Question for Homeschooled or Recent HS Grads

[marianne202]

Ok, I'm needing to get some advice from those that recently graduated from HS or that are/were homeschooled. My son will be a senior next year, but will begin testing out and taking college classes this summer. I talked to his HS advisor yesterday to confirm he has all the necessary credits to graduate next year. Because we declared him in the college prep track (our schools offer 4 tracks) the advisor said he will need one English class and 2 semesters of a foreign language. Mind you they didn't do this eval on their own, I had to ask, so they could have said next May, sorry you won't have enough credits to graduate. What a joke! My son plans on taking Spanish next fall and spring at the local CC with our neighbor that is the teacher. This way he will get some foreign language on his college transcript. Well the HS won't accept the CC credit, even though he can do dual enrollment with the same school. I can change my son's track at the HS to community/technical college and he won't need the foreign language requirement, just his last English. Now comes the surprising info. The advisor said if he tries to go to a 4 yr university they won't allow him to register until he takes a remedial foreign language class for 2 semesters. What on earth? He said they won't accept him as a HS grad and allow him into the university unless the 2 semesters of foreign language appear on his HS transcript! OK, I may be old, but in my day you just needed proof that you graduated from HS, they didn't care what classes you took, as long as the state said you graduated from HS, you were able to enroll in college. Is this not how it is anymore? My son wants a lighter load next year to focus on testing out and getting his AS or BS degree while finishing HS. His computer related class and AP physics classes are only offered one time per day during the same options as the spanish class he would have to take. I think those are more important to his long term goal of computer graphics / game design than having spanish on his HS transcript. All the other graduation requirements are the same for these two tracks. Actually, he would exceed the math and science requirement for both tracks, as well as overall credits earned, because he did flex classes this year as well as next year. I'm trying to get information from the local universities, but it just sounds silly. Either you are a HS graduate or you aren't. If he has college transcripts at the time of admission showing an AS degree in progress or completed, why would he be denied admission due to lacking those 2 semesters of spanish on his HS transcript. This advisor has been wrong before and doesn't seem to be the brightest bulb in the pack, but since this is my first kid in HS, I just want to check with some others. Can anyone offer any suggestions or info? Thanks in advance for your help!

[rickyjo]

That sounds crazy to me!

Wouldn't this depend on the individual college in question? Perhaps his knowledge is limited to one particular institution? I've never heard of such a thing. I would consider any institution that had this requirement suspect of putting money over students' interests.

[Chebasaz]

I agree with Rickyjo, I think she's off her rocker with the statement "if he tries to go to a 4 yr university they won't allow him to register until he takes a remedial foreign language class for 2 semesters".

She may be thinking of a single college's admission requirements, but I've never ran into that requirement with any of my colleges. I didn't even run into that with my MBA research except for a few specific "Global" MBA's like Thunderbird's.

Get it in writing and then go talk to the university yourself. Then get their answer in writing and go have a talk with the advisor/assistant principle.

[okiemom]

I am confused. Is you son a homeschool student or a public school student? If he's a homeschool student, why does he have a high school adviser?
I know state laws vary but I don't understand why you would involve the public schools in the homeschool education of your kids.
As far as the adviser is concerned, I don't think they know what they are talking about. Neither one of my kids took a foreign language during highschool. College admission was no problem for them.

Definitely check into different colleges. Consider a few independent study courses. BYU offers both highschool and college independent study.

[JBjunior]

Ok, I'm needing to get some advice from those that recently graduated from HS or that are/were homeschooled. My son will be a senior next year, but will begin testing out and taking college classes this summer. I talked to his HS advisor yesterday to confirm he has all the necessary credits to graduate next year. Because we declared him in the college prep track (our schools offer 4 tracks) the advisor said he will need one English class and 2 semesters of a foreign language. Mind you they didn't do this eval on their own, I had to ask, so they could have said next May, sorry you won't have enough credits to graduate. What a joke! My son plans on taking Spanish next fall and spring at the local CC with our neighbor that is the teacher. This way he will get some foreign language on his college transcript. Well the HS won't accept the CC credit, even though he can do dual enrollment with the same school. I can change my son's track at the HS to community/technical college and he won't need the foreign language requirement, just his last English. Now comes the surprising info. The advisor said if he tries to go to a 4 yr university they won't allow him to register until he takes a remedial foreign language class for 2 semesters. What on earth? He said they won't accept him as a HS grad and allow him into the university unless the 2 semesters of foreign language appear on his HS transcript! OK, I may be old, but in my day you just needed proof that you graduated from HS, they didn't care what classes you took, as long as the state said you graduated from HS, you were able to enroll in college. Is this not how it is anymore? My son wants a lighter load next year to focus on testing out and getting his AS or BS degree while finishing HS. His computer related class and AP physics classes are only offered one time per day during the same options as the spanish class he would have to take. I think those are more important to his long term goal of computer graphics / game design than having spanish on his HS transcript. All the other graduation requirements are the same for these two tracks. Actually, he would exceed the math and science requirement for both tracks, as well as overall credits earned, because he did flex classes this year as well as next year. I'm trying to get information from the local universities, but it just sounds silly. Either you are a HS graduate or you aren't. If he has college transcripts at the time of admission showing an AS degree in progress or completed, why would he be denied admission due to lacking those 2 semesters of spanish on his HS transcript. This advisor has been wrong before and doesn't seem to be the brightest bulb in the pack, but since this is my first kid in HS, I just want to check with some others. Can anyone offer any suggestions or info? Thanks in advance for your help!

No college I have ever checked into had a requirement like that. If I am reading correctly, throwing them a bone and assuming they are right, since they won't allow the college tests to meet the requirement just change his track and do the required english. Then just test/class the foreign language that you were planning on doing anyway.

Not familiar with the program but it sounds awfully ill planned that they didn't let you know ahead of time what was required for graduation and would have severely set up your child for failure. That, coupled with the mis-information would have me questioning their practices.

[alleycat]

Marianne, I think in a perfect world and you were going to a very select college then language is important. My daughter had 4 years of Spanish and she also took Latin. Languges on a transcript really enhances it. Her HS advisor was very pro language. I think if he takes course at the CC that will also make him look great.

[cookderosa]

You are correct. The guidance counselor is an idiot.
If he completes the high school's graduation requirement, he is given his diploma- done. I wouldn't give a hoot about a "track" because it's irrelevant. There are possibly opportunities for those in one of the tracks which completes AP classes as long as they take and pass an AP test (like CLEP) *which wasn't your question.... and there are possibly opportunities for the voc-tec tracks where you get work experience and credit at the same time...which also wasn't your question. Foreign language as a requirement for college? Depends on the college clearly. Get that boy out of there and moving upward. It's all crap. Say it with me "crap!" They are making things up, and dishing it out as truth. That high school has invented tracks- they mean NOTHING in terms of college. NOTHING. Now, do you want to waste your breath educating this person or do you have something better to do with your time? I feel sad for these kids, but you can't save them all. I saved 4 and it takes up all my brain space lol.

Sadly, he'll likely encounter COLLEGE advisors who are also idiots, so you can't do cruise control. But, you know a lot about the process, and certainly you can help him get going on a degree sooner than later.

[rickyjo]

I think I have to make my old high school counselor a card after hearing this story! Mine was great and helped me graduate early so I could work full time and still graduate.

[Shawn A]

Ok, I'm needing to get some advice from those that recently graduated from HS or that are/were homeschooled. My son will be a senior next year, but will begin testing out and taking college classes this summer. I talked to his HS advisor yesterday to confirm he has all the necessary credits to graduate next year. Because we declared him in the college prep track (our schools offer 4 tracks) the advisor said he will need one English class and 2 semesters of a foreign language. Mind you they didn't do this eval on their own, I had to ask, so they could have said next May, sorry you won't have enough credits to graduate. What a joke! My son plans on taking Spanish next fall and spring at the local CC with our neighbor that is the teacher. This way he will get some foreign language on his college transcript. Well the HS won't accept the CC credit, even though he can do dual enrollment with the same school. I can change my son's track at the HS to community/technical college and he won't need the foreign language requirement, just his last English. Now comes the surprising info. The advisor said if he tries to go to a 4 yr university they won't allow him to register until he takes a remedial foreign language class for 2 semesters. What on earth? He said they won't accept him as a HS grad and allow him into the university unless the 2 semesters of foreign language appear on his HS transcript! OK, I may be old, but in my day you just needed proof that you graduated from HS, they didn't care what classes you took, as long as the state said you graduated from HS, you were able to enroll in college. Is this not how it is anymore? My son wants a lighter load next year to focus on testing out and getting his AS or BS degree while finishing HS. His computer related class and AP physics classes are only offered one time per day during the same options as the spanish class he would have to take. I think those are more important to his long term goal of computer graphics / game design than having spanish on his HS transcript. All the other graduation requirements are the same for these two tracks. Actually, he would exceed the math and science requirement for both tracks, as well as overall credits earned, because he did flex classes this year as well as next year. I'm trying to get information from the local universities, but it just sounds silly. Either you are a HS graduate or you aren't. If he has college transcripts at the time of admission showing an AS degree in progress or completed, why would he be denied admission due to lacking those 2 semesters of spanish on his HS transcript. This advisor has been wrong before and doesn't seem to be the brightest bulb in the pack, but since this is my first kid in HS, I just want to check with some others. Can anyone offer any suggestions or info? Thanks in advance for your help!

The best thing to do is to contact the universities that your son wants go to and see what their requirements are.

And don't worry, if your kid took the class at a community college, college admissions personnel will be comfortable with that. In fact, as you are aware, those cc classes should transfer, unlike a high school course (unless it's AP or something like that).

Shawn

[rmroberts]

I have never heard of a college requiring that, but I have not run into that problem myself b/c two semesters of language was required for me to graduate high school. As long as your state does not require language and he can get his diploma, I don't think there will be a problem.