<p>I was curious about your post, because I home school my kids, and my son just received his first admission offer from a university here and I provided that university our official home school transcript. I created the transcript using a software program available to purchase online ( [My</a> Homeschool Transcripts? | Generate official transcripts for your homeschool](<a href=“http://www.myhomeschooltranscripts.com/]My”>http://www.myhomeschooltranscripts.com/) ), and I included additional documents that described our school (the School Profile which included information about our state’s legal statutes regarding homeschooling), our graduation requirements (which match Florida statute as well as as entrance requirements to Florida public universities), and I included copies of transcripts from any of the places my son took classes (he did take quite a few of his academic courses through Florida Virtual School.) During our years homeschooling, I have been very diligent about following state law, meeting and exceeding requirements to demonstrate progress, and doing everything possible to have a third party vouch for his progress at least on an annual basis. And I was able to describe all of that in his applications.</p>
<p>We gave our home school a name, and I presented his application using as much of the kind of language that admissions offices understand. I included a watermark on every page of the transcript, I created letterhead that added another official touch, and I signed and dated every single page. I think all of that helped give an official presentation and might have helped.</p>
<p>But probably what really opened the doors were his SAT and ACT scores, the annual standardized test scores he took every year, and maybe even the fact that I included his planned tests - SAT Subject tests in Physics, Chemistry, and Math 2. I agree with you that those tests should be weighted significantly when reviewing a homeschooler’s application.</p>
<p>There is no way I would have him take the GED. His high school program was/is college prep and far exceeds the requirements of the GED. Based on Florida law, my son will have completed the requirements for high school graduation here in Florida. </p>
<p>I was especially curious about Carnegie Mellon (we lived in Pittsburgh - love that city) and when I read the requirements for homeschoolers, I don’t interpret their requirements as you say you are being told by admissions. I wonder if your contacts do not fully understand. You are required to complete the Homeschool Supplement, include an academic portfolio/transcript consistent with your locality’s guidelines, and a list of all textbooks you have used. In addition, you are asked to provide an official high school transcript OR a GED OR a certificate of completion from a public school district or state board of education. We homeschooled while living in Pittsburgh, and I would have approached an application to Carnegie Mellon the same way I have these other schools. I administer our homeschool, and I created an official high school transcript. If my son were applying to Carnegie Mellon, I would be sending them our official transcript created using that software, signed by me, as the homeschool administrator, along with all of that other documentation they request. But no GED.</p>
<p>Of course, I am not familiar with homeschooling laws in the UK so I don’t know what kind of records you have created over the years to vouch for your high school program. Can you create an official high school transcript, with courses, grades, course descriptions, textbooks and curricula used, etc? Do you have any evaluations done by third-parties to vouch for your academic progress over the years? What are the requirements for obtaining a high school diploma where you are, and can you match your homeschool coursework to those requirements? Can you match your completed coursework to the expected high school programs that schools like Carnegie Mellon or Boston University expect of their applicants?</p>
<p>I have seen Boston University mentioned many times in articles about colleges recruiting, or at least gladly, offering admission to homeschool students, so I am surprised that they, too, are telling you that you must take the GED. Boston U’s application instructions don’t indicate that, at least to me. The instructions (under Additional Supporting Documentation) do address homeschool applicants, and includes a special phone number. I would want to speak to them over the phone, rather than by email, especially if this school is at the top of your list.</p>
<p>Do what you can to provide the schools with what they need rather than taking the GED. In my opinion, that should be a last resort, and only after you have provided these schools with everything they ask for as part of your application. Give them what they want - an official high school transcript that lays out in detail all the courses you have taken and grades earned, and which shows you meet and exceed what they expect of freshman applicants. Add to that some awesome SAT or ACT scores, and regardless of what someone is telling you in emails, I would be surprised if they asked for more than that.</p>
<p>Best wishes.</p>