I got this wonderful, encouraging note in my inbox today!

Dear Lee,

Your sign off “Blessings” is more true than you may realize. When I realized how much I needed some guidance from a successful homeschooler of upper level students, I decided that you would be the perfect person to call. I spent several days figuring out how to ask for your help. Can you imagine my relief when I saw your brochure? I could call you and not be begging for help, but accepting your talents!

Your positive and encouraging ways made me realize that I can succeed. You helped me stop useless duplication and time wasting. Tom was immediately more responsive and cooperative. I was not the slave driver or fun slayer, I was the person implementing a well ordered plan. You, of course, outlined all our work using the texts and courses that I had chosen. Between your organizing our study schedule and the bird clock which sings every hour, I am not the target of my son’s discomfort. I am a coach and teacher instead. We have had a wonderful year.

Your newsletter has been a great help. I have forwarded it to several people who also have teen aged students, whether they homeschool or not. I’m sure that with a few follow up meetings with you I’ll be able to guide my son successfully through the next few years. You’re worth your weight in gold.

So, Blessings to you, Lee.

~CJ in Washington

The HomeScholar provides a free monthly e-newsletter, daily blog support, low cost DVDs and private consultations — everything you need to successfully homeschool through high school.

“I’ve posted before about my amazing online homeschool support group.
Lee has been one of my loopy friends for many years. She no longer homeschools her boys but she stays on our list to inspire and encourage us. Even though her kids are much older than mine, she’s been a great source of support for me in topics like chess, Latin, math, literature, science and more.

Both of her boys went off to college this year. One of them was just 16. They both received full tuition scholarships to their first choice college, and both skipped their freshmen year entirely through CLEPing several classes.

Impressive? Yes.
Unusual? Maybe.
Smart boys? Yep.
Impossible? No, in fact entirely possible.

When Lee’s boys started college, instead of returning to her professional nursing career, she decided to continue doing what she knew, what she loved best–homeschooling. She started her own business to help other homeschool families successfully make the transition from home to college. She offers a wide variety of support services, including planning curriculum, creating transcripts, scholarship searches, and help with the college admissions process.

Check out her terrific website, The HomeScholar, and sign up for her free monthly newsletter. She’s full of great advice and her recent topics include:

• tips for studying and passing CLEP exams
• brilliant ideas such as planning a writing curriculum around scholarship essays
• how to keep skills sharp over the summer (like my post yesterday, although her newsletter didn’t come out until today)

Holly’s only going into 7th grade. But it’s not too early for me to keep an eye on high school and how those choices will affect college. This would be true whether or not we homeschool high school.

I am so grateful for those truly courageous families who forged the homeschool path ahead of us, making possible the many wonderful options we have now, which continue to grow each year. (Homeschooling wasn’t legal in every state until the mid-1990s.) Lee is one of those people who not only blessed her own sons by teaching them at home, but she’s also blessed so many of us, making a difference in the lives of our children. It’s amazing what you can do just by encouraging someone else.”

Thank you, Kristine, for your wonderful comments!

Part of my job is to help parents find scholarships for college. Kim had an unmotivated art student, with little available resources for college. I did a two hour telephone interview with the student, to determine her strengths and interests. Then I spent six more hours searching the internet for available scholarships. I found 34 scholarships and arranged them by due date, with instructions for the student. Because I knew the student so well after the interview, I was able to make suggestions on how to make the process easier. I was also able to find a community college near her home that offered a AA degree in Fine Arts, as a back up plan.

Kim writes: “We’re kind of stunned. [Our daughter] is working at a different level this year and has been motivated and shown initiative and good time and stress management. I think it really helped to work with you on scholarships – it gave her some structure and made the whole college thing real.”

If you want help searching for scholarships, let me know. I would be glad to help!