An online school is a popular consideration for equestrian students, especially when their traditional school is not cooperative about missing class to attend horse shows. When considering online school options, there are several things to consider:
Make Sure the School is Accredited
The online school needs to be accredited, meaning that school is recognized as an educational institution of which a student can graduate and receive a diploma. Not all online schools are accredited, so this consideration is an important one.
Consider the Quality of Education of the Online School
Not all online schools are equal. Some schools are intended to take the place of a traditional brick and mortar school and offer the same educational opportunities. However, other online schools are more for “credit recovery,” meaning they offer basic classes that students can take (or re-take) in order to receive the necessary credits for their traditional school. An example of credit recovery would be if a student fails a course and thus did not receive credit for it, and needs to re-take that course in order to be eligible to attend his/her traditional school.
Look at the Courses that the OnLine School Offers
Some online schools are better than others and offer not only a larger diversity of classes, but also advanced classes like Honors and AP level courses. If students intend to consider a competitive college or even an Ivy League university, then it is critical that they have some Honors and AP level courses on their high school transcript. Before enrolling, check out the upper level courses that the online school offers so that the student is not denied any educational opportunities.
Ask the Time-Line of the Courses
While some online schools follow a traditional class schedule, where classes start in the fall and break for the summer months, other online schools have what is called open re-enrollment, meaning that the student can enroll in classes at any time and follow a personalized schedule. For equestrians, open enrollment and an individualized schedule is more beneficial, as students can complete more work when they are not busy at a horse show, and slow down their workload during the busy show season.
Horse Show Tutor Twitter follower @_justdunit turned to online school for these very reasons, “I did online school so I could focus more on riding and training…best decision I ever made!”
Also, an online school that allows students to complete the academic year at an individualized pace presents the opportunity to graduate early. With open enrollment, students can work during the summer months and take classes year round if that is what is preferred, which would result in an early graduation.
Horse Show Tutor Twitter follower @unkeptshorty comments that her online school’s flexible schedule helped her to graduate early, “I started online school being wicked behind and I actually graduated early.”
Horse Show Tutor has a Partnership with Laurel Spring School
Though there are many online school options from which to choose, Horse Show Tutor highly recommends Laurel Springs School. Upon researching online educational programs, we learned that Laurel Spring offers more AP classes than any other online school and also has the highest acceptance rate to the Ivy League universities when compared to other online schools. In our experience working with Laurel Springs students, we feel that it provides a quality education at an affordable price.
A note about Laurel Spring from a school representative, “Laurel Springs students learn strong time management skills, develop a heightened sense of intrinsic motivation to achieve academic and extra-curricular success, and are able to pursue their own goals and interests while experiencing an exceptional college preparatory education. The benefit of Laurel Springs’ asynchronous, competency-based learning model is that it allows students to grow and excel academically while maintaining a flexible schedule to pursue interests outside the classroom. For college-bound Middle- and Upper-School students, Laurel Springs offers more than 240 College Prep, Honors, and AP courses that emphasize critical thinking and prepare them for the challenges of college-level academics. The school also offers opportunities to connect with students all over the world through virtual field trips and academic and social clubs, including an Equestrian club and chapters of the National Honor Society and the National Junior Honor Society. Laurel Springs has achieved an outstanding record of helping students fulfill their academic and career ambitions, with 94% of graduates accepted into colleges of their choice.”
Horse Show Tutor’s partnership with Laurel Springs School allows Horse Show Tutor students to receive a tuition discount, which is an added bonus to their program.
If you are interested in learning more about Laurel Springs, please check out the “Laurel Springs School” page at HorseShowTutor.com or call Gina Marie at (561)795-8868.