Alumna Profile | Katelyn Daniels

1. How long were you homeschooled through Seton, and what did you like about the experience?

I was homeschooled from pre-K, and my mom has used at least some of Seton’s books for most of that time, but I wasn’t enrolled in Seton until 8th grade.

It may sound funny, since this is one thing that a lot of students complain about, but I loved the sheer amount of writing that Seton demanded.

I knew that if I were going to further my education in college, I would be challenged to write many papers of many different kinds, so it was reassuring for me to have all that practice. Plus, I really do enjoy writing anyway!

I also loved the fact that I could take more time on things that I didn’t understand, without feeling like I was holding someone else back. For example, I spent almost two years on my geometry course because I was struggling in it. (Okay, maybe I procrastinated a tiny bit, too!)

2. Where did you go to college, and what is your degree?

When I graduated last year, I decided to take a gap year before deciding whether or not to go to college. Over the past several months, I have decided that I do not feel called to go on to college, but eventually I may take a college course or two in a few of my favorite subjects: classic literature and writing.

4. What are you doing now?

This year, I have been helping my parents and relatives homeschool some of their children with Seton’s curriculum; I have five students in 8th, 9th, and 10th grades, and I often help my mom with my two little brothers, who are six and ten. I have all of them at my house on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 8:00 am to around 3:00.

On Tuesdays and Fridays I’ll have the ones that need more help in specific things come individually for tutoring sessions throughout the day, and I spend my extra time correcting papers and making study guides and reviewing lesson plans. In addition, I am also studying piano and working on completing the first draft of my novel.

5. What gives you passion or motivation in your current occupation?

Knowing that I am helping my parents and aunts and uncles give their children a solid, Catholic education is definitely one of my prime motivations. Another thing that I realize is that currently my dearest wish is to marry a good, Catholic man and raise a big family with him.

By spending my time teaching at home and working with children of all different ages, I am getting a huge head start in preparing to teach my own children, if God should bless me with them.

6. Any advice for current Seton High-Schoolers?

Don’t try to rush through your studies. I can’t emphasize this enough.

There were countless times when I caught myself speed reading a passage in religion, or not really paying attention to the discussion questions in literature, or just memorizing a short cut to remember something without actually understanding it.

The more you can absorb from Seton, the better. Try to light your curiosity in as many subjects as you can and ask questions about them. (Don’t worry, I understand that there’s always going to be that one subject that just seems to hate you!)

I remember that, in Senior year, I decided to choose one subject that I didn’t expect to like and to try to finish the entire course independent of my mom. In other words: no study guides, no hints, no nothing!

I chose American Government. It was a daunting task, but it forced me to research, to ask questions of myself and others, and to really pay attention to every word. I still have fond memories of that one course, despite its difficulty, because I really felt like I was accomplishing something instead of just memorizing information and taking tests!