Merry Christmas to each of you! I hope that you were able to finish up your semester so that you have some time to enjoy the holidays!

If you have a high school student, make sure that you have a valid social security number for him. You must have one for all college applications and for registering for the SAT and/or ACT exams. Also, most scholarship forms require the Social Security Number for the student. If you do not have one---get one now.

Come by the website to get full information on the HomeSchooler's College Guide. I have information for homeschooled students on college selection, college admission, testing, record keeping and on financial aid and scholarships. The website can be found at http://homeschool2college.com

Have a blessed holiday season!

For those of you with high school students, be sure to get your transcript in order at the end of the semester. You will need it for college applications and also for many scholarship applications. Each semester, you need to figure GPA for that semester and also cumulative GPA. If you do this at the end of each semester during high school, it will be easy to have it ready to go for the end of your high school career.
Come visit at our website www.homeschool2college.com for more information on what we have to offer

For those of you that have high school seniors, be aware that the busiest scholarship season is just around the corner. Many scholarship applications have due dates during March and April. Now is the time to seriously begin looking for scholarships to apply for.
If you haven't registered with some web based scholarship search engines, now is the time to do that.
For full info come visit my website at www.homeschool2college.com

Hope your holiday season is going well! Seems like time just flies by during the holiday season!
If you have a Junior this year, it is time for that student to be taking her first SAT and/or ACT college entrance exam. Deciding which test to take can be a challenge unless you have a pretty good idea which colleges your student is planning on attending. Generally a school will require one of the two tests (some will take the score on either, but most have a preference). If you have no idea where your student may want to go, I'd advise you to have her take both exams so that you will be prepared for any choice. These tests can be repeated as many times as you wish, and scores tend to improve with each testing. You can check prep books out of your public library or buy them at a large book store, and preparing will help improve your scores.
For registration info, check these sites:
www.collegeboard.com for the SAT
www.act.org for the ACT
We have recently updated our website, so be sure to come visit us at www.homeschool2college.com
Have a great week. Linda Weaver

Hope all had a great Thanksgiving! I guess we need to be ready for a very busy Christmas season!
With the holidays approaching, there may be good community service opportunities availabe for your students. Many scholarships are based on some community service, so getting some of that done each year during high school may improve your chances for receiving scholarships. Check with a local food pantry or clothing ministry. See if there is an Angel Tree program that you can help with. It is always good for a teen to see the needs of others and to see how they can help other people.
Be sure that you keep a record of any community service done--you may have a hard time remembering what you did this year when you are making scholarship application 2 years from now! This is what my calendar is for--it not only lists some things to do each month, but gives you a place to record activities. Come visit my website at www.homeschool2college.com Be aware that our special Get Started price is still in effect --we have a new webhost and will be updating our site in the next few days. To get our current prices, click on the Get Started banner on the homepage.

You can email me at lindaweaver612@yahoo.com

I want to wish each and every one of you a very happy Thanksgiving! Hope you get to spend the day with family and friends.

For any of you that have children interested in the military, you need to know that there are some great ROTC scholarships available. These scholarships pay tuition, books and up to $200 per month for up to 4 years. A scholarship recipient can even use the scholarship during their freshman year, then decide the military isn't for them and drop out of the program with nothing to repay! It is a special program they have adopted to allow students a chance to try out the military.
I am not sure about all the scholarships; however, the Air Force ROTC scholarship deadline is December 1, so if you have a senior that is interested, you need to get this done now. Go to the website for the full information. www.military.com/Careers/Education and click on ROTC scholarships.
Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Today I want to again stress the importance of keeping records of your students' activities for scholarship purposes. If you wait until your child is a senior and then begin to pick up scholarship forms, you will quickly find that you don't remember all the neat stuff they did during those early high school years. You might forget some great community service projects or other things. Be sure that each year you keep a record of all extra-curricular activities--that way, when you are applying for scholarships you will have all the information you need.
This is exactly what my Calendar Planner does--it gives you a convenient place to record activities. It also lists a few things that need to be done each month during the high school years so that your student will be ready for college admission and scholarship application. Come see what we have to offer at: www.homeschool2college.com

Be sure to record each text you use every year--some colleges require this information from homeschooled applicants. It would be a good idea to simply make a copy of the title page and the table of contents. Do this each year--you may never need it, but if you do, you will have it!
We did not need this for either of our girls; however, when your child is 15-16 years old, you probably have no idea what school she may ultimately decide to attend, and what their admissions requirements will be. It is far easier to have the information available than to have to go back and dig it up at a later date.
Come see us at www.homeschool2college.com

For high school juniors, if you took the PSAT in October, you can expect to be getting your test scores back late this month or early next month. If your scores are exceptionally high, you may qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. This could mean some great financial help with college as there are many colleges around the country that offer free tuition for National Merit Scholars.
Come check out our website for more information.
www.homeschool2college.com

Well, we are in our new home and things are beginning to take shape. I will be back to the routine next Monday, November 17 and will continue with daily additions.
See you next week.

If you have a senior this fall, be sure to have her SAT/ACT scores available for scholarship applications. You can still have your student take the exams for the first time or for a repeat time in the next few months, if necessary. Most scholarship applications request the scores, so be sure that you have some to report.
For more information on scholarships or college entrance exams, come by our website at:
www.homeschool2college.com Our getting started special has been extended, so be sure to check out the special prices.
We are in the process of moving to a different house this week, so I may not get many opportunities to add to my blog this week, but I should be back by this time next week.

So, how do you decide which test to take? The best advice is to check with the colleges you are thinking about attending. Many schools will actually accept either the SAT or the ACT, but some prefer one over the other. If all your possible schools accept the same test, you can spend your time preparing for only that exam. The tests are similar, so studying for one will help in your prep for the other. There are some differences in the tests, so prior to taking the actual exam, be sure to spend some time with test prep materials for the test you will be taking. Also, the scoring for the SAT is a little different than for the ACT and you may want to consider those types of factors when planning for the test. To get more information on these tests, come by the website at www.homeschool2college.com. Our section on Testing has the necessary information about each test.

SAT, ACT, PSAT, SAT II, CLEP, PLAN----all this alphabet soup! How do you decide which test to take?
Let's start with the SAT group. The SAT is a college entrance exam that is typically taken during the spring of the Junior year and again in the fall of the Senior year. The PSAT is sort of a practice exam for the SAT and is taken by Juniors each October (Freshmen and Sophomores can also take the test for practice purposes only). The PSAT is also the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program, and students scoring high enough on the exam go on for further competition for scholarships. The SAT II are actually subject tests taken after a student has completed a subject. These tests are often required by colleges as a way to determine if the student has gained the necessary knowledge from a course of study. It is one way colleges have of determining the level of course work done at the high school level. Some colleges require 3-5 SAT II scores for homeschoolers, so be sure to see if you will need to take some of these exams.
The ACT is also a college entrance exam and is offered several times a year around the country. The PLAN test is the pre-ACT exam and also has some info to help students decide what they should major in. This is generally taken by 10th and 11th grade students.
CLEP tests are college level tests--if a student passes the exam for the subject, the college will issue course credit for that subject. This can be a great way to get some college credits economically.
Tomorrow I'll discuss how to decide which test to take.
Come by the website for information on all our materials.
www.homeschool2college.com

For those of you that are homeschooling a senior this fall, it is time to think about taking those SAT and/or ACT exams. If your student has not taken one yet, now is the time to get registered for them. Remember that these can be taken more than once, and scores tend to improve with each testing (up to about 3 or 4 tests). You still have time to register to take it now this fall and repeat it again after Christmas if you wish to try to improve your scores. Go to www.collegeboard.com to register for the SAT and to www.act.org to register for the ACT. Tomorrow I'll talk a little on how you decide which exam you need to take.
For full information on getting your homeschooler into college and finding some financial aid to help with the expenses, see my website at www.homeschool2college.com.

I just read the article on the New SAT in the most recent TIME magazine. The article was written by a man who has been allowed to watch the process of getting this new test up and running. It is a very informative story and should be of interest to homeschoolers planning on heading to college.
The New SAT will replace the current SAT in the spring of 2005 so we still have some time to learn more about the exam and how to prepare for it. My main concern at this time is the essay portion of the exam. I am not sure how they plan to make this equitable for all students since the grading of an essay is somewhat subjective. Also, I know in TX they have had a writing portion on the state mandated public school assessment tests for many years. From what I hear, this has not served to improve writing ability within the state. The children are taught a formula for writing and all their writing is very formulaic--they have lost any original style. Now this may prove a boon to homeschoolers who could still retain their own style; however, if evaluators are looking for a certain set of items on an essay, it could be more problematic.
We need to continue to learn what we can about the new test and then be ready to help prepare our students when the time comes.
I will keep you posted as I learn more.
Have a great weekend!

Well, the PSAT is a done deal for this year! This test is a pre SAT exam that is traditionally taken by high school Juniors in October every year. For this group of students, it is also the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Those students scoring in the top 1-2% of for their state will go on for competition in the National Merit Scholarship program. This could mean some really great money for college--even recognition in the program is helpful for scholarship money. Many freshman and sophomore students take the test each year as a means of practice for when they take it their junior year. If you plan on having your student take the test next fall, you need to find a school that will allow your student to test with theirs. The test is offered at public high schools and some large private schools. Call the school to see if they allow others to test with them. You will need to register your student early next fall---usually registration takes place in September. Keep this in mind as you prepare for next year.
Come visit our website for more information on preparing your homeschooler for college! www.homeschool2college.com

If you are homeschooling a Sophomore this year, you might want to remember to save a few samples of his work in each subject during the year. Some colleges require a portfolio of work from homeschoolers. Most colleges do not require this, but it is easier to save some things as you go---at least you will have them if you ever need them!

This is from the HomeSchooler's College Guide Calendar Planner. This is a 4 year calendar to be used by homeschoolers during their high school years. Each month I list a few things that need to be done during the month in order to have the student ready for college admission and scholarship application. The calendar space also gives the parent a place to record extra-curricular activities. This becomes a great resource when applying for scholarships!
Come visit us at www.homeschool2college.com

Let's talk about college prep for your homeschooled teen. If you are homeschooling a freshman this year, during the month of October, you might consider looking for some great places for your child to get involved. Community service work done consistently over the high school years could produce some great scholarship opportunities as your student approaches college age. There are many scholarships available for kids that have contributed to their communities---look for some opportunities in your area. If you don't find anything, consider starting your own---volunteer to help some elderly or tutor some elementary kids. You might even allow your teen to organize a group of homeschoolers to do these things! A great leadership opportunity!
These are the types of suggestions made on the Calendar Planner provided through the HomeSchooler's College Guide. Come see us at: www.homeschool2college.com

College costs continue to rise---how will your family find the financial aid you need for secondary education?
We homeschooled our two daughters from K-12. Both girls are now in the colleges of their choice on some really great scholarships. In fact, betweeen the two, they have used $79,000 in scholarships up to this point with more coming over the next 2-3 years. We learned so much as we worked our way through the financial aid jungle. Let us guide you through the steps we've learned.
I have put together a notebook full of information on choosing a college, getting admitted to a college, keeping track of records and transcripts, testing and especially the money. One section is devoted to scholarships, grants and loans for homeschooling students. The best thing I have to offer is a 4 year calendar that takes you month by month through high school. Each month I give recommendations of things that need to be done that month in order to have your child ready for college admission and scholarship application.
Come by our website at www.homeschool2college.com