What two words do homeschooling families fear the most? High school. The four years of school after junior high intimidate many parents of teenagers. Because homeschoolers don’t have the guidance of public or private school administrators (which is not necessarily a bad thing), many parents suffer sleepless nights worrying about how to give their child a quality education without messing up future chances of success in college and beyond. True, the work done in high school carries more weight in the eyes of colleges than the work done in elementary school, but high school shouldn’t be something to fear.

While your teens are in high school, you as a parent are afforded a unique opportunity to guide and direct their interests and talents into areas that they may want to pursue for the rest of their lives. You’ve watched them grow up; you’ve been with them every step of the way; you’ve homeschooled them because you care. Now, while they’re in high school, you have the chance to continue walking alongside them to prepare them for their future success in the real world.

The decision of what a student should do after graduating is one that requires much thought and planning. Many homeschooling families aren’t thrilled about the idea of sending their kids off to college far away, and with good reason. Life at a dorm isn’t the ideal living situation for young Christian students who’ve been under the guidance and authority of their mom and dad all their lives. Because you’ve kept them at home to school them yourself, family bonding and relationship building is important to you. Your family has taken the time to get to know each other well. As a parent, you know your child better than anyone. Who better to give them counsel and advice about what options they should consider pursuing?

If your highschooler is interested in earning a college degree after high school, then consider looking into distance learning. The smooth transition from high school to distance learning is attractive to many homeschoolers who like working at their own pace and studying on their own. Homeschoolers who have developed good study skills will be more likely to succeed as independent learners doing college-level work.

In high school, homeschool students interested in distance learning might want to consider taking one or more CLEP tests to earn college credit. Even if they don’t pass, the experience will be invaluable to them, as they learn how to prepare for credit-by-examination tests. If they do pass, that will just be more credits under their belt and less time they’ll have to spend on study once they finish high school.

The high school years shouldn’t be something to fear. Consider them a unique opportunity to guide your student on the road to graduation. Consider them a time of preparation for college and preparation for God’s calling on their lives.