<p>I currently attend a public highschool, and I hate it. Last year, as a freshman, I was taking every honors class I could, and I was still bored. I did extremely well in all my classes and kept a 4.0 GPA. As school rolls around again I was wondering if homeschooling would be a better choice for me. I talked it over with my parents, and they are mainly concerned about getting into a good college, and the possibilities of scholarships.
I'm trying to do as much research as I can before we make any decisions. I really don't know what the next step would be. I have a strong desire to learn, and I felt that my time was being wasted at my current school. However, my biggest priority right now is preparing for college. Is it possible to get into a great college if you are homeschooled? If so, what would be the next step in making sure I have everything I need to impress the college of my choice?</p>
<p>brittles87, many homeschoolers are admitted to competitive colleges. You'll need to decide what form of homeschooling suits you, while keeping college requirments in mind. You'll need to create your own transcript, or work under an umbrella institution. Also, homeschooling rules vary by state, so you'll need to find out what is required in your state. </p>
<p>Have you had a look around this forum yet? There is a lot of good information about what is needed. Feel free to ask more questions here, but here are a few threads to get you started:</p>
<p>Public</a> high school versus home schooling?
Preparing</a> for Elite College Admissions
Are</a> Standards Lowered in Admission for Homeschoolers?
home</a> schooling next year
How</a> many of you take outside classes?
distance</a> learning program
What</a> are the real odds of getting money for college?
Help</a> with transcript-credits</p>
<p>It's possible, but you need to do your homework. Make a list of where you want to go to college - then look at their website for homeschool applicant info. Usually you will find what you need there.</p>
<p>It is definitely possible to get into a great college as a homeschooler. You do need to keep good records and have some outside activities to get letters of recommendation. If you decide to homeschool, I would strongly recommend you get the book, The Homeschooler's College Admissions Handbook by Cafi Cohen. It gives wonderful advice on records to keep, how to do transcripts, etc.</p>
<p>(My older son graduated from Stanford; my younger is a music performance major at Indiana University. Both took some high school and community college classes during high school, but were officially homeschoolers. They were totally homeschooled until high school.)</p>
<p>I know of homeschoolers accepted to every Ivy, Stanford, MIT, Chicago, the military academies, you name it. Actually, I think homeschooling can help a applicant stand out. (I'm not saying homeschoolers are better -- I mean that the applications look different. I want to clarify this because I said "stand out" once and someone on CC just blasted me! When most applicants are great, anything that looks different can help, I would think.)</p>
<p>You can challenge yourself with homeschooling and colleges will see this. You also have the flexibility to pursue passions, academic or non, that would be difficult to do in a public school setting. I think the challenge and flexibility enabled my daughter to get admitted to several selective schools (Brown, Chicago, UNC-CH [OOS]) that probably would have been beyond her reach if she had stayed in public school. Plus, she was miserable there ... which is the reason we started. The possibility of going to any of these places wasn't even on our radar at the time.</p>
<p>Cafi Cohen has several books on homeschooling in the teen years and college admissions. You also might join a Yahoo group devoted to the subject -- you will find many more people there to share their opinions and experiences. One I like is hs2coll.</p>
<p>It is important to check out potential schools and see if they have any special requirements for homeschoolers. A few do (like extra SAT IIs), but none of the places my daughter applied to did. What I found was that places had no "requirements" per se but did want to see anything extra you could give them to help them assess the applications. I think the UNC-CH web site explains it well:</p>
<p>"We welcome applications from students schooled at home and impose on those students no special or extra requirements. At the same time, it's important for home-schooled students to recognize that their credentials may lack some or most of the contextualizing information typically found in the transcripts, grades, and academic programs of students schooled in other, more traditional settings. For that reason, we recommend that home-schooled students do their best to help us see their academic performance in the clearest possible light. </p>
<p>"In recent years successful home-schooled applicants have chosen one or more of the following methods: taking courses in a local college or community college; joining organizations in their community; providing samples of their academic projects (for example, essays or research papers) and detailed descriptions of their courses; sending more than one recommendation from non-family-members who know them well and can comment specifically on their capacity for high-level academic work; taking and submitting optional SAT Subject Tests. Last year 47 home-school students applied for freshman admission; 22 were admitted, and 14 enrolled."</p>
<p>In other words, there is no reason to think that homeschooling would hurt your college chances. If anything, it could help you (unless you have your heart set on a place that dislikes homeschoolers like Davidson, something I picked up on CC). But the reason to homeschool would be because it is the type of education you want.</p>
<p>What stood out most from your original post was the assertion that you hated public school and found it boring. Homeschooling could offer you the challenge you seem to desire while still affording you the option of attending excellent colleges.</p>
<p>Outside of academics (which are easy to find at community college, online, by using college textbooks, etc), homeschooling will afford you lots more time to delve deeply into other interests. College admissions appreciate students who have devoted time and energy into pursuits other than academics.</p>
<p>If you are self-motivated and discliplined to finish the work you begin, homeschooling could be the answer you are seeking.</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>Yet another vote for Cafi Cohen's books. I found them helpful and reassuring. </p>
<p>As others have already said, there's no doubt that homeschoolers are and can be admitted to "good" colleges. My own could have attended higher ranked schools but opted to stay closer to home, and are still receiving excellent educations in their chosen fields. You'll find there are many decision factors when you start to narrow your list of potential schools.</p>
<p>Another thought regarding your boredom is to consider early admission. I went to college at 16, after my junior yr. of high school, and graduated at 19. The only downside was getting middle-aged male bankers to take me seriously back in the 70s & not consign me to the teller line, but that could have been a problem at 22 as well. I'm encouraging my own kids to pursue their master's degrees so that they'll at least be legal age when they begin job hunting.</p>
<p>Best wishes!</p>
<p>I was homeschooled for highschool, and I am now attending a cc. I applied to two CA universities, and was told that my credits and classes did not match what they had on record. By the time the whole mess was fixed, it was too late to get into either school. I now have to spend 1 year at a cc before I can transfer into a 4 year university. </p>
<p>KEEP IN MIND MY FATHER HAS AN MBA IN BUSINESS, AND MY MOTHER HAS A PHD IN ENGLISH. This was the worst experience during my time being homeschooled. Other than that, it was fine.</p>
<p>"I applied to two CA universities, and was told that my credits and classes did not match what they had on record."</p>
<p>What does that mean? Where did the CA universities get records on you that you did not provide? Sorry, I'm not following.</p>
<p>Were these colleges in the U Cal system? That whole system seems to be pretty anal with everyone in terms of what courses they want, requiring homeschoolers (last I heard) to go in with a number of SAT IIs with particular scores.</p>
<p>Yeah, if you are interested in particular schools, it is important to check out their requirements. But I wouldn't generalize from the U Cal system, which is atypical. They ARE upfront about their requirements, though, so I don't understand about the records confusion issue.</p>
<p>It means that they are very strict about the classes they accept and the ones they don't. Their version of English4 was different than mine for example, because I was homeschooled. Here in CA, colleges are extremely competitive. These were private universities. It just means that it was my word against theirs when it came time to apply. I said I had taken the proper courses. They said otherwise. </p>
<p>I hope this makes more sense. it is a very complicated story to tell.</p>
<p>Everyone has good advice here. I'm glad your taking the initiative to look into alternatives for school. If your unsatisfied with your high school experience. Leave. Why wait for your grades, and more importantly your DESIRE TO LEARN, to suffer. I am more worried about you doing poorly/hate school because you were not motivated/challenged in your classes.</p>
<p>Regarding the concerns of getting into college. If you live in near a community college, take classes there. They're college classes. If you can stand up to them your prepared for a university. People I talk to are always impressed that I'm 13-17 YO and taking college classes with adults. It shows motivation on that you can be so focused to take college classes before anyone besides yourself (and parents) thinks your ready. </p>
<p>Use assist.org to see what classes you take at your community college will transfer to the state or UC system.</p>
<p>quote: "I was homeschooled for highschool, and I am now attending a cc. I applied to two CA universities, and was told that my credits and classes did not match what they had on record. By the time the whole mess was fixed, it was too late to get into either school. I now have to spend 1 year at a cc before I can transfer into a 4 year university. </p>
<p>KEEP IN MIND MY FATHER HAS AN MBA IN BUSINESS, AND MY MOTHER HAS A PHD IN ENGLISH. This was the worst experience during my time being homeschooled. Other than that, it was fine."</p>
<p>This is exactly why students (really parents of homeschoolers) need to check out college requirements BEFORE they do the highschool years as homeschoolers. There are many small colleges that are lax on homeschool admissions , this is true, but there are many colleges (more selective privates and state schools) that have very specific admission requirements for homeschooled students. </p>
<p>For most of the schools I've checked into (mostly in Georiga) the requriements are on the school websites. You can also contact the admission dept of the college you are interested in. When the student above said that their classes "didn't match up" - that meant that whatever "classes" they took in homeschool did not (in the opinion of the admission dept.) match up with the required College Prep classes for that college. The time to make sure that your transcript matches up is NOT in the 12th grade - this is something that needs to be considered in 8th. </p>
<p>And it varys from school to school. For example, most schools in Georiga require one life science w/lab, one physical science w/lab and one other science. But Georgia Tech requries THREE lab sciences for admission. University of Georgia (hates homeschoolers) is the worst with admission requirements for homeschool students. If you have your heart set on UGA, parents need to be in yearly contact with the admission dept. to make sure they haven't missed anything. </p>
<p>Bottom line: not impossible, but one does have to do their homework.</p>
<p>Pearl, I agree! I feel very fortunate my daughter fell in love with her school early enough to be able to fulfill their requirements. I don't know if I would have been on top of it otherwise. </p>
<p>It helps to start visiting college campuses early on, so you have some inkling about which schools to look into. We always did this with our daughter, not to brainwash her, but because college campuses tend to be interesting places to visit. In the end, she visited a school with her aunt that wouldn't have occurred to me to visit, and that's the one she connected with. She wouldn't have been able to make that judgment if she hadn't had other schools to compare it with.</p>
<p>This is not to say a student will necessarily be admitted to the school of her dreams. Rather, it means that by aiming high and being aware of various requirements, that student will have more options when it's time to apply.</p>
<p>None of the schools my daughter applied to had specific requirements as to course content (and she knew where she would be applying fairly early on). Her safety required a typical sort of prep program, but it never went beyond specifying so many courses in the English area (none of ours were called "English," we never had to explain what we did, and it didn't make any difference), so many in math including algebra and geometry, and the like. We were able to have most of the courses being different from what the local school system had and still run into no problems. </p>
<p>I don't think it is a question of selective having requirements and less selective, not. Most of the places she applied would be reaches for about anyone (3 Ivies, Chicago, WUSTL, and UNC [OOS]) and NONE had specific requirements for homeschoolers. (I don't even recall any specific course requirements for any student for that matter, just recommendations to have a typical strong prep program.) To the extent they would address homeschoolers at all, it was, "We have no special requirements -- just give us whatever you have that will help us assess your application." I couldn't even get this much out of Brown and that is where my daughter ended up.</p>
<p>Of course, I was always aware of the sorts of things colleges like to see on anyone's high school transcript even if they don't have a required course of study. So we made sure there were science courses with labs and the like. Also, having been told a number of times that course descriptions would be useful, such were included with the initial applications. </p>
<p>I guess I still don't understand what the problem reported actually was. Different versions of "English4" I can understand, if there is some state university pronouncement of what they want to see in specific high school courses (which California has -- I don't know of any place else; I am unaware of nonpublic schools in that state applying the requirements -- homeschoolers, for instance, have no more problem getting into Stanford than anyone else). But how would this end up being the homeschooler's word versus the colleges'? And the initial comment was that the problem was ultimately "fixed," which would indicate it was some sort of documentation problem, not a content problem. And how would the colleges have records differing from that of the homeschooler, since colleges only get what the homeschooler sends them? Why would it take too long for a records problem to be resolved that someone couldn't go to the college -- I was able to throw together a documentation of the high school program for the NCAA and resolve a problem with them in less than two weeks.</p>
<p>I have been on a number of high school homeschooling boards for years and this is the first time I've heard of anything like this. Perhaps if the names of the colleges involved could be posted, I could look at their requirements myself and understand. The story posted so far seems contradictory to me.</p>
<p>Another lesson to draw (beyond looking at the specific requirements of potential colleges) is to apply to a sufficient number. Two colleges, especially if they have atypical documentation or content requirements, are WAY too few. This isn't a problem with homeschooling -- the original question -- but rather a severe lack of planning. Everyone, homeschooled or not, should look at what the colleges they might be interested in want to see, early enough in their academic career that they can make sure to give it to them.</p>
<p>Speaking of the original question, brittles87, are you even following this thread?</p>
<p>Look mam if you are calling me a liar I don't understand why. What would be my reason for coming on here and lying? I will not post the names of the colleges because I will be trying to get into them soon. I have no clue who is reading this. I was like an experiment for my parents in homeschooling. We were relatively new at it, and that was the problem. The mixup occurred because I was not homeschooled for my entire highschool life. I was homeschooled for 8th grade through 10th grade. 11th grade and so forth was done at a half homeschool/half regular school so I could socialize and be on their golfteam. The problem was that there were some transcript errors, and I took the wrong classes at the school. The university did not know what classes I took at home. This in turn made them think I was missing both math classes and english classes when i wasn't. How do I prove to them that I took a math class at home? Exactly. I could have fought it out with them, but the university required 2 years of foreign language which I did not have. It also required a science course that I did not have because unfortunately for me, MY HOUSE DOES NOT HAVE A LAB. Looking back, it was my fault I even chose to be homeschooled. I did it so i could work for my dad who is a real estate developer. It was pure money for me, since that it what I want to do when I am older. The problem was, I got so caught up in making money, I forgot about admission requirements. I had read stories about how universities love homeschooling students. I guess that is not the case. The sad thing is that the college counselor at my cc told me I had a good case. I should have fought it out with them. Oh well, now I get to make even more money. :)</p>
<p>Only home school if you can do something meaningful with your time. Even if you spend the same amount of time on your school work as a day of school you'll still save bunches of time. But those hours should be filled with something good. I kind of think that's the expectation of the kids that are home schooled. (my daughter referred to it as "independent study" because as she got older she didn't like the way"I'm homeshooled"sounded. In 8th grade she absolutely hated school, and her grades went from A's to C's depending on the quarter. She was really happy through 10th grade, as she watched her friends suffer from not enough sleep, punishment from parents if their grades slacked off. However by 11th grade- mid way through--she told me later she was SORRY she wanted to be homeschooled and I should NOT have listened to her! That was 11th grade. She started taking 2 classes per day at school, and realized how little you get done for all the effort to get ready for school, etc. At the starting of 12th grade she still needed 11 classes to graduate so she couldn't go all day as that wouldn't give her enough credits. So she did a combo day again (AP chem which was 2 periods) plus her independent study. (Indiana Univ. High School) It was tough--the other kids were taking it easy by then. In 12th grade she realized her activities, grades, test scores, essays were pretty good, and she started getting interested in a "good college" Luckily most were interested in her, too. But she still said that I should have not removed her from school. Fast forward --she's starting her second year at the Air Force Academy, and she said the independent study was the best thing she could have done. (her high school classes had 2 hour, proctored finals) at college they are all 4 hours! And they take about 7 classes there. She said thanks mom, for realizing the school district math wasn't good, and drilling me on the basics! She said that's what you need here, but you should have drilled me more on the trig!!! Right, just when she was a squirrelly 18 year old who had her friends telling her "you don't need a curfew,why does your mom think she's in charge!" When of course the mom (and dad) were staying up late going over her papers back at home are just trying to help her succeed (or pass!! ) Well guess what, she's appreciative now, and we can hardly believe it, (it makes your eyes grow misty, you know) To put it succinctly here's what you need to do along with homeschooling--1. Pursue community service where you get some practical skills (and a lot of it) 2. A job 3. Develop leadership --you are the one who gets a good night's sleep so you'll be the one making the favors for the team, or typing up the team cheers! 4. Develop hobbies for your life that are fun. 5. Develop your body-the conditioning you get as a teenager will stay with you for the rest of your life! And that's aerobic capacity. 6. Lastly- what I didn't know--the homeschooled siblings have the strongest bond--I had no idea, but they are really there for each other. It's just so sad for her sister--when you become a cadet you really leave home, and the visits home are few and short.</p>
<p>I didn't say you were lying, BigBucksT. Some people do that on CC and I have no problem calling them on it. I just thought your story didn't make sense in the cursory (and confusing, at least to me) way you offered before. Now you have provided a more detailed explanation.</p>
<p>Your problems, as you have now explained them in more depth, had nothing to do with homeschooling.</p>
<p>
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The problem was that there were some transcript errors...
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</p>
<p>Not homeschooling's fault.</p>
<p>
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...and I took the wrong classes at the school.
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</p>
<p>Not homeschooling's fault.</p>
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The university did not know what classes I took at home. This in turn made them think I was missing both math classes and english classes when i wasn't. How do I prove to them that I took a math class at home? Exactly.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You needed to submit a homeschool transcript like every other homeschooler. If the college asks or one feels it would be helpful, one provides course descriptions. One submits standardized test scores. It seems like you didn't find out how homeschoolers apply to college (the colleges will tell you, as will homeschooling books, internet sites and forums, local homeschool support groups, you name it). Gee, if you didn't submit a transcript showing your work at home (which is what you seem to be saying), I don't see how you can blame homeschooling for your inability to get into the colleges.</p>
<p>You earlier said the problem was having different content of things like "English 4" from what the colleges want to see. Now you seemingly didn't even tell the colleges you had that year of English and other things as well. </p>
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I could have fought it out with them, but the university required 2 years of foreign language which I did not have.
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<p>Again, not homeschooling's fault. Homeschoolers do foreign language all the time. </p>
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It also required a science course that I did not have because unfortunately for me, MY HOUSE DOES NOT HAVE A LAB.
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</p>
<p>Homeschoolers do science labs any number of ways. A little research and you could have found this out.</p>
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The problem was, I got so caught up in making money, I forgot about admission requirements. I had read stories about how universities love homeschooling students. I guess that is not the case.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Well, universities love prepared students. It seems like you didn't report all you had done (couldn't be bothered or what?). You ignored other clear requirements these schools have. Many schools do like or at accept homeschooling students, but the latter need to do the work and explain that they did.</p>
<p>BTW I don't know why you won't mention the two colleges' names. Your reluctance to do so makes no sense, since you are hardly traceable and there is nothing wrong with telling people what particular colleges want to see from homeschoolers in any event.</p>
<p>The problem wasn't choosing to be homeschooled, but how you went about it. Since we are advising someone who is considering being homeschooled, I think it is important to clarify that and not scare someone away due to the problems you faced that were easily preventable. That was my motive in questioning you and seeking additional information.</p>
<p>One year in community college won't kill you. And, given your financial motivation, this year can be of benefit because it will give you another year of earnings and presumably substantial savings over a four-year school as well. Many homeschoolers and other students do chose to go to community college to shore up their prerequisites or to more cheaply get distribution requirements out of the way. You will be none the worse in the long run. I do hope you have learned that research is a good thing.</p>
<p>Chapman and USC.</p>
<p>Thanks. </p>
<p>One of those is in the U Cal system, so that put you in the position of having to show that you had the approved courses they want (hard for homeschoolers) or to follow one of the two alternatives for homeschoolers, examination (high SAT I and SAT II scores, the regs spell out the minimums) or portfolio (I don't know if anyone has gotten anywhere with this one). I've heard of homeschoolers that just plan on a year or two in community college so they can simply transfer into the U Cal system and skip all of this. (So even with a great deal of research, you might have ended up doing what you are doing now!)</p>
<p>Chapman is a school about which I've heard nothing specific. I don't see that their web site addresses homeschoolers. What they seem to have is recommended courses, rather than required ones.</p>
<p>If you haven't talked specifically to the Chapman admission folks, I would recommend doing so. You can explain your background and see what they need or would appreciate from you by way of testing, community college coursework, and the like.</p>
<p>I would also recommend finding out about the process for transferring from a California community college to the U Cal system and seeing if there are any other places that appeal to you, again if you haven't already.</p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>Edit -- I just read on another thread that the process and ease of transfer from community college to the U Cal system differs among the schools. That person was advising folks to talk to the counseling department of the community college to find out the requirements for particular schools, which credits will transfer, etc.</p>