High School at Seton Home Study: Your Bridge to the Future

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. (I Cor 13:11)

Let’s face it. Once you start high school, you are not a child anymore. But you’re not quite an adult either. You are journeying to adulthood, but are not there yet. There are still narrows to ford, rivers to cross, and possibly some whitewater to traverse.

For those of you looking across the canyon to college on the other side, getting there might seem a bit daunting. Fortunately, Seton is here as a bridge between you and college.

Starting on a Better Foot

Because you are homeschooling, you start your journey to college with some real advantages. The most important advantage is self-discipline. As a homeschool student, you are becoming more and more used to working on your own, and setting and achieving your own goals.

You are learning self-motivation, and that will be an incredible asset once you enter college. You can complete tasks without having someone constantly remind you, and you’ll tend to put out the extra effort required for special notice, award, and outstanding achievement.

Another major asset is your study skills. Throughout high school, Seton constantly stresses the importance of good study skills and good study techniques. The lessons you learn about how to study more efficiently will be especially important in college, where there is often much to do in little time.

One graduate told us she is

“grateful for the experience in time management received while home schooled. Freshmen who enter college with the ability to organize their study time to meet the requirements of their various courses truly have an advantage from the beginning of their college education.”

Another graduate told us that his studies as a homeschool student “gave me a conscientiousness and seriousness about study which gained the respect of the professors.”

Follow  Your Interests

Another benefit of homeschooling in high school is that it gives you more time to pursue your particular interests. Because your schedule is not set in some central bureaucratic office, you can make your own schedule and spend more time on your interests.

Over the years, Seton has been the choice for promising young gymnasts, skaters, dancers, and musicians. One student spent his free time in extra math and science study, and has been recognized at regional and national science meetings for his inventions.

But whether your interest is a high-profile sport, or simply a love of learning, you can find and develop your own abilities because of the efficiency of homeschooling. This will come in handy when you start college because you will have a better understanding of yourself.

Many benefits will accrue to you simply from homeschooling, but specifically homeschooling with Seton Home Study School adds extra benefits. The most important added benefit is Seton’s curriculum, which is thoroughly Catholic.

Too many young Catholics go away to college and find that their faith is challenged on every front. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Challenges can be good; but only when you are properly prepared. A Seton student, who has spent years studying Catholic theology, philosophy, and history, has tools to defend the Faith.

Rigorous and Relevant

Beyond the Catholicism, Seton’s curriculum is rigorous and college preparatory. We often hear from graduates who say that Seton was the best preparation they could have had for success in college.

One graduate said, “Seton Home Study provided me invaluable college preparation. The books I read in middle school and high school empowered me to understand the great ideas written in both text books and primary sources.”

Sometimes, students in the middle of the program wonder why Seton requires so much writing. Once they get to college, they know exactly why. As a parent wrote recently, “After all the essays and papers written for Seton, my daughter just breezes through writing assignments in college!”

Another parent told us that

“Junior year English is the reason for my daughter’s (a sophomore pursuing her masters of accountancy) success in college, where she is an honor student, on the dean’s list, and the tutor for all writing at the university (including graduate level courses).”

Seton’s writing assignments seem difficult at the time, but each and every one of them is a preparation for the writing you will need to do in college. As one college valedictorian recently said,

“Seton gives students a rigorous and diverse education in writing research reports, essays, paragraphs, literature analysis, short answer and essay exams; this trained me for any kind of writing assignment in any college class.”

The writing assignments are really an opportunity for the development of necessary and valuable skills.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Counselor

Of course, while Seton’s program is rigorous, it is also true that you’re not alone. High school students at Seton do not take the journey by themselves. First and foremost, you have your parents and other family members to help. No one is more keen to see you succeed than your parents. Your Seton family is here for you as well, with a full range of academic counselors to support you.

When you get caught in the rapids of Algebra, French, or computer programming, Seton offers qualified counselors to pull you out. Are you getting lost in English or History? There are counselors to guide you back to the path in these areas and more.

All together, you, your parents, and the Seton staff constitute your educational team, and we are all working toward the goal of your academic success.

Not only can counselors help you with difficult technical issues, they are often able to assist you in the small things, helping you to work more efficiently. For example, one parent told us,

“Algebra I was taking more than an hour each morning. After a couple of questions, the counselor told me to have my son use grid paper for math. That small switch had an amazing effect on his school day and ultimately his entire high school career.”

Graders are an important part of your team as well. When you receive a grade on an assignment, that’s just as much a learning opportunity as reading a book. Seton graders not only tell you what you got right or wrong, but also often tell you why you got something wrong, and what you can do to improve.

Accreditation

An important feature of the Seton bridge to college is Seton’s accreditation. Accreditation means that an outside entity has examined Seton’s program–regarding both its academic and business aspects–and has determined that Seton offers a quality program that delivers what it promises.

Seton’s accreditation is through an agency recognized by the US Department of Education. Seton is accredited by the same accrediting group that accredits public and private schools and colleges throughout the United States. Seton’s accreditation is important for high school students because it means that Seton credits are widely accepted, both by other high schools and also by colleges.

Besides accreditation, Seton’s reputation as a solid academic institution is helpful to graduates moving on to college. Seton is one of the largest Catholic high schools in the United States, which means that whatever college you want to attend, the likelihood is that other Seton graduates have gone there before.

This is a significant advantage because Seton students stand out amongst their peers as willing and able to learn.

One university science professor wrote to us,

“It was edifying to have taught students who had used the Seton program prior to entering university life. These students were a genuine joy to have in the classroom. Their eagerness to learn had a positive magnetic effect upon their peers.”

College admissions offices know Seton, and it means something to them that you are a Seton graduate. As one college’s Admissions Director put it, “we trust Seton’s curriculum as a serious curriculum, and if applicants are … using Seton, we trust their grades really reflect their preparedness and achievement.”

When your application arrives at an admissions office, you have the full backing of Seton Home Study School on your side.

Seton College Partnership Program

A recent Seton initiative about which we are very excited is the Seton College Partnership Program. We expect this program, which started only last year, will grow to be a major feature of our high school guidance and support, allowing for a much easier transition into college for Seton graduates.

There are many future possibilities for this program, such as: automatic acceptance of Seton credits at partner colleges, special scholarship funds, dual-credit enrollments, etc.

High school is a great time of preparation. It’s really a gift of time given to you between childhood and the coming responsibilities of adult life. Don’t be afraid of high school; instead, use the time to develop your potential. High school is the chance of a lifetime.

Decide to be great now, making the most of the hard work and opportunities Seton provides, and you will assuredly end up where you wish to be.

Step out with confidence, knowing Seton is your bridge to the future.