Degree Finished - Thank You

[dhillbilly]

Dfrecore, Rebel100, Jsd, and Alzee

I appreciate your concern for my son. I kept records of his home schooling as it progressed. Mainly just as insurance against any local legal intrusions. In this state that was very unlikely. The laws here are very home school friendly. It is only required that you provide a "comparable education". The details are left up to you. No testing or any other specific requirements. If a local school administrator feels your program is inadequate, the burden of proof rests squarely with them. There is no obligation to cooperate with them. They can't judge what they don't have access to .

I do think I will type up a transcript. If the situation ever comes up that it is needed then he'll have it. I guess I could imagine some dimwitted government or corporate HR person that just had to have some piece of paper for a file. No exceptions. I still don't think it would be a good idea to mark "HS diploma" on an application. It would be awkward to then slide them a homemade transcript.

We did consider a GED. The local technical college has free prep and testing. My son is opposed to the idea simply because of the "drop out" association with the GED. Home schooling is common enough here that it probably has a higher rep than a GED. Home schooling has religious assumptions here, while GED has "drop out" assumptions.

I am hopeful the degree will make all of this a non issue.

[alzee]

Dfrecore, Rebel100, Jsd, and Alzee

We did consider a GED. The local technical college has free prep and testing. My son is opposed to the idea simply because of the "drop out" association with the GED. Home schooling is common enough here that it probably has a higher rep than a GED.

Since it was my suggestion, I'll just chime in to also say -- he can get it (no harm) and not disclose it unless there's a need to. FWIW, I *am* a drop out. I've never been looked down on for it, and I had my GED two years before my HS friends had their diplomas.

I am hopeful the degree will make all of this a non issue.

In my experience, it largely will. Once he has some work experience, the degree is largely not going to matter either.

[dhillbilly]

Since it was my suggestion, I'll just chime in to also say -- he can get it (no harm) and not disclose it unless there's a need to. FWIW, I *am* a drop out. I've never been looked down on for it, and I had my GED two years before my HS friends had their diplomas.

I was hesitant to go there about the "drop out" assumption. I knew somebody here would have a GED It shouldn't be a negative. A lot of us here have tested out of college credits. Why not High School? But people will judge and it has to be considered. Look at the constant debate between brick & mortar vs online vs testing out. I have no illusions that my online/test out degree will have the rep of the local state school. We just do the best we can and go with what we got.

[dfrecore]

Dfrecore, Rebel100, Jsd, and Alzee

I appreciate your concern for my son. I kept records of his home schooling as it progressed. Mainly just as insurance against any local legal intrusions. In this state that was very unlikely. The laws here are very home school friendly. It is only required that you provide a "comparable education". The details are left up to you. No testing or any other specific requirements. If a local school administrator feels your program is inadequate, the burden of proof rests squarely with them. There is no obligation to cooperate with them. They can't judge what they don't have access to .

I do think I will type up a transcript. If the situation ever comes up that it is needed then he'll have it. I guess I could imagine some dimwitted government or corporate HR person that just had to have some piece of paper for a file. No exceptions. I still don't think it would be a good idea to mark "HS diploma" on an application. It would be awkward to then slide them a homemade transcript.

We did consider a GED. The local technical college has free prep and testing. My son is opposed to the idea simply because of the "drop out" association with the GED. Home schooling is common enough here that it probably has a higher rep than a GED. Home schooling has religious assumptions here, while GED has "drop out" assumptions.

I am hopeful the degree will make all of this a non issue.

I still say that if you say that your son graduated from HS, he did, if you did this all legally. I would not hesitate for a second to create a transcript and diploma for my kids if they stayed here through HS. And, as an HR professional, I highly recommend that you provide this for him. I know that a college degree (AA/AS or BA/BS) trumps a HS diploma, but you still want him to have this just in case. I have been asked MANY times over the years, on all kinds of applications (not only job) where I graduated from HS. He will definitely encounter this if he applies for FAFSA - you can't get financial aid without a HS diploma, even if you have an AA.

And, while I don't personally think there is anything wrong with a GED, there is definitely bias out there towards it.

Again, if your son graduates from HS, even a homeschool high school, he IS a high school graduate. No ifs, ands, or buts. You can go online and find templates for both transcripts and a diploma, or even pay a small fee to have them produced for him that look very professional.

I think cookderosa will agree with me on this one, although I could be wrong.

[dhillbilly]

I still say that if you say that your son graduated from HS, he did, if you did this all legally. I would not hesitate for a second to create a transcript and diploma for my kids if they stayed here through HS. And, as an HR professional, I highly recommend that you provide this for him. I know that a college degree (AA/AS or BA/BS) trumps a HS diploma, but you still want him to have this just in case. I have been asked MANY times over the years, on all kinds of applications (not only job) where I graduated from HS. He will definitely encounter this if he applies for FAFSA - you can't get financial aid without a HS diploma, even if you have an AA.

And, while I don't personally think there is anything wrong with a GED, there is definitely bias out there towards it.

Again, if your son graduates from HS, even a homeschool high school, he IS a high school graduate. No ifs, ands, or buts. You can go online and find templates for both transcripts and a diploma, or even pay a small fee to have them produced for him that look very professional.

I think cookderosa will agree with me on this one, although I could be wrong.

The home school laws here don't establish anything beyond "comparable instruction". I based my sons program on the local HS graduation requirements. I would put him up against any high school grad in this town. As far as the state is concerned, we are assumed to have followed the law unless someone proves otherwise. The standard innocent until proven guilty. So my program legally met state requirements. My concern is not splitting legal hairs. It is avoiding the appearance that he is trying to hide the fact he was home schooled. That is not the impression I would want a potential employer to get. I agree a transcript is probably a good idea, just in case someone really wants one, but it should be clear it was a "home school" program that met state requirements.

As far as the FAFSA there is a "home school" box that certifies you have completed home schooling as regulated by your state. If you check HS diploma, it has to be on the list of Dept of Ed approved high schools or it will red flag your application.

[dfrecore]

The home school laws here don't establish anything beyond "comparable instruction". I based my sons program on the local HS graduation requirements. I would put him up against any high school grad in this town. As far as the state is concerned, we are assumed to have followed the law unless someone proves otherwise. The standard innocent until proven guilty. So my program legally met state requirements. My concern is not splitting legal hairs. It is avoiding the appearance that he is trying to hide the fact he was home schooled. That is not the impression I would want a potential employer to get. I agree a transcript is probably a good idea, just in case someone really wants one, but it should be clear it was a "home school" program that met state requirements.

As far as the FAFSA there is a "home school" box that certifies you have completed home schooling as regulated by your state. If you check HS diploma, it has to be on the list of Dept of Ed approved high schools or it will red flag your application.

I'm definitely not saying you're doing anything wrong; quite the contrary. I'm sure that you've done a great job and that your son got a fantastic education. And, I don't think he should hide the fact that he was homeschooled at all. It's more of not being able to say he graduated from High School, when he actually DID. Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins was homeschooled, and actually had to sue the NCAA over it because they said that he didn't graduate high school; the HSLDA helped him fight the claim (he lost his football scholarship), and he won the case; after that, the NCAA recognized homeschool diplomas as legitimate (and he got his scholarship reinstated and went on to the NFL).

And again, as an HR professional, I will make an educated guess that he will come up against this some time in the future, somehow, some way. No way to know when, but it's a definite possibility. We got interviewed by an FBI agent years ago when my husband was getting his top secret clearance, they asked about both of us; high school graduation, college, everything. I've run into it recently as well (can't remember why). But sometimes, people/companies/schools/whatever, DO ask about that.

Of course, since he was homeschooled, he can just SAY that he graduated. But I definitely think it's better to just go ahead and give him that diploma, so that he can say it with confidence, not think that it's something to be ashamed of. Or that he has to say "well, ummm...I was homeschooled so I didn't ACTUALLY graduate..." His homeschool diploma is just as valid as anyone who graduated from a public or private school; his school was just a little more exclusive than the rest!

Sorry to keep on this, but I feel strongly about it. Please don't think I'm criticizing you. I've just run across this before, with other homeschoolers, and I want them to be very clear on it - your child graduated from high school, even if he was the only student and you were the only teacher! He/she worked just as hard as the public schooled kids down the street (maybe harder) and the diploma you create for him is just as meaningful to him as theirs are to them.

Just my thoughts. Rant over. :-)

[bricabrac]

Congratulations! cheersmate

[KayV]

This is a good source (although I know there are many others) for homeschool transcript guidance.
https://www.regent.edu/acad/undergrad/ad...script.cfm

[cookderosa]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That's wonderful that your entire family benefited from your hard work (and I completely agree with you about looking at more than just cost!!)

Great job Mom, you should be proud.

[dhillbilly]

Great job Mom, you should be proud.

Hahaha She is, but I'm Dad