These are the most Frequently Asked Questions.
NARS is an actual school. We award high school credit to students whether they do the work on site or off campus. We extend this to include homeschoolers -- offering credentials to homeschoolers for their high school work.
We are a state-recognized private school offering to evaluate the coursework of high school students (and adults), and upon adequate documentation and evidence, we grant high school credits for homeschool work.
We are NOT a satellite school.
We are NOT an umbrella school.
We are NOT a correspondence school.
NARS is an actual school that allows students to transfer their work into our school. And, when a student has accumulated all of the required 17-1/2 credits, he or she is eligible to receive a high school diploma.
For homeschooled students, the parents maintain control -- the parent is in charge of the content of each course. We allow the parent to actually homeschool -- we do NOT dictate the coursework to be done. All coursework is PARENT-SELECTED and PARENT-DIRECTED.
For adults, we capture past high school credits, add them to work experience, fill in coursework where needed, and then award the high school diploma when all requirements are met.
We are a real school. We are not a virtual school or a “school in a mailbox” -- we are a real high school issuing a real high school diploma. We have the usual large building, parking lots, heating bills, leaky roof, etc. (We even have the occasional graffiti written on our walls outside!) Our school, North Atlantic Regional High School, is a state-recognized private school, and we have students working on their diplomas in 50 states and several foreign countries. Please see a copy of our letter from Maine’s Department of Education, School Approval Office, located at the beginning of the handbook. NARS operates under the authority of Maine law. Specifically, the North Atlantic Regional Schools complies with the provisions of 20-A M.R.S.A. 5001 (a) which directs the Maine Department of Education to identify NARS as “a private school authorized by the department as providing equivalent instruction.” (20-A MRSA §5001-A, sub-§1 (b). Graduates from our school are afforded the same privileges as any other graduate from any other Maine high school. All NARS graduates, regardless of their place of residence, are awarded a diploma from the state of Maine. Our students have gone to every possible type of college and university. Our graduates have gone to Harvard, Penn State, FSU, local colleges, technical colleges, the Air Force Academy, virtually everywhere. (One of our 2000 graduates went to Julliard! One of our 2001 graduates went to West Point.) Further, our specific credentials indicate: • Our IRS Federal ID number is 01-0534550 • Our Maine Bureau of Taxation number is 1052642 • Our College Board School Code Number is 200037 • Our US Dept. of Transportation DOT number for our school vehicles is USDOT 750404 • Our US Dept of Education ID number is 23 80011 8 21 2 16388 • Our US Dept of Commerce Bureau of the Census ID number is 23 8 0011 8 21 2 11614 • Our US Dept. of Labor ID and Maine Dept of Labor number is 064000043-6 0196823000-00000 8211 6 • Our US Dept. of Labor designation is 8211-- their designation as “ Elementary and Secondary school below university grades (ordinary grades 1 through 12). "
The North Atlantic Regional Schools are located in Maine.
Our current building is located in the renovated mill section of Lewiston, Maine’s second largest city.
Portland, Maine, has the closest airport, just 35 miles away.
Manchester, NH, is a 2-1/2-hour drive away.
Boston is a 2-hour drive away.
New York City is only a 6-hour drive away.
We have the authority and privilege to grant high school diplomas in the State of Maine. And with that authority comes the responsibility for granting high school credits.
Before NARS awards credits every credit for every course for every year must be justifiable. That justification must become part of the student’s file.
We build the student file to contain student records, evaluations, portfolio reviews, external credits, transferred credits, and more. All are contained in the student’s official educational file. When called upon by any college or university, the military, or an employer, we can justify every credit granted by the records in the student file.
And of course, every file is confidential, according to the FERPA requirements, and we release student information only after a release form is signed by the parent, legal guardian, or adult student.
Once the documentation is there, the credit is granted. Once the credits are granted, the diploma is awarded. Yes, this is a real high school diploma -- NOT a GED, NOT a certificate of completion.
In today’s educational world, living in one state and graduating from a school in another state is no longer unusual.
With distance learning, satellite classes, video courses, online classrooms, military families, job transfers, government employee assignments, etc., it is not uncommon for students to have these arrangements.
Currently we have students in every state and multiple foreign countries working on their high school diplomas. No Maine residency is required. No on-site attendance is required. All NARS graduates, regardless of their places of residence, are awarded a diploma from the state of Maine.
Graduates from our school are afforded the same privileges as any other graduate from any other Maine high school.
It bears repeating that our students have gone to every possible type of college and university. We have students at Harvard, at Penn State, at FSU, at local colleges, in technical colleges, virtually everywhere. One NARS graduate is at Julliard, one of our graduates is a National Merit Scholar, and one of our graduates is at West Point.
(Below this short narrative is a list of colleges, universities and schools to which are graduates have been accepted.)
CONSIDER:
It is not the NARS diploma that will get you into college or keep you out of college. YOUR accomplishments will gain you college admissions, or keep you out. The diploma doesn’t apply to college -- the STUDENT applies to college.
To that end, we work carefully to “package” each student’s transcript and records, and to make that “package” as formidable as possible to access the goal. Your goal might be college, the job market, an apprenticeship, or a trade occupation. Whatever it is, we will help the student’s specialty stand out in the “package.”
NOTE: There are three different considerations for college admissions: (1) NARS graduation requirements and (2) the college’s admissions requirements.
(3) The college's requirement for entrance into your chosen MAJOR (area of study). It is the student’s responsibility to know what ALL of these are. When the student tells us what the college’s requirements are, we will work with the student to make that happen. For example if a student is seeking admission to a university for an engineering degree, he or she may need to have four math credits. NARS requires only two math credits, but the university wants the students to have at least four. So, we repeat -- it is the student’s responsibility to know what BOTH institutions require. We will help any way we can.
These are some of the colleges, universities, and schools to which our graduates have been accepted in the past few years. This should offer some idea of the types of students and families who work with us and where our students have gone after high school graduation.
Adelphi University
Adirondack Community College.
Adrian College
Alaska Pacific University
Albright College
American Musical & Dramatic Acad
American University
Amherst College
Andrews University
Antioch College
Arcadia University
Asbury College
Ashworth College
Assumption College
Atlanta Christian College
Augusta (GA) State University
Babson College
Bagley College of Engineering
Bard College
Barry University
Barton College
Bates College
Baylor University
Ball State University
Bellevue Community College
Bellin College of Nursing
Belmont Abbey College
Beloit College
Bennington College
Berea College
Berklee College of Music
Berkshire Inst of Christian Studies
Bethel University
Bluffton University
Bob Jones University
Bowdoin College
Boston University
Bowen Technical College
Bowling Green State University
Brandeis University
Brevard Community College
Bridgewater State University
Brigham Young University
Brookhaven College
Brownsville School of Ministry
Bryan College
Bryn Mawr College
Camden Community College
Carleton University
Carnegie Mellon University
Catholic University of America
Cedarville University
Central Maine Comm College
Central Michigan University
Christopher Newport University
Cincinnati Bible Coll & Seminary
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
Claremont McKenna College
Clark University
Clarkson University
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland Institute of Music
College Misericordia
College of Charleston
College of the Atlantic
College of New Jersey
College of St. Rose
College of St. Scholastica
College of the Ozarks
College of Wooster
Colorado Christian University
Colorado College
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado State University
Columbia International University
Concordia University
Cooper Union Adv Science & Art
Cornell University
Cornish College of the Arts
Cranbrook Academy of Art
Creighton University
Curtis Institute of Music
Daniel Webster College
Daystar University (Kenya)
Denison University
Denver Darkroom Schl of Photography
DePaul University
Divers Institute of Technology
Dordt College
Drexel University
Drew University
Dutchess Community College
Emerson College
Earlham College
East Carolina University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Nazarene College
Eastern University
Eastman Conservatory of Music
Eckerd College
Elim Bible Institute
Elizabethtown College
Embry Riddle University
Erskine College
Evergreen State College
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairmont State College
Florida State University
Franciscan University
Franklin College
Franklin Pierce College
Freed-Hardeman University
Full Sail School of Film, Art......
Geneva College
George Fox College
George Washington University
Georgetown University
God’s Bible School & College
Gordon College
Goucher College
Grace University
Granite State College
Green Mountain College
Green River Comm College
Grinnel University
Grove City College
Guilford College
Hampden-Sydney College
Hampshire College
Hartt School of Music
Harvard University
Hesser College
Houghton College
Highland Comm College
Hillsboro Comm College
Hillsdale College
Holy Cross (College of the)
Hofstra University
Hudson Valley Comm College
Huntington College
Husson College
Indian River Comm College
Indiana University
Iowa State University
Ithaca College
Ivy Technical Comm College
James Madison University
Jefferson Davis Comm College
Johns Hopkins University
Johnson and Wales University
Julliard
Kalamazoo College
Kansas State University
Keene State College
Kennebec Valley Tech College
Kentucky Wesleyan College
Knox College
Lake Sumter Comm College
Laramie County Comm College
Lawrence University
LeTourneau University
Lee University
Lehigh University
Lewis and Clark College
Liberty University
Lipscomb University
Livingston College
Loma Linda University
Long Island University
Louisiana Tech University
Loyola University
Lyndon State College
Lynn University
Macalester College
Maine College of Art
Malone College
Manhattan School of Music
Marymount Manhattan College
Marion College
Marlboro College
Marshall University
Massasoit Community College
Mercer University
McDaniel College
McIntosh College
McMaster University
Merrimack Community College
Mesa Community College
Messiah College
Miami-Dade Comm College
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Mississippi State University
Monroe Community College
Montclair State University
Moody Bible Institute
Motorcycle Mechanic Institute
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Ida College
Mount St. Mary’s University
New Brunswick Bible College
New College of Florida
New England Bible College
New England Conservatory
New Hampshire Community Tech
New Tribes Bible Institute
New York University
North Carolina State University
North Central University
North Greenville College
North Idaho College
New Mexico Tech
North Park University
Northeastern University
Northwest College
Northwest University
Norwich University
Notre Dame
NYU Tisch School of the Arts
NYU Steinhardt School of Education
Nyack College
Oakton Community College
Oberlin College
Odessa Community College
Ohio State University
Ohio University
Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Olivet Nazarene University
Oregon Institute ofTechnology
Orlando Culinary Academy
Palm Beach Comm College
Pacific University
Pasco-Hernando Comm College
Peabody Conservatory, Johns Hopkins
Penn State
Pensacola Christian College
Pepperdine University
Philadelphia Biblical University
Piedmont College
Pinecrest Bible College
Plymouth State University
Pomona College
Purdue University
Queens University
Raritan Community College
Reed College
Rensselear Polytechnic Institute
Reynolds Comm College
Rice University
Ringling School of Art and Design
Rivier College
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rockport College
Roosevelt University
Rutgers University
Sarah Lawrence College
Sarasota County Technical Institute
School of Music, Indiana University
Sealaska Heritage Institute
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Art Institute
Simpson College
Smith College
Southern Adventist University
Southern Maine Comm College
Southern New Hampshire Univ
Southern Virginia University
Southwest Baptist University
Sterling College
Stockholm University (Sweden)
St. Andrews College
St. Anselm College
St. John’s College
St. Joseph's College
St. Mary’s College
St. Olaf College
St. Petersburg College
St. Thomas University
SUNY (State Univ. of New York)
SUNY Coll. of Environmental Science
SUNY Maritime College
Suffolk County Comm College
Swarthmore College
Syracuse University
Taylor University
Temple University
Tennessee Temple University
Texas A & M University
Texas Christian University
The Masters College
Thomas More College
Trinity College of Florida
Trinity International University
Tulane University
UCLA School of Music
Ultrasound Diagnostic School, Tampa
Union College
Universal Technical School, Phoenix
United States Air Force Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Merchant Marine Acad
United State Naval Academy
Unity College
University College of Bangor
University of Alabama
University of Central Florida
University of Chicago
University of Colorado
University of Connecticut
University of Georgia
University of Hawaii
University of Indianapolis
University of Maine
University of Maryland
University of Massachusetts
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Mobile
University of New Hampshire
University of North Florida
University of Pittsburgh
University of Puget Sound
University of Redlands
University of Rhode Island
University of Richmond
University of South Carolina
University of Southern California
University of Southern Maine
University of Sioux Falls
University of Texas
University of the Free State
University of Utah
University of Vermont
University of Washington
University of Waterloo
University of West Florida
University of Wisconsin
University of Wyoming
Valencia Comm College
Valparaiso University
Vassar College
Virginia Commonwealth Univ
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Tech
Wagner College
Walla Walla College
Wayne State University
Webb Institute
Weber State University
Wells College
West Point (US Military Academy)
West Virginia Wesleyan College
Western Baptist College
Western Carolina University
Western New England College
Western Washington University
Westminster College
Westmont College
Westwood College of Technology
Wheaton College
Wheelock College
Whitman College
Willamette University
Williams College
Wilson College
Winthrop University
Word of Life Bible Institute
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
(This list changes each month. Not all changes will not be reflected on this published page...)
The three most important words are document, prove, and portfolio.
DOCUMENT:
This is your testimony about what happened in that course. For homeschool work, documentation is usually done through a Daily Log Book -- keep a daily log record of what was done, course-by-course. (See sample on pages 54-55.)
PROOF:
Think of yourself on the witness stand. The documentation in your Daily Log Book is your “testimony” about what happened. But as good as your testimony might be, it is not “evidence” -- testimony is only your say-so. Now we need evidence. That’s where the portfolio shines.
Make your evidence complete, convincing, and compelling for each subject. We must have some physical evidence to be convinced this work actually occurred. (More on pages 46-52.)
PORTFOLIO:
This is where the “testimony” and the “evidence” come together. Each homeschool course submitted for credit must be included in a portfolio review at the end of each year. This portfolio review will include FIVE necessary items:
1. The Daily Log Book
2. The Collection of Evidence to review
3. The Homeschool Transcript
4. The Summary Sheet
5. The check for return postage
All of this is detailed on pages 54-61 of the NARS High School Handbook.
We do not issue a curriculum...you pick the curriculum best suited for your student. YOU use it, so YOU choose it !
And it can be custom-matched to your student.
For example, you may use Addison-Wesley for English, Houghton Mifflin for science, Saxon for math, and HBJ for history... you decide, because you know your child best (or you soon will).
Yes, if needed, we can help here, but we do not have ONE prescribed curriculum; it's customized. Our requirement is not in curriculum, but in the documentation of what was used and the student’s performance.
Yes. Here’s what we need.
A.
If the work was done in a public or private school, or through a correspondence school, then all we need is a transcript from that school showing you took and passed that course. In some cases, a copy of the school’s report card will give us the same information.
B.
If the work was done in a homeschool program, that requires a bit more paperwork. We require samples, documentation, and recordkeeping about the course. We require it to have a grade, and we prefer a number grade such as 74, 83, 91.
Documenting and grading homeschool work can be a hard thing to do for some families -- records have been thrown away, or you never thought you'd need them, etc. DO NOT GIVE UP !!! We are masters of reconstruction. There are many variables we can use to reconstruct that program and award that credit. So talk to us before you give up.
Yes. All of the above. Courses exist on the Internet today that offer interactive lessons -- some with teachers on duty and available to confer with the student online in almost real time.
Some courses on video are magnificent. Series have been made by PBS, Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, and others that have curriculum plans, teachers guides, etc. They are complete in their approach to teaching unforgettable lessons. Some are single lessons and some are complete courses.
CD-ROM courses have been around for years now, and they are quite sophisticated. The quality of the lessons is sometimes better than that of some textbooks. The color and sound and action is attention-keeping and really drives the lessons home.
Of course, this high-tech stuff is not for everyone. Old-fashioned textbooks still work very well, too. But, YES, there are many active resources available for homeschoolers to use. They can use these resources at will, in a safe place, and in creative ways.
Homeschooling means the parents are in charge. In some cases, the curriculum will have an answer key for each subject, and you will grade the student’s work based on that answer key. This is as simple as checking the answers against the score key. In other cases, you might decide to make up your own tests and assignments. In that case, you will decide the criteria for grading. For some, this takes practice, but parents can do this well, too. In still other instances, it might be a subjective project that needs to be graded. Such projects may be graded on the final product, but not necessarily. An example might be researching how to make a cake from scratch -- the cake may have come out terribly, but the research, effort, and technique deserve a better grade than the taste! Perhaps the planning that went into the project, or the effort that went into it, or the effect it had on others are the rea lessons, and not the final product. In all cases, however, the parents are in charge. If they need help, we can provide that, too. NARS has published another book, High School Resource Advisor. It details practical ways to grade work, from science labs to essays. This 100-page book is FREE to all students registered with NARS.
Whenever the required 17-1/2 credits are completed, and all the paperwork is in order, the student may graduate. But remember, 17-1/2 credits is the MINIMUM number of credits required -- you may add as many as you like. (One NARS student graduated with 49 credits!)
And when are the graduation ceremonies? There are three answers to this question.
(This graduation is under the direction of the Florida Parent Educator's Association.)
If you are finished by July 16, and you want that date to appear on your diploma, then THAT’s the date that will appear on your diploma. It can be mailed to you and your family can plan a celebration. (Some families have planned graduation ceremonies around family reunions, since the extended family will be assembled anyway...)
In the same manner, if you are done on July 16, you can have that date appear on your diploma and you can STILL graduate in the graduation ceremony, even if the ceremony is the following year! You have several choices here.
There is NO age limit. Students have graduated at the age of 15, and we have one student who is on track to be done by the age of 14.*
We also have students in their 60s -- they never finished their high school program, and now they want to earn their diploma. We have students who left school just 5 years ago, and now they realize how valuable that diploma would be. They are back, and they are getting their diploma now. So, there is NO age limit.
NOTE THIS SPECIAL POINT:
* We have one student in an “extreme” position -- he is taking ALL his academic courses from high school textbooks -- and he is 10 years old. While this is unusual for us, too, imagine what a problem this is for the traditional classroom setting! At least in our program, the student can move at his own pace and has the opportunity to mature physically, mentally, and emotionally to catch up to his academic level -- and he can do it in a safe place...at home.
There is NO speed limit here. One student began taking high school courses entering the 9th grade...he was motivated and eager, and he completed all 17-1/2 required credits by the time he was 15.
There is NO speed limit -- you can move as fast as you like, or as slow as you need. Not only can you go fast, you can go slow. For example, there are some students who cannot finish an entire math course in one school year. But if they finished 1/2 of it, we will grant a 1/2 credit...they can finish the next half later.
There are additional questions related to this one. See questions #15 (Handbook, page 18), #19 (Handbook, page 20), and #22 (Handbook, page 22).
Struggling students and functionally disabled students graduate from public high schools. Therefore, in special cases, we apply similar criteria to our private school students who have a documented learning disability.
EXAMPLE:
If a 10th-grade student is capable of doing only 6th-grade-level math, and that is truly his or her capacity according to the other conditions noted below, then he or she may be awarded a high school credit in math for completing the 6th-grade material.
CONDITIONS:
THEN that student will be granted a high school credit for the course.
SUMMARY:
We are not attempting to lower our high school standards. We are simply trying to make appropriate accommodations for students with learning difficulties.
YES, we have students in their 60’s -- they never finished their high school program, and now they want to earn their diplomas. The value of the CREDENTIAL we call a high school diploma is sometimes not realized until we have some “real living” under our belts.
At NARS, we realize it’s never too late. We make every accommodation possible to recover high school credits from 30 or 40 years ago. If that school system still exists, we can probably recover the records. We also take work experiences and convert them into high school credits. Does it make sense to convert an electrician’s 22-year career into a science credit? We think so.
Personal experiences may convert to high school credits. For example: does it make sense to convert a woman’s childbirth experience of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum care into half of a health credit ? We think so. It also makes sense to convert a retired soccer coach’s 12 years of coaching into one Phys Ed credit. And so on.
NARS is honored to assist veterans from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam whose high school years may have slipped past them. NARS is able to convert much of their military experience into high school credits. The Class of 2002 included a 76-year-old Navy veteran from World War II.
Yes, even if you’re old enough to be a grandparent, you can still earn that valuable high school diploma.
No. Maybe. Yes. Consider the following four things.
1. COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
Colleges accept homeschoolers with good SAT scores and good records verifying their work. BUT, homeschoolers have to jump through different hoops, more hoops. Homeschool records are not standardized and pose problems for admissions officers, requiring special attention, which they can interpret as annoying -- it takes more time, they have to do the conversions of credits, homeschoolers get defensive when their records are challenged, etc., etc. Some admissions officers have had unpleasant experiences with defensive parents when they asked questions about the homeschool program. And some have heard the horror stories of the lack of understandable recordkeeping which homeschoolers bring to a college.
In contrast, however, homeschool records standardized through NARS, aren't even questioned. The NARS records complete the student’s application. Period. To the admissions people, it is another qualified applicant from another recognized school.
2. SCHOLARSHIPS
In a classic article in the FPEA (Florida Parent Educators Association) newsletter, there was a great piece entitled, "They Want to Give Us Money, but We Won't Let Them” (see page 81). This was written by a college professor to explain that homeschoolers do NOT qualify for most scholarships because they don't meet the minimum standard of having earned a high school diploma.
Most PRIVATE scholarships, trusts, organizations, and scholarship committees automatically make graduation from a recognized secondary institution a prerequisite for granting their scholarship money. Homeschoolers do NOT qualify if all they have is a computer-generated diploma from their parents. In the halls of admissions offices, this is the so-called "Mommy Diploma." It just doesn't qualify.
In contrast, our school is a state-recognized private school on the official roster of private schools in Maine. Even if the admissions officer has never heard of us before, they can log on to the State of Maine's website and verify that we are a real school. That ends that. Now you are a graduate from an established high school.
3. THE LAST CREDENTIAL
You may not want to think about this, but a high school diploma might be the LAST and HIGHEST credential your homeschooler ever achieves. Going to college is one thing; graduating is another. Over 33% of all college freshman never graduate. They get married, they have babies, they get a terrific job offer, they get tired of school, they flunk out, etc., etc. Not pleasant to think of, but the statistics are not in your favor.
In contrast, if students have a good high school record and have earned that valuable high school diploma, they at least have that academic credential.
4. SECURITY CLEARANCE / BACKGROUND CHECKS
You may someday apply to work for the government, or for a government contractor, or for an employer who requires strict background checks. Your application for employment may require security clearance. Your high school records and graduation from NARS keeps the record straight and avoids any large gaps which might otherwise appear in your school records.
CLOSING THOUGHT: We have never heard anyone say, "Boy, I wish I DIDN'T have a high school diploma!"
CONCLUSION: it is better to have a diploma than to not have one!
Here are a few things you should know about getting a GED.
A.
In most states, generally, you must be 18 to take the GED without restrictions. Sometimes 17-year-olds are allowed after filing a special form, and if they can show special need. Different states have different rules.
B.
Assuming you are old enough, just call your local high school, find out when they are giving the GED test, sign up for it, and go take it. Don't bother to study for it, don't take courses or anything else. JUST TAKE IT.
Who knows, you might already know everything you need to pass all five parts, or maybe you will pass one or two sections. If you pass one or two sections, you never have to take those again. Once you know what you failed, you can best use your time to study the areas you didn't pass. Bottom line, just do it. ( By the way, if you pass one or two sections, we will award you high school credits for passing those sections...more below.)
C.
Here’s a very important question -- how will you USE your GED? For example, if you are applying for military enlistment, the GED is almost useless. And there are other problems associated with it, such as scholarships and grants.
Most PRIVATE scholarships, trusts, organizations, and scholarship committees automatically make graduation from a recognized secondary institution a prerequisite for granting their scholarship money. This is a SCHOLARSHIP, and having a GED is not enough. Consider this: NARS can use passing GED test results as high school credits towards a real diploma. Yes, you can convert your GED into high school credits and apply them to the requirements for your diploma.
D. It is unfortunate, but true, that the GED has a stigma attached to it. Having a GED sends a warning to the those concerned that you had trouble in school -- you were thrown out, or you got pregnant, or you were in a treatment center, or you were violent, or you were on drugs, or you couldn't get along with others, or you couldn't conform, and you were generally different. Ultimately it means you had to settle for less than normal.
It is too bad that the GED carries those implications, but that is the way it is.
(1) Having an LD child does not prevent you from homeschooling. And, (2) every year, LD students graduate from high school. So, there must be a way to make that happen. There is.
Every case is NOT the same; therefore, we cannot offer specifics here. A good answer to your situation would require our knowing your details. Please call NARS and we can be more specific about the possibilities for your student.
Just rest assured that, YES, LD children graduate from high school. Maybe we can help yours. Call us at 207-753-1522.
Our offices are staffed every weekday. You may call us with questions; we are happy to help. If we are on the phone or with another family, we will call you back. There are times when the issue requires more than a quick phone call. In such cases, we make telephone appointments for a half-hour consultation, or an hour consultation...whatever is appropriate.
When a student is registered in our school program, the tuition is $350 for the undergraduate years. That $350 also entitles the parent to two hours of consultation; yes, that is included in the fee. Should the parent want extra help beyond that, there is a fee of $40.00 per hour. And sometimes spending that extra $40.00 can turn things around and make your life so much easier. (Most experienced homeschoolers do not use any additional appointments. Some beginners may use one or two the first year.)
1. HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAMS
“Exit exams” are NOT required to earn a high school diploma from NARS. Some states require students to pass a comprehensive battery of exams covering all four years of high school. If the student fails any section of those tests, he or she does NOT get a diploma. Our state is NOT LIKE THAT, so we do not require passing exit exams.
2. ACHIEVEMENT TESTING
These are sometimes called Standardized Achievement Tests, SAT’s -- not to be confused with the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (the College Boards). But, since we mentioned it, neither test is required by our school.
Standardized Achievement Tests are sometimes useful if there is a question about certain learning difficulties the student is experiencing. Standardized Achievement Tests are sometimes good diagnostic tools to find a problem.
The College Boards (SAT’s) may be necessary to complete a good “admissions package” when applying to college. We can provide additional information on both of these options. Call us for details.
3. SUBJECT TESTING
When you homeschool and are working towards high school credit, NARS needs to assign an actual grade for the course -- we prefer number grades, such as 92, 85, 71, etc. This may not be your favorite thing to do, but it is REQUIRED. We cannot issue a credit or a transcript without a grade. How you arrive at the grade is flexible. If you want to use tests from the end of the chapters, or if you want to grade reports and papers, that’s the parent’s option. Testing is NOT required, but a grade is required.
There are two ways to determine a credit.
1. For textbook-driven subjects ( there are exceptions )
For the customary textbook subjects such as Math, History, English, Science, and the like, the following four conditions apply:
1. If the publisher has identified this textbook or course as a high school level course, and
2. if the student has completed the textbook, and
3. if the assigned work has been completed to the satisfaction of the parent, and
4. if the coursework has been documented to the satisfaction of our school,
5. THEN, he or she is granted a high school credit in that subject REGARDLESS of age and REGARDLESS of how quickly it was done.
Much more detail is provided on pages 28 and 50.
2. For self-designed subjects (there are exceptions)
For subjects such as music, art, drama, phys ed, computer literacy, state studies, etc., where no textbook is used, the following FIVE conditions apply.
1. If the student has begun his or her high school career* (see fine print, Handbook, page 28), and
2. if the student completes 160 half-hour sessions (80 clock hours) in one self-designed subject area, and
3. if the self-design has been organized into a “Course Description” for the subject (see samples on pages 56-57), and
4. if the student has completed the work to the satisfaction of the parent, and
5. if the work has been documented to the satisfaction of the school,
6. then, after all five conditions are met, a high school credit is awarded in that subject -- but ONLY AFTER HE OR SHE HAS “begun the high school career!”
Much more detail is offered throughout this handbook.
EXCEPTIONS & REASONING:
MUSIC & ART: Often students have been taking piano lessons since they were small children. The lessons they take in the 7th and 8th grade will NOT be counted as high school-level courses, UNLESS the instructor specifically writes a letter stating that the student is operating at the high school level in this course. This letter cannot come from the parent; it must come from the qualified instructor. This letter will become part of the student’s file, and it will be available to our state officials to justify why we granted a high school credit for the course.
PHYS. ED.: Exceptions are almost never granted. However, if a junior high student is playing team sports on a high school team, AND if the coach is willing to certify in writing that the team is a high school team and this student is participating satisfactorily, then we would consider the exception.
Such certification is not acceptable from the parent, however; it must come from the qualified instructor. This letter will become part of the student’s file, and it will be available to our state officials to justify why we granted a high school credit for the course.
HEALTH: Only when a young student takes a course that is identified as a high school level or adult level course will we grant a credit. For example: a junior high student who completes a certified CPR course will be able to count the course hours towards the 40 hours (1/2 credit) needed for a health credit. A copy of the certificate must accompany the recordkeeping.
Yes. Students earn high school credits, regardless of age, in the same manner outlined in question 22 above.
* 4 English
* 2 Math
* 2 Science
* 1 Social Studies, in addition to US History
* 1 US History
* 1 Phys. Ed.
* 1 Fine Arts
* 1/2 Computer Skills
* 1/2 Health
* 1/2 State History, pick any state
* 4 Electives, your choice
For more detail about the required courses, see Handbook, pages 30 - 35.
For a list of possible electives, see pages 42 and 44 - 45 of the NARS High School Handbook..
CONSIDER:
Some students do NOT want to graduate with the minimum credits required. Some want their transcripts fuller and richer with courses they love, or courses related to their chosen fields. In such cases, students may greatly increase the value of their transcript, thus increasing the possibilities for scholarships, grants, and acceptance at more select colleges. (One of the 2000 NARS graduates graduated with 49 credits!)
Therefore, when you have reached what’s required, you can still add what’s desired. That’s your call, your decision.
No, NARS is not a correspondence school. Correspondence schools assign daily work, limit textbooks to the ones THEY prescribe, and require you to mail the work back to the school for corrections...then you wait to hear from your assigned case worker, etc. We don’t do that.
We do, however, work with homeschoolers -- parents who decide and direct the education of their children. We are happy to help parents choose curriculum, consult with them to design a program, and the like -- but it will be custom-fit to the student. Correspondence schools hear that you have a 9th grader, they reach for a box on the shelf labeled 9th grade, and that’s the curriculum you WILL use. For them, one size DOES fit all. Not at NARS.
While correspondence schools may have their place for some students, we do not advise them for homeschoolers. The stresses associated with the timetables, assignments, and limitations of a correspondence school are not much different from the stressors of public school. We offer a real, customized alternative, allowing you to really homeschool.
Your family, your style. Your materials, your way.
Once a student is registered in our high school program, we begin compiling a transcript. Any credits earned from other sources, such as previous schools, are transferred into our school and become part of the student’s transcript at NARS.
In the halls of academia, transcripts are somewhat sacred. When students show up in the school office and ask for a copy of their transcripts, they are sometimes denied a copy until their parent or legal guardian fills out the appropriate release form. When students turn 18, then and only then will some schools allow them to authorize a release of their transcripts. But that’s not all.
Any copy of a transcript which does NOT bear the official, three-dimensional, embossed raised seal of the school is always considered to be UN-official. UN-official transcripts are always suspect -- in the hands of any person, they are subject to alteration, computer-generated tampering, etc.
Therefore, TWO important safeguards are in place to maintain the integrity of the transcript:
1. OFFICIAL transcripts are always mailed directly FROM one institution TO the other institution. They are never handed to a student to be delivered; they must arrive by the postal service or common courier.
2. OFFICIAL transcripts are always signed by a school official and bear the embossed, raised three-dimensional corporate seal of the institution somewhere on the page.
NARS serves its students well, providing official and UN-official transcripts as appropriate. And so far, we offer this service at no cost to the family.
Once you are actually enrolled in NARS, and once your records have been transferred from your previous schools, then NARS will become the permanent repository for your school records.
From these records, we will serve you in the years to come as you direct us to send them to employers, colleges, the military, etc.
We have been working with homeschool families since 1984. We founded and incorporated the school in 1989, establishing the school under Maine’s Department of Education Guidelines.
NARS has been providing this high school specialty since 1989.
There are TWO answers to this question:
If you have existing credits from previous schools, we suggest the following next steps:
If you believe you have existing credits from previous homeschool work, we suggest you call us. There are so many variables here that we cannot address them all in this handbook.
You are invited to call us at 207-753-1522.
Yes, there can be a work-study program designed just for you. If you are an adult, and have a work history, we may be able to reach into your work experience and reconstruct high school credits.
If you are a high school-age student who has a passion for, say, horses, we can design a work-study unit that allows you to work (or volunteer) for a horse stable or ranch. And every hour you are there will count towards a high school credit.
What you do with the horses will determine what you earn credits for. If you are responsible for direct care of the horses, that could be a lab science. If you are in direct contact with customers, that could be a social studies credit. If you are using your time to groom, learn dressage, and show horses, that might become a fine arts credit. Other kinds of horse training might be used for phys ed credit. There are numerous possibilities.
This can be applied to almost any job -- counter clerk at McDonald’s to auto mechanic, newspaper route to lawn and garden care. Here’s the important part -- if you want one, it can be designed. Just for you.
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NOTE: If NARS staff is used to design a work-study program, we will impose an additional fee for the hours required to design a work-study program. But in every case, students have felt this was beneficial. ($40.00 per hour for this service.)
The tuition pays for the following:
* NARS uses its authority as a school to put our approval on your work.
* NARS uses its staff to assimilate and evaluate the work and previous records.
* NARS then awards high school credits for each subject earned.
* NARS transfers all previously earned credits from whatever source.
* NARS consolidates all credits into one, concise transcript.
* NARS awards the high school diploma from our state-recognized private school.
* NARS creates your permanent academic record: a substantial, legal file.
* NARS sustains and archives your academic record for future access.
* NARS provides copies of your official transcript to whomever you direct, for whatever reason -- college admissions, scholarships, military enlistment, loans, employment background, security checks, good student insurance discounts, SSI, etc.
Ultimately, it comes down to this: YOU are paying US so you can receive the credentials from our school.
ALSO:
* NARS does NOT require that you take any courses from us, as others do.
* NARS does NOT require any on-campus time, as others might.
* NARS does NOT limit the credits you receive to just textbook work.
* NARS does NOT require you to take tests, mail work back and forth, etc.
* NARS does NOT require that you pay monthly tuition, as most private schools do.
* NARS pretty much leaves you alone to get the job done.
* NARS expects you to prove you did the work and earned your grade.
* NARS expects you to document the progression of your work.
CREDENTIAL MANAGEMENT
A. For the UNDERGRADUATE years: $425.00 per year.
B. For the GRADUATION year: $525.00
REVIEW and RECOVERY FEE
*When we are required to evaluate past homeschool work and convert it to high school credits, for homeschooled students who were NOT previously registered under our credential management program, there is a fee of $425.00/year for this service. For example, if a student
1. first comes to us in his or her 11th grade year, and
2. was homeschooled for the 9th and 10th grade years, and
3. wants the 9th and 10th-grade homeschool years to count towards his high school credits, THEN there is a $425.00 fee for the 9th and 10th-grade homeschooled years, for a total of $850.00 additional Review and Recovery Fee.
NOTE: There is no fee for including high school credits earned in other institutions, only for credits earned during previous homeschooling.
IMPORTANT: NARS keeps all students on the same rate schedule for all the years of their continuous, uninterrupted registration in our program. Put simply, once the student is in and stays in, the student’s tuition schedule is “grandfathered” for the remainder of the high school years (as long as they renew by August 31st each year).
Yes. You can start any time.
You do NOT have to wait to finish this school year.
You do NOT have to wait until the beginning of the next school year.
You do NOT have to change any of the courses you’re doing now, or you might want to change them all!
You may start with NARS anytime.
If you have additional questions, you are invited to call 207-753-1522.
First, read EVERY question in this FAQ section, then study the NARS high school handbook. Do your research.
Second, there is a one-page form you can download and print. (...below this paragraph, called the Registration Form). Print the form and fill it out as completely as you can. Keep in mind it is also a release of records form authorizing us to obtain your records from previous schools. Additional forms may be printed from our Internet site.
Third, and this is important, too -- send along the SIGNED form and a check for $425.00. Send the check WITH the completed Registration Form. Then you have officially registered, and we can begin.
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