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I know you are busy and don't have much time, so here is a list of my most important homeschool tips from 2021. These tips and tricks are sure to help you achieve your goals in the coming year! Click an image to read the post.

High School Record Keeping Simply Explained
Owning a fancy system is no guarantee you will actually use it. The best high school record keeping system is simple enough to use, doesn't cost much at all, and will be there for you when it's time to write your homeschool course descriptions. What I suggest is so simple, you can keep records for your whole family for just a few dollars!

How to Choose a Homeschool Grading Scale
Choose a grading scale that fits your family best, not necessarily what your homeschool friend is doing. You can use any grading scale you are comfortable with, truly! Remember to include it as an important part of your homeschool course descriptions.

9 Ways to Get Homeschool High School Math Done
If it's tempting to skip homeschool math from time to time, you find yourself WAY behind in the book. You can avoid that! Here are nine strategies to help you get on track and stay on track so you can actually get homeschool math done every single year.

Double Dipping Explained for the Homeschool Transcript
Dipping one tortilla chip into guacamole twice is gross. Double dipping on a homeschool transcript is icky and unethical. But don't be fooled into thinking something is double dipping when it's actually not.

Essential Questions for Your College Visit
Visiting colleges is an important step in determining where your child will apply. Prepare some open-ended questions to help your teen engage in meaningful conversation.

9 Tips to Earn More Scholarships
Scholarships come in waves, not all at once. What do you do during senior year when you come up short financially? Don't go into debt! Work through this list of tips before giving up.

Homeschool Fine Arts Credits
Fine arts credits are an important part of your student's education and transcript. Put homeschool fine arts credits on the transcript in a way that reflects your unique child.

Homeschool College with CLEP® This Summer
The summer before senior year, I decided we would "homeschool college" with CLEP® exams. I wanted to do it in the summer so that we could include passing scores in my sons' college applications. Homeschooling with CLEP® gave my kids practice at college test prep and turned out to be a great success.

Alternatives to College
While college preparation is useful for every student whether or not they attend college, that doesn't mean your student MUST earn a four-year degree, and there are options beyond college to consider.

When to Start Test Preparation and How
The world of college test prep can seem overwhelming! Let me bring some calm and help you learn when and how to start test preparation for best outcomes. This explains the cheapest, easiest, and most effective college test prep.

Why College Preparation is Important for Homeschoolers
College preparation is critical for students who plan on going to college, but why bother with college prep when you feel certain they won't go? Because when you least expect it, teenagers will change their minds!

Foreign Language Credit for Bilingual Students
Some public high schools give high school credit for being bilingual, and you can do it too. Embrace the unique and diverse strengths of your student, and give credit for what they already know.

Recommended Study Guides for College Test Prep for 2021-22
This post will help you find the latest study guide each year, to be sure your college test prep will be effective. Make sure your student prepares for the current version of the college entrance exam.

How to Find Friends for Homeschool Socialization
While it's really up to the teenager to develop their friendships, there are things you can do to help them find friends and get started. If you are completely befuddled, read the lists in this post. And remember to discuss the core friendship facts with your teens!

Colleges May Require, Request, or Appreciate Homeschool Course Descriptions
Some colleges say they don't need course descriptions, but in my experience, your homeschool course descriptions can make the difference in scholarships. Be prepared with up-to-date descriptions!

Should Homeschoolers Weight Grades?
I often get asked about using a weighted grading system for honors classes on a homeschool transcript. In general, I don't recommend weighting grades. It makes it harder for colleges, and colleges tend to like you more if you make their job easier.

Delight Directed Learning at the High School Level
Delight directed learning is when a person pursues learning about a topic because they take great delight in it, and not just because it's a required course. You can include that natural learning on your high school homeschool transcript.

Ways to Earn High School Credit
There are different ways to earn high school credit when you are legally homeschooling. Only one of these must apply to give a credit: one criteria met means the student has earned one credit. This is important for creating a homeschool transcript.

What is the Meaning of a Test Optional College (or Test Blind College)?
Many colleges have now gone to being test optional or test blind. But what does that really mean? Does it affect your chances of earning scholarships if you don't take those college admission tests?

Making a Transcript Decades Later is Stressful
When I posted this on Facebook, Paula shared, "My FORTY-year-old son needed a copy of his homeschool transcript and/or diploma a few months ago to be licensed in his state for his job! This, despite his college and master's degrees! You never know!"

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