<p>In the past, I have asked people to chance me on CC and a common response I get is that being home schooled will hurt me. Personally, this seems sort of contradictory to everything else I've heard about Harvard. I'm home schooled, would probably do something in Middle Eastern studies, and I'm from the Midwest...I'm not super weird, but I don't think I look like the normal student they get.
Anyway, I thought perhaps my differences would help me, as Harvard has been very boisterous about the diversity of their student body. But everybody tells me that instead of helping me, being home schooled actually hurts me.
Is this true? My SAT score is pretty good, I've taken a lot of courses at my community college, and I have been taking some online AP courses, so I don't think lack of a school record is a factor, but maybe it is. I don't know. Hence the question :P.</p>
<p>It didn't seem to hurt Philip Streich who is homeschooled and who I heard got a likely letter. But then again he did have some amazing credentials.</p>
<p>I think you have more chances to do interesting things when you're homeschooled so I'd say it increases your chances, generally speaking. I wish I'd had the chance to do it!</p>
<p>I'll let you know in 8 days. :)</p>
<p>I am homeschooled, and I've received likely letters from Columbia and Duke. While they aren't <em>quite</em> at Harvard's level, I think it proves that being homeschooled is NOT disadvantage.</p>
<p>Being homeschooled may have been a disadvantage at one time, but it hasn't been for years. If anything it's an advantage because homeschoolers have more time to do interesting things and are often way ahead of their peers in at least some subjects or have more time for extra-curricular activities or to pursue interests. It sounds like you (OP) have plenty to show Harvard that you are capable of advanced work.</p>
<p>You should be fine. As in all such matters, your main competition will be other homeschooled students applying to Harvard in the same year. If I remember correctly, there is a Harvard admission officer who specializes in reading the homeschooled applicants' files, so your situation will be familiar to at least one reader of your file. </p>
<p>Good luck in your applications, and good luck to the students now applying who are waiting for news.</p>
<p>My daughter, home schooled since kindergarten, received one of ten academic likely letters from Harvard last year. I think it was because of what the luxury of home schooling allowed her to do in terms of realizing her potential for academic and artistic excellence that Harvard reached out to her in this way. </p>
<p>And tokenadult is correct - there is one admissions reader in charge of all home schooled and international applicants.</p>
<p>I had no idea there were so few academic likely letters sent out.</p>
<p>Wow, congratulations alchemymom and your daughter. I also expected there to be around 100 Harvard likely letters.</p>