A lack of confidence in your abilities as a teacher can easily sideline the desire to homeschool your high school-aged teen but there’s no need to panic. When you become a homeschooling parent, you’re not standing in as the replacement for an entire school system; you’re just adding a new element to your role as provider, protector, and guide to the young person you already know so well. And since you went to school once before yourself, this new role will likely be more doable than you think.

Doesn’t it seem like everyone is homeschooling? And if they’re not, they’re thinking about it or their kids are begging them to think about it?

There’s a reason it seems that way. The most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education estimates 1.8 million 5- to 17-year-old students were homeschooled for the 2011-2012 school year. (It’s worth nothing, the highest percentage were high schoolers.) Obviously, that’s not everyone. But it’s not an insignificant number, especially considering the number of homeschoolers in the U.S. increased by nearly 1 million between 1999 and 2011.

Are you looking for a quick way to make up some high school credits over the summer?

Online high school is perfect for that!

Our individual courses are a popular solution for students from traditional high schools who need to make the most of summer break. The self-paced, online format easily fits into a summer schedule that’s filled with family vacations, summer jobs, and other adventures that would otherwise be co-opted by required attendance at a brick-and-mortar summer school location. But, the very best part? A course may be completed in as few as 6 weeks–how’s that for fast?

You’ve got your reasons for not going the traditional high school diploma route. Maybe you were forced to drop out of high school years ago or are still of high school age (up to 21 in most states) but not into it. But here you are, poking around online to find out whether it’s worth your time and energy to get your high school diploma, after all.

A high school diploma is about preparing you for the future you aspire to reach. Read on for the five reasons you might want to consider an online high school diploma instead of just taking a test.

It’s a hot topic on the minds of all college-bound online, homeschool, and traditional high school students (and their parents): “How will I pay for college?”