How Does Homeschooling Affect College Plans?

[Bubblingbrooks]

I don't know much about homeschooling but I have been accepted to several colleges. The acceptance was based on grades and SAT scores. What would a homeschooled person offer in terms of grades? Mom is not going to be as objective as an unrelated teacher- clearly, if it helped my child to get into a good school, I would award the highest grades possible. A teacher is not going to do that. So, I don't know what college admissions boards do to get around the lack of objective grading. Also, there is the issue of class ranking. At your home school you are number 1 in your grade unless you have a twin. I don't see how homeschooling can possibly prepare someone to be accepted at a better school. But, I could be wrong. Maybe I am missing something.

Yep

So, Ivy League schools accept homeschoolers? They aren't concerned with grades or class ranking? I am just surprised. Things have changed since I went to school.

http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000002/00000234.asp
Not going to say anything else...

 

[sufficientforme]

This is our first year homeschooling and what I have learned so far is most if not all colleges do not require a H.S diploma but rather admittance is based on ACT, SAT scores. If you are truly concerned then you can enroll them in an online accredited school for their senior year and they graduate HS with an actual diploma in hand.

 

[keljonma]

Practical Homeschooling Magazine had a terrific article recently (not sure - may have been within the last 2 months) covering transcripts for homeschooling. The article was very detailed with examples.... you may want to check it out. I always borrow it from our local public library.

 

[abifae]

I would GUESS that a ged is a ged. You do need extra curriculars, but you can volunteer all over the place for that. Get your 2 year at a local school and use THOSE grades to catapault you to a college.

But no real experience.

 

[sufficientforme]

I feel like a GED has too much stigma attached, for example you can't even join the US Army with a GED right now. My homeschooling kid will get a degree of some kind but we have a few years to go before that is an issue. There are other reasons I am not going to list because I don't want to offend anyone, personally I just feel this is not even an option for my child.

 

[moolie]

I don't know how it works in the states, but in Canada, if you homeschool, your children need to be tested yearly to make sure they are keeping up/learning enough. You get to set the curriculum,(within guidelines) but there is a bit of regulation just to make sure your kids are learning.

Ditto for BC and AB.

I'm a former teacher and I used to be a home school tutor for a family with two boys. Their Mom had given up on doing it all herself so I taught them for several years. We were part of a group of home schooling families who got together for various activities: science lessons with graduate students at the local university, outings to various local historic sites, gymnastics club, fitness club, swim lessons etc. and the boys were also involved in other activities that were not part of my job description.

The socialization definitely depends on the individual child. One of the boys was ok socially (not great) and the other was pretty anti-social and had a real attitude about "school". Other children in the group were what I'd call "precocious" and liked to show off their knowledge to anyone who would listen and were not what I'd call "properly socialized", and most were just like normal public or private school students.

I had a positive experience with this family and home school group, but don't believe that home schooling was the best choice for all the children involved.

As a teacher, I don't believe that any one instructional method is best. Each child is an individual, and parents must choose what is right for their family situation and individual child/ren.

My own children have always attended public schools, in the French Immersion program, and have always thrived in the school atmosphere and get great grades. They also have music (piano and guitar) lessons and have been involved with Girl Guides (same as Girl Scouts in the US) since age 5. Both are active and take part in school sports, and are both thoughtful and caring citizens who put feet to their beliefs and convictions by volunteering and fund-raising.

I defy anyone who tells me that they could have done better having been taught at home and my children (14 and 15) say the same.

There is a family at our church that home schools and their oldest daughter is now in the Youth Group (age 13), except that she is so painfully shy that she barely goes to any activities. Her younger sister is even more shy and won't even look at, let alone talk to other children or adults who speak to her. Both of my girls believe that this particular family has made the wrong decision regarding schooling their kids, and they brought the subject up on their own as we don't really know this family.

I have nothing but kudos for parents who teach their children at home.

Just don't tell me that it's best in every situation/for every family/for every child. Because it isn't.

 

[sufficientforme]

I could not agree more Moolie, this was a last resort for our struggling child. I feel this is what is best in our situation but we still have one in public school and would never consider this an option for that child

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Just don't tell me that it's best in every situation/for every family/for every child. Because it isn't.

Very well written post!

 

[Lady Henevere]

Well said, moolie.

I have a junior in high school doing an online program that offers a diploma at the end. I wouldn't recommend the program based on its quality, but it tells me that there are programs out there that offer a diploma.

 

[abifae]

I agree, Moolie. My niece the elder would LOVE home school (IF there was someone who could teach her, and unfortunately there isn't) but it would kill niece the younger. She needs GROUPS of people.