Are you struggling to figure out what courses your high schooler needs to graduate? If you have a high school student or a student about to enter high school, planning for graduation is crucial. You need to think beyond the homeschool law, and make sure you are choosing courses that will prepare your student for whatever path she chooses.
The Third Option homeschool law only requires the basic instructional areas of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and in grades seven through twelve, composition and literature. ( Learn more about the law here.) Technically, you can graduate your high schooler having only covered those general subjects, but that does not mean that you are meeting the requirements for college admissions.
A tech school and a 4-year college are going to have different criteria for admissions. Here is a handy chart to help you see the differences in requirements for colleges:
College Requirements
As the homeschool teacher, you have the right to choose the courses and path that your children pursue. However, TSCHAA recommends following, at a minimum, the SC requirements for a high school diploma since some students who say they do not want to go to college end up changing their mind about their plans after high school. These courses will help prepare your child for the military, tech school, and some colleges.
SC Diploma Requirements:
English
(4 credits)
|
Math
(4 credits)
|
Science
(3 units)
|
US History and Constitution
(1 unit)
|
Economics
(.5 unit)
|
US Government
(.5 unit)
|
Social Studies - other
(1 unit)
|
PE/ Jr ROTC
(1 unit)
|
Computer Science (including keyboarding)
(1 unit)
|
Foreign Language or Career & Tech Ed
(1 unit)
|
Elective
(7 units)
|
If your student is 4-year college-bound, you will want to include higher levels of math, lab sciences, 2 foreign languages, and specific history and literature courses. The Commission on Higher Education has the college-bound prerequisite requirements at the following link:
College-bound prerequisite requirements
To help you plan your child's high school path, TSCHAA offers a free printable high school planning sheet.
You may also find the following links useful:
The Common Application
College Navigator
SC Scholarships and Grants
Pre-recorded Homeschool Transcript Video with Lee Binz
Whatever path your student chooses, please plan carefully, so you can prepare him for his future. High school can sound intimidating, but I know you can successfully graduate your child with a little planning. If you have any questions about homeschooling in high school, please feel free to contact me at admin@tschaa.com.
TSCHAA offers a transcript service for members for $20 and diplomas for $15 (cardstock cover) or $30 for a padded diploma cover from Gowns4Good. Each can be ordered on the Application/Forms page of the TSCHAA website.
