What To Expect Senior Year – MBFLP 298

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

It’s an exciting milestone in a homeschooling family – high school graduation just around the corner! Or maybe it’s on the horizon and approaching fast. Either way, what can you do to prepare yourself and your student for this big transition?

We’ve graduated six so far, so we’re talking about things we found helpful as we lined up our teenagers for the big step coming up!

What to Expect Your Senior Year | a podcast with Making Biblical Family Life Practical on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

Episodes You Might Find Helpful:

291 – Graduation Early, or Late? 

246 – Planning for College (even during COVID)

234 – Teaching “Adulting”

230 – College Without Debt or Fortune

226 – Unexpected Benefits of Graduation

210 – Entrepreneurship and College

206 – Doubling Down on Seventeen

205 – Preparing Your Teens for More

163 – Apprenticeship

147 – What Time is Curfew?

130 – Interviewing for Job and College 

126 – Growing in Christ at a Secular College

… and more! Browse the whole archive to find more about parenting teens and interacting with your college students and young adults.


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What to do Senior Year for College-Bound Homeschoolers- Special Replay

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast Senior What to do Senior Year for College-Bound Homeschoolers- Special Replay

What to do Senior Year for College-Bound Homeschoolers

What to do Senior Year for College-Bound Homeschoolers- Special Replay

You and your homeschool teens have been working diligently all through high school. They needed a college-attractive transcript. Not only that, they needed the college-prep study skills and safety skills that college students will use. However, they also needed to be teenagers and have some kind of fun and balanced life. You all have made it this far….to SENIOR YEAR!!

Congratulations!

Senior year is different from the earlier years of homeschooling high school. We are always getting LOTS of questions about what to expect from senior year for college bound homeschool high schoolers. What are the rhythms of senior year?

What needs to happen and when during senior year?

Of course, as we always say: There’s not ONE right way to homeschool high school, so you and your teens need to decide what is best. However, it is nice to have some guidelines that can help you set your own goals. These are the senior year goals we set for our college-bound teens.

June, July, August goals:

July goals:

  • Plan the academics for the year, include your teen in the process. It is SO important to have your teens’ buy-in for their final year of high school!
  • Order your curriculum if possible.

August goals:

  • Have your senior write their college application essays.
    • Most of the online applications have the essay topics posted by August (and sometimes they are the same essay topics as the previous year).
  • Check out this Homeschool Highschool Podcast episode on how to apply to college.
  • ALSO: Please, please, please: Discuss with your seniors how to politely ask for their college recommendation letter!
    • That letter may not be due yet, but when seniors have written that college application essay, they can imagine how much time it will take the person they have chosen to write that recommendation letter.

September goals:

  • Work with your senior to narrow the college choices down to three to five good-fit schools.
  • Make sure your teen has toured those schools.
  • If the school has rolling admissions, your teen can start the application process.
    • Otherwise, find out what the early application timeframe is. Discuss with your teen if they want early or regular admissions.

October goals:

  • If early admissions is open for your teens choice schools, you can probably apply now.
  • Have your seniors take their time and do a good job.
  • Get the reference requests done, if they have not already done so.

November goals:

  • See if your seniors can wrap up the college applications and recommendation letters.

Holiday goals:

  • Have a nice holiday season. Keep those academics on target.

January goals:

  • Keep an eye on status on the online essays….IF you are not obsessing about it. Remember, it is your teen who is headed to college, not you!
  • You really can trust God to open and close the right doors.
  • Please do not share everything cool that your teen with all your social media.
  • Ask you teens first! Remind your teen to be compassionate with their friends who are in different places in the process.

February goals:

  • Send mid-year grades to colleges.
  • Start working on graduation. (Some homeschool graduates do not want an official graduation, that is okay, too!)
  • Are senior pictures done?
  • Pick graduation date.
    • Start organizing your ideas for graduation party and ceremony.

March goals:

  • Financial aid packages have arrived.
    • Time for your teen to make that college decision.

April goals:

  • Plan the schedules to finish off academics and activities to finish in time.

May goals:

  • Wrap things up. All the things!

June goals:

  • Graduation!!! Congratulations!!

After graduation, many people celebrate with a graduation party!

Join Sabrina, Vicki and Kym for an encouraging, empowering talk about senior year for college bound homeschool high schoolers. In the meantime, enjoy these posts and resources:

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER

  1. Follow this link to our iTunes page.
  2. IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Homeschool Highschool Podcast logo, click on View in iTunes
  3. This will take you to iTunes and our own podcast page.
  4. Click SUBSCRIBE.
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What to do Senior Year for College-Bound Homeschoolers- Special Replay

Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers, Special Replay

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers, Special Replay.

Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers, Special Replay

Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers

There’s not one right way to homeschool high school and there’s not one right way to prepare for life after graduation. After all, some homeschool high schoolers graduate and go to college. Some teens need a gap year (or two) before they go to college. They want to work or serve for a time before heading to college. At the same time, MANY  homeschooling high schoolers graduate and go right into the workforce!

It is NOT WRONG to not go to college! Not all young people are called to go to college.

There are lots of options for homeschool graduates. But FIRST they need to finish senior year. Senior year is such a wonderful opportunity to truly prepare your non-college-bound teens for life after graduation. Let’s talk about it! Join Sabrina, Vicki and Kym for Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers.

Scheduling senior year for non-college-bound teens

Help your teen be ready for adulting:

  • Preparations for career
  • Practical life skills that will prepare them for a responsible adulthood

Summer before senior year

July: Plan out the academic year.

What is left of the academic requirements for graduation in your state and/or supervising organization?

Think about practical courses. Has your career-bound teen had courses like:

BTW- Make sure you include your teen in the process. This is especially important as you prepare for senior year. Teens need to be empowered to think and give opinions about what needs

  • to happen after graduation
  • still must be covered in academics in order to graduate
  • how best to fulfill all these

Also, include your teens in choosing curriculum. Lastly order textbooks, supplies and whatever you need for the school year.

August: Work on career readiness skills

There are several ways to approach building career readiness skills. Here are a few:

Fall semester of senior year

September through December: Career preparation for life after graduation.

Of course, you must finish off the academics for graduation between now and June. Try not to overdo the academics (unless there are topics where your teen has definite interest- then, in that case, have at it!)

Instead of killer academics, concentrate on skills that will help them in the job hunt, career preparation and life in general. Here are a few our non-college-bound teens have learned and appreciated.

Winter semester of senior year

January through May

Work on graduation plans like senior pictures, graduation date and location, announcements while things are more quiet. Schedule backwards through the end of the school year. What academics need to be completed or caught up? Schedule backwards to the end of the year.

Also, throughout the year, you may need to wrestle with these questions:

Teens do not always have a clear understanding about what life will be like after graduation. They may experience anxiety (here’s a post to help). Or they might have some totally unrealistic dreams.

How do you deal with students who are struggling or have some unrealistic dreams?

  • Help them discover Plan B’s and let them know how long you will support them as they try for professional gaming, sports or some other “big dream” career.

Join us this week for encouragement for career-bound seniors and their moms. For more thoughts on senior year for non-college-bound teens check this post.

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER

  1. Follow this link to our iTunes page.
  2. IMPORTANT STEP: Under our Homeschool Highschool Podcast logo, click on View in iTunes
  3. This will take you to iTunes and our own podcast page.
  4. Click SUBSCRIBE.
  5. Click RATINGS AND REVIEW. (Please take a minute and do this. It helps others find us. Thanks!)
  6. Thanks!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE VIA iPHONE

  1. Tap the purple Podcast icon on your phone
  2. Tap the search icon on the bottom-right of your screen
  3. In the search bar type: Homeschool Highschool Podcast
  4. Tap the Homeschool Highschool Podcast icon
  5. Tap *Subscribe*
  6. Please tap *Ratings and Review* and give us some stars and a comment to help others find us more easily.
  7. Thanks!

Also, enjoy these posts:

What are “Values” and Why are Values Important in Career Exploration?

Homeschool Graduate and Entrepreneur Talks about Success and Financial Literacy

HSHSP Ep 82: Writing Happens, Make it Useful- Professional Writing Skills

Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers

HSHSP Ep 96: Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on HSHSP Ep 96: Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers.

HSHSP Ep 96: Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers

HSHSP Ep 96: Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers

Some homeschool high schoolers graduate and go to college.

Some homeschool highschoolers graduate and go right into the workforce. It’s NOT WRONG to not go to college! Not all young people are called to go to college.

Some teens need a gap year (or two) before they go to college. They want to work or serve for a time before heading to college.

There are lots of options for homeschool graduates. But FIRST they need to finish senior year. Join Sabrina, Vicki and Kym for HSHSP Ep 96: Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers:

July: Plan out the year. What is left of the academic requirements for graduation in your state and/or supervising organization. Think about practical courses like Career Exploration, Financial Literacy and think about Professional Writing. Make sure you include your teen in the process. Order curriculum.

August: Have your teen write an experiential resume. Help them search for an apprenticeship or job. Help them practice interview skills.

September: Teach your career-bound teen networking skills. Teach them how to ask for a reference. See if you can find some training classes for trades at your local community college or unions.

Winter: Work on graduation plans like senior pictures, graduation date and location, announcements while things are more quiet. Schedule backwards through the end of the school year. What academics need to be completed or caught up? Schedule backwards to the end of the year.

Also, throughout the year, you may need to wrestle with these questions:

How do you deal with students who are struggling or have some unrealistic dreams?

  • Help them discover Plan B’s and let them know how long you’ll support them as they try for professional gaming, sports or some other *big dream* career.

Join us this week for encouragement for career-bound seniors and their moms. In the meantime enjoy these posts:

What are “Values” and Why are Values Important in Career Exploration?

Homeschool Graduate and Entrepreneur Talks about Success and Financial Literacy

HSHSP Ep 82: Writing Happens, Make it Useful- Professional Writing Skills

HSHSP Ep 96: Scheduling Senior Year for Career-Bound Homeschoolers

HSHSP Ep 95: Senior Year for College-Bound Homeschool Highschoolers

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

This week on HSHSP Ep 95: Senior Year for College-Bound Homeschool Highschoolers.

HSHSP Ep 95: Senior Year for College Bound Homeschool Highschoolers

HSHSP Ep 95: Senior Year for College-Bound Homeschool Highschoolers

Senior year is different from the earlier years of homeschooling high school. We are getting LOTS of questions about what to expect from senior year for college bound homeschool highschoolers.

What needs to happen and when?

July-June: PRAY! Pray together, pray on your own!

July: Plan the academics for the year, include your teen in the process. Order your curriculum if possible.

August: Have your senior write their college admissions essays. Most of the online applications have the essay topics posted by August.

September: Narrow the college choices down to 3-5. Make sure your teen has visited those schools. If the school gets rolling admissions, your teen can start the application process.

October: If early admissions is open for your teens choice schools, you can apply now. Have them take their time and do a good job.  Get the reference requests done.

November: Wrap up the applications and recommendation letters.

Holidays: Have a nice holiday season. Keep those academics on target.

January: Keep an eye on status on the online essays….IF you are not obsessing. You really can trust God to open and close the right doors. Please don’t share everything with all your social media. Ask you teens first! Remind your teen to be compassionate with their friends who are in different places in the process.

February: Send mid-year grades to colleges. Start working on graduation. Are senior pictures done? Pick graduation date. Start organizing your ideas for graduation party and ceremony.

March: Financial aid packages have arrived. Time for your teen to make that college decision.

April: Plan the schedules to finish off academics and activities to finish in time.

May: Wrap things up.

June: Graduation!!!

Join Sabrina, Vicki and Kym for an encouraging, empowering talk about senior year for college bound homeschool highschoolers. In the meantime, enjoy these posts and resources:

Scheduling Backwards FREEBIE from 7SistersHomeschool.com

Graduation Party Part One: How to Plan Ahead

 

 

How to Request a College Recommendation Letter

 

 

3 Top Priorities for Success in College

 

Guide to College Application Essay Writing 7SistersHomeschool.com

Click here for more information on the College Application Essay Writing Guide.

 

HSHSP Ep 95: Senior Year for College-Bound Homeschool Highschoolers