Worried about how to get college acceptance for homeschool high schoolers?
College Acceptance for Homeschool High Schoolers
In my years as academic advisor for our local homeschool high school upperclassmen, I often talked to parents who were concerned about what happens AFTER high school. They wanted tips to get college acceptance for their homeschool high schoolers.
Here are 5 tips I always share with them for getting college acceptance for homeschool high schoolers:
- Don’t overshoot- It is a waste of time to apply to colleges WAY over a teens’ ability. A good rule of thumb is to check college websites for the statistics on incoming freshmen. Your teens’ test scores should be fairly close to those scores. (If they are much under the average score, your teens, if accepted, may start out at a disadvantage.)
- Have academic rigor and explain it on the transcript- Many colleges are looking for academic rigor in at least some courses. You and your homeschool high schoolers should choose a course, or courses, each year to level-up to honors. Show the level on the transcript and include a legend on the transcript that explains how the level-up was earned.
- Show the sparkle– Your homeschool high schoolers should explore and expand interests with extra and unusual electives, invest in extracurriculars that require
some commitment, and include plenty of service hours. This gives the transcript sparkle and makes your teens standouts! Try unusual courses like Human Development, Public Speaking, Drama, or Philosophy. - Make sure your homeschool high schooler can write and edit- This is VITALLY important for colleges that require admission essays (and for the entire time they are in college). Nuff said. Get a good curriculum that is fun, no busywork, accessible, and self-directed and have your teens write, write, write! (7Sisters writing guides were designed to develop college-prep skills in a don’t-make-your-teens-hate-writing format.)
- Get good references- Have your teens spend the high school years developing some solid mentorships. This is good for your teens’ souls. AND it gives you reference writers who actually know your kids- so they can write a great reference for them.
These are all things where you and your teens have some control. There are things that are out of your control (# of seniors applying for a limited number of spaces at a college, the mood of the admissions officers on the day they read your teens’ application, and God’s will about the situation.) You can trust God to open and close doors on these things. Do what you can and leave the rest to Him.
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College Acceptance for Homeschool High Schoolers
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I am a homeschooled 10th grader and I am so scared. I want to go to college so bad, because my dream career requires a degree. I really need help. I am not good at geometry, and my mom doesn’t know how to help me. I am also don’t really know how to write essays. I hate how everything is a book, and if the book can’t help me, I just have to deal with it. I don’t know what to do! I honestly don’t feel like homeschooling will prepare me for college, and I won’t get in. I’m afraid I won’t know what to do for the SATs and I won’t know how to write an essay, two VITAL things for college. Also, i am involved in ZERO extracurricular activities, and I don’t see that happening in the future either. My parents don’t have money to put me in classes of any kind. I would love to do musical theater or art classes, but my parents can’t afford it. I really don’t know what to do.
Thanks for your question, Struggling Homeschooled Teen. You are at a wonderful age to start using your creativity and initiative to meet your educational needs. That’s what college is all about, so you can make the most of it now. Here are some thoughts:
1) Talk to your local community college and ask about admission requirements. Community college is a great place to start because the price is low and they offer remediation courses if you are behind.
2) Work on your math skills with some basic books. Try Pacemaker Geometry (you can get old Globe-Fearon copies on Amazon for a couple of dollars) and watch YouTube how-to’s. Also use math-help websites like Purple Math to help you figure things out. Or barter with a family at church: babysit in return for help with math.
3) You can learn to write essays on YouTube or google how-to. Download Grammarly.com, which will, for-free, do some of the editing for you. Download the Introductory Essay Writing curriculum from our store. If you can’t afford it, go to our contact page and send Vicki a note. We’ll talk.
4) Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer. Church, foodbank, rescue mission, library.
5) You can learn lots about art or singing on YouTube.
6) Read lots of posts on this website on ways to build a great transcript. We have ideas for each subject. You can do it.
7) My mother used to tell me: Where there’s a will, there’s a way. It might not be easy, but if you truly want it, you can do it. Keep me posted.
Blessings,
Vicki Tillman