Adjusting to America

[rlogan 2,036]

There are a couple of specialized schools in my district but they are mostly aim toward the Hispanic population. How can she goes to college with home school? Does she has to pass some kinds of test in order to go to college.

I am a retired university professor, former department head, graduate director, and chair of undergraduate recruiting. In my 20 years of experience the homeschooled kids were the best prepared, most mature, and best disciplined for academic study. In the organized distance education and homeschool programs they get a degree like any other student. Some take the "G.E.D." test (General Education Diploma) - but in all cases they take the S.A.T. or A.C.T. exams if they are interested in college, just like any high school graduate.

One of the things I often heard from the high school teachers or grade school teachers was that yeah, the homeschool kids scored higher on the standardized tests, but they theorized the homeschool kids lacked socialization skills. My experience was that the kids from the public schools were "socialized" with exactly the wrong kinds of associations, whereas the homeschool kids acted like adults, interacted with others more responsibly, and were capable of critical thinking.

The public school kids were big into television, fads, partying, juvenile delinquency, and lacked discipline. We're talking on average here, of course there is a statistical distribution with good and bad from all walks of life.

Because our state (Alaska) has so many living the remote rural lifestyle, homeschool and distance education is really big and well organized here. I can't speak for your state but there ought to be information at your state department of education, your school district, and probably homeschool association. Get on google buddy. The best research you'll find is what you do yourself if you are motivated.

Best of luck, I assure you if you expend the effort you will find plenty of information.

Edited August 31, 2010 by rlogan

[Tuanv 2]

I guess the first question is, what is her education in Vietnam? It may be transferrable here so all she'll need is some TOFEL courses to get her English up to college standards

good luck

She graduated high school last year; I assume most of her course are transferable.

[Nikita2Charles 32]

I she graduated High School in Vietnam, correct me if i am wrong, she doesn't need to go back to high school when she gets here.

Make sure she brings over her High School Diploma from Vietnam along with the HS school transcript, you might be able to get it evaluated and over time she go can straight to a community college. If he english is not that good, she can take ESL courses, and sometimes some ESL courses can be prerequisite for English writing courses.

Check your community service in your neighborhood, look out for adult educations program, a lot of them have ESL courses, as a guide look for places that teaches Citizenship prepartion, some of them have ESL courses.

She graduated high school last year; I assume most of her course are transferable.

[Tuanv 2]

I she graduated High School in Vietnam, correct me if i am wrong, she doesn't need to go back to high school when she gets here.

Make sure she brings over her High School Diploma from Vietnam along with the HS school transcript, you might be able to get it evaluated and over time she go can straight to a community college. If he english is not that good, she can take ESL courses, and sometimes some ESL courses can be prerequisite for English writing courses.

Check your community service in your neighborhood, look out for adult educations program, a lot of them have ESL courses, as a guide look for places that teaches Citizenship prepartion, some of them have ESL courses.

Thank, I will look into it. I think an adult ESL program is the way to go. After what I old her about American high school, she is freaking out

[fozzie 41]

There are a couple of specialized schools in my district but they are mostly aim toward the Hispanic population. How can she goes to college with home school? Does she has to pass some kinds of test in order to go to college.

I would avoid home schooling fif the purpose is for going to college. Always check with the college what they will accept as proof of high school level graduation as they will surely be different from school to school.

I would try to get several sealed copies of her high school transcripts from Viet Nam because this will usually suffice and may be needed by the colllege. Make sure you leave them sealed though.

ESL are very important and most community colleges offer them for free or little cost. Just from a quality of life perspective this should be your/her focus. Don't rush her into school. allow her to get comfortable with the language in both speaking and writing as she will need both to be succesful in college and in her career.

[Tuanv 2]

I would avoid home schooling fif the purpose is for going to college. Always check with the college what they will accept as proof of high school level graduation as they will surely be different from school to school.

I would try to get several sealed copies of her high school transcripts from Viet Nam because this will usually suffice and may be needed by the colllege. Make sure you leave them sealed though.

ESL are very important and most community colleges offer them for free or little cost. Just from a quality of life perspective this should be your/her focus. Don't rush her into school. allow her to get comfortable with the language in both speaking and writing as she will need both to be succesful in college and in her career.

I just found out from a new Vietnamese immigrant. He is going to a local high school for ESL program that specifically aims toward adults. From what I heard, this program is completely separated from the high school program. But the problem is the school is not very safe.

[rlogan 2,036]

I didn't realize she had a high school diploma in Viet Nam. Colleges have different entrance requirements. Some make you do a course-by-course equivalency certification. Some just accept the transcript. Some require that it come directly from the institution, not from you. Some just require a signature stating you had a degree. Depends on the institution. All of them are going to want the Toefl.

My nephew is on full scholarship to the University of Wisconsin and is a nationally recognized pianist and composer. He was homeschooled specifically to better prepare him for college. The same reason I will homeschool mine. The same reason as a college recruiter I preferred recruiting home schooled.

The ESL really does seem better for you since looking for a diploma is not really relevant. I definitely agree there is no hurry.

Sorry to hear about the lack of safety. Not a problem we have to contend with here.

[Tuanv 2]

I didn't realize she had a high school diploma in Viet Nam. Colleges have different entrance requirements. Some make you do a course-by-course equivalency certification. Some just accept the transcript. Some require that it come directly from the institution, not from you. Some just require a signature stating you had a degree. Depends on the institution. All of them are going to want the Toefl.

My nephew is on full scholarship to the University of Wisconsin and is a nationally recognized pianist and composer. He was homeschooled specifically to better prepare him for college. The same reason I will homeschool mine. The same reason as a college recruiter I preferred recruiting home schooled.

The ESL really does seem better for you since looking for a diploma is not really relevant. I definitely agree there is no hurry.

Sorry to hear about the lack of safety. Not a problem we have to contend with here.

Rlogan,

Thank for your comprehensive and thoughtful responses.

At the moment, we are seriously looking into a ESL program.

BTW, nice blog!

Edited November 21, 2010 by Tuanv

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Your wife should attend Adult Education - English-language school, not High School. She's young, but High School will be taught entirely in English, and that won't help her as much as having her focus on her English-language acquisition.

[Tuanv 2]

Your wife should attend Adult Education - English-language school, not High School. She's young, but High School will be taught entirely in English, and that won't help her as much as having her focus on her English-language acquisition.

Thank. I am looking into that. BTW, do you go to college in America? The reason I am asking because my wife has a high school diploma from Vietnam but I don't know how to transfer it to America in order for her to go to college.

[Ken y Leidys 20]

Thank. I am looking into that. BTW, do you go to college in America? The reason I am asking because my wife has a high school diploma from Vietnam but I don't know how to transfer it to America in order for her to go to college.

I have my Masters Degree now, so no more college. I think your wife will either take an equivalency test or get her GED equivalency. Go online and look this process up in your area. Learning English through an Adult Education class will help her achieve this goal, but it will take some time.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Check with your local city and/or library . Many have programs for limited English speakers/readers for free or low cost

[Tuanv 2]

Thank for the replies. I am going to enroll her in an adult education school. I don't think she would fit in high school over here.

[christera22 8]

I teach HS and it is terribly difficult for a student to enter from another country into an English school. Not only is the language barrier an issue, but the cultural differences are HUGE. Often these experiences are very negative and takes a huge emotional toll on the student. If she doesn't NEED to enroll, I suggest you find an ESL school near where you live and enroll her in one of those.

Moving countries when you are only 18 is difficult enough, let alone going to a school with people who have been in school together for 4 years, in English, within US standards. And with budget cuts in US schools, she may not receive the benefits (ESL teacher etc) that she normaly would

Good luck

I agree to her. The cultural difference is huge. Then depending on where she is from there wd be other adverse things like racial ignorant comments etc etc.Adjusting to USA is a life time work, its still very racial country. Some succeeds, some dont. Enrolling her somewhere near to her wdbe th best. Good luck

Edited December 10, 2010 by christera22

[Ken y Leidys 20]

I agree to her. The cultural difference is huge. Then depending on where she is from there wd be other adverse things like racial ignorant comments etc etc.Adjusting to USA is a life time work, its still very racial country. Some succeeds, some dont. Enrolling her somewhere near to her wdbe th best. Good luck

Come out to Southern CA - near Los Angeles. Artesia, CA has the largest concentration of Indian Restaurants and Markets in this section of the state. Santa Clara, CA is the large Northern CA concentration of Asian folks, and the large number of Indian restaurants there rocks. I lived in Michigan, so I understand how middle America is a hostile, and racist place.

http://www.artesiaindia.us/restaurants.html

http://www.artesiaindia.us/grocery-stores.html

"Little India" http://www.garamchai.com/LittleIndia.htm