| While a very small number of parents do homeschool | | | | requirements. You should also make it clear to them |
| there children at college level this is not a common | | | | that you are homeschooling your child and ask if there |
| practice and it is the aim of most homeschooling | | | | are any special requirements as a result of this. The |
| parents to prepare there children for entry into college. | | | | college might for example have specific rules which |
| There are many reasons for homeschooling a child but | | | | apply to transcripts for home schooled applicants. |
| one common theme is dissatisfaction with the public, | | | | One of the commonest ways to judge an applicant's |
| and indeed private, school system. To some extend | | | | suitability is through one or more standardized tests, |
| this also applies to our colleges but here at least we | | | | such as the SAT or ACT. Home schooled students |
| are still fortunate enough to have many fine colleges to | | | | are free to take these tests alongside their public and |
| choose from, including of course a number of Ivy | | | | private school peers and, on average, tend to produce |
| League colleges. | | | | much higher scores. |
| Because many home schooled students excel, both in | | | | Even with all of this data, many colleges will still have |
| terms of their level of achievement and eagerness | | | | their own admission tests and it is not uncommon for |
| and ability to learn, it is not uncommon for such | | | | colleges to ask applicants to write one or more |
| students to want to enter college in their mid or late | | | | essays on a wide range of topics set by the college. |
| teens and getting into college is not always easy. | | | | This gives the college the opportunity to gain a wider |
| The first hurdle of course is the lack of state, or | | | | view of the applicant and his or her ability. This is one |
| licensed private school, transcripts. This however is not | | | | area in which home schooled applicants typically excel |
| too difficult an obstacle to cross as long as | | | | as it gives them the opportunity to talk about their |
| homeschooling parents are aware of it and take the | | | | particular interests and talents and convey their level of |
| time and trouble to compile a record of the child's | | | | interest in learning and their relative maturity. |
| progress, including examples of the child's work and | | | | One other valuable tool open to homeschooling |
| grades achieved. Records compiled by homeschooling | | | | parents is provided through a range of advanced |
| parents, providing they are prepared with care, will be | | | | placement courses, many of which can be taken by |
| taken seriously and given due weight by the majority | | | | independent study. These courses can help to add to |
| of colleges. | | | | a child's transcript and can also offer accelerated |
| In addition to a student record of achievement, which | | | | learning, providing students with material that is |
| will be required in almost all cases, there will be other | | | | advanced for their age group. |
| entry requirements and these will vary from one | | | | There is no reason at all why the home schooled |
| college to the next. It is a good idea therefore to start | | | | student should not find entry into college a relatively |
| early and to select a number of colleges (perhaps half | | | | simple matter as long as homeschooling parents do |
| a dozen) to which you would be happy to send your | | | | their own homework and prepare the child correctly. |
| child and which your child would be happy to attend. | | | | At the end of the day colleges are only too happy to |
| Having drawn up your short-list you should then | | | | accept students of ability who are going to benefit |
| approach these colleges and ask the admissions | | | | from a college education and also bring something of |
| department officials to let you have details of their | | | | themselves to the college. |