<p>I'm so confused on how all of this works! I'm hoping to maybe get into an Ivy - but how?</p>
<p>If I get super high SAT and ACT scores, will that get me in? I'm fairly confident I could get somewhere between a 2300-2400. I understand SAT II's are needed. How about AP classes? Can I just learn the stuff at home and then just take the AP test at a school or testing facility?</p>
<p>How important are extracurriculars? I currently am doing none and am not planning to do any. Is that bad?</p>
<p>High test scores are just one element that colleges will want to see. Homeschoolers need to bring to the table a record of achievement and ambition that shows what they’ve been doing with the freedom they have. I’ve talked to some elite school admissions people (Yale, MIT) and they say that in addition to standard prerequisites (4 years math, 4 years science, etc) they like to see evidence that the homeschooler has done something unusual or out of the box. High test scores plus a typical course of study will not get you in the door in these tough, competitive years. You need strong extracurriculars, special accomplishments, and fantastic recommendations. </p>
<p>My oldest is a college sophomore (SLAC) and his high tests scores and solid record with summer and community college courses got him to his tier 2 school, but he might have gotten into a tier 1 if he had better recs (he is very shy, and doesn’t let profs get to know him) and stronger extracurriculars. He had volunteer work,an unpaid internship, and homeschool teen group stuff, but not much else. I really regret not having pushed him a bit to overcome his inertia. He’s getting good grades, but I think he might be happier at a different school.</p>
<p>Along with excellent test scores (SAT and SAT Subject Tests are enough), you should be developing passions and following them with the freedom you have.
If you are willing to work as a volunteer, almost any community has interesting things to do. You may need to be a bit older, say 16, for some of them. This should be FUN for you. If not, try something else.
“The Teenage Liberation Handbook” is a great source for ideas.</p>
<p>I took/am taking several AP courses (Physics, Calc B, Computer Science). Also I would take Community College courses (I am taking math classes there). If you do all of the same typical courses, plus focus a lot on your specific interests (including extracurricular activities) you will have a good chance.</p>
<p>For homeschool APs, you do not have to be enrolled in a formal class to take the exam - but they cost $86 each, are only offered on one day per year, and you must find a school which will allow you to test there, AND they have to offer the test you want. Many schools around us inly offer teh lower level of sciences, so we have stayed overnight to make it to the 7 am start time 1.5 hours away. Check AP Central on Collegeboard.com and amazon’s list mania, and be sure to buy some kind of AP review book to study along with the suggested readings.</p>
<p>Raineee, no extracurriculars at all would be bad if you wanted admission to a very selective school. Are you really doing nothing besides schoolwork? No job, no family business, no activity in your church if you go to one, no outside sports teams, no Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, no music, no volunteering, nothing at all?</p>
<p>Developmentally, one needs to engage in outside-of-the-home activities; peer relations and exposure to older children and adults in your community or world are critical to your psychosocial, cognitive, emotional, and physical growth. Especially because you are not leaving the home to engage in school, admissions officers will be concerned with your ability to engage the world. How do you do this? How will your application demonstrate who you are in the world?</p>
<p>I think that Danas’s advice is key here. Follow your interests and passions and do things that you would like to do. Don’t worry so much about creating the ideal college candidate by totalling hours. Rather, think about what interests you and act on what you discover. Maybe there’s some aspect of your job or service that you can dig into, but just because you want to. It’s great to have many hours of community service and a job along with high test scores, but these elite colleges see many applicants with these qualifications. What truly makes you unique? What sets you apart from all of the other high achievers?</p>
<p>you definitely need extracurriculars. there’s no community service to do? really? I’m sure you can find all sorts of community service year round. here are some suggestions: library, animal shelter, museums, tutoring, hospitals, food drives, charities, homeless shelters…and those are just generic ones. you could coach a little kids’ sports team at the ymca or just help out there. you could form a music group and perform at hospitals or for charities. you could help at a therapeutic horse riding center. etc. whatever floats your boat, you can find related community service. put yourself out there. even if you live in the most rural isolated area, I see you have the internet available, so check this out: [Volunteer</a> Task Teams](<a href=“http://www.ihfonline.org/taskteams.php]Volunteer”>http://www.ihfonline.org/taskteams.php). many pretty simple, at-home ways to help people worldwide.</p>
<p>I was homeschooled, now going to Rhodes College which is a very well-respected liberal arts school.</p>
<p>Extracurriculars are definitely important. Obviously, socialization is a big topic that comes up so get involved in something that you’re interested in. I love to read so I got involved at a local library in addition to some other service opportunities. I’d also suggest getting a job if that’s something you’re considering. It shows that you can balance work, community service, and school and be successful in all of them.</p>
<p>Try your best to take some college courses in high school. They show that you can be successful in an environment that people colleges accept as objective. This is important because there’s always the question of whether a parent gave their kid As just because it’s their kid. So show you can be successful under someone else’s grading standards as well. On the same note, AP exams will also show that you meet a standard on an objective test, so take them if you can. I’d suggest doing an English, a science, and a history one at the least.</p>
<p>but to reiterate what others have already said: do what interests you. Don’t pad your life with stuff just because you think it will get you into an Ivy. If you do, you’ll end up hating school and won’t do as well as you could. Be passionate in whatever you do.</p>
<p>I’d be happy to talk to you about being a homeschooler applying for college so feel free to shoot me a private message or post here. Good luck.</p>