Nia
Do home schooled students have as good a chance of being accepted to colleges as kids in traditional schools?
I am homeschooled and I read once that some colleges are skeptical about transcripts from home schooled students. I worry about being accepted because my ACT score isn't great.
#homeschool
2 answers
Martha Cecile Storrie MD
Martha Cecile’s Answer
When my son applied to a big (enrollment 50K+), popular, traditional university in Texas, he did so without yet having sent in his letters of recommendation. Concerned about this, I contacted the admissions department, and the representative said to not even bother with letters of recommendation. According to her, "The only things we look at are SAT scores and extra-curricular activities." Test scores and extra-curricular activities do suggest that work ethic, industry, and volunteerism are features of the applicant, and extra-curricular activities suggest that the applicant has priorities that are greater than himself. We, the older people, favor these qualities in you, the younger people.
I homeschooled my children for 3 years prior to sending them to hybrid homeschool/at-school . Apparently, this didn't hurt them at all: they are summa cum laude grad from OCU, a graduating senior and a junior at the unnamed big school in our state. If anything, homeschooling allowed my children more self-actualization and independence, which I believe is a chief source of their current cumulative success. In particular, I would note that the emphasis on public speaking, debate, composition, and self-representation crafted in their hybrid homeschool/at-school has put them far ahead of their peers in term of persuasiveness, causing them to be repeatedly selected for internships, awards, and jobs. As a homeschooler, you could seek out opportunities to write and speak, by joining your local Toastmasters Club, for example, or by offering to teach children's activities at local libraries, festivals, and preschools (to build confidence). Now, go out there and make your OWN good luck!
Thanks. I've been active in theater the last 10 years, mostly as a performer. But I've also directed summer theater camps and after school theater programs. I've been accepted to two of the four schools i applied to and am waiting to hear from the other two. My first choice is one I'm waiting to hear from.
Nia
Kiersten R
Kiersten’s Answer
1) Take other tests, like AP tests or SAT subject tests, to show that you mastered the content in your transcript. You do NOT have to take an AP class to take an AP test, and you may be able to fill in the gaps between the test and what you actually learned by working through a study guide a few months in advance. (For instance, after two years of ancient and medieval history, I took AP World History and got a 4)
2) Enroll in an accredited online/hybrid/"umbrella" school that provides curriculum and gives third party verification that your grades are legitimate. In this case, you'll be viewed as a regular public/private schooled applicant, and don't need to worry about the other steps any more than anyone else does.
3) If you're not in an accredited program, create a portfolio documenting what you actually did in each class on your transcript - books you read, papers you wrote, topics you covered... I didn't personally do this, so I can't give specific suggestions on this, but you should be able to find ideas online or from other homeschooling families you know.
4) Get involved outside of academics, whether that's formal clubs/sports/other extracurriculars, a job, leading an informal peer club (e.g. a book club or a hiking group), or simply hobbies that you dive into in your free time (I had "creative writing" at the top of my activities section, and talked about how I like to write in my free time, swap critiques with friends, and post on a writing blog).
5) Write an essay that focuses on your unique strengths. What unique experiences have you been able to pursue due to the flexibility of homeschooling? What skills or character traits have you developed? What life lessons have you learned? Or maybe you have a story that has nothing to do with homeschooling at all... Just remember that this is a really valuable place to sell yourself in ways that are unique to you.
6) Find good references who can validate your academic achievement and drive. Do you have coaches, scout leaders, youth ministers, tutors, camp counselors, or others who have seen you in an academic or leadership oriented setting?
Remember that the goal is just to give them as much as possible that backs up your transcript and helps them trust it.
Personally, I was homeschooled throughout high school, and I enrolled in an accredited school (that provided curriculum and checked my grades, but I didn't take online classes), took AP tests for every subject that could correspond to one, and participated in lots of extracurriculars, and I got into a top public university.