Building Lives Through Online Education. Your future depends on creating a solid academic foundation. Let Allied National High School provide you with a better online high school option. This is "Education on Your Terms!"
Online High School: The Self-Paced Way to Get Your Diploma
Imagine being in control of your education. That's what can happen when you enroll in an accredited online high school program. Choosing to take high school online puts you in charge -- from when and where you study to how fast you learn. You are no longer bound by the constraints of a classroom.
Just as online high school can help learners that need extra help, it can also help students that need or want an accelerated education. Although the online high school classes are structured, you can learn at a faster pace and finish sooner than at a traditional high school. Within a few dedicated years, you can be onto college or ready to start your career.
Boredom will be a thing of the past. In an online class, you don't have to wait for everyone to catch up or be at the mercy of the teacher to provide you with your assignments. Everything is available at your fingertips and you set the pace. Challenge yourself!
How You Will Get Ahead
- Open enrollment: You don't have to wait for the start of a semester!
- Study when and where you choose
- Access online high school materials 24/7
- Take summer school classes or complement your current high school courseload
Online high school is ideal for the accelerated learner. You can get ahead of your peers and complete your online high school courses at a faster pace. Adjust your education to meet your needs. Enrolling in an online high school program can be just what you need to excel.
Experience the faster educational option today. Online high school is the answer for self-paced, effective learning that caters to your specific needs.
Labels: Online High School
Not All Online High Schools Are Created Equal
Before you choose an online high school, you should do your homework. Make sure the school that you are considering is a quality school and the right fit for your online high school requirements. You should use the same consideration, if not more, than you would for a high school in your neighborhood. When you do your research, consider the following:
Accreditation: Is the online high school accredited by a nationally-recognized accrediting agency? Is it recognized by the U.S. Department of Education? You can easily check this information online. Enrolling in an accredited online high school ensures that you are choosing a quality school and that its faculty, course materials, curriculum and student services are held to the highest standards.
Support: Is there a support staff available to help you with your needs? You don't want an online high school that is going to disappear once you enroll, or reach voice mail when you really need to speak with someone. Choose an online high school that offers "live" student support -- one that is available when you need someone to answer questions and guide you in the right direction.
Diploma: Is the diploma fully recognized? This is essential for college and the employment world. You need to have a diploma from a recognized school (this goes hand in hand with accreditation). Your diploma is representative of your online high school education. You want it to speak of the quality programs, qualified staff and sound support you receive throughout your online high school experience. An online high school diploma that is recognized will help open the right doors to your future.
Curriculum: Does the school offer the classes you need to get into college? Choose a school that offers the right high school classes online for your needs. A good school should provide multiple classes in the areas of English, math, history, science, art, music, and more. Make sure you have the online high school classes you need to reach your goals. College-prep classes will help prepare you for the next phase of your education.
It is important to do you research before choosing an online high school. Make sure it is recognized as a solid and reputable school and offers the coursework and support you need to thrive in your online high school education. Choosing the right school can make all the difference in your future.
Be Smart: Research Online High School Before You Start
Online high school is becoming a more common educational alternative. According to the National Education Association, as many as 100,000 students may be enrolled in an online high school program, with a majority of students taking at least one online course before graduating. How can you ensure that you enroll in a quality accredited online high school? The key is to learn as much as you can before you get started. This includes:
- Learning about the school: Is it accredited? Does it offer the online high school courses you need? Can you enroll in college-prep courses?
- Finding out as much as possible about the course: What are the prerequisites? What is the workload? Can you transfer the credits? What are the teacher's qualifications?
- Learning about the available resources: What if you need help with an assignment? Are there people available to provide "live" student support? When is the staff available?
- Determining if you have the technical resources: Does your computer have the capabilities for an online high school course? What if you need technical assistance while taking your course?
- Researching what other people have to say about the virtual high school: Are there positive testimonials? Were people satisfied with their overall online high school experience? See some examples of favorable testimonials at www.alliedhighschool.com/aa_success-stories.shtml.
- Determining if you are prepared to handle an online high school class: What are your study habits? Do you know how to manage your time? Can you assume full responsibility for your online high school education?
- Finding out about college preparation programs: Can the online high school help you prepare for college? Can you get assistance with preparing for the SAT and completing college applications?
Choosing what online high school to enroll in is a very important decision that can impact your future. As course offerings become more prevalent, it is imperative that you take the time to determine the right school for you. Make sure you pick the online high school education that best suits your needs -- before you get started and create a solid foundation for your future.
Homeschooling: The Answer for Gifted Students?
Gifted students have unique needs, many of which are often overlooked and unmet in the traditional school system. Because these students would benefit from an accelerated learning pace and the opportunity for greater challenge in their schoolwork, homeschooling can often be the best option for them when it comes to completing their high school education.
The concept of homeschooling has been around for hundreds of years. Take Thomas Edison -- the greatest inventor of our time. Did you know that he was homeschooled? He had three months of official schooling; the rest was completed from home and throughout his life as an American inventor and businessman.
Edison had difficulty at school and was unable to thrive in a traditional classroom setting. His mother decided to homeschool him, which provided him with the flexibility to read, study and perform chemistry experiments in his basement lab -- all based on his own learning needs. His more than 1,000 inventions would shape generations to come, all around the world.
Thomas Edison is not the only American innovator to participate in this learning method. George Washington, Claude Monet, Charles Dickens, Amadeus Mozart are more famous distance learners -- all of whom were uniquely gifted.
It can be argued that gifted students need to be able to learn in a more flexible manner rather than having to conform to the strict guidelines and rules of the traditional school system. A homeschool education enables the teacher, or parent, to tailor the curriculum to meet the individual needs of the student. It is possible to teach 12-grade science to a 10-year old and delve into calculus problems – it's a matter of catering to the student's unique talents.
There are also many online high school courses available to supplement a child's homeschool curriculum. They can access online high school classes for further challenge in their studies. With the presence of the Internet, there is even more opportunity for the gifted student to thrive. They can complete their homeschooling and meet online high school requirements with the additional help of an online high school (For more information on online high school options, visit www.alliedhighschool.com).
There are many programs in the public and private school system that address gifted students, but homeschooling provides a unique opportunity to work with a student one-on-one. It is a completely customized education that meets the needs of the student -- one that enables him or her to study at his or her own pace; build on specific areas of interest or talent; receive stimulation and challenge; and make exceptional progress.
Homeschooling can open the door to a flexible, convenient and self paced education, which can be the answer for gifted students.
Technical Skills Give Today's Students an Advantage
Let's face it, today's teenagers are technically savvy -- they download music onto their MP3 players, they text message their friends, and communicate for hours through online chat rooms. Does all of this prepare them for an online high school education? It sure does!
Gone are the days when students used a card catalog to manually look up book titles at the library or correction tape to fix a mistake on their term paper made while typing with a typewriter. This is a whole new generation of students. They have grown up with computers and technical devices all around them.
The result? They have been forced to hone their typing skills, communication skills, research skills -- all valuable skills for an online high school student. An online high school classroom is a natural fit for today's students. They are already equipped to deal with the technical aspects of learning
high school classes online.
- They use computers on a daily basis
- They have experience completing class work online
- They use email to communicate with teachers, classmates and friends
- They have experience with real-time discussions
- They know how to source the Internet for information
- They can communicate quickly and effectively using a keyboard
- They are independent thinkers
Online high school provides students with the perfect way to complete their high school education -- in a setting where they are comfortable. It is a venue in which they are familiar and many students find the customized, self-paced and technical nature of the classes to be the right fit.
Students may seek online high school training for a variety of reasons -- for credit recovery, health or personal reasons, or to learn at an accelerated pace -- but parents can be sure that their kids have the tools to succeed.
Accreditation and Your Online High School Education
Accreditation is a vital component of your online high school education -- it assures you that you are receiving a quality education and that your class credits and online high school diploma will be recognized by other schools and employers.
But what is it exactly? Why is it such an important part of your education?
What is accreditation? Accreditation involves the process of reviewing an online high school's educational programs and policies to determine if they meet specific criteria set up by an outside accrediting agency. If a school meets the criteria, it is granted accreditation.
It gives a school the distinction of having quality online high school classes, qualified faculty, strong educational support and sound academic policies.
Why is accreditation important? Accreditation is important because it is designed to protect students, schools, and employers. It ensures that the online high school is educating its students and meeting or exceeding high-quality standards.
The student receives a quality education; the school maintains a high-level of academic integrity; and employers are assured that they are hiring well-qualified, educated employees.
How does it affect students? Accreditation can be the difference between receiving a quality high school education online and wasting your time and money. It is a way to benchmark quality. By choosing an accredited online high school, you are choosing a program that has been reviewed and critiqued to ensure the highest level of quality.
Your credits will count and your education will be recognized by other schools and employers.
Who can grant accreditation? It is important to make sure that an online high school is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you want your online high school diploma to be widely accepted, choose a school that is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council and/or one of the six regional accreditation agencies.
Enroll in a school with the right kind of accreditation.
Take the time to research your online high school. Finding out if your school is accredited by a quality accrediting agency is just as important as the online high school classes you will take. Accreditation can be the difference between a high-quality online high school education and a complete waste of time. Make sure you get the best education possible -- choose an
accredited education from a school with the right credentials.
Get Ready for the New School Year
It's that time of year again -- students are returning to school. Just as students in traditional high school prepare for the new school year, so should online high school students. There are things that they can do to get ready for their online high school education. This might not include buying new clothes or filling out paperwork, but there are steps they can perform to make sure they are ready for the new school year.
Tips to prepare for online high school classesBuy supplies -- To succeed with their online high school classes, they will need school supplies. Although they might not need traditional supplies such as pencils, scissors and markers, they can benefit from a new binder, dividers, paper, CD-ROMs, printer ink cartridges, and more. They should make sure they have everything they need to effectively tackle their studies and participate in an online high school course.
Organize work area -- Online high school students do not sit in a traditional classroom setting, but it is important that they have a designated work space 100% devoted to their online studies. They should clear off their desks, create an effective filing system, and put a new light bulb in their desk lamp -- they should create a work area that is effective and accessible.
Determine a schedule -- It is important to plan ahead and determine when they are going to participate in their online high school class. By setting a specific time each day, they will create a routine and stay on top of their studies. The benefit of an online high school education is that they can learn day or night. It is just essential to be consistent.
Read, read, read -- One thing that is very important for all high school students is to read books for enjoyment or outside of the school curriculum. Reading on a consistent basis can increase their ability to comprehend what they read; give them greater familiarity with correct grammar, punctuation and spelling; and make them more open to new thoughts and ideas.
Preparing for online high school is similar to preparing for traditional high school. Students need to be proactive and make sure they have everything they need to succeed with their studies. They should be ready to go on the first day and not scrambling after the fact. By thinking ahead, they will give themselves an advantage when they start their online
high school program and tackle their first assignment.
