<p>so my question is that can you go to colleges like mit, cal-tech, (ivy-league schools), etc without highschool diploma.</p>
<p>if you are really good(im not, just a question), is there a way you can get admitted without diploma. is diploma a must have?</p>
<p>Some colleges allow it. Check their webpages.</p>
<p>You must have a high school diploma/GED to advance to college, not to mention world-class universities such as the ones you mentioned. Top schools require exceptional ability, test scores, extra-curricular activities, etc. from applicants.</p>
<p>Yes there was a boy my year from my school that went to MIT straight out of junior year, and my neighbor’s son did the same. However, the kid from my school was on the national physics team, so you have to be really exceptional.</p>
<p>We know a few homeschoolers who have no diploma from any school and are in the top-3 schools in the country. And the ones we know also did it all themselves and did not follow any prescribed or approved outside curricula. The key though is they did some awesome self-study projects and aced every standardized test they took.</p>
<p>All California public universities admit junior-level transfers without requiring anything from high school.</p>
<p>Example: <a href=“Newsroom | UCLA”>http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/at-just-14-ucla-math-student-moshe-229359</a></p>
<p>MIT is probably the only one in HYPSM that doesn’t require a diploma. But getting a diploma in 3 years is not hard to do. It’s rather whether one can build up enough credential to out pace regular applicants who has more than 3 years of record to show.</p>
<p>^^ The homeschoolers we know attend the schools in your list: HYPSM. So, I would say none of these requires a diploma.</p>
<p>MIT and Princeton note that those are not required. I doubt people getting into the other HYS without it since it’s noted in common data set and is not up to debate.</p>
<p>@unsunghero - It would be a shame if homeschoolers, such as you, read the above and think they need a diploma to get accepted at HYS - they do not. You can get into all the top-10 schools without these, no problem. </p>
<p>The CDS (and school website information) is just general guidance and everything there is not set in stone. Every adcom will tell you as much if asked. </p>
<p>Like laws, selective enforcement of CDS criteria is not unusual, especially if students are really wanted. Writing the relevant adcom or writing the director of admission can get many things waived because they are not set in stone. Of course, some things are set in stone, but that varies from school to school.</p>
<p>For all concerned homeschoolers - I direct you to this website below and recommend you call these people with any questions. The people we know used this group to great effect. And the biggest thing is to ignore the transcript and diploma qualifications. There are unschoolers at Harvard, Yale and Stanford with none of these. I cannot speak for the group personally, but I know enough people who rave about them to know they do know what they are doing. </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000000/00000017.asp”>http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000000/00000017.asp</a></p>
<p>One relevant passage from website for homeschoolers concerned about high school diplomas is quoted below. Note there is no requirement for a transcript, i.e, it is not possible to get a high school diploma without a certified transcript, and also note no GED is required either.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Good luck with your college applications.</p>
<p>One thing I would add is if you attended a high school and stopped going for whatever reasons, then you are best to transition to calling yourself a homeschooler and apply to colleges under that category. You will have to send your high school transcripts, but if you explain well why you stopped going there, you are still viable. </p>
<p>My grandmother was able to convince Cornell to allow her to get her Master’s there without a high school diploma or bachelor’s degree. Granted, this was a few decades ago, but bribery might still be feasible. </p>
<p>^^ If anything, they are even more accepting now that digital publishing and the Internet have disseminated information and thereby disseminated education to whomever wants it. On the SAT and ACT, homeschoolers and unschoolers are outperforming standard public high school students. </p>
<p>I can not find the latest common data set for Harvard, but looks like it indeed does not require diploma/GED. However, here are the pointers for Yale/Stanford. Both require diploma/GED.</p>
<p><a href=“Common Data Set | Office of Institutional Research”>Common Data Set | Office of Institutional Research;
<a href=“Stanford Common Data Set | University Communications”>http://ucomm.stanford.edu/cds/2013</a></p>
<p>Then I realized the article cited was written in 2006. So I checked the common data sets for Yale from 2005-2006/2006-2007, and they do state that diploma/GED was not required. So Yale must have changed its policy to require it now.</p>
<p>So I decided to check the last Ivy featured by the article. Here is the pointer for Brown.</p>
<p><a href=“Common Data Set | Office of Institutional Research | Brown University”>Office of Institutional Research | Brown University;
<p>It clearly states that diploma is required even on its 2005-2006/2006-2007 common data sets. That’s a clear contradiction with the article.</p>
<p>Anyway, for people applying to those schools, diploma/GED is probably the least hurdle to overcome, home schooled or not.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>OK, I repeat for the last time: 1) The CDS is for guidance and website info is for guidance. 2) We know homeschoolers who are at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT etc. who have no degrees. These are actual students we talk to who ARE THERE NOW. 3) A personal example, but different in what was asked for, is my DS this year got three things waived at three of these schools, which are clearly listed as required on the CDS or the college websites and he got in despite not “meeting” their listed requirements.</p>
<p>Pretty sure that info is on the homeschool website because it is still relevant, as the people we know used in last three years. They were also members too.</p>
<p>Rule of thumb - never, ever take “no” from a website or a data sheet that does not talk! Always call the adcom and ask and chances are you will get a waiver, if your position and argument are valid. </p>
<p>Home schoolers are required to follow the laws of their state. Our state (NY) doesn’t grant high school diplomas to us, so the homeschoolers from our home school group who are currently attending Ivies wouldn’t have had a high school diploma to submit to the admissions office. They would have either the GED or a letter of completion from their district superintendent. </p>
<p>Many colleges now list admission requirements for home schoolers on their websites. It may take some digging to find them though.</p>
<p>Another thing to ask is this: since most people have not a clue that the CDS exists, but do go to the college website for info, why does Stanford not even mention diploma or GED on its admissions guidelines anywhere?</p>
<p><a href=“Page Not Found : Stanford University”>Page Not Found : Stanford University;
<p>Best not to lead non-high school diploma applicants up the wrong tree. If they are brilliant, they have a shot too.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>In VA, zilch is required. </p>
<p>And anyone who dropped out of high school can apply as a homeschooler after one year of outside study and still get in. If they got As in high school and left to do a trip around the world and independent study, darn sure Harvard etc. will look at them without any degree. basic common sense. </p>
<p>OP, go for it! You have a shot as good as any if your grades are excellent and your application compelling and unique. No risk, no reward.</p>