by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 27, 2018 | Online Options, Resources
Understanding the pros and cons of public school is essential before you decide to enroll in an online public school program. The choice between public and private school can be a difficult one to make. Many times public schools will offer a free online option to students who don’t want to, or can’t, go to school in person. Private online schools provide high-quality education but can get pricey. So how do you choose?
Online high school is fundamentally different than online university because the standards are very specific. There isn’t much leeway when it comes to the material that you need to teach at a high school. You don’t choose an online high school based on the material that it teaches, but rather how it teaches it. The following blog post is going to go over all the pros and cons of public school online and give you some tools to help you make a good choice.
Is an online public school right for you?
There are many reasons that you might be considering going to a public school online. If you’re under 18, then it’s likely your local school district has an option for you as a replacement for the standard in-person route. Depending on your school district, this can be a high-quality engaging experience, or it can be less than ideal. If you’re over 18, then you most likely won’t qualify for a free online public option.
Going back to school online is an excellent choice if you want to expand your professional opportunities or continue to college. An online option becomes ideal if you’re currently working and can’t afford to take time off to go back to school.
Pros and cons of public school online
Pros:
- Local campus support: When you go to a local public school online then you can always go to the campus for assistance if you need it. In-person help can be a significant advantage over an online school that doesn’t have a campus.
- Free if you’re under 18: This is probably the most significant advantage of going to online public school. Many school districts will let you choose the online option over going to class in person which means that they have to make it free. You can save a lot of money by going this route if you qualify for it.
Cons:
- Not as high quality as private: While it’s true that online public school options will teach much of the same information as their private counterparts, many times they don’t have the resources to maximize student experience. There is fierce competition in the online private high school market, and as a result, private schools need to be continually improving to stay relevant.
- Not as prestigious as private: Having a diploma come from a private school looks great on a resume. It doesn’t matter if you went to the private school online or in person, employers and colleges look at private high school differently from public.
Enrolling in high school online
Once you have decided which route you want to take, your next step will be to enroll. If you have decided to go with a private school like ARHS, then the enrollment process is pretty simple. Once your application is approved, you can start taking classes right away. If you ever have any questions, we are here to make sure your enrollment goes smoothly.
by Brendan Cassidy | Jul 24, 2018 | Online Options, Resources, Time Management
Online school works better now than it ever has before. If you’re thinking about going back to high school online you couldn’t have picked a better time. Recent technological advancements have made online high school an engaging experience that everyone can access. In the past, if you didn’t complete high school for some reason you had few convenient options to go back and get your diploma. Sure you could always study for and take the GED test, but if you wanted an actual diploma then your options were limited.
Today the online school options available are almost endless especially for people who are going back to high school. Online high school is unique because much of the material taught at different schools will be the same. Going to school online used to mean that you were going to be plagued by compatibility and usability issues that would make the job almost impossible. This article will examine some of the key changes in how online school works and how to make the most of them in your own high school career.
What makes online school a good option?
The idea of going back to high school can be a scary one if you have a family and a job. The development of quality online high school programs has made going back to school more accessible to people who can’t put their lives on pause. Getting your high school diploma can mean a significant improvement in the professional opportunities that are available to you. The online option means that you can still hold a full-time job and complete your diploma at your own pace.
The trick to any high school program is learning to balance your time while maximizing your investment. You need to find that happy medium of working on your classes just enough to stay ahead while still keeping your family and job on track. The real value of online school come from all the flexibility that it can bring to your life.
4 Tips to make online school work better for you.
Build your workspace: Just because you have the option to work anywhere doesn’t mean that it’s a good idea to do so. It has been proven over and over again that having a dedicated work-space allows you to focus better and keep your time on track.
Communicate with your teachers: This is a step that is missed by many people who attend online school. Just because your school is online doesn’t mean that your teachers aren’t real people who can help you. Just like in a traditional school, your teachers are your biggest resource when it comes to understanding the material and getting good marks in a class.
Plan out your time: When you’re going to school online it’s very easy to get complacent and slack on your work. You’re the only person who is going to say you need to work on something, so you should take the responsibility seriously. Take the time to make a study schedule and then stick to it.
Keep yourself organized: You should always know exactly what you have to do and when you have to do it by when you’re going to school online. The more organized you can become then the easier it will be for you to go to school online.
Why ARHS is a great option
The ARHS online high school diploma option can help you get your diploma affordably. You get all the benefits of a high-quality high school education from the comfort of your own home. If you’re interested in exploring what ARHS can do for you then message us today and let us help you design a path to achieve your goals.
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 | Jun 23, 2018 | Home School, Resources
More home education resources are available online now than ever before. Many of the home education resources available are free and can truly help you reach your educational goals faster. No matter if you’re thinking about enrolling your child in an online high school program, or you’re going back to school yourself, these resources can help.
Here we have compiled a list of our five favorite home education resources, but before we dive into the list let’s look at some reasons why you might want to learn from home.
Home education resources can help you get your diploma
If you’re an adult learner there are plenty of educational resources that you can access right from the comfort of your own home. Building your own learning plan can be fun and rewarding. Maybe you aren’t looking for a diploma and just love learning. Maybe you want to challenge yourself, or maybe you need help getting through another online program you are currently enrolled in.
The benefits of educating yourself or homeschooling a child are almost too many to count. For adults, going back to school in person is disruptive and many times impractical. For teenagers, online homeschooling has been proven to be a better strategy to get kids actually understanding the material and test better. There is no question that home education is a great option for many different types of students.
The five free resources we have listed below can help any home educator get the most out of their study time.
5 great home education resources geared toward adult learners
- https://www.khanacademy.org: This one makes the top of the list because of its quality. The Khan Academy is great at explaining different math topics and is constantly being improved by the people who use it. We recommend using this as a study tool more than anything, and the best part is it’s 100% free education.
- https://www.edx.org/: This site is a collaborative effort by many higher education institutions to bring more high-quality education to the masses. Lectors from top schools like Harvard and Berkeley are now available online to anybody. While some classes are paid, there still is a large selection of free resources and classes to choose from.
- www.open2study.com: This site has lots of great resources. The lectors are excellent and they have an impressive library of free content. What’s nice about this site’s material is that it’s so up to date. With a wide selection of courses, it can be a great way to augment existing courses of study with great lectures and class materials.
- http://academicearth.org/: Similar to edX, academic earth is a totally free college-level course platform for you to learn with. They have a state of the art learning management system and the education is top notch when it comes to the free education world. The coolest part is, you can get a degree from their for free if you have the time.
- www.coursebuffet.com: This site takes pre-existing MOOC programs and lists them all in one place. It’s a great site to go for free educational assistance and to take courses. It has one of the most comprehensive databases of free online degree programs on the internet and should be a staple of any home education diet.
Conclusion
The truth is that the amount of home education resources available today online is unprecedented. If you or a family member is considering getting a high school diploma from home then your support options are almost endless. We hope that you found our list useful and if you need any help with online education and your options we would love to help. Comment on this post, or message us correct and let’s start a conversation about your educational future.
