Homeschool Tools for College Prep
Even seasoned homeschoolers tend to approach the high school years with trepidation. Things like preparing a transcript and applying for college can seem daunting. We all want to give our children the best educational experience possible and give them the best start for their future. That can be a lot of pressure on us as homeschool parents. Having the right tools can make a huge difference.
My daughter is set to finish up her high school studies a year early and she is ready to get on with her career plans. I wanted a way to give her an edge with some online resources she could start right now. I discovered that Study.com is an excellent place to start. When I began researching CLEP (College Level Examination Program) exams and online test prep options, Study.com came highly recommended so I was ready to investigate further.
What is a CLEP Exam?
CLEP exams are assessments of prior learning offered by The College Board that allow students to earn real college credit just by passing a test. There is a fee to take the tests, but this is generally much less expensive (and less time consuming!) than taking a full course at a college or university.
Study.com provides comprehensive study guides and practice tests to help students prepare for these exams, earn that credit, and save money on their college education. You can find a list of the CLEP study guides available at Study.com here. There are practice tests, videos, and guides available for math, science, Spanish, history, social sciences, composition, literature, and business.
Our Experience with Study.com
The Study.com site itself is very simple to use. It has straightforward navigation with helpful search menus. You can search based on subject, career, college/university, or courses. Beyond the CLEP test prep, they also offer ACT/SAT test prep.
Within the student dashboard, you are able to select your courses and even set a date as a goal to finish them. The system will keep track of your progress and even send messages if you prefer to let you know if you’re staying on track to meet your goal.
The courses offer several ways to learn. There are videos for those who prefer the visual and auditory style of learning, while there are also text transcripts available for those who learn best by reading or who want to study away from the potential distractions of the computer.
My daughter was very excited to see that they offered courses in computer programming, which is her field of interest. She hasn’t finished her course yet, but she also explored the Spanish, history, and some of the business classes. There is so much here to help and she’s really looking forward to learning more. The idea of testing out of some of those courses is a great incentive both time-wise and financially.
I think the practice tests are especially helpful to homeschoolers who might not be accustomed to the kind of standardized testing situation that is so common to public schools. This can help them gain the confidence they need to do well on the real exams when the time comes.
Another feature we appreciate is the further reading and research on careers and schools. For each category, there is a list of potential career opportunities, possible degrees and certifications, and information on if that career field is growing and an average salary range. This information can help students make decisions on what college to attend and what degree to pursue. It also provides a realistic look at what career they might expect to get and how much they might earn in that career.
Learn More about Study.com
Study.com has also launched an online homeschool program, designed to be flexible enough to fulfill the needs of the homeschooling community. They have also developed a family plan for homeschooling parents, to ease the job of planning a varied curriculum and tracking their child’s progress.
I highly recommend looking into it if you’re homeschooling high school right now. This can be a big time and money saver as well as confidence booster for your kids.
What college prep tools do you use in your homeschool?
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