The Never-Ending Circle

Well, you did it...

You made it through the first two years of high school. You have an idea of what you want to major in. You even have a college in mind. There's only one little problem--money.

It's a never-ending circle. You need to go to college to make money, but you need to have money to go to college, but you need to go to college to make money, and so on and so forth. Of course, you can always go into debt for years and years, but who wants to do that?



Whole books have been written on this subject. When I visited colleges earlier this month I was able to attend a student panel. Most of the students admitted that they had no idea how they were able to pay for college--they just managed from year to year.

One great way to start earning money now is scholarships. There are hundreds of people and organizations out there who want to raise awareness for various causes--and they have money. All you have to do is start looking...and writing...and writing...and writing!

I was flabbergasted when my mom told me she once got money toward college just for writing a paper. For homeschooled students, it can't get much better than that. Just schedule scholarship hunting in as another school subject.

However, it does take time--something not many highschoolers have, homeschooled or not--and it is always a gamble. You never know how many other people are entering to win the same scholarship or how much better of writers they might be. It takes hard work and a little risk-taking, but in the middle of the school year, when you don't have time to get a job, sometimes you've got to push yourself out there.

Here's a site to get you started: https://collegeprowler.com/
 
Luke 14:28-30:  “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’"

What do you think about scholarships and earning money for college? I'd love to hear from you!

Homeschoolers Go on Field Trips

One thing that cannot be beaten about homeschooling is the awesome field trips we go on. I mean, no medical papers to sign, no school bus full of 30-40 kids. You can even drive part of the way (And for someone behind on her 50 hours, driving is very important)! This particular field trip, however, creamed every other one thus far.

First of all, it was to the beach--Pigeon Point Lighthouse in fact.

 

Second of all, it was an overnight trip with four other families from our homeschool group. This is the first overnight trip our group has gone on in as long as I can remember. We stayed in a hostel next to the lighthouse, and there were just enough bunk beds for all us girls to stay in one room.

This was by far the ultimate field trip. We touched sharks, explored tide pools, played mafia, dissected starfish, saw a whale skeleton, romped in the waves, watched the sun set and rise over the ocean, looked for seals, accidentally trespassed on private property, and picked up sea shells. I also got some great inspiration for my book. 

There's nothing quite like sitting on a bench early in the morning, with a lighthouse behind you and the sunrise before you, typing on your iPhone with half-numb fingers and watching the pelicans fly single-file over the surface of the water. The ocean is never quiet. Always you hear the sound of the waves, roaring, splashing, breaking. Only as the waves rush up onto the beach is there a lull, and the air is filled with the sound of a million tiny bubbles all bursting at once and then being dragged back out to sea.

Okay, I'll spare you now and end with a Bible verse:

Psalm 139:9-10 "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

What is the best field trip you've ever gone on?

College Visits

Last week I received the unique opportunity of visiting two colleges. My experiences there were extremely helpful. No longer are those colleges just places on a map or on the web. They're faces and meals and bedrooms and classes and buildings. Not to mention, it was a ton of fun! Here are some things I recommend if you ever visit a college:

1. Stay overnight. I was able to do this at the first college I went to, and learned a lot. I really got the feel for the atmosphere, met tons of people, and was able to see things I wouldn't have on a day-visit. 

2. Remember the spiritual aspect. This made all the difference for me. Being able to see these two colleges in the same week helped emphasize how different they are. Neither was bad, but one was clearly more Bible based and Christ focused. This is important, especially if you are going to be living there for four years. If you're going to pay money for a Christian education, make sure it is somewhere you can grow spiritually.

3. Take at least one class. Even if it's something you're not particularly interested in, it's helpful to get an idea of what the professors are like and how things run. 

4. Don't forget to have fun!

Have you gone on a college visit? Do you have any tips to add?

Notice:

Due to a slightly unexpected field trip, The Homeschooled Teen will be put on hold. Expect a post around Thursday or Friday this week. Happy Veterans Day!

When Did I Grow Up?

Big things are happening. Big things. I suppose everyone reaches that time in their life when they realize that everything is about to change. Well, I've arrived at that point.

On Saturday I took the SAT for the first time. For the sake of driving distance, my mom signed me up to take it at a high school in a neighboring town, rather than at the junior college. All I'll say is with my blond hair I stuck out like a sore thumb. It was pretty interesting, however, to listen to the kids around me talk, mixing up Spanish and English words in the same sentence. (And they all understood one another perfectly!) However, I signed something that won't let me talk about the test itself, so let's move on to what I found out when I got home.

My cousin got engaged. Now, that may not seem like an exactly life-changing experience, but you've got to understand a few things. She's eighteen--less than two years older than me. I mean, we used to dress up and eat play food and write pretend letters to each other. While I know that there's no way I'm getting married that young (without some kind of divine intervention, that is) it really makes me feel old. When did we grow up?

Which brings me to the final event--something that will actually happen this afternoon. I'm going to visit a college. In fact, I'm going to spend the night. It's about two hours away from home and it's Christian, but still...it's college. Maybe I need to check my birth certificate; I can't be that old, can I?

I'm so excited. A whole new world is opening up to me. There are so many possibilities. Yet, at the same time, my whole world is shutting down. Once I leave home, nothing will ever be the same again. I won't have my parents to feed and clothe and chauffeur me. Even if I move back home, my brother will probably have already moved out.

Prayer: So...here it is God. Everything I have known and everything I will know. Help me to trust in You and follow Your leading. You knew exactly what You were doing when You called my mom to homeschool, and You know what You're doing now. Thank you for the things that have happened and are going to happen this week. Thank you that, no matter what, You remain the same. In Jesus' name, amen.

Psalm 20:7 "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

When did you first realize that you were almost grown up? What has been a significant turning point in your life?