What Reviewers Say

Blue Tent On-Line is consistently hailed by reviewers as a 'gold standard' for rigorous high school courses, particularly in Honors and AP English and Science. Feedback across forums like Well-Trained Mind and The Homeschool Mom emphasizes that while the workload is heavy—often requiring 8-10 hours per week for a single class—the quality of teacher feedback is exceptional. The delivery model is a blend of asynchronous work on Moodle with weekly live 'chat' sessions or video meetings, which builds a strong sense of community among students. The primary trade-off mentioned is the level of intensity; it is not a 'check-the-box' curriculum and can overwhelm students who are not prepared for college-level expectations. Some parents find the price high, but most agree the detailed instructor critiques, especially in writing, justify the cost.

How It Works

Students log into the Moodle online platform daily to work through structured assignments, participate in interactive discussion forums, and submit formal papers or labs. The workload is intense, with students typically spending 90 minutes to two hours per day on a single subject using provided digital texts and specialized online resources. Once a week, students join a live interactive session—ranging from real-time text chats to video meetings—to engage in peer discussion and instructor-led lessons. The parent’s role shifts from teacher to project manager, as the Blue Tent instructor handles all the grading and provides the student with exceptionally detailed, professional critiques.

Switching to This?

Blue Tent does not provide automated placement tests, but for their signature English courses, they often require a writing sample or a review of the student's previous coursework to ensure a good fit. Families should generally enroll based on the student's grade level, but be aware that the 'Honors' designation represents a significant step up in rigor compared to standard public school or self-paced homeschool curricula. Because these are live, cohort-based classes with a set syllabus, it is nearly impossible to start mid-year; families should plan to register in the spring for the following academic year. When transitioning from a more flexible program, students should spend the summer sharpening their time-management skills to handle the fixed weekly deadlines.

Curriculum Details

Price

$625 - $750

Pricing is per full-year course. Most courses range from $625 to $750. Some semester-long electives may be cheaper.

Grades

8 - 12

Available As

Digital Synchronous Live Asynchronous

Coverage

Single subject

Subjects

Reading/Language Arts Writing Science Math History/Social Studies Foreign Language

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Pacing

Some flexibility

Parent Time

5-15 min/day

Parent Involvement

None

Student Independence

Fully independent

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Academic Level

Advanced

Worldview

Secular

Videos

Reviews We Consulted

Updated: March 2026

How This Compares

Compared to Well-Trained Mind Academy, which follows a traditional classical model with twice-weekly live video lectures, Blue Tent utilizes more asynchronous discussion boards and text-based chats, which many families find better for developing formal writing and communication skills. When weighed against PA Homeschoolers for AP-level work, Blue Tent is often favored by families seeking a smaller, more intimate class feel with higher levels of personal interaction between the student and teacher. Parents deciding between Blue Tent and a self-paced program like Time4Learning will find that Blue Tent requires a much higher level of student accountability and a fixed schedule, whereas self-paced options offer more flexibility but lack the expert instructor feedback.

Getting Started