int in knowing if you "follow" the state diploma or set your own agenda on history

[74Heaven]

Hi, my state has something like the fllg. requirements for high school history in order to attend a pub school and get a state-issued diploma:

1 sem State History
1 yr Western Civilization
1 yr United States History

I am assuming that the state universities and private universities in this state also expect that students will have taken history coursework similar to the above line up.

I have no plans to ever enroll my children in a private or public high school - but of course I can't specifically rule it out. And I want to provide an education that will be acceptable to the public and private universities as we will likely want to attend one of them.

So I am wondering what do *you* all do when choosing your history curriculums?

Do you try to follow the state requirements?
Do you just give your child a 4-yr cycle of the traditional time periods/

If a history (and literature) education is thorough - do universities accept that? Or should I be sticking closely to the state diploma guidelines?

Thanks! TIA!

Lisaj, mom to 5

[Pamela H in Texas]

Lisa,

You may want to just check what the universities DO look for. Ours doesn't tell us specific courses, but instead just how many. That leaves the door pretty open.

I wonder what other areas are like. That area you're in looks odd to me. Ours is:

Am History
World History
US History
Gov't/ Economics

[Veronica in VA]

Here in Virginia the ps schedule is like this:

World History I
World History II
American History
Government

My ds entered ps in 10th grade, and had done World History I so it worked fine. My dd by her choice did World History I and then American History. It didn't matter (until Sunday when she said she really wanted to go to the new hs they are building across the street). Anyway, I think she will stay home and take college classes at the cc, but she will do World History II for 11th grade.

Hope that helps,

Veronica

[Carmen_and_Company]

I'd also check your state's hs'ing law, as Minnesota's states we have to teach geography & government. The law does not state whose government & geography--lol. So, we included these two components in each year's study.

[Shari]

In our state, the sequence is:

1/2 state history
1/2 geography
1 World history
1 American history

However, the statutes also say something about if a student enters after 10th grade, they are exempt from state history requirements and allowed to "count" whatever social studies credit they took in 9th. I think it totally depends on what your dc's college of choice is and what they are looking for.