Episode Details

Your student is heading into ninth grade and suddenly everything feels like it counts. Credits, transcripts, graduation requirements, college, and a hundred decisions you're not sure you're qualified to make. Homeschool expert Christy-Faith sits down with Natalie Mack, M.Ed., to answer the question that keeps homeschool moms up at night: how do you homeschool high school without living in a pressure cooker?

This is Part 1 of a four-part high school series.

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In this episode, you'll learn:

• What actually changes when you move from homeschooling middle school into high school
• Why Natalie calls high school a blank canvas — and why there's no single right way through it
• The five core subject areas that build a sound high school foundation
• How many credits a homeschool high schooler needs each year, and what a credit really represents
• Why every student needs a homeschool transcript — even the ones who say they're not going to college
• When to start the transcript and why it stays a draft document for years
• How to set your own graduation requirements and where state law comes into it
• The biggest mistake homeschool parents make in high school planning — and how fear drives it
• The truth about the all-AP myth, straight from a College Board parent advisory council member
• How to choose between dual enrollment, AP, CLEP, and online classes using four fit filters
• The dual credit mistake that costs families real money when credits don't transfer

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Resources mentioned:

• Natalie Mack's website — free high school planning checklist for grades 9–12, the high school decisions workshop, and her homeschool courses: natalie-mack.com
• High School Decisions Bootcamp — use code CHRISTY for a listener discount: High School Decisions Bootcamp
• Natalie's homeschool courses — cross-cultural American literature and model diplomacy global affairs simulation: Natalie's Courses
• 101 Tips for Homeschoolers — Natalie's book: 101 Tips for Homeschoolers
• The Impact of Homeschooling — Natalie's TEDx talk: Watch the TEDx talk
• The Christy-Faith List — Find homeschool-friendly providers: christy-faiths-list.com
• Thrive Homeschool Community:

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