Unschooled kids and getting jobs, college, etc?

Question

i have a question about unschooling.

if you dont go to normal school, how do you get a diploma? how do you get a job and how do you expect to go to college?

Answer 1

Well unschooling and homeschooling are two different things, but I can answer for both as I do a mix of both and know people involved in each option.

When you're homeschooled, you get your diploma and graduate when the person in charge of your homeschooling, usually a parent but sometimes the administrator of an online or umbrella school decides you've met all the requireAlments and goals set out for you. I'll be recieving my diploma this year, signed and issued by my mom at an individualized graduation ceremony that all my friends and family and some former teachers will be invited to. In order to receive my diploma, mom and I both decided that I would have to reach a level of mastery in Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre Calculus for math, English I through IV, Biology, Earth Science, Physical Science, and Chemistry, two years of French, enough sign language to hold a conversation with someone, basic Braille literacy, Orientation and Mobility training as I am blind, a good amount of music training, World History, American History, U.S. Government and Economics, and several other things that would be considered electives... things such as robotics, programming, animation, music appreciation, art appreciation, fencing for PE, home economics, and a few other things. We also decided that I will acquire at least nine college credits in an early admissions program for highschool students at a local college during my senior year. The reason I say that I do a mix of homeschooling and unschooling is because unschooling is student directed learning, meaning the parent offers/provides the child with educational resources such as books, software, field trips, classes in the community, things to experiment with, etc, and the child learns naturally by following their own interests and desires, setting their own goals and expectations. The parent encourages, but doesn't force anything upon them. In my situation, I, for the most part, set all my own goals and choose the subjects I study and the things that I do independently, but mom has some input, as she should, and will take lead in some areas if we both decide that it is the best idea. I do still do homeschooling the traditional way with mom sitting down with me and talking over an assignment and evaluating my progress, etc, but only when mom and I BOTH decide that is how a certain subject should be done. I do still have some things required of me and that is fine. I still submit a state evaluation each year, and I took the SAT and will be taking the ACT this year, but those last two were done because I intend to attend a university next year and therefore need them.

As for getting a job, well, I don't have a full time job yet. I've done some things under the table such as childcare, tutoring, designing graphics, just odd jobs. I know that some states require you to have a work permit if you're school aged and wanting to get a job. In this case, your parents usually just contact the board of education or local public school to have a work permit issued to their child as a homeschooler. As for working full time immediately after highschool, usually a homeschool diploma along with the rest of your resume is enough for this. When it isn't, letters of reference or a bit more detail about your educational background is usually all it takes. Once you've gone through college though and have a degree, employers wont be interested in what highschool you attended or didn't attend.

Now college is an easy one. When applying to colleges and universities, you only need to show your transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, and any extras that will benefit you such as volunteer hours, extracurricular involvement, AP or CLEP scores, duel enrollment credits, anything you have to show for yourself. Colleges are usually very welcoming to homeschoolers, and a growing number of homeschoolers are getting into top universities across the nation every year.

Now some will go a different rout. Some homeschoolers will duel enroll in college from an early age, say starting their freshman or sophmore year, and take college classes along with their regular highschool work. Many homeschoolers who do this will graduate highschool AND recieve their associates degree at the same time. Then it's easy to just transfer to a university for two more years and have your bachelors degree.

If you have anymore questions, just email me. I'm a seventeen year old homeschooler who is graduating this year and heading off to a state university, so I can tell you a lot about how it works.