AboutMae Kowalke Expertise I can answer pretty much any question about homeschooling, particularly
in relation to the unschooling method. I am happy to answer questions
from parents who are homeschooling their children or kids/teens who are
being educated at home. I can also offer perspective on life after
homeschooling, and what it`s like to be a grown homechooler in college
and the workplace.
Experience I am a grown homeschooler. My three younger sisters and I were educated at home from K-12. We were unschoolers, so my experience lies primarily in that area of homeschooling.
Publications Grown Without Schooling Magazine
Home Education Magazine
The Teenage Liberation Handbook
The Homeschooling Book of Answers
Question I am currently a 10th grader, and am looking into the idea of either homeschooling myself or unschooling for the rest of high school. I currently attend a private school and I have a cumulative GPA of 3.85 on a 4.0 scale, but I just can’t stand school. (I am also involved in several extracurricular activities: theatre, mock trial, etc.) I would rather focus on learning things that actually interest me instead of forcing myself to memorize things on boring topics and then take tests and read dull books. It’s not that school isn’t challenging enough, I am taking the most challenging courses possible. However, I am just getting frustrated with the way I have a set curriculum that I must take with little room for electives, mostly boring classes, and no time to learn about what I am actually am interested in, like politics, philosophy, and a few other things. A lot of the classes I am taking have very small appeal. Do you have anything you can share with me about if I should or how I can do this and what else I need to know? Also, do you have any reading you can suggest so I can learn more about whether or not this is a good idea? Finally, will getting into college be a problem if I decide to do this? (As of now, my college counselor is suggesting colleges such as Yale, Carnegie Mellon, etc. and will these possibilities be eliminated?)
Thanks so much!
Answer First of all, thanks for your question. You sound like a very intelligent, self-determined individual and I’m sure you will choose the right path for yourself, whatever you decide to do. It’s definitely possible to homeschool and get a well-rounded education, and doing so need not harm your chances of getting into a “good” college.
I have two suggestions for you. One is to do a bit of reading about homeschooling and the different ways people choose to educate themselves outside the school system. Two good books to check out: The Teenager Liberation Handbook by Grace Llewellyn and The Homeschooling Book of Answers by Linda Dobson. Chances are your local library has copies of these books, and if you find them there you likely will find other books about homeschooling in the same section.
Second, I recommend that you find a local homeschooling support group to find out about legal matters in the state where you live, and to get advice from others who have chosen the homeschooling path. Here are three places to find a local group:
