I’m not going to disagree that there are certainly many flaws in the U.S. education system, but that does not mean traditional high school has no value at all. Your argument that homeschooling is always better than regular high school is flawed because there are countless numbers of people who have succeeded and done great things in the world without homeschooling (which, might I add, is an option unavailable to the majority of students).
While you are right that high school does not have the flexibility of homeschooling, I think there is some value in “producing obedience”. Learning how to follow instructions and work with others (even in group projects where the work is often not shared equally) is an important life skill. Creativity and free-thinking are certainly valuable traits (as an aspiring author and artist, I find these qualities particularly important), but they are not everything.
No disrespect to you or your family – I’m sure your all very nice – but if you do apply now maybe put on your app that you did a year of virtual, online school and leave homeschooling out of it. Homeschoolers have enough issues with inaccurate stereotypes without some young teen spreading more. Your assumptions are grossly inaccurate and a disservice both to public school families and homeschoolers.
Your age won’t necessarily work against you. Your attitude will. It’s not true that homeschoolers can learn more in a day than public school students learn in a month. No reasonable person is going to believe it. You won’t be the first no traditional student they’ve seen, so you have a steep climb ahead of you.
Have you thought about the topics for your essays? I’m not seeing much that you can use to show you have the traits colleges want.
I too am starting to think this is a bored kid on Thanksgiving break.
Quite a few contradictions throughout the thread. Claims they can’t do clubs or band because they’re homeschooled, then says they participate in a community competitive band. Etc.
Also, the limitations they claim homeschooling brings is 100% false. There isn’t a homeschooler I know who isn’t extremely involved with their community. The probably is having too many opportunities (it’s a big wide world), not too few.
ALSO - I am sick of seeing the following stereotype perpetuated:
”@Groundwork2022 “Then they’ll see the skills you lack… the patience, the social skills, the ability to participate in a classroom discussion, the lack of lab experience, lack of leadership.” You could make the exact same argument against most homeschoolers.”
That is so incredibly insulting. Most homeschoolers who are serious about college go above and beyond what the local public schools are doing, they are extremely mature, they have lab experience, they take dual-credit courses at colleges and hold their own during discussions just fine, etc. Many/most have reached leadership positions in at least one EC because homeschooling gives the flexibility to fit more into the schedule. So to see a so-called homeschooler write the above really raises my hackles.
@Homeschooler14 If you are so smart, then walk out the door and into your community to find other activities to do (though you already have at least one…your band).
Though again, I too feel this is not a real post. And it’s insulting to actual homeschoolers.
Your initial post asked about your chances of getting into a “top” school so that’s why people are focusing on those types of schools.
@JanieWalker Just to clarify, my comment was not referring to homeschooled kids in general, just to the OP, who could not have sufficiently developed those skills rushing through high school in one year.
I appreciate everyone’s responses, it may not sound like it in a few of my replies, but I do.
I know I said I didn’t want to turn this into a chance me but I’d like to ask your opinion of my chances at the following schools.
Boston College
NYU Stern
Boston University
Northeastern
Fordham
George Washington
University of Florida
Tufts
Northwestern
35 Act (S36, W 36, M 35, R 32)
760 Sat II Math level 2
800 Sat Us history
Ap 5 (self study):
Micro
Macro
Comp us gov and politics
us gov and politics
AP 4: U.S. history, Psychology, Human Geography
Do you have a gpa? I am confused about your classes.
What have you done besides study and play golf?
What will you write about for your essays? Who will write your letters of recommendation ?
How old will you be when you apply? 15?
4.0 UW gpa, Weighted gpa approximately 4.5
Band
Homeschool counselor, 2 professors from Dual enrollment.
It will be around my 16th Birthday for EA, so I may submit apps for EA/ED when I’m 15, maybe 16, I don’t know yet. Why does this matter? Age is really just a number.
@Homeschooler14 , it seems you’re mostly using your ACT scores as proof of concept that you’ll be admitted to most of the schools on your list. Let’s consider other things. First, most of the schools on your list have rejected applicants with your test scores. Read the threads about those schools on CC and you’ll find plenty of examples. The test scores alone are no guarantee.
Some universities make it easier than others for home schooled students to get accepted. Maybe that won’t be a barrier to entry at all your choices, but it might hinder you at some. I don’t know for certain, but I’ve read that AP tests taken without first taking the actual AP classes don’t carry much weight with universities, so those AP test scores may not matter as much as you hope. Also, while you continue to say age doesn’t matter and you may find a school or two that agrees with you, some schools will possibly view your age as a detriment, not a decided net positive.
There are no glaring negatives about your resume, but there are enough realistic factors that might singularly be considered not strong enough by each school.
Let’s assume that the schools on your list all say no, or ones that say yes want you to defer enrollment for a year. If you’re determined to enroll in 2020, do you have any more certain safeties that interest you? The good news is you are applying early. You don’t necessarily need to add more schools on the front end. However, you should at least be considering and researching other options. Then, if none of the schools on this list will allow you to enroll in 2020, you will be ready to pursue other options.
@EconPop I have some safeties. Umass Boston, Suffolk and Florida Atlantic. Age shouldn’t be a positive or negative. Neither should other factors like Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation, or gender.
Also, do the AOs look at each applicant’s date of birth before they admit them?
In that case, go ahead and apply. While I think it would be a good idea to wait at least one year, this is your (and your parents’) decision to make.
I’m not a good “chance me” person. I would guess that as an assumed FL resident, you probably have the best chance at U FL.
I would guess you have a lower chance at a school like Northeastern. That is a school that focuses on coop education, and I don’t imagine NE would be excited about sending a 16 year old to work for a company in California for a semester.
But again, I hesitate to say “good chance” or “bad chance” about any of these. The factors I mentioned earlier make it too difficult … and I’m not good at guessing chances.
@Homeschooler14 What does your transcript look like? For example, what math classes did you take, what English classes did you take, what about history, etc?
You stated that you self-studied for the AP exams. Do you also have the classes listed on your transcript?
My homeschooled kids used AP scores as outside validation for some of their homeschool work. However, prior to the start of their studies, I had submitted a syllabus to the College Board for approval for the class to carry the AP designation. The AP exam was the cumulation of a year’s worth of work.
The colleges my kids applied to wanted to see a homeschool profile, course descriptions, and a reading list in addition to a one-page transcript. As the guidance counselor, I prepared all of this documentation. You stated that you have been homeschooling for one year. Are your parents aware of the additional documentation that they will need to submit as your guidance counselor?
Good luck to you!
You may believe that, but that doesn’t mean universities believe that. If age did not matter at all, do you think universities should admit a 9 year old and allow that kid to live on campus in a dorm with a random 19 year old?
Of course age matters. What you want to believe, and convince the world of, is that 15 is the same as 18, or that a specific 15 year old (you) can be just as mature as the least mature 18 year old. I can’t tell you how each college will react to your age.
What I can say is that if I was in charge of a university, I would have to think long and hard before I agreed to admit a 15 year old. And that process may or may not include an interview with the 15 year old. It’s a additional risk factor that a college may not feel obligated to assume.
The only way to truly find out what each college feels about admitting 15 year olds is to apply and wait.
This thread is in fact pretty entertaining, so I’ve settled down with some popcorn.
NYU Stern, Tufts, Northwestern, BC, Northeastern. No.
Fordham, GWU, maybe? They’ll like your test score.
UF, probably.
Have you found out if any of these colleges will let you live on campus as a sixteen year old? Most require a student to be at least seventeen in order to live on campus. And if they won’t, where will you live? Are your parents going to rent you an apartment in Boston or the Bronx and let you live by yourself at the age of sixteen?
They are going to know your age. Age absolutely should be a positive or negative, as long as it’s reasonable. Is it reasonable to assume that a sixteen year old who rushed through his entire high school education in a year is going to have a hard time adjusting to the rigors of college? Yes. Is it reasonable to assume a sixteen year old might have a hard time settling into college life, especially if living away from home? Yes. Is it reasonable to assume that a sixteen year old might have a hard time making adult decisions? Yes.
Your naïveté and narcissism are quite impressive. Age is just a number for some people, but those people tend to be over the age of 20 or so. There is a world of difference between you as a 14 year old and you as an eighteen year old. You don’t know that yet, of course. There’s a world of difference between sixteen year old you and the 23 year olds on campus. You may not like it, but that’s reality.
Let’s talk about all those losers at horrible public schools. I know a few of them. It’s crazy how they managed to have high GPAs and get 5’s on their AP tests too, having to suffer at public schools like they did. And they cared nothing for real learning. It’s a wonder anyone educated in a public school ever achieves success in life. And those other homeschooled losers. They should all be completing their curriculum in a year, so they can be like you.
English 9
English 10
English 11
English 12
Honors Algebra I
Geometry
Honors Algebra II
Honors Pre-Cal
Biology
Honors Physics
Honors Chemistry
Honors Environmental science
Honors US History
Honors World History
Honors Us gov (.5 credit)
AP Microeconomics w/ financial literacy /AP Macroeconomics w/ financial literacy
Electives:
Photography
Journalism
Law studies
Psychology
Personal Finance
I am very interested in how you submitted a syllabus to college board for AP credit. Unfortunately, I was only able to AP macro/micro because that was the only available class for me to take. I would do some classes again for AP credit. Where could I find some more information on how to do what you did? Where would I get the curriculum?
@Lindagaf If they do not allow me to live in the dorms then i’ll live off campus. My parents are okay with this.
I’ve met some extremely immature 18 year olds and I’ve met some extremely mature 14 year olds. You can’t put labels on people just because of their age. You are correct that AVERAGE maturity increases as age increases. On average, eighty year olds are more mature than forty year olds. Some forty year olds are more mature than some 80 year olds. The same can be said for all ages. Also, an 18 year old is closer to a 16 year old than a 23 year old.
Never, ever did I say all public schoolers were dumb. Plenty successful students go through public schools. I said that there is a better way to do it than public school. Just because plenty of successful students go through public school doesn’t mean it has no flaws and is a perfect system.
“Is it reasonable to assume that a sixteen year old who rushed through his entire high school education in a year is going to have a hard time adjusting to the rigors of college? Yes. Is it reasonable to assume a sixteen year old might have a hard time settling into college life, especially if living away from home? Yes. Is it reasonable to assume that a sixteen year old might have a hard time making adult decisions? Yes.”
You can’t assume these things without truly knowing the person. I don’t think I’ll have a problem living away from home. If you think that I will have problems, I am just some random person on the internet, you have no idea what my problems are or will be.
Age is just a number, for EVERYONE.
Nope, age isn’t just a number for everyone. That’s why you can’t drive until a certain age, or drink, or vote, or work, or do many other things. You wanting it to be true doesn’t make it so.
Colleges don’t want to truly get to know you. They don’t have time for that. What they DO want is to be reasonably sure that the students they admit can succeed on campus and graduate eventually, so that they keep bottoms on seats, protect their graduation rates, and get tuition dollars.
As for College Board, you’re smart, so pick up the phone and call them.
Your course rigor is about average, but pretty impressive considering you achieved these in one year. Would you pursue Calculus and foreign language too?
Good luck.
@Lindagaf I agree that age isn’t just a number and that people usually mature as they get older, so don’t you think you’re being a bit cruel to a 15 year old?
@makemesmart I am doing latin now. I am also taking a calculus class at a local college