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Homeschooling
I'm in 10th grade and have been homeschooled since 8th grade. But we haven't exactly kept good track of my work and grades. I'm afraid that because of that, I won't be able to get into college. Is there any way we can undo the damage? I don't really want to do this...but should I try getting back into regular school? Being homeschooled, how do I figure out my GPA?
Please take a look at our prior answer on this issue. It is possible to get grades in homeschooling, depending on how structured the program is. Some homeschooling involves independent classes, online classes and correspondence programs that do issue grades.
Without knowing more about your homeschooling structure, I can't say whether it's possible to get a GPA. It may be that proving grades is impossible in your case, so colleges may have to rely more on test scores and other factors in determining your admission. Every homeschooling situation is different. Therefore, I recommend deferring to the judgment of homeschooling experts when setting up a program.
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Our 8th grade public school daughter has been doing EPGY math for a couple of years in lieu of our school curriculum. She likes it, and the rigor of the course seems more suited to her math ability. Any info from colleges if she stays with EPGY through high school level courses (hence no math grades included in her transcripts)? As she plans for high school classes, is a 4.0 in standard high school fare better than a high 3+ average in higher level classes?
EPGY isn't going to be as well-known to some colleges as, say, AP math level classes, and although I'm not sure about this, I don't think EPGY courses will be accepted for college credit. Obviously EPGY has a great reputation, though. Typically, a high 3+ in more challenging classes would fare better. If you get a 4.0/4.0, who's to say what you were really capable of?
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I am homeschooled. What would best prepare me for college admission?
Let me give a short answer to this question now, and return to it a bit later. I think the topic is worth more space and time than we can give it now.
There are parts of your application that will put you on par with other students from mainstream schools; for example, your SAT or ACT score, community involvement, essay, recommendations, and so on. These “points of reference” will allow an admissions person to judge you against other applicants, and you need to be competitive.
Colleges, though, depend on an understanding of each high school’s curriculum and degree of difficulty. You, being homeschooled, will have been educated in an unknown environment. Therefore, it is vitally important that you communicate not only “how you did,” meaning your “grade” in the courses you took at home--but you must also communicate what you learned, meaning the content of the courses you took. How you go about this will be expanded on a bit later.
Colleges do recognize that more and more students are being homeschooled, and often with better results than public school. Homeschooling should not be viewed as making it more difficult for you to enter the college of your choice. Colleges are definitely taking note of students like yourself.
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I am a sophomore in high school, and I am homeschooled. Do colleges regularly accept homeschoolers, or should I think about going back to school for my last two years? I have homeschooled since seventh grade, and before I started homeschooling, I was in a highly recognized high school. But we moved, and the current district I am in has very low college ratings. If I go back to school, should I try to go back to my other school?
Homeschooling presents colleges with a certain challenge in that they often have a hard time evaluating the quality of your education. However, because homeschooling has become big, colleges are dealing with it.
A lot of folks think homeschooling simply means being out of the classroom. In my opinion, though, it should really mean more freedom in choosing a curriculum that is both challenging and rewarding. I would encourage you to attempt some coursework at a nearby college as one way to demonstrate to colleges that you have both ability and have pushed yourself academically. But taking college-level courses isn’t the only way to demonstrate academic challenge, and so I encourage you to be creative in finding others.
Also, I will tell you that without a traditional high school transcript, colleges are going to look extra hard at your
SAT/ACT scores. Doing well on these tests will go far in demonstrating your academic abilities to colleges. If you feel challenged and are happy homeschooling, stick with it.
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Hi, I was homeschooled for high school but ended up getting my GED. How will having that affect me getting into a good four year school?
I suggest you try looking into "transition to college" programs offered through community colleges and many good four-year colleges. If you do a little digging, you will find there are programs designed to help students with their GEDs transition well into college instead of joining the workforce right away. Sometimes these types of programs are also offered through state governments.
Do a little Googling (include your state of residency) and see what you find. Good phrases to search could be "GED transition to college", "college transition programs," etc. You may also want to look into taking a few CLEP tests. These exams test what you may already know through work experience or other learning acquired through your lifetime, which affords you an opportunity to receive college credit without strictly taking courses. You can learn more about CLEP tests by visiting the
College Level Examination Program page through CollegeBoard.
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Hi Guru, I am a sophomore in high school, and I am homeschooled. Since home schools do not have any clubs or things like that, I have done a lot of volunteer work in hospitals. I am also interning at a car dealership and have sold a few cars. I plan on interning at a bank. Will these things help me to get into a school like Harvard...since I am planning on going into the business fields?
All of the activities you've mentioned could definitely speak to your interest and early involvement in business. Even the experience of selling a few cars will probably help you stand out from other students. (You could consider writing about that in your personal essay, as it is a quite unique experience you have had as a high school student.)
In regard to homeschooling in general, there are certainly ways that
homeschoolers can improve their odds of admission to good colleges -- and I suggest you keep those things in mind. But when it comes to community and volunteer activities, it sounds like you're doing all the right things already. Press on.
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