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Applying to College as a Homeschooler

Homeschooled for high school? In the past, you might have been in a panic about applying to college as a homeschooler. However, things have definitely changed. As the number of homeschoolers has skyrocketed over the past two decades, so has the number of homeschooler acceptances at top universities.

There are advantages and disadvantages of applying to college as a homeschooler. As with any applicant, I encourage you to emphasize the positives and put a good spin on the negatives! Take advantage of the many resources available to homeschoolers and you can have a winning application. Here's a look at the pros and cons of being a homeschooled college applicant.

Advantages

Unique experiences: Homeschoolers often use their flexible schedules to pursue unusual opportunities that add great memorability to college applications. I have met successful homeschool applicants who actively pursued careers on Broadway or on the golf course. Homeschoolers often connect in meaningful ways with people who are much older or younger than themselves while pursuing their interests. Applying to college as a homeschooler can add a perspective of maturity that traditional applications sometimes lack.

Depth of activity enhancement: Use your homeschool schedule to pursue your passions outside of traditional school schedule limits. Interested in community service? Talk to your local library about volunteering year round when traditional students aren’t available. Maybe you can take responsibility for a preschool literacy program or teaching tech skills to senior citizens. These types of opportunities are usually happening during the school day. Use your time to make your extracurriculars more meaningful and impressive!

Unconventional Transcripts: It’s important that your high school transcript captures both the conventional outcomes that your individualized education has achieved, while also emphasizing how you've been able to follow your passions through your fields of study.

Disadvantages

Unconventional Transcripts: See what I did there? Your transcript will be memorable for being unique, but it also has to effectively convey reasonable parity with what most of your peers have been doing. If you're applying to college as a homeschooler, use every opportunity to show that you have checked off all foundational curricular areas!

Iffy teacher recommendations: If you're applying to college as a homeschooler, and your parents have been your only teachers, you will have a tough time getting top colleges to take your teacher recommendations seriously. It is crucial to find other adult teachers and mentors who will lend credibility to your application through glowing letters of recommendation.

Improving Your Chances

There are basic things students applying to college as a homeschooler can do to improve their chance of acceptance at a great university.

• Find colleges that address homeschoolers: Look for colleges whose websites clearly provide suggestions for homeschooled applicants. These schools care enough about homeschoolers to offer guidance up front. A quick search will show you that schools as diverse as Yale, MIT, Penn State, and the University of California system all offer helpful advice.
• Seek standard documentation: AP scores and SAT subject tests are a solid way of demonstrating your proficiency with traditional high school subject matter. You can also earn early college credit at most community colleges as another way to prove that you can succeed in typical classroom settings.
• Develop references: Take classes at nearby colleges, find mentors in the academic fields that interest you most, and seek internships that will be possible sources of objective recommendations.
• Killer applications: Your college application process will be more complex (and more interesting) than most. Allow enough time and identify counselors who can help you prepare an application package that thoroughly captures your qualifications as well as your individuality.

In short, candidates applying to college as a homeschooler have to be both conventional and unconventional. The good new is that your experiences probably already fit this comprehensive description! The important things to keep in mind when you apply to college are the same as they would be for anyone: tell your unique story, emphasize your achievements, and include objective validation of your strengths!