An Excellent Approach To College And Career Readiness For Homeschoolers

Late last school year, my oldest son told me that his goal was to get into a four year college.

If you know anything about our educational journey, you will understand when I say that I was shocked. I never imagined this would be his path.

Once the shock wore off, we began making a plan for all the things he needed to do to prepare, not only for applying to college, but actually living there, in the dorms, on his own.

The list was long.

There were the obvious things like write an essay, prepare the applications finalize his homeschool transcript, and investigate various programs.

But most of it was far more life skills oriented.

Our initial list included:

• Banking
• Budgeting (A friend’s child spent all of the monthly money in his bank account his very first week in college on eating out with his friends. He was shocked that there was so much month left with no extra money. Lesson learned!)
• Pharmacy needs during the school year
• Resume writing and job interviews
• Daily to-do list management
• Managing a calendar over the course of the year
• General daily time management of both academics and life

It was a long list and one that we are still, almost a full year later, working through.

As he has accomplished more and more on the list, I have become more and more excited about this opportunity for him. He is developing self confidence and I am seeing the transition to manhood, before my own eyes.

It has not, however, been easy.

Preparing For College As A Homeschooler

At some point along the way, I realized I needed some help. (Turns out, mom is not necessarily perceived as the authority she once was on things like personal finance and college readiness. Add to it the fact that I have not had anything to do with college since 1997 and you can understand the need for outside expertise.)

I was surprised and so excited to see that one of our favorite programs, and one that my son had been a part of, off and on since middle school, offered just what we needed to help get him ready.

An Excellent Approach To College And Career Readiness For Homeschoolers

I had no idea, but Mr. D Math offers so much more than just math classes.

He now has live SAT and ACT Bootcamps, along with, you guessed it, a live College and Career Readiness class!

We signed up immediately, and I think my son and I both sighed with relief when we saw the lessons overview.

Mr. D Math’s College and Career Readiness Course includes the following units of study:

• Goal Setting
• Time Management
• Introduction To Financial Literacy
• Check Writing, Credit Cards, and Bank Accounts
• Introduction To The Stock Market
• Advocating For Yourself
• Determining Your Own Learning Style
• Career Assessments
• Researching A Company Or University
• A College Campus Virtual Field Trip
• A Career Virtual Field Trip
• Resume Writing

Everything A College Bound Homeschooler Needs (and more!)

Now that he has actually participated in the live classes, I can tell you that my son is fascinated with the stock market (did I even know what the stock market was until my 30’s? nope!) and feeling even more confident as he makes the preparations to head to college this fall.

Even if your child is not college bound, this course is far more about helping our children take on the world as prepared, confident adults. The balance between college and career readiness allows for broader discussions around managing one’s life, not just applying to college or building a resume.

I cannot recommend Mr. D Math’s College and Career Readiness Course highly enough.

Check it out for yourself!

For More On College For Homeschoolers

Homeschool Mom Q&A: What About College?

Will Homeschooling High School Put My Child At A Disadvantage?