Counseling Office

It is each family’s right to consider what form of schooling fits best for them.  If a family decides to homeschool, it is their responsibility to research and purchase the curriculum that meets their needs.

If you have decided to homeschool, please contact our District Registrar at registrar@syc427.org.  In your email, please indicate your student(s) name, ID#, and state that you are withdrawing your student(s) from the district in order to homeschool. Upon receipt of this email, your student(s) will be unenrolled from the district system and any schedules will be deleted.

Keep in mind that if a high school level student homeschools and then wants to return to Sycamore High School, they should be sure that the program they are using has the proper accreditation so that those credits count towards graduation requirements. Sycamore High School accepts credits from programs that are accredited by AdvancED/Cognia, which is the same accreditation that is used for public high schools.  Online programs such as James Madison High School, Penn Foster, Pearson and APEX Virtual Learning School have this accreditation and we accept those credits.  There are many other programs to consider so just be sure to check that their accreditation includes AdvancED/Cognia.

A: If students have a transcript from their time homeschooling/online learning from a non AdvancED/Cognia accredited program, families can then create their own homeschool transcript for that year, combine it with the credits that a student earns at SHS, and prove graduation requirements/apply to colleges with both of these documents. The difference is that although the student would be still able to attend graduation at SHS if they are enrolled their senior year, they would earn a certificate of attendance rather than a diploma if they have not earned all the required credits at SHS due to time in a non-accredited program.  

In order to re-enroll a student, families would contact the District Registrar at registrar@syc427.org to enroll and show proof of residency. After enrolling a student, families would be directed to meet with the school to discuss next steps. At the high school level, transcripts would be evaluated to determine if credits from the homeschool program would be accepted. Placement tests may be given as well to determine future classes.

IHSA has strict rules about participation in athletics.  Students must be enrolled in and passing 5 classes at the school in order to participate in IHSA sports. Therefore, students who are homeschooling would not be eligible for sports.  In order for a student to participate in clubs or extracurricular activities at the school, the board policy states that they must be enrolled and spend a minimum of half of their day in classes at the school.  Elementary students interested in choir, band, or orchestra, please contact the building administrator for more information.

• This optional exam is the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) that is taken in October. In order to qualify as a National Merit Scholar, students must have junior status. Students in other grade levels can sign up for this exam, but will not be able to qualify for the National Merit Scholar program.  
• This exam is offered at Sycamore High School for a minimal cost (approximately $20).  The fee for this exam can be paid on the Sycamore School District Webstore. Paying for the test will verify registration for the exam.
• Watch announcements in the fall about sign up deadlines.
• Approximately 16,000 students who test across the nation will be chosen as National Merit Semifinalists while 34,000 will receive a Commendation.  This means that approximately 1% of students across the nation who take the exam will be chosen as a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist. 
• Test Prep available from CollegeBoard
• Test Prep and Practice Tests available from Khan Academy

• In April of each year, Sycamore High School juniors take the SAT at Sycamore High School — this is a graduation requirement. In the spring, freshmen and sophomores will take the PSAT 9 or 10. Students do NOT need to register or pay for this exam — the high school will automatically sign students up for this.
• For more information about the SAT, visit the CollegeBoard Website
• Test Prep and Practice Tests available from Khan Academy

• Although Sycamore High School no longer uses the ACT for all juniors, we are still a host for a National Test Date in February each year. In order to take the ACT on the February test date or any other date that it is offered, students should register and pay at actstudent.org
• Test Prep: Various ACT prep classes are offered throughout DeKalb County each year. These programs have a fee and can be found in various formats.  Test prep booklets are available in the School Counseling Office.

• Below are some resources that may help you decide whether the ACT or SAT are right for you.
  • Differences between ACT and SAT
  • Should I Take the ACT or the New 2016 SAT?

• Students who are currently enrolled in our AP classes at Sycamore High School can choose to take the AP exam for that subject on the national test dates during the first two weeks of May.
• If your student is in an AP class, they will receive information about signing up for testing in the fall.
• There is a fee for each AP test taken that must be paid on the Sycamore Webstore before exams are ordered.
• College credit can be awarded by colleges when students achieve certain scores on an AP exam. For information about any college’s AP credit policy (what scores and classes that they give credit for), visit the CollegeBoard website.

• This is a college placement test that is used for students taking college level classes (Kishwaukee College uses this test).
• These tests are used to help make proper placements into math and English classes.
• Student may be exempt from placement testing based on ACT/SAT scores, high school GPA, and/or AP scores. See you r school counselor for more details.
• Students who enroll in Kish on Campus Dual Credit classes at the high school and some CTE classes at KEC must take part or all of the Accuplacer test. See you counselor for details.
• For me information, visit Kishwaukee College’s placement website.