by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 17, 2018 | Home School, Resources
Homeschooling in Florida has seen a big increase in recent years partly do the availability of online resources and support for parents. The internet has made homeschooling so much more practical of an option for parents. In the past, if you wanted to homeschool your child, you were essentially on your own.
The public school system in Florida has always been innovative, in fact, it was one of the first to introduce an all online public K-12 option and has the largest virtual school in the nation. In Florida, enrolling your child in an online high school, middle school, or elementary school has never been easier. This article is going to show you why homeschooling in Florida makes sense and help you find the resources you need to get started.
How to get started homeschooling in Florida
It’s tough to make the choice to homeschool, but there are so many reasons why it’s a good idea. Beyond being able to take personal responsibility for your child’s learning, you can be confident in the fact that with today’s online resources you can do an extremely good job.
Sending your child to a private school is expensive and public in-person schools many times will not give your child the attention they need to be successful. All that being said it’s still difficult to balance life while you also have to be your child’s teacher.
Once you’ve made the decision to homeschool you’ll probably want the process is. Florida is one of the easiest schools to start homeschooling from and there are a ton of great resources to help you get started.
Helpful websites to help you get started homeschooling in Florida:
http://florida-homeschooling.org/: This is a great all in one Florida specific resource designed to help homeschoolers at every level. The really nice thing about this website is the support groups page, support groups can make all the difference when your homeschooling.
http://www.home-school.com/groups/FL.php: This page has links to tons of great homeschooling groups in Florida. If you’re interested in homeschooling, one of the things you should do is find a group near you and contact them. The group will have area-specific information that they provide you so you can weigh your options and decide if homeschooling is right for your situation.
https://letshomeschoolhighschool.com/2013/05/23/high-school-homeschooling-laws-state/: It’s always a good idea to know the laws of a particular state thoroughly before you start considering homeschooling your child. Florida has some of the most straightforward laws that exist in the country, so you shouldn’t worry about that getting in your way.
Why is homeschooling so popular in Florida?
Florida is pretty unique when it comes to homeschooling. The sheer size of Florida puts a huge strain on the public school system which motivated the school board to start pushing the online option as a way to take some of the pressure off. The online K-12 options in Florida fit right into the homeschooling mentality and give parents more control over how their children are actually processing the information.
There is also a large rural population in Florida where it is logistically difficult for families to get their kids to the schools. Fortunately, the internet brings high-quality education to them no matter where they are.
Another popular trend that we are seeing here in Florida is kids going to public school K-8 and then finishing high school online. There are lots of high school specific online options, both paid and public, accredited by the state of Florida to choose from. It’s a fact that kids who go to school online or at home have a greater understanding of the material and do better on standardized tests. If the goal is to get your child into a good school then homeschooling online is a good option.
Conclusion
If you’re living in Florida, or any state for that matter, you should see homeschooling as an accessible option made easier by modern technology. If you still have questions that this post couldn’t answer then we’re here for you. ARHS is a Florida accredited online high school providing affordable education solutions to anyone who needs them. If you would like more information don’t hesitate to contact us so we can tell you more about your options.
by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 14, 2018 | Diploma
Picking a good online high school for adults can be tough. If you do a quick search on the internet, you’ll see that high school has moved online. As an adult who’s interested in finishing high school online, your needs are significantly different from a younger person who may just be looking for an alternative to in-person school.
Many states will offer a free online option for their students who don’t want to go to high school in-person. Unfortunately, the same curiosity isn’t extended to adults. While online high schools for adults are all over the place now, they aren’t free. Online high school is a great option for adult learners because it has less of an impact on someone’s daily life than going to school in person. Many are more affordable than others, but before you spend your hard earned money on one let’s consider all of your options.
In the following article, we’re going to examine the costs, benefits, and consequences of several different options that you’re probably already considering in regards to your education. We’ll explain how your future goals should be influencing the decisions that you’re making now and guide you to the most sensible decision.
Why online high school is a good option for adults
Not completing high school is rarely seen as a positive on a resume. High school, or an equivalent certificate, is one of the most common prerequisites to any job. If you’ve ever been to an interview without having a high school diploma then the question “so why didn’t you finish high school?” definitely came up.
There are plenty of valid reasons for not completing high school, the important thing is to not live in the past. No matter what your reason for not having your diploma right now, you have the opportunity to get one online. Going back to high school as an adult might seem like a lot of work when you have a job and a family, but it’s entirely manageable. While going back to high school online will be a whole lot of work, you can do it and people just like you are graduating every day.
Online school is more suited to adults because it requires more organizational and time management skills than in-person school. When you go to school online, you and you alone are responsible for making sure that everything is completed on time. Failure to manage time correctly is one of the biggest reasons that some teens are not successful in online high school programs. Time management is a skill that life teaches us as we get older which is why adults might find themselves better suited to online school than teenagers.
What are your options?
Before you decide to go to school online, let’s look at some of the options:
Never finish high school: Deciding not to finish high school means that you have significantly limited your employment opportunities. It will be harder to compete for promotions and more difficult to find a new job if you need to move or get laid off. You might choose this option if you already own a business that makes you a good living, or if you have a trade skill.
Finish high school in person: This can be a great option for people who have some extra time on their hands. Many school districts and public libraries will offer in-person high school programs for adults. If you tend to work better in a classroom environment, then this might be the route for you. You’ll need to consider the fact that you’ll need to commute to your classroom. This option requires you to be more flexible with your schedule because you’ll need to be in class at specific times. Going to school in-person can be disruptive if you have to work and you’ll need to consider if you can afford to revolve your entire schedule around school.
Finish high school online: Getting your high school diploma online has never been easier. There are tons of options, and the best part is you don’t have to change your schedule to participate. Getting your diploma in this fashion is also cost-effective, as long as you choose the right school, going to school in person can get costly. You can pick the best times in your day to study, and all you need is internet access and a computer to get started. Online school is by far the least disruptive way to go back to high school for adults who have lives to maintain.
Conclusion
Many different options exist when it comes to finishing high school. Not having a high school diploma can make it harder to find work, or move into a higher pay bracket. As an adult, you have responsibilities that can limit the time that you have available to commit to school. Online high school is a great way to balance your life and going back to school.
ARHS was designed with the adult learner in mind. Our programs allow you to finish your high school degree affordably and in less time than it would take you to go back to school in person. If you need more information, please reach out, and we’ll be more than happy to help you with your educational journey anyway we can.
by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 9, 2018 | Career, Diploma
Is it harder to get a high school diploma online for adults? No, getting a high school diploma online can actually be easier for adults because many of the programs are geared towards more mature learners. As long as you’re over the age of 18 you have the ability to get your high school diploma online in the US.
A high school diploma is the building block of a professional life and can help you get a higher paying job or qualify you for college. Adults can get a high school diploma online faster and more affordable than ever. Here we’re going to talk about why high school diploma is so important and how you can get your high school online is a great option for adults.
A high school diploma is a must for adults
There are a million reasons why you don’t have a degree. Life doesn’t always go as planned, maybe you had to drop out to support your family, maybe you had to move out of the country, whatever your reason, now is your chance to earn your diploma.
If you don’t act soon you’ll miss out on all the advantages that come along with having a diploma. Not having your HS diploma means fewer job opportunities and ways of career advancement. Who knows, getting your high school degree online might even be fun.
Getting your diploma online
As an adult learner, you have the opportunity to earn your high school diploma online and on your own terms. There are no term limits or class hours. You can go back to school when and where you want. The flexibility that an online high school degree gives you means that your education can progress without you needing to put your life on hold.
Modern online learning is designed with adults in mind. All you need is an internet connection and a computer and you’re up and running. Unlike going to school in person, you won’t need to worry about being to class on time or missing deadlines. While it is true that getting you high school diploma online is easier than ever, that doesn’t mean that you won’t need to put in some effort.
The self-guided nature of online high school programs means that you and you alone will be responsible for organizing your time. While most programs will provide you with student support, you won’t have people telling you how and when you need to study to be able to pass the course. You’ll need to keep track of your progress and make sure that you actually understand the material before you move onto the next subject. The online approach gives you the time with the material that you need to really absorb it so your high school diploma becomes more than just a piece of paper.
We live in a time like no other in history. Education is more widely accessible than ever. So, what are you waiting for?
by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 6, 2018 | Diploma, Time Management
Programs exist that can get you a high school diploma fast. One of the biggest reasons people don’t go back to finish high school is time. It’s a common misconception that online high school will take just as long as in-person high school does, and who wants to spend four years of your adult life just to get your high school diploma.
The good news is, most online high school programs can be completed in a little under one year. The tips we have here will help you find a program that fits your needs and help you get through it successfully.
A high school diploma is something worth pursuing
Time is money and the more time you spend getting your high school diploma online, the less valuable it will be to you. You have a busy life, getting your high school diploma doesn’t have to take an eternity. In the following section, we have some tips that will help you earn an online high school diploma fast.
The older you get, the harder it becomes to drop everything and go back to high school. If you have a job and a family then you have to be really careful about how you spend any extra time you get. Online programs exist that can get you a high school degree very quickly.
Obviously, every program is different, the tips we have included should still be helpful no matter what program you decide to take.
5 tips to help you get your diploma faster
See if you have transferable credits: If you’ve ever been to high school in any capacity then it’s very likely that at least some of your credits will transfer. The more credits you can get to transfer the less online classes you’ll have to take to earn your diploma. This route is called “credit recovery” and it’s a great way to shave some time off your degree. If you don’t know if you have transferable credits, you’ll need to contact your old high school and request your transcripts. Even if you didn’t complete your diploma they should still have your transcripts on file.
Pick a program and stick to it: While this might seem obvious, it’s still a huge time waster to change programs or schools in the middle of getting your diploma. If the program that you signed up for starts getting tough, just remember that the material is similar no matter what online high school you choose. It’s much quicker to spend time trying to finish the program that you’re currently enrolled in than it would be to switch programs, transfer all your credits, and get used to a new learning management system.
Manage your time: Time management is absolutely key to the successful and timely completion of an online high school program. Unlike in-person school, getting your diploma online means that nobody but yourself is responsible for how you spend your time. We recommend setting up a study schedule that fits into your day well and then stick to it. Tasks tend to take as long as the time you afford them. Set completion goals for certain tasks and then hold yourself accountable for getting the work done.
Front load the work: This is the not so secret weapon of getting a high school diploma online fast. Because there’s no set time structure for how fast can you complete any given section of your program, you can work a lot all at once. This is a great strategy if you have the weekends off of work for example. Instead of spending all week doing the work a little at a time, you can “front load” all the work for the week into the previous weekend. Sometimes you get into a really good workflow and when that happens it’s much more productive to keep working than to stop and start again later.
Don’t take long breaks from the material: Whenever you set down a piece of material and don’t come back to it for a while, you’ll waste time getting reacquainted with it. It’s a better strategy to try and power through to a good stopping point like the end of the chapter then it would be to stop in the middle and try to pick it back up later. If you do need to take a break, try to limit it to a day or two at the most.
Conclusion
These tips should help you get your high school diploma faster online. Going back to school might seem like a daunting task at times, but there is plenty of help out there for you. ARHS is committed to helping anyone who wants to get a high school diploma do so faster than even they thought possible. If you’d like more information about what ARHS can do to help you reach your goals please reach out and let’s start a conversation.
by Brendan Cassidy | Jun 30, 2018 | Career, Diploma, GED
While many times they’re passed off as the same, in reality, there are many differences between how employers look at a Ged vs a high school diploma. Take a second to put yourself in the shoes of a prospective employer.
Who would you rather hire:
Somebody with the dedication to finish all the requirements of a high school diploma?
or
Somebody who did the bare minimum in the form of a GED?
In this article, we’ll look at what these differences are and why they matter to employers and colleges. By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll have a better understanding of what route is best for you.
What are the differences between a GED and a high school diploma?
Getting high school checked off your list of life accomplishments is a big deal. While overall high school dropout rates have been in decline, there are still a significant number of people each year who never get their diploma. If you missed your high school graduation then it might seem like you missed out on a big part of your life. Even if you want to get you high school diploma, you don’t have all the time in the world. You have a life to live, maybe even a family to feed. You’re looking for a solution that is fast but also doesn’t cut corners or look bad on a resume.
So what is a GED?
Great question. A GED or a High School Equivalency Certificate is simply a test that you can take to prove that you know the same information that a person who graduated with a high school diploma does. All you need to do is study for the test, pay a fee, and pass it. For all intensive purposes, it’s a high school degree, but what makes it different?
The truth is not a lot. If you’re weighing your options between an online high school degree program and a GED, then they’re both going to be challenging. With the online options available today, getting your GED will be about as tricky as getting you full high school diploma online.
High school in the USA is a rigorously intensive four-year study program that prepares young people for high levels of education. Going through all of the coursework and earning a full diploma can be a significant signal to employers and colleges that a person is dedicated to academia. While most colleges will accept a GED, you may still have to go to community college for a few semesters before you can transfer to the school that you want.
What employers look for
Employers are a different story. It all depends on the job, but most employers will look at a GED and a high school diploma as the same thing. This sentiment becomes even stronger if you eventually go on to complete a higher level of education like an associates degree.
The only kind of employer that will look differently at a GED vs a high school diploma are organizations like the military. Completing a high school diploma is usually more highly regarded in institutions like the military because it can be seen, for right or wrong, as an indication of someone’s character.
On the other hand, some employers might look at a GED as a sign of independent thinking. The fact of the matter is that getting your full high school degree online can’t hurt and it’s the same difficulty as getting a GED. If you’re interested in learning more about what exactly getting your degree online would be like feel free to contact us for more information, we would be more than happy to help you reach your goals.
