<p>Does anyone have experience with filling out applications to selective colleges? You see, it is rather difficult in that the directions ask you clearly to fill out the application as is without attaching additional material. For a home schooled applicant though, isn't it necessary to provide a cover letter describing your curriculum, a book list, etc. etc. etc.? </p>
<p>Any advice?</p>
<p>We home schooled the 3 HS years and we sent apps to some selective schools.
Some use a spread sheet program to send a course description/transcript. Ours was 13pgs. You can do it by year or subject order. We sent in a separate book list organized by year of study. Our cover letter was also the couselor/teacher rec where we discussed why we home schooled. My S has been involved in illustrating for a children's book series so we sent in recs from the author and other people that he has had contact with. Some schools suggested sending writing samples. We didn't as my S scored high on the SAT I verbal and SAT II writing. I would definitely join the hs2coll group on yahoo as there are some parents who will be willing to help. Some might be able to send you their format directly. Where are you considering applying?</p>
<p>Hi!</p>
<p>I am interested in Princeton University. I was recently informed that they are quite flexible in viewing applications from homeschoolers. However, my schooling circumstances are different than that of a traditional home schooler and the idea of filling out applications geared towards the average high schooler is somewhat disconcerting. </p>
<p>Technically, I am "distance learning". Although, after talking to admissions I was informed that distance learning is still home schooling despite the fact that my school is accredited and students receive actual diplomas and transcripts. Also, teachers do grade and review work but I have never met any of them and we do not speak on a regular basis. </p>
<p>Besides, more or less, following the average high school curriculum, I am also taking college courses.</p>
<p>So I am rather spread-out in my schooling and this lack of formality is presenting me trouble in the areas of who to request recommendations from, writing up course descriptions (am I supposed to even though I am at an accredited school?), and about everything else concerned with the application.</p>
<p>I would truly appreciate it if you could provide me with any further advice.</p>
<p>E</p>
<p>High schools normally send send course descriptions plus a "school profile" with every transcript. Find out if your distance learning high school is going to do that. If not, you or your parent should create a comparable document. This should include all of your courses and grades, arranged either by subject or by year (max 1-2 pages), than a "school profile" (max 1 page), then "course descriptions" (max 3-4 lines per course). The descriptions of your college courses should also be listed, since college transcripts never include course descriptions (copy it out of the catalogue or get it from the course syllabus).</p>
<p>My sons have homeschooled high school part-time, taken some classes at the local high school, and taken some community college classes. I made up an overall transcript with all classes listed, wrote course descriptions for only the classes done at home (but gave course #'s for the cc ones), and also sent transcripts from the cc and the high school to back up mine. I did write a cover letter explaining how and why we homeschooled, and how it helped that son achieve his goals and pursue his passions in education. I also made up a spread sheet program of outside activities. One page was all music for my second son--his area of passion, while other pages included honors received, jobs held, and other interests and activities. I sent this to all colleges that did not specifically say they did not want such a document. (Stanford, for example, said in the application not to send resumes.)</p>
<p>I would go with what the colleges say, for the most part. However, I feel a cover letter explaining your methods of homeschooling is always appropriate.</p>
<p>By the way, my older son is now a senior at Stanford, so apparently how we did things was fine with them. :-) (My younger son has been accepted at 3 colleges so far and is waiting to hear from the selective ones that send out April 1 letters.)</p>
<p>an ad com at Stanford told me last year that the "no extra stuff" policy does not apply to homeschoolers. In any case, even if you choose to take a conservative position on "extra stuff" from the applicant, there is no restriction on what the "school" sends. I included the sorts of things you are talking about as part of the school package. My son did not include extra stuff as part of the application.</p>
<p>Even if the distance program provides a school description, you can take advantage of the opportunity to provide your own. Include everything accomplished outside your program like community courses or independent pursuits. </p>
<p>I recommend contacting the Princeton admissions office directly to find out what their specific requirements of homeshoolers are. My daughter successfully applied early decision to another selective school, and we contacted them very early on to establish a relationship and make sure we were on the right track. Some schools require very specific course descriptions, including book lists, others want something more concise. </p>
<p>Also... be sure to line up other schools as well - not just Princeton. Admission to the ivies is a gamble no matter how well qualified the student. It's a good idea to get excited about some other schools as well. I understand what it's like to have a child determined to get into a certain school, and I know how focused things can get. Still researching and applying to other schools is important.</p>
<p>I cannot thank everyone enough for all the advice. Indeed, your insights have been of great help to me. The once puzzling aspects of this process now seem to be clearing right up! </p>
<p>.............just a few more questions...........</p>
<p>Are any of you knowledgeable in the area of what actually happens to the student's application once it is sent in? Is it, in fact, true that the applications are then mailed off and reviewed by the applicant's local admissions officer?</p>
<p>If this is so, perhaps it would be a wiser decision to attempt speaking with this local admissions officer rather than a random, faceless worker in the main admissions office?</p>
<p>Just a thought. </p>
<p>Nan, I have contacted Princeton's admissions office directly, several times in fact, when I was seeking information. Unfortunately, I continually find myself speaking to workers...officers (or whoever they may be) with such a complacent air of superiority that it is terribly difficult to ask of them anything. With that in mind, do you have any advice on how I could approach admissions to let them know who I am, what I am doing, and ask for their thoughts?</p>
<p>Hope someone can help,
E</p>
<p>Elizabeth - at most colleges the regional rep is someone in the main admissions office, not someone who is actually located in the region. Your app will go to the main admissions office and all processing will be done there. In the fall, try to attend a Princeton info session and ask homeschooling questions of the rep there.</p>
<p>(btw - are you Einsteingermany also?)</p>
<p>no.....why do you ask?</p>
<p>Elizabeth, I would ask specifically to speak with the person most knowledgeable about homeschool applications, but you probably already did that. But beyond that, I don't know how else you could approach them. A quick google search turned this up - maybe you could contact her for some advice:
<a href="http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pwb/02/0603/6a.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.princeton.edu/pr/pwb/02/0603/6a.shtml</a></p>
<p>I second asking to speak to the person in charge of homeschooled apps. I've been homeschooling for 5 years and got into NYU ED this year. I sent a one page transcript, three pages of course descriptions, and an extra essay on homeschooling (how and why). My dad wrote my guidance counselor letter, and a family friend of ours, who I took a class from at UW, and my director sent in letters. I was applying for theatre, so I also sent in a resume of the plays I've done and the roles I've had. Other than that I just followed their instructions. If you have anymore questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Hi guys,</p>
<p>Interesting article. Yes, I did ask to speak to the person in charge of the home schooling applications and was told that Princeton specifically does not have a designated officer who deals with such applicants. Curios....most of the other private colleges have these officers. In any case, I will call again later in the year when the admissions office has settled down. Maybe I will have better luck then...</p>
<p>Wakenda, I would love to hear more about your experiences with the applications. Let me know if anything else comes to mind!</p>
<p>Texas137, I had absolutely no idea what the regional officer trivia ECT. actually meant. It reveals how green I am in the area of administrative hoopla.
Thanks for clearing that up!</p>
<p>Keep me posted,
E</p>
<p>P.S. Any further ideas on finding an independent college counselor who has experience in dealing with non-traditional students who are seeking admissions to selective schools?
Nan, I did contact Joyce Reed. Although a very, very nice woman...we just weren't the right match. </p>
<p>Honestly, what are everyone's opinions on seeking out an independent college counselor? I wonder how much guidance they can actually provide--especially to home schoolers.</p>
<p>Elizabeth.... With these boards and other support groups on the net the need for these counselors has been greatly diminished. You or a parent can do your transcript and book list but ultimately your passions have to stand out with your essay. Do the common app and pick a topic where it shows who you really are and what you love. If you could explain the reason for home schooling I would do that in a short but creative way. Don't blast traditional education forms, but rather let them see through written word how you used home schooling to your advantage.</p>
<p>Oh one more thing. I think it's important for homeschoolers to include their grading criteria. We included ours in our course descriptions. Stuff like, "Testing was conducted via short answer factual questions and interpretive essays." (History) or "Evaluation consisted primarily of detailed factual examinations." (Science). I think that helped alot. Also, we named our school. (Really simple, just after the street we live on. We decided it was not to our advantage to try and make it seem like a "normal" school.) Also, we assigned credits to the classes I did. Betweeen 1 and 3 for each class, 16 total each semester. That was our way of letting them know how much time was spent on each subject. On the transcript we categorized stuff by subject and described the course descriptions for the whole subject area in a paragraph, with only occasional elaborations for individual classes. At the end we had an Additional courses and activities section, where we had a paragraph about Intro to Econ and Intro to Philosophy, which didn't really fit anywhere else, and all of the non-class activities I did. I guess that was more than one more thing. Just trying to think of the details rather than the generic stuff that every book on homeschooling'll give you.</p>
<p>an independant college counselor will be expensive, and may not have any experience with non-traditional students. Did you try one of the homeschool to college forums I mentioned? I love College Confidential, and you are getting good suggestions here, but for things like format of homeschooler transcripts, supplemental documentation , etc, you will get more input on a homeschooling forum than on a general college admissions forum, where most of the people are not homeschoolers. For things like what review book is best for a particular AP exam, or what the dorms are like at collge XYZ, you will get more input here.</p>
<p>Do you have a local homeschool support group? Ours puts on a college info meeting every fall. We have a panel of speakers whose kids have successfully navigated the college admissions process. And people pass around their transcripts so that everyone can get a lot of examples.</p>
<p>I think it's less common than it used to be to have a specifc person in an admissions office who gets all the homeschoolers apps. There is a large enough number of them now that they are less "odd" than they used to be. Colleges who used to have them all go to one ad com may figure it's easier to assign them according to whatever system they use for assigning everyone else. I've called a number of colleges asking to talk to the person who does homeschooler apps, and been told that all their ad coms do it.</p>
<p>(Einsteingermany is also posting here asking about getting into Princeton as a homeschooler).</p>
<p>Yes, I am viewing the homeschool2college forum and it is very helpful...thanks!</p>
<p>Is it still necessary to include a book list and grading policy even though I am at an accredited school that have already developed their courses and grading policies?
Of course, I will describe studies I did completely on my own.
I am not involved in a home school support group....any suggestions about finding one? I live in Cali....the valley.</p>
<p>I appreciate the tips, everyone.</p>
<p>E</p>
<p>If they school sends grading info, I don't think it's necessary to send it yourself. Ask your school what exactly they send to colleges.</p>
<p>I agree w/ wakenda. You don't need to send anything already be sent by your school. As a matter of fact, "homeschoolers" who take most of their coursework through an accredited school (distance learning, CC, etc) are probably simply viewed as students of that school, not as homeschoolers/</p>
<p>Yes, I thought I was just considered a normal student. But according to several admissions officers at different schools, I am still categorized as a homeschooler...owell.</p>