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!

13th Annual Bill of Rights Essay Contest

"Freedom and Civic Virtues"
                    
Each year, National Foundation for Women Legislators' (NFWL) and the National Rifle Association co-sponsor an academic scholarship for seven high school juniors and seniors.  Winners receive a $3,000 award and are given the opportunity to attend NFWL's Annual Conference.  At the conference, the scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to learn about public policy, receive leadership training, and network with lawmakers from all 50 states.  Several winners said their experience through the program strengthened their passion for public service.  It is important to note that in order to enter the contest all applicants must be sponsored by a woman legislator from their respective state in. Sponsoring legislators of the awardees will receive an NFWL travel scholarship to attend the Annual Conference in exchange for their participation in the entire conference with their student.

This year's essay topic is entitled "Freedom and Civic Virtues" in which applicants are asked to describe how moral principles and the U.S. Bill of Rights shape the role of young adults in civic engagement and politics.  NFWL and the NRA are proud to co-sponsor this annual essay contest in order to enable young women committed to defending the Bill of Rights to attend college and advance women in leadership.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:   Friday, July 30th, 2010 by which time essays must be received or postmarked to NFWL.

CONTACT:  The NFWL office at 202-293-3040, ext. 1005, scholarships@womenlegislators.org

WEBSITE found HERE for application and information ( www.womenlegislators.org)

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. 

A Call to Pens - Patrick Henry College Writing Contest

This year, Patrick Henry College invites aspiring writers to answer the call – more specifically, A Call to Pens. PHC’s first short story competition for students ages 12-18 was set in motion last year by PHC student, Peter Forbes (now an alumnus of PHC) who wanted to support the college and give young writers an opportunity to create original works of fiction that thoughtfully reflected a Christian worldview. Over 250 students nationwide responded to the “call” with mature, well-written stories, and we eagerly await the response of participants this year.

A Call to Pens is a contest with a broader mission than winning prizes. If we wish to shape the culture, we must first engage it – in all aspects of life. Quality Christian literature engages the culture in a less direct manner than other vocations, but it is no less important.

“The pen really is mightier than the sword,” says Dr. Gene Veith, Provost at PHC and author of several books regarding Christianity and culture. “Writers really are the unacknowledged legislators of mankind. Writers played a major role in bringing down the Soviet Empire simply by writing stories that changed people’s sensibility. Changing our own culture in a more God-pleasing direction cannot be done by political action alone. Changing the culture is a cultural task, and for that we need Christian writers. The Call to Pens contest is designed to help raise up those writers.”

For those interested in entering the contest, please visit www.phc.edu/acalltopens.php. There will be two separate divisions, each with a separate theme, based on age. Several cash prizes will be awarded to the top writers in each division. All proceeds of the competition will be given to PHC’s Annual Scholarship Fund. The entry deadline is December 30th, 2009; winners will be announced in March, 2010. 

Classical Christian Education Courses

We are interested in offering a suite of integrated courses in theology, western civilization and logic, as well as physical science (physics and chemistry) and mathematics, from a classical, Christian perspective to a group of highly motivated homeschoolers (ages 12-18).

With sufficient interest, courses would begin in the fall of 2010 with the goal of completing a curriculum cycle in these subject areas over a 3-4 year time frame. Classes would meet weekly at a location near/in Castle Rock. Other details are yet to be determinded, in large part by those who would participate.

For more information, please contact Barbara Helmkamp by email at helmkamp@q.com or call 720-842-0126. Informational and organizational meetings will be scheduled accordinglu.

Rev. Steven Hein BS, MDiv, MTh, PhD
Kathleen Hein BA
Barbara Helmkamp, PhD physics 

SAT and ACT Tests - Preparing Your Student

The SAT and the ACT are the two primary tests used by college officials when evaluating applicants for admission. Most colleges will accept either of these two tests, but it is a good idea to check an individual college’s website to find out if one of the tests is preferred. We are often asked if it’s best to take one test or the other or if both tests should be taken. This is a matter of personal preference. The SAT is a reasoning test – the student is required to take knowledge and apply it – while the ACT tests a student’s knowledge of specific subject matter in four categories. Some students naturally may do better on one test than the other, so if your teen doesn’t receive the score he’d like on the SAT, then he may want to try the ACT or vice versa.

Especially in the case of a homeschooled applicant, it is important to do well on the SAT or ACT because colleges view these test scores as objective and credible indicators of a student’s readiness to do college level work. These test scores are also often used by scholarship committees as part of their criteria for awarding scholarships. Therefore, we recommend that students prepare for these tests by using some type of test prep materials.

The SAT test may be taken as many times as you desire – or until your money runs out! The ACT, on the other hand, has a maximum of 12 times. Scores almost always rise when taking the test a second time simply because the student is more comfortable with the format of the test and the testing environment. Most colleges continue to use the highest test score the student achieved, and some colleges will even “super score.” Super scoring refers to colleges taking the highest scores from each individual section of the test and adding them together to come up with the highest possible composite score even if the highest scores on individual sections were taken on different test dates. It’s wise to check individual college policies regarding test scoring.

When registering online for either the SAT or ACT, you’ll be asked to choose a test date and location. Plan ahead and register early as the tests have strict registration deadlines.

A photo ID (such as a driver’s license or passport) is necessary when sitting for the test. If your student does not have either of these, then check to see if your state motor vehicle department will issue an alternative photo ID to your teen. (The ACT also accepts other means of identification; however, be careful to follow their instructions and call its offices for clarification if needed.)

There is no definitive answer to what a good SAT or ACT score is; however, info provided at these links provides food for thought.

First Website

Second Website

Third Website

Fourth Website

Fifth Website

Additionally, once your teens receive their results (on the web or through the mail), check individual college websites to compare their scores. Most colleges post the median SAT and ACT test score ranges of admitted students.
SAT

The SAT (about the SAT) is given about 7 times a year. Homeschooled students register for the test directly online with the College Board. When registering, use the special homeschool code of 970000. Also, take advantage of the four free test score reports by indicating on the application the colleges you would like to receive the test scores even if your teen has not yet definitely decided on the colleges to which he will apply. Future test score report requests will incur a nominal fee.

The SAT is comprised of three sections including math, verbal/critical reading, and a mandatory written essay. More general details on the test may be found at the College Board website.

This website also provides much helpful information including a full length practice test, general tips on test taking, sample essays and how essays are scored, free online tools called SAT in Focus that give advice on test and academic preparation, and much more.
ACT

Unlike the SAT, the ACT is a knowledge-based test covering English, reading, math, and science. Students who do well academically in these areas will likely do well on the ACT. Visiting the ACT website will give you in-depth information on each section of the test as well as sample questions and test taking tips and strategies.

The ACT is offered 6 times a year and homeschoolers should register online to take it, using the homeschool code of 969999. The site also lists helpful test day procedures, to help ease any of your teen’s uncertainties.

The ACT differs from the SAT in that it has an optional writing test. Check with your colleges of choice to determine whether the writing section is required.

Last, if your teen has documented learning difficulties, investigate the options that the College Board and ACT make for special test accommodations. HSLDA’s special needs coordinators are available to our member families to assist in applying for these accommodations.

More Info
Even More Info

For more information than you could ever use (or want!) regarding the SAT and ACT, you may wish to consult Wikipedia: SAT or ACT 

SAT Subject Tests

The SAT Subject Tests given by the College Board were previously known as SAT II Tests. There are 20 different SAT Subject Tests covering five major subject areas. Similar to the general SAT test, these Subject Tests require students to reason and apply knowledge in a particular subject. Some colleges may use the tests as part of their admissions criteria, but most colleges use them for placement purposes only. Other colleges do not require the tests, but will consider high scores on the subject tests as an optional part of a student’s portfolio when applying. More detailed information on the SAT Subject Tests can be found at the College Board, and on the FAQ’s section. The best time to take an SAT Subject Test is immediately following completion of a course in that particular subject.

The College Board provides tips for taking the Subject Tests, specifics on each test, and a free SAT Subject Test preparation booklet.

Reasons for a homeschooled student to take an SAT Subject Test include:

* a particular college requires one or more SAT Subject Tests as an objective indicator of the work a student is capable of doing,
* a student desires to give a “boost” to his/her application by showing academic aptitude in a given subject area; or
* for placement purposes when college courses are selected.

Homeschooled students register directly online with the College Board to take an SAT Subject Test, and there are six test dates from which to choose. A maximum of three subject tests may be taken on any given test.

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