testing at 800-524-1066 when placing your order.

Why should I join my state homeschooling organization?

The Catholic and non-Catholic state homeschooling organizations work to keep homeschooling parents informed about state regulations and proposed regulations. Homeschooling parents should support these organizations not only by paying dues and reading their newsletters, but also by keeping the state organization informed about any local issues or problems.

Those parents who are actively keeping up with state regulations should have no problems or issues with their local school district. Seton is fully accredited, so if Seton parents keep teaching and sending in tests for grades, Seton families should have no legal problems.

My son likes the new 5th grade math workbook. What are your plans regarding workbooks for 6th through 8th grade?

A 6th grade workbook has had a serious delay because the teacher moved to a new job, but we do have a new writer. We are not sure it will be ready for the next school year.

As for the 7th and 8th grades, we are keeping the current textbooks, but will have ready by summer practice workbooks. The workbooks will not teach any new concepts, but will provide workbook practice pages in line with the textbook lessons.

My husband wants to know how I can prove that the children are doing as well as they should according to what is expected in the schools?

Consider using a standardized test to show your husband how well your children are doing. A standardized test is a nationally-normed test which compares your students’ comprehension of a subject with students at the same grade level, across the nation. Seton Testing offers a selection of standardized tests at setontesting.com.

It is difficult to change our perspective from one that is expecting the children in a certain grade to attain certain skills in line with other children in the same grade level. Each child has his own strengths and weaknesses that don’t correspond with every other child at that age.

When schools pressure all the children in a certain grade level to learn the math and reading and English and all other skills at the same rate and at the same level, it is putting terrible pressure on children. Neither adults nor children learn the same skills at the same rate.

Seton provides tests on a regular basis so parents can see how their child is learning. We recommend slowing down and repeating when necessary, or moving more quickly in subjects the child learns quickly. Some students are ready for the next level in math before the “school year” is finished. The same student might be slower in reading.

Homeschooling means teaching each subject according to the abilities of the individual child. While we recommend certain books at a certain grade level, it is up to the parent to choose the level for each subject.

However, when a parent wants to skip a grade level, even in only one subject, Seton does recommend the student take the next level course, even if it is only a review and even if it takes only a month or so to finish. That is important for the student not to be struggling in a textbook that is assuming the student has learned all previous concepts.