<p>So. I'm youth ambassador. I'm doing my senior year of highschool abroad in Spain. Ideally I'd like to get into Texas A&M at Galveston (I'm from tx) and study Marine Biology. In Spain I will be studying the biology branch. I was 100% self taught as a homeschooler so bedsides transcripts I made myself (and obviously I'll get transcripts while abroad in Spain) I don't have much in the ways of grades. Oh I did take a class at UT at Austin. What I do have is a wealth of extracurricular activities both academic and non academic. Basically I can say with complete certainty that my application will be great. The thing is that I haven't taken SAT or ACT, I can't take them abroad, and I leave in a month so I don't think I have time to study and make a good score. I have to get my college app in before next year so it will be too late by the time I get back. What do I do? I've heard that SAT ACT tests are not always required for homeschoolers. I also heard that we are considered the top 25% just for being homeschooled. Is this true? I'm not sure what to do at this point. I don't want to work at mcdonalds. Oh! I am good friends with a graduate at TAMUG and she discussed me at a laboratory meeting this morning. They were all impressed that I am interested in phito plankton (noctiluca scintillans if you're wondering). So there's some more info. Any advice would be awesome. </p>
<p>Listen. You aren’t considered in the top 25% of anything. Homeschooling has absolutely zero standards attached to it, so how could you possibly be ranked with regular high school students?</p>
<p>You definitely will have to take the SAT or ACT. You aren’t special. So find some time in that fairy tale life of yours to study grammar instead of phytoplankton (you couldn’t even spell it right, and noctiluca scintillans is not a phytoplankton).</p>
<p>Edited for foul language. ED</p>
<p>There were a lot of typos. Sorry I’m on my phone and my keyboard wasn’t set to English. I had read on a forum post here that homeschoolers were considered top 25%. I’m glad I know that’s not true. It didn’t sound right to me either. I’m thinking I should probably just look into community colleges.Thanks for your advice. And I am sorry if I offended anyone that wasn’t my intention. </p>
<p>@zzzboy, though I agree with you about the top 25% thing, I don’t think you have to be so rude. He may not have to take the ACT/SAT if he files for an exemption <a href=“http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/TexasUAP”>http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshman/TexasUAP</a>
I think it’s really poor planning to not take the SAT in 10th or 11th grade and I’m not sure why the OP can’t take the SAT while aboard. TAMU is very homeschool friendly but more documentation is always better and being homeschooled is in no way an auto admit.</p>
<p>Also I meant “They were all impressed that I am interested in phito plankton (and noctiluca scintillans if you’re wondering).” I can definitely see where my post came across as cocky. Honestly I was just trying to make myself sound a little better. Homeschooler with no transcripts, test scores etc doesn’t look that amazing. Again, I’m sorry. </p>
<p>Okay that answered all of my questions. I wasn’t trying to imply that homeschoolers were better. Not that it matters but I’m a girl. Thank you for your replies! </p>
<p>Ignore zzz – he is being mean. But unfortunately, what he is saying is true. You need to find a way to take the SAT or ACT while abroad – there must be an American school or other International school in your greater area that will be offering the test on the standard days next fall. I have been told that precisely because you are homeschooled, and don’t have a history of GPAs and course rigor to compare to others, that many colleges want to see how you do on standardized testing. No matter how great your ECs, colleges want to know that you can success academically at their college. </p>
<p>There is no international or american school near where I will be living. I will be going to a private catholic school in the balearic islands. </p>
<p>Completely unnecessary, zzz (“fairy tale life of yours…”). </p>
<p>My understanding is that homeschoolers are, in fact, placed in the academic admit category. You may take a look at <a href=“https://askags.com/questions/online-homeschool”>https://askags.com/questions/online-homeschool</a>, “You will be considered a home schooled student and ranked in the top 25% of your class - so you are still eligible for automatic admission through the Academic Admit policy”). </p>
<p>But call or email the Admissions Dept. and confirm! </p>
<p>Actually homeschoolers are considered top 25%. My son was admitted to COE for Fall of 2014 and he was homeschooled the last six years.</p>
<p>He had high enough SAT scores to be an automatic admit with the top 25% rule.</p>
<p>Yes, I also have confirmed that homeschoolers are given top 25%, but you have to meet the academic admit scores for the SAT or ACT, so there is no way around those tests.</p>
<p>Also, I am not sure if the 25% rule applies to TAMUG; I have only heard this for the main campus at College Station.</p>
<p>Here is what the TAMUG admissions website says about homeschooled students:
“Home Schooled students will need to submit a notarized description of the curriculum. Second, the student must fill out a Certification of Completion of Courses form that can be found here. This form should be mailed in or faxed to the TAMUG Enrollment Services Office.”</p>
<p>You really need to take the SAT. If you can’t hack the SAT then you really can’t hack tests at a TAMU school. There is an excellent way to practice for FREE online. Go to: <a href=“SAT | Test prep | Khan Academy”>http://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat</a></p>
<p>You have plenty of time before the October 11 test to get ready.</p>
<p>SAT tests are offered abroad but if you will be back in a month then you should sign up for the October test.</p>
<p>There are over a dozen testing locations in Spain for the October test date. It looks like registration is done through a regional representative rather than a direct online registration as is done for the US. The representative’s contact information is listed on the SAT site of the College Board. Since you are in Texas, my suggestion is to contact the local Prospective Service Center (they are all over the state) and find out for sure about the need for test scores ASAP since the registration date is coming up soon. It may take some logistics but I am sure you can get to a test site for the Oct. test. There are likely several students from the islands who will be doing the same. Someone in the administration of the school you will be attending there might be able to help with that too.</p>
<p>You can take the SAT at TAMU College Station through the testing center. The scores are only good at TAMU and it costs about $100. You would be able to make an appointment and go take it before you leave. I do not know if Galveston does this also, call them and ask. If they don’t they would likely accept the scores from the College Station campus. Yes homeschoolers are considered top 25% at TAMU.</p>
<p>OP you stated that you would be able to take a test prior to leaving but worried about study time. You should sign up and take that exam before you leave. You will get your score & then can decide if you need to retest while abroad. My son scored high enough for academic admit status at TAMU without studying on his first try ( his baseline test in our eyes taken to see what he needed to study), he didn’t even open the brochure. You won’t know where you stand until you take an exam. It could all work out just fine. If you do not score well, traveling in Europe is very easy and the exam is only for a few hours. You could travel to the nearest testing site and retake the exam while in Spain. Just verify the dates - they are often different overseas.</p>
<p>On a side note, I was reading the comments above from other posters who seem to have no connection to TAMU. Rules at universities for admissions vary from school to school. It would be nice if they let you know that they are speaking generally, versus specifically about this university. </p>