All-Star Cheerleaders That Do Virtual School?

[kylielynda]

I do virtual school and it has its pros and cons. I am a crossover this year & it's really helping me with that since i have practice every day except fridays and it will especially help when Dallas and other big competitions come around when we have practice literally all the time. That is a huge pro & also i get sick a lot so it helps with that too. Some cons are it doesn't take me long to do my work at all, so i end up sitting around the house with no one to text or talk to cause everyone else is at school. Like my school takes me from about 8am-10am everyday.. Also, when i was in public school i thought that i wasn't very social so i wouldn't miss that about school but I WAS SO WRONG, i miss just talking to people during the day soo much! I thought cheerleading would be enough social for me, but it's not even close. I also miss the fun parts of school like just having fun in class, cause with virtual school there's no fun really. I want to go back to public school next year. Hopefully i helped you a little! If you have any questions, feel free to message me :)

 

[viralscorp]

I took several distance courses because I couldn't fit them into my schedule - I had a full IB course load, with many extra-curriculars which ate up all my time. I was practically at school 12 hours per day with community groups outside of that taking up 8+ hours per week.
As someone mentioned previously, you need to be incredibly self-motivated to complete virtual/distance courses. Nobody will crack down on you for goofing off in "class" time or for not completing the assigned work. You need to be very resourceful as there may not be a teacher you can ask for help at the precise moment you need it. The grade 12 course I took, I would estimate had about a 30% completion rate (the number of people who showed up to take the exam) and I have no idea what the pass/fail rate was.
Since you're talking about taking all your classes like that - time management will be even more important as you not only have to self-regulate your 'study' time, but also your 'class' time. If you are having trouble managing your time even with scheduled classes, it might be even more difficult to manage it without the structure.
Just my 2 cents!

 

[aubreysheffield]

Accreditation is good, and it sounds like UT Austin would have no issue with the credits and application if that's where you want to go. But, especially if you're considering somewhere out of state, private, ivy league....talk to those admissions counselors first. Some of those higher ed places can be really "old school" about secondary ed (even though virtual schools are growing in number) and can have misconceptions. Currently, the kids we're recommending to virtual school in my district are the at-risk kids we're trying to keep from dropping out officially and give them another option. If an admission counselor has that image in their head, that could be a bad thing. Just do yourself a favor and check with the schools you're interested in. It might be fine.....but it might not and you don't want to find that out after it's too late.

I absolutely will. Thank you so much! You've been really helpful(:

 

[aubreysheffield]

I took several distance courses because I couldn't fit them into my schedule - I had a full IB course load, with many extra-curriculars which ate up all my time. I was practically at school 12 hours per day with community groups outside of that taking up 8+ hours per week.
As someone mentioned previously, you need to be incredibly self-motivated to complete virtual/distance courses. Nobody will crack down on you for goofing off in "class" time or for not completing the assigned work. You need to be very resourceful as there may not be a teacher you can ask for help at the precise moment you need it. The grade 12 course I took, I would estimate had about a 30% completion rate (the number of people who showed up to take the exam) and I have no idea what the pass/fail rate was.
Since you're talking about taking all your classes like that - time management will be even more important as you not only have to self-regulate your 'study' time, but also your 'class' time. If you are having trouble managing your time even with scheduled classes, it might be even more difficult to manage it without the structure.
Just my 2 cents!

Thank you!

 

[cheerheart4life]

I do dual enrollment at the local college and LOVE IT! I only take classes at the college and online. So right now I take 2 there, and 2 online, and its amazing. I have 1 class Monday Wednesday and 1 class Tuesday Thursdays. They are college courses, so a lot harder and the online classes you have to stay on top of, but they are paid for by the school and HOPE for me and the online courses allow me to work on things on my own schedule! PM me if you want information, but idk how it would be for you since your in Texas!

 

[Just-a-Mom]

It won't be any easy decision because all of that is nice, but it also is not worth the stress I'm under now trying to balance cheer, dance team, and AP classes.

My daughter did virtual school for her senior year. She's regretted it for a year now. All those things you say "aren't worth the stress" actually are worth the stress. She's so sad she missed out on prom, graduation, and all those other senior year memories that she'll never have now. She's also stuck with a diploma that lots of people don't consider "legit". If you're in AP classes then I'm guessing you have big college plans. Not sure this is the way to go if you want to fulfill those dreams.

I won't say online high school is the worsr thing, but if you're in AP classes, you'd be a fool to finish online. I don't mean to be harsh, but that's how it is. Point blank, school is more important than cheerleading. Sorry, it just is. If you're having trouble with your schedule, school is not the thing you need to change.

I just have to ask... Are your parents even remotely considering allowing this? Because this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen - you want to leave your school and your AP classes so you can cheer? Smh I just do not understand.

(Just to note, my daughter is a different case. She wasn't in any AP classes, her grades weren't great, and she went to an inner city high school in Chicago. I took her out for safety reasons, not so she could cheer more.)

Good luck. When you make your decision, consider your life as a whole (10, 20 years from now), not just inconvenience now. And I agree with 12stepCheermom - time management is a skill you'll need forever, so you might as well learn it now.

 

[aubreysheffield]

My daughter did virtual school for her senior year. She's regretted it for a year now. All those things you say "aren't worth the stress" actually are worth the stress. She's so sad she missed out on prom, graduation, and all those other senior year memories that she'll never have now. She's also stuck with a diploma that lots of people don't consider "legit". If you're in AP classes then I'm guessing you have big college plans. Not sure this is the way to go if you want to fulfill those dreams.

I won't say online high school is the worsr thing, but if you're in AP classes, you'd be a fool to finish online. I don't mean to be harsh, but that's how it is. Point blank, school is more important than cheerleading. Sorry, it just is. If you're having trouble with your schedule, school is not the thing you need to change.

I just have to ask... Are your parents even remotely considering allowing this? Because this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen - you want to leave your school and your AP classes so you can cheer? Smh I just do not understand.

(Just to note, my daughter is a different case. She wasn't in any AP classes, her grades weren't great, and she went to an inner city high school in Chicago. I took her out for safety reasons, not so she could cheer more.)

Good luck. When you make your decision, consider your life as a whole (10, 20 years from now), not just inconvenience now. And I agree with 12stepCheermom - time management is a skill you'll need forever, so you might as well learn it now.

Yes my parents are, but under the circumstances that I have a time table for every minute of the week to attempt to finish all my homework. If I did do virtual school I would go back my senior year for prom/graduation. I'm struggling extremely in AP classes and can't be taken out unless I fail with a grade below a 60. My school has that rule because of the small size of the AP students at my school. I mostly have low 70's so I can't get out of my classes and I can't rationalize purposefully failing just to get out because I would be punished with not being able to perform on my dance team.

 

[xo sarah]

I agree with 12stepCheermom and Just-a-Mom about giving up school for cheer. I wouldn't ever do that. I'd probably quit cheer (or whatever else I was doing) before I gave up my grades.

(And just to be clear, my parents pulled me out of my school for a year because I wasn't sure how much longer I could take being bullied by teachers and staff, aka being called the B word on a daily basis and saying how I would never succeed at anything)

 

[aubreysheffield]

I agree with 12stepCheermom and Just-a-Mom about giving up school for cheer. I wouldn't ever do that. I'd probably quit cheer (or whatever else I was doing) before I gave up my grades.

(And just to be clear, my parents pulled me out of my school for a year because I wasn't sure how much longer I could take being bullied by teachers and staff, aka being called the B word on a daily basis and saying how I would never succeed at anything)

I'm sorry to hear that happened. I wouldn't be giving up school, but no matter what happens cheer isn't going. My mom doesn't want me to give up cheer, It's my only outlet and she thinks without it I would be really depressed like when I stopped the first time so she isn't okay with me quitting cheer over stress from a public school.

 

[cheerheart4life]

No worries y'all, I'm talking her into Dual Enrollment. Best decision of my life.:chestbump:

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Yes my parents are, but under the circumstances that I have a time table for every minute of the week to attempt to finish all my homework. If I did do virtual school I would go back my senior year for prom/graduation. I'm struggling extremely in AP classes and can't be taken out unless I fail with a grade below a 60. My school has that rule because of the small size of the AP students at my school. I mostly have low 70's so I can't get out of my classes and I can't rationalize purposefully failing just to get out because I would be punished with not being able to perform on my dance team.

70s and struggling is not the end of the world. If you dropped one cheer team, would you be able to bring those grades up? I just really think taking those AP classes will benefit you so much. If you would be going back your senior year I might feel differently. Have you discussed with your school the effects of doing this on your grades/credits?

You just want to make 100% sure that this will have zero effect on your college plans before you consider it. I'm 100% for staying in your school, but if you're set on this just male sure you get all your questions answered and know what you're getting into.

 

[aubreysheffield]

70s and struggling is not the end of the world. If you dropped one cheer team, would you be able to bring those grades up? I just really think taking those AP classes will benefit you so much. If you would be going back your senior year I might feel differently. Have you discussed with your school the effects of doing this on your grades/credits?

You just want to make 100% sure that this will have zero effect on your college plans before you consider it. I'm 100% for staying in your school, but if you're set on this just male sure you get all your questions answered and know what you're getting into.

Well at the beginning of the year I was on only one team and still struggling. I know it's a big decision and I definitely won't be making it over night, just wanted some information and opinions from other cheerleader's/cheerleader's parents. So thank you very much, I sure do have a lot to consider. With the virtual school through UT at Austin all my credits would transfer back just fine for my senior year

 

[Just-a-Mom]

Well it seems like you've thought about it more than I originally thought. Here are some pros and cons then from my daughter to answer your original question:

Pros:
finished classes faster (she finished a whole science class in a few weeks)
work at her pace, on her time
didn't have to learn at the other kids' pace

Cons:
-she missed her friends
-she missed school cheer and games
-She really didn't like being home all day while her friends were all at school
-she says she missed a lot of information - the online classes sort of glossed over information to just give basic knowledge, whereas her friends who stayed at the school got a much more in depth look at those subjects. She's worried about this because she feels like she'll be starting college classes at a disadvantage

Overall she wishes she hadn't done it and if given the chance would choose traditional school.

 

[Diamond]

You're not going to like my answer. I think you should pick a team and put school first.

 

[cheerKT]

PLEASE don't take this decision lightly. I did online schooling one year of high school when I lived at the beach. I was cheering about as much as you were. Because I had no one to keep me on task I would continually put off my work. I would barely make deadlines and procrastinate everything until the very last day. I would screw around online ALL DAY. If you do this be sure you have the motivation to get it done. I fell into a pattern where I would not do any work and simply tell my parents it was getting done. We moved back to Columbia the following year and I rejoined public school and I had to bust my butt to get all my school work done by an August 15th deadline. It was awful. I would never do it again. It was no fault of the school, it was me. I couldn't handle it. I am in college now and I have been able to do a couple online classes but no more than 1 at a time. I've come to terms with the fact that if I have no one to hold my accountable I will put everything off.

Not saying this isn't for you, it's just something to think seriously about. I rushed into the decision because it sounded nice to sleep in and focus more on cheerleading. Maybe look into getting a good tutor a couple times a week to keep you up on things or keep your parents very involved. Good luck with your decision.