Starting College after Homeschooling
Families have homeschooled their children for as long as their has been families and school. Homeschooling became a little less popular when modern public schools were developed; but began a resurgence in the early '80s. There have always been some of those homeschool graduates who continued their education, but not all of them opt to go on to college.
Up until just recently, acceptance into college after homeschooling has been uncommon, but that is changing. Today, however, many colleges now seek out homeschool graduates for admission. They do this for many reasons, but one big one is the realization that homeschooled students already know how to learn.
Should your child go on to pursue a college education after being homeschooled? Of course, this is something only you and your child can decide. Though college is very different from public school, there are some similarities. If your child has only been homeschooled and is not used to the structure of public school, you should realize that they may have struggles adjusting to college. Don't let that dissuade you; the struggles can certainly be overcome with some effort.
If your child shows an interest in furthering their education, then by all means you should allow them to pursue it. All parents should encourage their children to reach for their dream. Keep in mind however that you will have to keep very good records. Your homeschooled child will need a transcript. This is something that you can create; alternately you can sign up with a homeschool cover that will create the transcript for you.
What about college entrance requirements? Every college has their own admissions process and requirements. You'll want to check with the specific college or colleges that your student is interested in attending. You can find their requirements listed on their website, or you can call or write and ask them to send a catalog or further information.
Frequently, children will be homeschooled until they reach high school age, and then go to high school to get a diploma. Others though will continue to homeschool on through high school, and either take a correspondence course or GED (General Equivalence Diploma) in order to earn their diploma. You will also need to begin preparing your student to take the ACT or SAT as a preliminary to entering college.
You can get assistance and advice from the college Registrar. They can tell you if there are any special requirements for homeschoolers, as well as whether there are other options for those seeking admission without a traditional education. One option to considered if a student wants to continue their education is to seek admission after turning 19. This classifies them as "adult" and changes the criteria for entering college. In some colleges, the age to classify as adult is 21. Check with the specific college you are interested in about this option.
Finally, when considering a future college education, see to it that you contact potential colleges long in advance so as to have plenty of time for the application process. They may also need to fulfill other college entrance requirements. You can find more information about college for homeschool parents at the Complete Homeschool Guide website. As a homeschool parent, you should always encourage your children to seek their dreams and do all you can to help them go from homeschool graduate to college student.
Author Info:
Mr. Ullman writes about Homeschool issues for The Complete Homeschool Guide - check it out for answers and resources for homechooling parents.
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