I Need to Send My Children to High School: Back to the Basics (Part 14)

Categories: Léo’s Insights 2023-2024, Back to the Basics

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This time I want to start with the conclusion:  No, you do not need to send your children to high school to get accreditation so they can go to college.  First of all, you have no idea if college is required in your child’s life.  Secondly, children going to college are young adults and need to make that decision themselves.  Forcing kids to go to college may increase your bragging rights, but it may not be what your child wants or needs.  Thirdly, there is more than one way to get to college, even if the world is screaming otherwise.

Two other factors should be considered.  High school is a waste of time.  Most students aged sixteen and over should be working at least part time and if they are academically inclined, they should be taking college classes by age sixteen.  If there is anything they need to gain admission to college, they will get it then.  What is the point in exposing students to every possible subject other than in the vain hope that something will stick?  Why not wait until students know exactly what they need and then get their post-secondary requirements?

The other thing to understand is that the college admission industry usually assumes students have gone to high school and followed “standardized” public programming so it will usually answer in that vein.  However, what does the college do with out-of-province or international students?  They would be foolish to require Alberta high school accreditation from them.  Instead, they look for evidence of proficiency.  Why can’t the college also apply this alternate admission criteria to Alberta-grown, unaccredited home education students?  They can and they do, if you ask.

No, you do not need to send your children to high school to get accreditation so they can go to college.  Keep them at home and expect adult behaviour instead of prolonging infancy with three more years of high school.  They are still young and have lots of time to get their post-secondary lives together.  In the meantime, encourage them to become better acquainted with this world before deciding to go to college.

To learn that a high school diploma is not necessary, see the No Diploma? No Problem! blog series: https://www.educationunlimited.ca/insights/index.php/category/leos-insights-2019-2020/no-diploma-no-problem/

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