The NYS Board of Regents requires that NYS colleges collect proof of high school equivalency from NYS residents before they’re allowed to matriculate, so Geneseo isn’t a safety unless your daughter can provide that proof.
Acceptable proof of high school equivalency includes documentation that shows she’s passed 5 (specific) Regents, or passed the TASC/GED, or has 24 college credits (spread across a specific set of subjects), or she has a NYS high school diploma (correspondence school diplomas aren’t accepted), or (if she’s a homeschooled student) a Letter of Substantial Equivalency from the district superintendent. I believe the regulation applies to private colleges as well as those in the SUNY system. You can check the NYS Board of Regents website for details.
The [NYS Board of Regents Degree Conferral Policy](https://www.suny.edu/sunypp/documents.cfm?doc_id=344) explains the regulation in detail. It applies to both homeschooled students and students over the age of compulsory education.
Interesting to me that she will apply to Carleton but not St Olaf. She sounds more like a St Olaf kid to me and they are in the same town, so hard to see how distance is playing a role. I guess you just think the academics/reputation are superior at Carleton? I am imagining her in Northfield wishing she went to St Olaf.
When we visited both Carleton and St. Olaf, she liked both schools, but she really, really loved Carleton. The swim team, the campus, the vibe, the trimesters, etc. Carleton was more liberal, more feminist. Girls at St. Olaf wore make-up etc.
Forgive me if I’m being silly…but I would assume proof of graduation would be a prerequisite at every college, not just the SUNYs. Are you sure colleges would not recind an acceptance if she does not graduate? I had to send proof of graduation at the school I put my deposit down at…this is more than schools not liking her plan, this is them physically not being able to take her because she didn’t graduate. Are you absolutely sure her hs won’t give her a diploma? That could be a big problem.
Nope graduation from high school isn’t necessary. Actually I believe that after 2 years of college, NY high schools will aware a diploma. Given the schools the OP likes, I can’t imagine a SUNY would fit the bill anyway-not even as a safety since there is no point in having safeties that you’re likely to hate/dislike.
In NYS, proof of high school equivalency is required to graduate from college, not for admissions. Most of our colleges ask for the proof up front, but technically you don’t need it to get into college, you need it to get out.
One of the ways students who haven’t graduated from high school or earned the GED/TASC can earn high school equivalency is by attending college. There are 24 specific credits you have to take, and you have to pay out-of-pocket for them because you won’t qualify for financial aid until you have the Certificate of Equivalency, but you don’t need a high school diploma to enroll. You do need it to formally matriculate, but you could take classes without it. Homeschoolers in our state do it all the time. But some colleges are more flexible than others. It’s far easier for them to get the proof up front, so many do. I would expect the larger and/or more popular SUNYs fall into that category. If OP’s school won’t issue a diploma she could register as a homeschooler, take the 24-credits, and apply wherever she wants as a freshman.
NYS high schools can’t issue diplomas in this case. The Certificate of Equivalency comes from the college. But lostaccount is correct that high school graduation isn’t necessary to attend college in NYS.
Thanks for the questions about graduation. We were a little concerned about this too. The college admissions people I’ve spoken to said that they’re not concerned about her getting a diploma. She has taken all the required NY Regents classes and exams. At this point, we could still have her return to high school and graduate, but then she sacrifices on what classes she can take whereas she can take better, more challenging classes at the community college. But then she’ll have to tell the colleges she’s already applied to that she’s changing her plans. It’s a bit of a pickle. We thought we had it all worked out so that she would go to community college and graduate with her class, but the principal won’t go for that (although all the other high schools in the area do). I will contact the superintendent’s office and ask to talk with him about issuing a letter of equivalency. It is within his purview to do so, but the old one never did grant any and the new superintendent is brand new so who knows?
In answer to @AStern we live in the Southern Tier of NY, It’s a good thing then that she’s applying to a lot of “safeties” in that case. Although we’re still awaiting her latest test score. Hoping that actually studying for the test might have raised her score.
ACT results are in, she went up in two areas and down on two areas. How I hate these tests! So, superscore is now 31, but single sitting is still 29. Darn tests, grumble, grumble.
Superintendent’s office called today to talk about giving dd a letter of equivalency. We’ll see what they say.
So, younger daughter (HS junior) and I are going to visit Vassar and maybe Skidmore and maybe Wesleyan next weekend. I was surprised to see that both daughters would be potential recruits for all three of these swim teams, especially Skidmore so we’ll try to meet with the coaches. All three schools have appeal for musical and academic reasons. Bonus that they’re closer to home. Younger daughter made it to All-State symphony orchestra for violin. The Vassar conductor Eduardo Navega will be conducting them, so that will be a great opportunity for her to see what it’s like working with him. I’ll report back.
@Earthmama68, my son is looking for very similar things in a college (LAC; quirky, down-to-earth vibe; great classical music; outdoorsy-ness; strong science) and our lists overlap considerably. He also loved the heck out of Carleton, but, frankly, it’s probably too big of a reach for him. St. Olaf is also very high on his list. We’re going to visit a couple of schools in the Pacific Northwest next week, Whitman and U. of Puget Sound, and I’ll let you know how it goes.
I know you’re not looking for more schools, but I can’t help throwing UPS out there. Super outdoorsy (it’s practically in the shadow of Mt. Rainier), music seems to be one of their flagship departments, also very strong in sciences. It would be a likely admit for your daughter, and she may even get some merit money thrown her way.
Among other schools on your list or in the conversation, he really loved Skidmore and will definitely apply. Wesleyan is my alma mater and he liked it, though I don’t think classical is their strength, music-wise. Grinnell was fine (I loved it), but he just can’t seem to get past the middle-of-the-cornfields thing. Bard student body was too out there for him. I’ll bet he’d love Vassar, but he hasn’t taken the two subject tests they require (unless you do ACT with writing), and the last thing he needs is another reach school. We may yet visit, though – we’ll see. We may go check out Brandeis, too, since it’s only a day trip for us.
While Reed probably has the vibe she’d like, they won’t give merit and I don’t know about their music program. Has she taken the SATs? It’s unlikely that her ACT score will dramatically improve without some major test prep. Some people do better on the SAT, while others are better suited to the ACT. You might also want to consider test optional schools; Bryn Mawr is now test optional. Have you looked at Goucher? I also agree that Whitman might be a really good fit.
“…I know you’re not looking for more schools, but I can’t help throwing UPS out there. Super outdoorsy (it’s practically in the shadow of Mt. Rainier),”
LOL. Pretty much every school in western Washington from Seattle southward is in the shadow of Mount Rainier. North of Seattle, at Western Washington University in Bellingham, you’re in the shadow of the northern Cascade Range. I mean, Mount Rainier is the highest mountain in the Lower 48!
Darn tests, grumble, grumble.