A Note from HSLDA: College!

Post-High School Selection Process

Dear Friends,
For many families, August is the time to put those finishing touches on plans for a new school year. If your teens are entering the junior or senior years, be sure to schedule time to research the myriad of schools and training options available after high school graduation.
It can be a daunting task to narrow down the possible institutions to which your teen will apply. So to help you select a school that will fit your teen, we would like to offer some suggestions.

General Parameters

The selection process becomes less intimidating if you take time to list some major factors in priority order that are important to your family. Your list of factors may differ, but as a possible starting point, here are some items to think about.
Location

• How far from home do you want your teen to be?
• What type of transportation will be involved in getting your teen back and forth from school (car, bus, train, plane, subway)?
• Is your teen best suited to a small town, urban area, inner city, or rural area?
• If your teen intends to work part time while going to school, what location provides for the best job opportunities?

On campus or online?
A major decision in choosing post-high school training will be whether your teen will complete coursework in a classroom setting or through a distance learning program. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Taking courses online affords the opportunity to save money in room and board. Some schools may have a policy that a certain number of credits must be earned on campus in order to be awarded a certificate or license from the school, so be sure to check this out with the school.
Size of school
Each size of school has its advantages and disadvantages. Large schools generally have a wide variety of training opportunities while small schools tend to have smaller classes with teachers who are more accessible. If your teen tends to gravitate to smaller settings, then career training schools or community college classes would be a better environment than large institutions.
Cost
For many parents, the cost of a school will be a determining factor. However, financial aid is available for most post-high school education and may be in the form of scholarships or grants, loans, or work study programs. Aid can come from federal, state, local or school sources as well as private organizations such as banks and credit unions. Also look for scholarships through the organizations your teen participated in during high school (4-H, Scouts, and more).
The most important financial aid form is the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and priority should be given to completing this form. In addition, contact your individual state’s department of education financial aid office to inquire about sources of state aid.
Also, be sure to contact your school’s financial aid office to ask about any other financial aid forms specific to the school that are required for institutional money.
More information on financial aid may be found on the HSLDA high school wesbsite.

• Newsletter Archives: “College Financial Aid”
• More Financial Aid Information
• Competition and Scholarship Awards

Career Testing
During the high school years, you may want to have your teen take a career test to determine his strengths and weaknesses. The test feedback may also suggest occupations that lend themselves to your teen’s interests and abilities. Some resources to help you get started are listed on our high school website.

• Personality/Aptitude/Career Tests
• Career Resources

Prerequisites
If your teens know what career they wish to pursue, it will give them time to investigate the training that will be necessary following high school graduation. This will be advantageous to you in planning the necessary course work they will need to complete in high school to be ready for their next steps.
Accreditation
Some professions will require training from an accredited program or school. If this is the case, you will want to investigate the credibility of the school or training program and its accreditation status. An accredited program will often lead to a certificate or diploma and may be required for employment.
Certification or Licensing
For some careers, the employee will need to be certified or licensed before being able to procure a job in a particular field. Evaluate the process and requirements with your teen so she will be prepared to complete them successfully.
On-the-Job Training or Classroom Setting
Will the training program include both of these ingredients? If not, is one better suited to your teen than the other? Another aspect to investigate is the length of training time required.
Gathering information on schools
With your parameters in hand, you are now ready to begin gathering information about a potential school. One of the best ways to search for colleges is to use general search engines such as Trade-School.net.
The internet is also a valuable tool to use. Your community college may be another source since many provide vo-tech and career training programs. They may have knowledge of other schools in your area.
Once you’ve narrowed down the list of schools, visit each school’s website. Most websites provide the email addresses of various departments/personnel that you may contact with questions.
Onsite school visits (if applicable) are highly recommended. Visiting a school lets your teens envision themselves there, gives them a “feel” for the place, and allows all of you to talk to current students. Be sure to take notes after each visit so that you’ll be able to distinguish the schools from one another.
Looking ahead to the next season in your teens’ lives is an exciting venture. With some prior discussions with your teens and a plan of action, narrowing down the school and program will turn a daunting task into a satisfying one.

Newburgh Theological Seminary

Newburgh Theological Seminary
Newburgh, Indiana
Equipping Those Called to Serve

* Bachelor of Arts
* Master of Arts
* Master of Divinity
* Doctor of Ministry
* Ph.D or Th.D

Degrees in Biblical Studies, Ministry, Apologetics, African-American Ministry, Church History, Christian Counseling, Christian Education and more...

All coursework may be completed at home!
FREE ACADEMIC EVALUATION ...visit
www.NewburghSeminary.com
or call 1-812-858-3920 

College Credits For Free

Helping our families with college

As we announced at the award ceremony, a special blessing is available this year for all the families and students touched by the National Christian Homeschool Basketball Championships. We are distributing over $1.2 million in scholarships. College is very important to most of the families and players involved with our tournaments, and with recent media attention on how college costs are growing at 15-30% per year, we want to help families discover strategic ways to lower their college costs and build a foundation of success for college.

Even though growing numbers of players each year are receiving full scholarships to play basketball and other sports in college, there are still many families that struggle to figure out how to pay for college. Our partnership with myEduNation and the scholarships being distributed give students and their families an opportunity to discover creative ways to accomplish college.

The program with myEduNation provides members of each family (not just players) with a scholarship for a credit-by-exam study pack which will prepare the students to earn 3-6 college credit hours through credit-by-exam (CLEP, DSST, etc). Although the ability to earn college credits using credit-by-exam has been around for decades, and is honored at over 2,900 colleges in the U.S., most students don’t realize how strategically using the credit-by-exam method can provide a host of benefits:

* Save Money -- 25-75% on college costs!
* Flexibility -- earn college credits on your schedule
* Start college with college credits -- use for dual-credit
* Ease entry into college -- demonstrate college competency
* Complete College Faster -- while saving on room & board & books
* No Sitting In A Classroom -- earn college credits online at your place & your pace

myEduNation is a company founded by homeschoolers with a special heart for other homeschoolers, and has agreed to donate scholarships for one free course (a $379 value) to everyone who is touched by the NCHBC. You can take advantage of the offer even if you haven't been to a tournament!

Click here for more details!

A message from HSLDA: Transcripts?

If your child has never attended a public or a private school, then it’s likely you’ve not seen a high school transcript in a while. To most homeschool parents, the word “transcript” elicits almost as much fear as the word “fire” in a crowded room! Some parents think that they cannot create such a document. We hope that reading this newsletter will allay your fears and give you confidence that you are capable of issuing a professional-looking document on your teen’s behalf.

Transcripts: What and Why?

Two questions we frequently encounter are: What is a transcript and why do I need one, especially if my teen is not pursuing college? Simply stated, a transcript is a concise and accurate record of your teen’s academic courses taken during the high school years. A transcript is not only necessary for college admission, but may be required for scholarships, Vo-tech and other post-high schools, apprenticeships, entry level employment to evidence completion of high school, and will definitely be required if enlisting in the military.
Now that we’ve established the necessity of a transcript, let’s look at the different sections of such a document. (It may be helpful for you to print off one or more of the sample transcripts, including a blank form, that are found on our website and refer to them as you read through the rest of the newsletter.)

Transcript Heading

You will want to begin by placing a title at the top of the document such as “Official High School Transcript.” Or, you may choose to use your school name, “Smith High School.” If you belong to an umbrella or oversight group, then that may be the school name you’ll use (please ask the group for permission to do so).
Following the title, provide the student’s personal information on one side and the school information on the opposite side (even though much of this information is identical). The student should list his full given name, address (including email address), phone number, birth date, and parents’ full names.
A Social Security number is not required on a transcript. It will be requested by the schools in the application in order to match up any financial aid or scholarship money that is received for your student. Once in the school’s database, most colleges issue a student ID number to the applicant, and that is the number to use for future correspondence with the school.

Transcript Academic Record

The major section of the transcript is the academic record (or body) section which is usually divided into four parts or years. Some families, however, create a transcript by semesters rather than years. This is strictly a personal choice, but listing courses by semester may make it more difficult to keep the transcript short and concise.
Each year will be labeled by grade such as “Grade 9,” and so forth. Under this heading, all the courses taken in the 9th grade will be listed followed by the credit earned and the grade awarded. When titling a course on the transcript, use a brief and clear title so that others will have an accurate idea of the course content.
College courses taken as dual enrollment should be starred and a note included at the bottom of the transcript that these are college-level courses, or simply list the name of the college. (Generally speaking, a one-semester college-level course is equivalent to one year of high school credit.)
Transcripts submitted with a college application should list the 12th grade courses even though these courses are not yet completed. Place an “IP” (in progress) in the grade column of the transcript until a grade is awarded at the end of the senior year.
Along with the course title and grade earned, also indicate the credit each course is awarded. There are several ways to evaluate credit. For additional information see “Evaluating Credits” on our high school website.
At the bottom of each year, total up all the credits and compute that year’s grade point average (GPA). More detailed instructions on how to calculate yearly and cumulative GPAs can be found in our October 2009 newsletter, “Computing a GPA—Yikes!”

Transcript Academic Summary

At the bottom of the transcript, the total number of credits and the cumulative GPA will be listed. Be sure to also include the date of graduation and that a diploma was issued.
Some transcripts will include a grading scale or table. Providing such information can be helpful to someone reading your transcript in understanding your grades. However, if your teen has taken courses from other teachers or from outside sources, it will not be possible for you to provide a uniform grading scale. If this is the case, then it’s wise not to include the scale or table.

Signature and Date

The transcript should be typed and professional in appearance. Every time it is requested, provide an original, signed, and dated document. It is a good idea to have someone proofread your transcript for spelling and calculation errors before issuing it.

The Finished Product

The samples on our website will give you the type of information that any transcript should include, but don’t think that you must duplicate the formats. You have the freedom to design your own transcript to fit your teen’s specific needs. Your transcript will be fine as long as it is clear and accurately reflects your teen’s high school academic courses.
Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Hopefully this information will give you the confidence that you, too, can produce a professional-looking transcript for your teen—one that you will look forward to providing to anyone who asks. 

Horizon Bible College Denver Classes for High Schoolers

Horizon Bible College Denver (HCD) has recently been organized as a branch of the accredited Horizon College San Diego (HCSD).

The mission of HCD is faithfully to equip students to carry out their Lord’s great commission by making disciples and teaching them obedience to their Master’s commands (Matt 28:19-20).

Many Christians who want a more thorough knowledge of Scripture or are called to vocational Christian ministry, feel constrained by the enormous costs and subsequent school loans in other schools. The costs at Horizon College Denver are minimal due to the use of area churches facilities and adjunct faculty members.

Each teacher has at least a Masters degree and currently serves as a pastor. The faculty is committed to both the rigors of academic study and the urgent need for an applicable study of God’s Word. The teachers are deeply committed to biblically based doctrine. Revealed truth then guides godly living and practical servant-leadership.

HCD seeks to fill the need for quality Bible-centered teaching that has not been corrupted by the secular “values” of the enlightenment or the equally corrosive “values” of post-modernity. HCD will prepare our students for the battle of values and conceptual truth that is so critical to the fulfillment of the commands of Christ. Many Christian schools have compromised their fidelity to God’s word with the "wisdom" of this ever-changing world. It is our hope and prayer that this will never happen at HCD. It is orthodox, not only in its advertising, but also in the core of its faith and existence.

HCD offers a Bachelor in Biblical and Theological Studies (BBTS) degree, an Associate of Arts (AA) degree, and classes for personal enrichment (students not pursuing a certificate or a bachelor’s degree.)

HCD is open to homeschooled high school students who would like to get double credit for high school and college at the same time.

Registration for the spring semester is now open and classes start on January 25.

For more information, please see http://www.horizoncollegedenver.org/index.html or for questions about Horizon College Denver, please call
303-940-7245 or email at hcdenver@comcast.net

By God’s grace and for His glory,
Bill Honsberger, President 

PSAT - Scary?

PSAT/NMSQT: The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test not only prepares students to take the SAT, but it is also used to qualify for National Merit Scholarships. It’s important to note that only the top 1 – 2 % of those taking the PSAT will score high enough to be in contention for these scholarships.

The PSAT test (about the PSAT) has three sections (Math, Verbal/Critical Reasoning, and Writing) and it is administered by the College Board. Your teen may register to take the PSAT in 10th grade or before for practice. However, taking the PSAT in the 11th grade (typically the third year of high school) is a necessary requirement to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship competition.

Homeschoolers register for the PSAT by contacting a local public or private school in their area. Because the PSAT is offered only in October of each year and many schools place orders for the test early, parents interested in their teens taking this test should contact the school sometime in June prior to the October test date. Ask the school (where the test will be taken) for the free PSAT Student Guide. The Student Guide provides test taking tips, practice problems with explanatory answers, and even a full length practice test that will enable your child to feel comfortable with the format and types of problems that he will encounter on the PSAT.

When registering for the test, provide the state-specific homeschool code for the PSAT. Using this code ensures that the test results will be sent to your home rather than to the school at which the test was taken.

If you encounter a school that will not accommodate your teen, call another one in your area. If you cannot find a school that will accommodate your teen for the PSAT and you are a member of HSLDA, please call the HSLDA legal department for advice.

Job Opening for The Old Schoolhouse

TOS is looking for a motivated sales representative to sell print and web advertising from their home on the telephone for our national magazine and websites. This position is part-time or full-time; a minimum of 20 to 25 daytime/weekday hours per week. The right person will earn commission on everything they sell. Responsibilities include contacting companies by telephone to build relationships and establish new advertising campaigns as well as maintain existing client advertising arrangements. Prompt correspondence through email, record keeping of notes and weekly reporting is required. The work is 90% on the telephone. This candidate must:

* Excel in an independent work environment with limited supervision.
* Learn quickly and follow instructions.
* Have the ability to dedicate significant periods of uninterrupted time to work related activities.
* Own (and provide, for work purposes) an Internet-ready computer, running Windows XP, Windows Vista or equivalent, MS office and Excel, along with a functioning on-site printer.
* Possess a professional demeanor, excellent written and oral communication and a high level of proficiency in MS Office, and e-mail applications.
* Provide telephone service with an unlimited nationwide calling plan (cellular or land line ok)

Advertising sales experience is preferred but TOS is willing to train someone who has the required skill set along with significant periods of free time to devote to learning a new career in advertising sales. We welcome individuals of all ages to apply for consideration. NOTE: This position is commission only. There is no salary, hourly pay or stipend.

Please e-mail your resume to Mari Almon for more information and consideration: Candidates@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

Colorado Christian College Fair

Hosted by Denver Area Youth for Christ

"where your passion and your future intersect"

Come and join us in September for a FREE and open event with scores of

Christian Colleges and Universities from across the United States all under one roof!


Check out Events for more information!


Monday, September 28th

6:30 - 8:30 PM

Colorado Springs Christian High School

4825 Mallow Road Colorado Springs, CO 80907