Academics - Have MFW students gone on to college?

[Julie in MN]

Two questions my husband already thought of, and thought you all might know:
I think this was already mentioned on a post I read but don't remember where - are MFW high school courses geared for the college-bound?
and
Have any of the author's children used these programs and gone on to college? I hope this doesn't sound like a silly question, but in the past some of the publishers' materials I've chosen were really neat from a Charlotte Mason perspective, but it did not appear that any of the publishers' children had gone on to college (usually they were helping in the family business, etc.) and as neat as some of the things were that I used, I wonder if my children have had enough meat for what will be expected of them on college entrance exams, etc. (How was that for a run-on sentence!?) :)

Sometimes I feel like we are under a homeschooling microscope because my husband works for a University and we become the poster children for homeschooling. Only problem is, we are answering to God, not to what the academic community expects!
-LA in Baltimore-

The Hazells still have 3 at home, but I believe 2 of their older kids are in a competitive engineering college. Both parents have college degrees, as well. The author's degree relates to teaching and curriculum writing. Another "qualification" your husband might be interested in is the fact that the Hazells spent 8 years as missionaries in the Russia area, and David Hazell still serves Bible translation groups in that area of the world.

I, myself, have a son who graduated from a competitive engineering school. Although he was not homeschooled, I can say that I am aware of what's ahead and am still completely confident in the education my youngest is receiving through MFW.

I think dh can rest easy :o)

[HSmommi2mine]

Yes, the author has children in college and while they may not have used the exact things they really were the original ginny pigs before the programs were even formally written.

[cbollin]

LA,
I don’t think your husband's questions sound silly at all. Sounds like your dh is putting some thought into it. Good for him!!!

MFW’s high school programs are designed for college prep path. They are not college level, but college prep high school level. The high school program is done more independently, the lesson plans are written to the student. There is a weekly meeting with parents to stay on track. And MFW seems to be recommending a path that should meet or exceed many college entrance requirements in terms of science and math, and having appropriate level English. Lots of essay writing. And MFW recommends doing foreign language. So, they are definitely designing a high school program with the goal in mind of helping your child not just get into college, but be ready to do well. It is more of the classical side of MFW’s programs.

Additionally, MFW recommends parents read up on ways to earn dual enrollment credit, and other college admission issues. They sell a book on the high school page called College Without Compromise. So, I think MFW is serious about helping us help our children go the college route.
(my quick review of that book -- some parts are written in mind to readers who are much more conservative than I am, but I still liked reading the book and took with a grain of salt the little unimportant things in that book that didn't matter. But I say that b/c it is worth noting in my opinion. It's a good book to read before hitting too far along in high school years so that you can be thinking ahead for college.)


I think that kids who aren’t college bound will still benefit from the structure and independent learning in MFW high school.

The high school program is different from the other programs in amount of day and all of that. You’re using ADV which was designed for children in grades 2 or 3. I realize that you’re using it with older children. But if your husband is concerned that all of the MFW programs are at that level then let him know that is not the case. MFW doesn’t stay at the same at the different stages of learning.

Marie Hazell holds a masters degree. David, her husband, has a college degree too. And as Julie mentioned, writing curriculum isn’t the only thing they’ve done. They were missionaries and Bible translators. That takes some education right there.

but I believe 2 of their older kids are in a competitive engineering college.

Continuing with Julie’s assurances to your husband’s good questions:
Oldest Hazell son is holding a very high GPA in his junior or senior year at a competitive engineering school in the Midwest. Also has an internship/co-op at a firm that is *not* his family's business, and still is a volunteer firefighter too. I forget how high his ACT scores were, but there were above the average for that school.

Next "child" is at a different university double majoring in whatever they are (but not engineering). He earned some college credits while in high school. I enjoy this young man's advice about doing homework in college and staying on track each week and not cramming for finals. Not sure his GPA, but I’m sure it is up there. Very smart and motivated!!!

In addition to the research into quality academic materials, the Hazells also use the real life college experiences of their sons as one more factor in writing a college prep high school program. Working hard each day and keeping up with a syllabus is part of the program <grin>> So, that kind of thing is built into MFW 's high school program. !!!!

And as Julie said, the author still has 3 children at home. Looking forward to hearing how the next one does next year as well as another staff child who graduates this year as they will have done the hs- program in various pilot stages. (Thinking to myself????When did they get that old? I've been a customer for a long time!!!)

There are other pilot families using the high school program who are not children of the author or staff kids. The programs are at various piloting stages.


One thing to keep in the back of your mind... depending on locations and schedules, you can preview the high school program materials at a convention.
-crystal

[LA in Baltimore]

As far as the High School Level looking CM:
Compared to some of the "traditional" high school publishers we have used with our oldest,
MFW does seem to be more CM in style.
For example, there aren't tests in EVERY subject.
Essays and Timelines have a happy place in the curriculum. :)
SIDE NOTE: It is good that some subjects have tests, etc. because as they move on to college, many of their larger, lower-level classes will have tests, but it doesn't seem like you'd need to have them in every subject. I'm VERY OPEN to other opinions on this! :)

Hope you are all enjoying this holiday weekend,
LA in Baltimore

[Lisa M]

Just thought I would share for anybody considering MFW for the first year of High School. My daughter is the least "academic" of my three children. She struggles a bit with understanding math, but is an avid reader and good writer. She was also my least motivated worker, procrastinating work whenever possible. Before this year, we had done almost no formal grammar, and no structured essay/paper writing. She is now 18 weeks into Year 1.

We just had her do some academic testing (because we have access to a trustworthy colleague who offered) just to see where we were and if there were any "holes" in her thinking ability. She scored at or above 12th grade level in every ability area! She was told she could do anything she chose to do. This is from a 15 year old kid who doesn't think she is smart.

Just the the bit we have done with MFW this year has just served to fill in a few areas that we hadn't taught yet, and we've only just begun. This really has been a fantastic program, efficient and focused on the important areas. Now that she can see her entire year planned out, she absolutely hates to get behind and will diligently work on the weekends if she was unable to complete the week's work. I am so pleased with the quality and quantity of her daily work load. She is enjoying it, too. My husband and I are both college grads (he almost has a doctorate) and we know what college prep means. I wish I could have done such interesting and relevant work when I was in high school. Maybe I would have remembered more!

In addition to MFW, we use Daily Grams 9 by Easy Grammar, Word Roots B2 by Critical Thinking Company, ALEKS online Algebra 1, Apologia Biology, and Rosetta Stone Spanish. She is taking piano lessons and plays high school sports as well.

[4Truth]

Now that she can see her entire year planned out, she absolutely hates to get behind and will diligently work on the weekends if she was unable to complete the week's work. I am so pleased with the quality and quantity of her daily work load.

Yes!!! My dd is only on week 2 of AHL, and I'm already seeing the same results. She just started high school level work in January and I was going to try to save money and a host of other reasons for pulling together my own eclectic mix. Well, it didn't take long for us to see that that just wasn't going to work, so I broke down and bought AHL a couple of weeks ago. We (dh, dd, and I) are SO glad I did for all the same reasons you listed. We're only on week 2, but the difference between AHL and what we were doing is like night and day!