Is this a good enough courseload for HYPSM?

Pre-College Issues Home Schooling and College
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I'm applying to college this autumn. I'm one of the more unorthodox homeschooled students: I did my Maths, Further Maths, and Physics A-levels quite early on and got As on all of them, but up until last year, I hadn't done much Biology/Chemistry/History/English. </p>

<p>This is roughly how I'm going to do the Homeschool Transcript:
**
English:**</p>

<p>-English Literature (Jun '09 - Oct'09, 4 months. Primary textbook: Barron's SAT Subject Test In Literature)
-English Grammar (Dec '08 - Jun '09, 6 months. Primary textbook: Collins Good Writing Guide)</p>

<p>Math:</p>

<p>-Pure Maths, A-level, A (Primary texts: P1-P6, Edexcel)
-Mechanics, A-level, A (Primary texts: M1-M2, Edexcel)
-Statistics, A-level, A (Primary texts: S1 - S2, Edexcel)</p>

<p>^The above took ages, because I did them when I was quite young. I only decided to apply to college last year.</p>

<p>Science:</p>

<p>-Physics, A-level, A (Aug '05 - Jan '08, 29 months. Primary texts: OCR Physics 1 and 2)
-Biology (Oct '08 - Oct '09, 1 year. Primary text: either CGP GCSE Biology or Princeton Review Biology)
-Chemistry (Oct '08 - Oct' 09, 1 year. Primary text: either CGP GCSE Chemistry or Barron's Chemistry)</p>

<p>Social Studies:</p>

<p>-World History (Dec '08 - Dec'09, 1 year. Primary text: History: The Definitive Visual Guide)</p>

<p>Foreign Language:</p>

<p>-Chinese (Apr '09 - present time. Primary texts: Chinese For Dummies and Mandarin Chinese in 30 Days).</p>

<p>Arts:</p>

<p>-Drawing (Feb '08 - present time. Primary text: Drawing For the Absolute And Utter Beginner).
-Web Design (Jun '09 - Oct '09, 4 months. Primary text: Dreamweaver For Dummies)</p>

<p>*Other:
*
-Computer Programming (Feb '08 - Oct '08, 9 months. Primary text: Python Programming: An Introduction To Computer Science)
-Creative Writing (Oct '08 - present time. Primary text: Writing A Novel)
-How The Universe Works: Open University part-time course (May '05 - Jul '05, 3 months. Primary text: How The Universe Works)
-Introduction To The Human Genome: Open University part-time course (May '05 - Jul '05, 3 months. Primary text: Introduction To The Human Genome).</p>

<p>^I'm taking the SAT Subject Tests in Math II, Lit, World History, Biology, Chemistry, and possibly Chinese near the end of this year. I'm also considering doing classes in Economics or something, to work on my Social Studies. </p>

<p>How does my courseload hold up if I'm applying to schools like Harvard, etc.?</p>

<p>Also, can you specify more than one primary text on the Homeschool Transcript?</p>

<p>Thanks ^^.</p>

2

<p>Very selective schools will want to see some outside grades or outside validation of some kind. Be thinking of who can write your academic recommendations.</p>

<p>For English Literature, I wouldn’t suggest listing the SAT review book as a textbook. Instead, list all the English literature you read in preparation for the test. You can certainly specify more than one text for a course on the transcript.</p>

3

<p>Yes, I agree with Cardinal Fang. Leave off of your transcript SAT prep books, anything like “… for Dummies” or “Idiot’s Guide to …”, even “Chinese in 30 Days” looks bad. Use real books --novels, college-level academic texts, serious non-fiction. You can list multiple texts, certainly.</p>

<p>You don’t want to look like a Cliff’s Notes type of student. That will sink your application for sure.</p>

4

<p>Thanks for the advice ^^. I’ll see if I can borrow some proper books from the library, especially on Chinese. I’m actually working through two really good, academic, Biology and Chemistry books, and I’m learning everything from there, but I’m only covering around the first 3/4 of each, as they’re quite old and advanced. Is it still OK to list them as my primary texts? </p>

<p>I will be going through the SAT prep books in full, as a kind of revision, which is why I was considering listing those instead (and the SAT Subject Tests could be considered final exams for Bio and Chem, I suppose). I’m reading plenty of classics as part of Literature, but it’s not currently being done in a structured way: I also read for fun, and I don’t think I can fit all the literature I’ve read into the “Primary Text” section. </p>

<p>What do I do if I run out of space on the Homeschool Supplement? (I’m applying online). If I can only type as much in when I’m applying as I can now, I’m not going to have enough space for entering most of the primary texts I used (for Bio, Chem, Physics or Literature):</p>

<p><a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/HomeSchool_Supplement.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/HomeSchool_Supplement.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>Bump. 10char</p>

6

<p>Don’t pay much attention to the Homeschool Supplement; it’s not big enough. Instead, make up your own transcript. A lot of homeschoolers I know make a one page at-a-glance transcript, and then write course descriptions with more detail. My son’s transcript had a one-pager with courses listed by subject (horizontally) and year (vertically), plus contact info and standardized test scores. Following that was eight or nine pages of course descriptions, each with a brief summary of the material studied, the method of assessment, and the books used.</p>

7

<p>When I submitted the homeschool supplement, my mother wrote “See attached transcript” in all the spaces instead of filling them in. Our transcript was like the one Cardinal describes above – one page with a list of all courses, followed by detailed descriptions and outlines.</p>

8

<p>I put in a lot of “see attached course descriptions” or “see attached transcript” too. And like Cardinal Fang, we submitted a transcript and the course descriptions–something like 12 pages (6 front and back) for the latter. Truly I thought it was easier to submit the parent/counselor part of the common application by snail mail.</p>

9

<p>Okay, so I have to:</p>

<p>-Write short course descriptions and course lengths on the Homeschool Supplement, but write “See attached transcript/course descriptions” in the place where I should fill the primary texts?</p>

<p>-Attach the course descriptions and send them by snail mail, together with… just the Homeschool Supplement or the rest of the Common App? How long should I give the documents to get to the American colleges? (I live overseas).</p>

<p>Thanks :).</p>

10

<p>Python, I’ll tell you what we did, but please keep in mind that this is only our choice–what was easiest for son and me. There are doubtless many variations on how homeschoolers submit their common apps.</p>

<p>Son completed the Common Application and submitted the student portion online. He requested that two of his community college profs sumbit letters online. </p>

<p>I, as parent and advisor sent the following by the postal service: List of Application Supplements enclosed, Homeschool Supplement, Secondary School Report, Counselor Recommendation Letter (I wrote see letter on the homeschool supplement), School Profile, Official Transcript, and Course Descriptions. All of these documents I placed into a large envelope, sealed and signed it over the flap, and wrote “official documents” all over it. I also placed my son’s name on this envelope. If son had collected early letters of recommendation, I would have placed those (should be sealed and signed) in the large envelope. I took that large envelope and placed it in a US Mailing Envelope and purchased tracking so that we were sure that each school had received everything. I don’t know how long your overseas post will take, but here we allowed up to a week. Mail out of our state can be very slow :-)</p>

<p>I am looking at son’s homeschool supplement. On the front, I filled in about a paragraph each for philosophy, grading scale, outside evaluation. On the second page, I typed in each course name, the date (descending from earliest to latest), the grade (and a parenthetical remark if the course was in progress), and then along the side, where it asked for primary text used, I hand wrote “see attached course descriptions”. I did not have enough room to put in all of son’s courses, so on the bottom, in the “Other” section I typed in “Please see attached master transcript”. There was no way that the homeschool supplement had room for all the text. There is no room on this year’s supplement for course descriptions. </p>

<p>Okay, on the first document I put in the big envelope called Application Supplements, I also wrote what colleges could expect under separate cover. That included SAT scores, additional snail mail recommendations (yes, we had high school teachers send two extras), and official transcripts from several other institutions. </p>

<p>I followed this procedure based on the advice of a fellow homeschooler that had great success last year–kid at an Ivy now. She emphasized organizing stuff so that colleges would have an easy time figuring out what you had accomplished with your education in a format that colleges understand. </p>

<p>So, I hope this makes sense and helps a bit. Like I said, other homeschoolers have been successful using the common app without doing all of this, but this is what worked for us.</p>

11

<p>Wow, thanks for taking the time to type all that out ^^. It really makes stuff seem a lot simpler now. I thought you had to submit the whole Common App online, or else send it all by post. </p>

<p>Just one last question - does it matter which order you submit parts of the application in (the Common Application, the recommendations, and the supplements and transcript etc.), or can you submit stuff as you complete it, in any order?</p>

12

<p>Well, the first piece for our kids was the common application. After they had submitted the initial applications they requested SAT scores. Be careful about the scores. Some schools only take paper copies and it takes a while for the College Board to get them out. Both of my son’s community college recommenders sent in his electronic recommendations immediately. I sent in the whole packet described above by mail maybe one or two weeks after son submitted his application. I don’t remember to tell you the truth. Then, in January, we submitted the midterm grades with an updated transcript and that common app midterm report. The extra letters of recommendation were probably sent in early January. </p>

<p>So, to answer your question, I don’t know if it matters how you submit the application, but it does seem that if you submit in parts, you’re increasing the odds that one part will go missing in the admissions office. I just wanted to get what I described above into the schools in one big organized bundle.</p>

13

<p>I actually contacted the colleges and they said it should be OK to send the recommendations by paper sometime during the summer, so I’ll do that, and try and send the supplements etc. by mail shortly before I submit the Common App late this autumn (plus request the score reports then, so the admissions office doesn’t miss anything like you said). I don’t think I need to submit the mid-term grades, since I’m coming from a non-US based school system, but I’ll double-check it anyway. </p>

<p>Thank you very much for your help :)</p>

14

<p>For the most selective schools, I would suggest designating your course work as Honors or AP, especially if you plan to take an AP in the subject. I would recommend obtaining AP Editions of textbooks in math, science, history. </p>

<p>For English, you would do well to document your reading with a reading list, and if you want to include textbooks on grammar and writing, find college prep level options.</p>

<p>I am not an admissions officer, but as a college professor and homeschool mom, I’ve advised families over the years and written letters of recommendation for homeschoolers. As you describe your course work right now, it appears very thin and needs more weight to give a strong college preparatory impression. I understand you have high aspirations–I suggest you might look at a book like The Well-Trained Mind for suggestions on a college prep reading list.</p>

<p>I also agree with those who have posted about using a standard transcript form (you can download these online) with appended reading lists or course descriptions. </p>

<p>I also would recommend you plan on a Senior Project. This would be advanced and sustained research and work in an area you plan to major in or perceive as your strength. The Senior Project will last your entire Senior year and culminate in a long paper, or scientific research, or artistic performance.</p>

<p>I also urge you to make very good use of this summer before your Senior year.</p>

15

<p>I actually bought some new Biology and Chemistry books, and am now going through them, which will count as my “main” coursees in those subjects:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/722292-applying-harvard-how-good-my-courseload.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/722292-applying-harvard-how-good-my-courseload.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>and I’ve been doing some slightly innovative programming projects, though the next one I’m doing is the first one that definitely counts as research. I’m mostly working on these independently, though I did have to ask some professors at my local university for help on the last project.</p>

<p>What are some good books for learning English Grammar?</p>

16

<p>This is not meant as advice, but a relating of experience.
Both my son and daughter took no courses and received no grades. What they submitted were simply reading lists of what they read, sorted after-the-fact under “subject” titles that an admissions officer might understand. Of course these were backed up by test scores, in their cases SAT Subject Tests.
My son graduated from Dartmouth, and my daughter just finished her second year at Princeton.
Please take advantage of the freedom home schooling allows to dig deep into what you are curious about and do things kids confined in school cannot. To me, that is the sweet spot of home schooling, and makes complete sense to admissions officers to boot.
Happily, when my son and daughter applied, there was no such thing as the Common Application home school garbage. I would advise ignoring it or working around it.</p>

17

<p>Again just by way of relating experience.
Neither my son nor my daughter had academic recommendations, except in the broadest sense. My son’s two recs were from the head of the local public library and a neighbor who had experience in and interest in education on various levels. My daughter’s recs were from two ballet teachers. In all cases, the recs were from people who knew my children in various settings over many years. Qualitatively quite different than a rec a teacher who gave you an “A” in English in 11th grade.
I regarded the counselor (parent) write up as a free opportunity. Nobody could expect objectivity, and I freely admitted to none. The chance was to give detail and anecdotes that helped my kids come alive. As if the reading lists and backing from folks who had known them intimately for years weren’t enough.
In my opinion, unless seriously flubbed, being a home schooler is a great asset in college admissions. A frequent mistake, I’m guessing, is trying to fit a home school circle into a schooled square, a la the Common Application, or by being forced into similar formats.</p>

18

<p>I contacted the colleges with regard to TRs, and they said that it can come from a teacher or professor, so long as the person has actually taught me something. I think the system has become more “formalized” for homeschoolers recently, unfortunately, which is why a transcript (with the Secondary School Report) seems to be required of every student.</p>

<p>As well as this, is it OK to include a reading list of everything? I read a lot of science books and - sometimes classical - novels for fun, but I thought I might try and turn the latter into some kind of course (hence why I went through a Literature book), because I wasn’t sure how to convey it otherwise.</p>

19

<p>You are not obligated to use the Common App homeschooling supplement. Some schools (I think Princeton is one) has its own homeschool supplement to be downloaded from the website.</p>

<p>You can create your own transcript and append the reading lists (what my son did; he was accepted to Princeton, Yale, Notre Dame and New England Conservatory, and starts Yale in the fall). I recommend that on the “boxed” transcript, you use more common course designations (English, Math, etc.) that admissions officers are comfortable with. If your reading was focused in certain areas, you could group those works on your reading lists, e.g., “Shakespeare Studies” listing the plays read; or “Astronomy” listing books read in astronomy and astrophysics.</p>

<p>As danas points out, SAT IIs or CLEP exams or other subject oriented tests provide external verification of your work.</p>

20

<p>So a reading list can cover everything of note you’ve read, or just everything in the last four years? (I didn’t follow a conventional schooling system, where one covers courses over 4 years).</p>