Home schooling and colleges?

Question

How does one that's homeschooled get into a university or community college? Me and my mother are new to homeschooling and have no clue how to go about doing this my junior/senior year.

Do you have to get a GED, or is there a high school dimploma equivilent you can get somewhere? Is it looked upon negativly?

Thanks so much for any advice :)

Answer 1

Your mom needs to keep a portfolio of your work.  Make sure and find out the minimum coursework required for the colleges you wish to attend.  Your mom can issue a diploma.  You do not need to take the GED.  A homeschool education is not looked down upon with college admissions.  In fact, most colleges seek out HS'ed students.

You'll want to take the ACT and/or SAT.  If you're a freshman or sophomore, you could take the PSAT now, and then the other tests in your junior year.  Your score will help your admission, and you can take them multiple times.

As for community college, many high schooled students (public and homeschool) take courses as dual enrollment.  This is a great way to get several college credits done before you even enter university.  Most CC's have placements tests for Math & English.  Just call your local one and find out the requirements for a high school student (it doesn't matter if you're HS'ed).

You'll also want to have some volunteer work and some activities.  They will strengthen your portfolio and possible interview.  Join a local HS co-op and take classes.  We have a large one in our city.

If you search the previous times this question has been asked here, you'll find a lot of answers.  I think this comes up at least once a week.

Answer 2

I kept a potfolio of work from my highschool years including a few essays, a reading list, lists of activites I had participated in, and then a transcript my parents put together.  We went by the state requirements for graduating and I ended up with 29 credits.  Public schools around here only require 16 credits to graduate.  We laughed at that, but it truly shows how homeschoolers can turn everything into a learning experience.  Do you cook dinner for your family once a week?  That is home ec.  Do you ever babysit?  That would be child Development.  Do you regularly work out?  PE.  You can turn everything you do into a class.  Colleges like to see that homeschoolers are well-rounded when it comes to these things.  We also sent my ACT scores with the portfolio.  

It would be a great idea for you to visit college financial aid offices as soon as possible.  They will tell you about all the scholarships you are eligible for, what scores you need to get on tests to get scholarships, and if you are eligible for grants.  Just by getting a good (mostly average) grade on my ACT I was awarded a great scholarship because I knew to apply for it.

Answer 3

I have a child in an Ivy League university right now.  He has no diploma and no GED.

If your college entrance exams are good, and you can express yourself well in words, then you don't need anything else.  Home educated students who do well on entrance exams are very much sought out by universities.

If you're not so great at taking tests, then you may want to pursue obtaining a GED.

Answer 4

i am not sure, but i would say have your mom check with the school that she does the progress sheets at(class metrails at). and ask them they would know for sure on that.

Answer 5

NY you need a HS Dipl or GED, many other places don't require it.  In most instances you just apply.  It's usually a good idea to take the SAT or ACT test in advance.

Answer 6

You should check with the colleges you are thinking of attending. Also, if you are part of a national homeschooling network, they might have a list of uni's that accept them.

Answer 7

Basically, it's a good idea to check ahead of time at the colleges you're thinking of going to.  Here's my story, in case it helps:

I was homeschooled all through high school.  I decided I wanted to go to a community college for my first two years of college.  I never got a GED, took the SAT or ACT, or got an official diploma.  On my application to the community college, I wrote that the high school I attended was "homeschool" and checked that yes, I had graduated.  I just left the "ACT score" spot blank and nobody ever asked about it.  (Keep in mind that a lot of older people go to community college to further their current career or change careers, and they probably have no idea what their ACT score was back in 1977 or whatever).

My mom kept track of my grades throughout high school, because the community college needed to have my high school transcripts -- what courses I took which years, and what my final grades in those courses were.  I also had to note on my transcripts that I had taken and passed the US constitution test and the Illinois constitution test (my state).  However, they didn't even need my transcripts to admit me; just to graduate me.

I was accepted to community college right away... they didn't need ACT scores or anything.  Community colleges will generally admit pretty much anybody.  I did have to take a math and English placement test so they knew if I needed any remedial classes, but everyone who attends that community college has to take the same placement test.

Once it came time to transfer to the state college I'm currently attending, nothing from high school mattered anymore.  I filled out a transfer application, which was very simple (no essay or anything).  The only things the university looked at were my GPA from community college, how my community college classes would transfer, and whether or not I had gotten my associate degree.  So, since I had a great GPA at the cc, I easily got into the university.

Colleges and universities are generally more than willing to admit homeschoolers because most homeschoolers have great study habits and do well in school (hence, are not likely to drop out).  All of the faculty and staff I've come across at both my colleges are impressed with homeschoolers... so no worries there!

Just check any state requirements and the requirements for admission to the schools you might want to attend.  And call them if you have questions... for example, for a freshman to get into my current university, they are supposed to have ACT scores.  But it wasn't a big deal at all for me.

And, I would definitely recommend going to a community college first.  It saves money and makes the whole transition so much easier.

Answer 8

they say it's the same way any other kid should get in. write SAT tests...

Answer 9

It has been my experience, with my two oldest sons, that a GED or high school diploma is NOT needed to get into community college. My oldest started classes part time when he was 14; my second son part time when he was 16. I contacted the college and was put in touch with one of the deans of admission. The boys each took placement tests in math and English classes and were registered.

Both of my sons have received dual credit for the college classes they took while also homeschooling high school. My oldest son graduated high school in three years; my second will do the same.

Both of my sons will be transferring to a 4 year university - just like any other college transfer student.

I would suggest the following books for homeschooling high school:

Homeschooling the Teen Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 13-18 Year Old, by Cafi Cohen

Homeschoolers' College Admissions Handbook: Preparing your 12-18 Year old for a Smooth Transition, also by Cafi Cohen

The Homeschooler's Guide to Portfolio's and Transcripts, by Loretta Heuer

I would also advise having your high schooler take the ACT test (sometimes taking this will allow them to skip college placement exams).

I did prepare transcripts for my son, but the community college did not want them, or their high school diploma.

Answer 10

Here's some info that may help:

http://www.hslda.org/highschool/default....