College Info for Homeschoolers

My local Community College held a College Information Day for Homeschoolers. They seem to be eager to help homeschoolers transition to college and had lots of valuable information to provide.

We of course discussed scholarships, grants and loans.

But they also revealed they would take homeschool transcripts notarized by the parent, as long as you had the required Carnegie Units for graduation.

Here is a sample transcript modeled on the one I used to get my eldest son into college. This is not his actual transcript.

To find the students Grade Point Average (GPA) you add up the Credits (Carnegie Units), add up the Points then divide the Points Total by the Credits Total.

Points
For 1 Credit (Carnegie Unit)
A = 4
B = 3
C = 2
D = 1
F = 0

For 1/2 Credit (Carnegie Unit)
A = 2
B = 1.5
C = 1
D = 0.5
F = 0

Carnegie Units required to graduate vary from State to State, so check the requirements for your state. These are the requirements for Mississippi according to the Ocean Springs School District.

The State Board of Education recently raised the graduation requirements for a Mississippi diploma. The new policy adds one credit in Math to the requirements, bringing the number from three to four courses. At least one of the four required mathematics courses must be higher than Algebra I. This requirement goes into effect with the entering freshmen of the 2005-06 school year. The new state policy also allows Pre-Algebra to be taught in eighth grade for a Carnegie Unit, an initiative we are pursuing at the Middle School. Beginning with the freshmen of 2005-06, Mississippi will require 21 Carnegie Units for graduation; Ocean Springs requires 28 Carnegie Units for a regular diploma.

It is not fair for other students, to "vote away the rest of the people's money."

Would you like to sign a petition against NCAA Football?" Nadine Mendelsohn-Ziskind, a history student at the University of South Alabama, asks a fellow USA student as he makes his way to his evening class last Wednesday in the Humanities courtyard.

"They are going to charge you an extra $300 a year for it," she continues. "That amounts to an extra $1,200, and if you have student loans, the interest would make football even costlier."If implemented, the proposed football program will be accompanied by an athletic fee increase of $100 to $150 per semester based on full-time enrollment. Students not enrolled full time would pay less.

A group of students has been talking about starting an anti-football petition for several weeks. Nov. 14 they began collecting signatures."It is not that I am against football at South. I am just against the way they are doing it," Mendelsohn-Ziskind told The Vanguard. "If the alumni asked me to donate, I would give what I could. I just resent being forced to pay for it," she added.Mendelsohn-Ziskind is not alone in feeling this way.

USA freshman Matthew Peterson, who is helping to organize the anti-football petition drive, has repeatedly argued that it is not fair for other students, even a majority of other students, to "vote away the rest of the people's money."

Read the rest in the Vanguard

Moulton on Football at USA

Frankly, there is no way that I could have recommended a football program in 2001. It would have been administrative malpractice.

As to what has changed to make football more economically viable:

• Our students have expressed their desire to have a football program and their willingness to pay the lion's share of the cost. This is the single most important difference.

Not all the students want a football program at USA, but they will still be forced to help pay for the lion's share of the cost. This 'addition' will have a particularly harsh impact on those students who are paying their own way through college.

Moulton: Our best estimate is that when the program is fully implemented in four years, the annual budget will be approximately $5 million, about two-thirds of which will be paid for by the student fee.

Students shouldn't be expected to pick up two-thirds of the fee.

Moulton: The key to keeping football, or any other academic or athletic program, from being a financial drain on the University is to make a solid financial plan, be conservative with your revenue estimates and liberal with your cost estimates and budget carefully. In our case, I will tell you unequivocally that if our students had not agreed to fund the majority of the cost, we would have NOT gone forward and the idea would again have died.

Then the idea should be dead in the water. It is unconscionable that all students, even those who loath football and will never attend a game are expected to pay for it. The increased athletic fee will have the greatest impact on those students who are paying for their own education out of pocket, the 'poor fools' who have student loans and will not notice the 'increased fee' until later will realize the high cost of a vanity football team down the road. The only students who will think they got a good deal are those with full scholarships who will never feel the bite of the "increased fees" and those with rich parents willing to foot the bill.

Another Alabama football program would be a waste

The last thing that Alabama needs is to be saddled with is the expense of another vanity football program at a public university.

The USA faculty senate last month voted heavily in favor of football at the Mobile university.

Apparently they and other supporters believe that a football program at USA will increase donations, alumni support and student enrollment.With proper marketing and alumni association involvement, donations and charitable contributions would help offset any losses resulting from the new football program, according to one enthusiast. Football could complement USA's thriving basketball program.

It seems rather naive to count on donations and charitable contributions to offset losses resulting from the football program, especially given the realities of today's economy.

But USA should take a hard look at the vanity football program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before it takes the plunge. Football has been a financial millstone around UAB's neck.

The UAB football program was created with the help of Birmingham-area lawmakers who believed that the success of the university basketball team could be replicated on the gridiron. Basketball and football, however, are two entirely different creatures.

Since 1997, UAB has lost an average of more than $1.5 million annually in persisting to field an NCAA football team. The program's support is embarrassingly anemic. Home games are played before thousands of empty seats at a yawning Legion Field.

Education money in Alabama is thin at best and getting tighter. USA better take a more realistic approach and leave NCAA college football to the Auburns and Alabamas of this state.

More reasons to say NO to football at USA

The most fervent argument from the group concerns capital for the team and how the University plans to raise the funds, stating that $150 for a team is unfair to the students who do not want football, and 2,000 signatures does not represent the 14,000 students on campus."You're siphoning money away from everybody to pay for a few people to run around and play ball," said Jeffrey Harris, a USA student who opposes the NCAA petition. "It won't pay for itself, so you're paying for this useless toy out of the pockets of people that are here for academia in perpetuity."

Many of the students at USA are footing the bill for their academic education out of their own pockets. It's unfair that they will be forced into financially supporting a useless toy.

Peterson stated the $150 could be an entire paycheck for an employee who works around 20 hours a week. He also argues that it could draw money away from academics, despite the effort to raise funds prior to implementing and recruiting the team.

Foes of USA football plan petition, hope to pass 2,000 signatures

I really hope they succeed. It seems unfair that all students will get stuck paying for the football program through higher tuition rates if they don't.

USA President Gordon Moulton said the program would cost an estimated $5 million annually within five years, most of which would be paid by a $200 to $300 increase in annual student activity fees.

Colleges should concentrate on academics and providing a quality education.

He is Home.................

Eldest has been coming home on the weekends. One of the advantages of going to a college close to home. I have been trying to make his homecoming on Friday special by cooking a special meal complete with desert. Last weekend after learning that he is subsisting on the snack meals I bought him I also decided to cook Cranberry Pumpkin Bread for breakfast Saturday. Unfortunately I forgot one of the main ingredients, SUGAR. Actually even without the sugar it didn't taste too bad, we just sprinkled some powdered sugar on top to make up for my 'senior moment'.

This weekend I haven't been as ambitious, but I did stock up on snack meals at Wal-mart for him to take back, who knew that "ice-cream and other food cost money". The sheer horror in his voice was hilarious.

I'll Be Missing You

I am borrowing the use of song titles from Mother Crone's Homeschool.

We left Eldest at college yesterday.

His roommate seems really nice. The college did a good job of matching them. They have similar majors and they are both transfer students from MGCCC. His roommate attended the J.D. Campus while eldest was at Jackson County. We actually live near his roommates family. I think they will get along fine.

The dorm room itself had a few minor problems. The blinds won't shut for one, but hopefully that will be taken care of soon. The roommate and his father had already reported it to the office by the time we arrived. I think they will have plenty of room for their stuff. I imagine Eldest is still unpacking, we have yet to hear from him. He had gotten his books before we left so I imagine if he has time he is looking over them.

They had Jag Fest to attend last night, I hope they had a good time. Everyone on the campus seems friendly and helpful, so I am sure this will be a wonderful experience for him.

But I do wish he would call or email. I miss him.

Alasandra is doing a happy dance

I saw a hummingbird today at the hummingbird feeders. Now I am busy preparing new food for them. I'll empty the old out this afternoon and refill them. Don't worry they won't starve in the meantime, we have lots of flowers around that hummingbirds love.

Eldest got his laptop yesterday, and Hubby's co-worker delivered the refrigerator Wednesday so we finally have everything on his list and I can RELAX. At least until tomorrow, when I am sure I'll realize that something didn't get put on the list.

Hubby will be home today.

18 Overlooked Things Everyone Should Bring to College

Over at College and Finance you can read the timely post 18 Overlooked Things Everyone Should Bring to College.

Luckily Eldest's dorm room has a private bath, and thankfully we have the majority of stuff on the list. A co-worker of hubby's has graciously offered to pick up the refrigerator for us, and Eldest was notified his laptop finally shipped today. Hopefully it will be here by Friday (Hugh sigh of relief).

Shopping for College 101

Eldest and I have been getting stuff for his dorm room. I went ahead and ordered the sheets through the school as they are suppose to be some odd size that most standard twin sheets will not fit, but I got a wonderful deal on the comforter at a local store.

Today we purchased stuff for the 'kitchen' ( I use the term kitchen loosely there will be a microwave and refrigerator). I got him a measuring cup and some bowls so he can make oatmeal in the morning for breakfast, a few plates, cups and silverware. It's hitting home that my baby will not be living at home anymore.

Saturday I go pick up the refrigerator.

Now if only that pesky laptop would get here we would be all set.

Unless I forgot something, let me go check my list(s).................................

Feed up with DELL & Hubby

Eldest has to have a lap top for his college classes which start August 20th, he'll be moving into the dorms August 18th. He wanted to order the laptop in May, but Hubby insisted that he wait until July. We ordered the laptop from the DELL website the first week in July and it still isn't here. Today Eldest got an email stating there has been yet another delay and that it will not be here until August 28th. Which is TOO LATE!!!! Any student who doesn't have a lap top registered with the School of CIS by the first week will be administratively withdrawn from all classes requiring a laptop. Which would be the majority of Eldest's classes.

I am stressed out enough already trying to get a refrigerator and everything else Eldest needs for his dorm room, now we have to find a computer ASAP that will meet the computer science departments requirements and that Eldest will at least be reasonably happy with. All because DELL can't be bothered to fill their orders ON TIME, and hubby insisted on waiting to order the laptop. And Hubby is acting like it's NO BIG DEAL! He won't even help me and Eldest look for an alternative. And honestly I am limited to the help I can offer as I don't know that much about computers. I do know one thing I will never do business with DELL again.

Then there is the fact Hubby is going out of town AGAIN, so I am left to deal with everything by myself as usual, not that he is being that much help. But he will not even be back in time to help move Eldest into his dorm room, so we will be left to manage the refrigerator (which I hope will fit in the trunk of mine or Eldest's car, as we have been told we won't be borrowing the truck) on our own (assuming it arrives in time).

Eldest is also being unhelpful as he had his heart set on the DELL and isn't really interested in other alternatives.

Taking the Public out of Education

Taking the Public out of Education by Elizabeth Warren is a must read.

Hesston College opens it's doors to homeschoolers

Katy Hendricks (left), Newton, Kan. and Laura Harms, Newton, work on an electronic circuitboard during the third annual Science and Computer camp for homeschool students May 14-18 at Hesston College. The students have or will soon finish 8th grade through 12th grade.

Former Homeschooler Elise Saba awarded a President's Medal

Elise Saba, who will be receiving a bachelor’s degree in English, has been awarded a President’s Medal for scholarship as a transfer student -- an award given to a student who entered the UW with at least 60 transfer credits from a Washington community college.


Saba transferred to the UW from North Seattle Community College, where she had been named to the President’s List for her high scholarship, and also to the Phi Theta Kappa honor society for community college students.


At the UW, Saba has been a Mary Gates Leadership Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society. She also has been a member of departmental honors in English. Her first publication in fiction appeared in the Daily, the UW student newspaper, in March.

Saba is proud of the fact that she was home schooled through 10th grade. "It was one of the best gifts a mother could have ever given her child," she said.

Should the Professor be Fired or Suspended?

A University of Colorado committee has recommended that a controversial professor accused of faulty research be suspended for one year rather than fired.

Ward Churchill, a tenured professor of ethnic studies, touched off a national firestorm with an essay that compared some of the 2001 World Trade Center victims to Adolf Eichmann, a key planner of the Holocaust.

It was some of his other work, however, that led an interim chancellor of the Boulder campus and another committee to recommend Churchill be fired.

The professor was accused of misrepresenting the effects of federal laws on American Indians, wrongly claiming evidence indicated Capt. John Smith exposed Indians to smallpox in the 1600s, and claiming the work of a Canadian environmental group as his own.

Read the rest in The Sun Herald.

Need Money for College?

Advice for Student Borrowers in The Sun Herald.

I Am So Proud!!!!!

Shining Celebi will graduate from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, May 10, 2007 at 2PM. You can view the invitation here.

On the Road Again

I spent the weekend on the road. Saturday was spent in Mobile at the University of South Alabama's USA Day. They have a lovely campus with lots of live oak trees and magnolias, plenty of green space with picnic tables encouraging you to enjoy the outdoors and the sound of birds was soothing. The dorm rooms are small but are arranged to provide the maximum privacy and each room has it's own bath. I think Shining Celebi will be very happy there this fall.

Sunday was spent in Hattiesburg at the Southern District Soccer Tournament. Lord Epa's team came in second place in our bracket.

Planning for College

The Education Service Foundation can help.